# ST60 Multi NMEA Interface



## dave8976 (Feb 19, 2004)

I am asking if anyone else has been successful in connecting a Horizon GPS chartplotter to a Raymarine ST60 Multi. The ST60 Multi has both Input and Output NMEA ports and should be able to send NMEA out based on the SeaTalk messages. I currently have the ST60 Multi connected to a Horizon GPS CP150 chart plotter. The ST60 Multi is able to display information from the GPS chart plotter. But the GPS chart plotter does not see any NMEA data from te ST60 Multi. Placing a digital scope on the ST60 Multi NMEA output port I cannot measure any digital signal. All of the software parameters in the ST60 Multi are set correctly with Alarm OFF and NMEA ON.. The unit is presently in at a Raymarine repair agent who has confirmed that no NMEA signal can be measured on his scope. He has also looked at a brand new ST60 Multi with the same results. Has anyone else come across this. I am suspecting that a product defect may exist with the ST60 Multi with the ability to generate proper NMEA data signal? Raymarine has not responded to my e-mails – poor customer service so far.


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## garygroves (Apr 19, 2003)

Dave: What do you want the ST60 Multi to do?This instrument is a repeater instrument, and does not generate any data on its own - it only displays the data from another instrument (e.g., wind, depth, speed, gps). The primary communications means is through SeaTalk, Raymarine''s proprietary network protocol. If you want to display NMEA data passing over a SeaTalk network on a non-Seatalk instrument, i.e., your Horizon GPS Chartplotter, you will need a SeaTalk to NMEA converter box. Raymarine will gladly sell you one for a couple of hundred dollars. I have one set up and connected to my laptop through the serial ports and receive the full NMEA stream of data - all having been converted from SeaTalk through the converter. However, you still need a sender unit to generate the data.


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## svzephyr44 (Jun 26, 2000)

Not sure that Gary is right about needing the converter box. It would appear that the Multi is supposed to generate NMEA data from the seatalk bus. But he is correct that - no data on the seatalk bus - no data on the NMEA output. So, unless you have a second instrument (Depth, Speed, etc.) hooked up with the Multi you will not see any output (which should happen every two seconds) on the NMEA bus. BTW - depending upon what other Raymarine instrumentation you have you may find another NMEA to Seatalk converter - e.g. many of the Raymarine autopilot computers have such a capability


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

You are right about the Raymarine autopilots understanding and translating NEMA data. Raymarine''s own GPS units ''speak'' NEMA rather than Seatalk and so the GPS data goes into the Autopilot as NEMA. Once in the autopilot you should be able to read the output on your multi-unit, but I have not checked to see if that worked. 

Jeff


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## dave8976 (Feb 19, 2004)

Thank you for your replies. My ST60 Multi is connected via Seatalk to an autohelm, depth, speed and wind. The ST Mulit acting as a repeater is able to diplay information from the other units. Also when it is connected to the GPS chartplotter via its NMEA Input port it displays the various GPS data such as time, Lat, Log, etc. But the ST60 Multi NMEA does not provide any NMEA data output even when I have double check all of the ST60 Multi software settings. As it turns out the NMEA output port does not conform to the electrical interface standards as expected by an NMEA output port. The NMEA interface box from Raymarine is required in order to provide the proper electrical signal. The Raymarine Interface box is connected via Seatalk and provided NMEA Input, Output as well as an PC interface RS232. When I purchased the ST60 Multi I thought I could use it asa repeater plus as a Seatalk to NMEA converter. The last part only applies if you are interested in sending NMEA data from the GPS to the ST60 Multi for the Autohelm and not the other way. My GPS chart plotter is able to record and display data from the other instruments such as depth, speed, wind and temp. Thus I was interested in connecting the ST60 Multi to the GPS for that reason. Thus a NMEA interface box is required if a person plans on connecting their Raymarine instruments to another vendor product. I installed the interface this weekend and now all of the instruments are exchanging information as they are designed to do.


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## obelisk (May 23, 2008)

Just found this thread in the archives and it almost explains my question. I have a RAYTHEON ST60 which is the same as the Raymarine models but older...I think. It has 2 NMEA (no mention of 0183 or 2000) ports and 2 SeaTalk ports. Here's my question: I just upgraded to a garmin 4008 Chartplotter, 18" Radome and GSD22 sounder. I am going to install a new transducer but I am wondering if I can eliminate my old Raymarine through-hull speed and depth transducers--will the old ST60 be able to read the new transducer's info and send it, via SeaTalk cables, to my instruments in the cockpit (which do not have NMEA ports)?

If this is possible, it would save loads of time and frustration!


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The ST60 would be NMEA 0183, since the NMEA 2000 standard is a relatively recent development, and hasn't really been included in hardware older than a year or two old at this point.

It would help if you said what new transducer you are installing and how you're planning on connecting everything. If you're hoping to have an NMEA 0183 datastream go from the Garmin to the autopilot, carrying the depth and speed data, via the autopilot to the ST60 displays, my guess would be it isn't going to work. *I seriously doubt the autopilot acts as an NMEA bridge, so I doubt that it would output the depth and speed information on the Seatalk network.* _

Even if the autopilot did work as a bridge, I don't believe that the ST60 display heads will display depth and speed data that don't come in via the transducer wires._ _*A repeater display would, but I don't think the primary displays, which were designed to be connected to the transducers, will display speed/depth data that comes in via SeaTalk. *_

I'd also recommend that you read the post in my signature to get the most out of your time on sailnet.


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## negrini (Apr 2, 2008)

Dave, I have same config on my boat. This is correct, you'll need a protocol converter as the SeaTalk sentences are not directly translated to the NMEA bus. Then I wired it through my S3-G corepack. Again, it is good for NMEA-NMEA, SeaTalk-SeaTalk, but very limited to NMEA-Setalk and vice-versa. Some sentences present at SeaTalk are simply not forwarded to NMEA bus, and the oposit is true as well. I understand the private nature of SeaTalk, as some sentences has no equivalent at NMEA bus, but that should be true for the ones that have same correspondece in both sides. The Raymarine converter will find same problem as well, but I expect it to have a larger range on information translated from/to NMEA.

Anyway, I found rasonable the amount of information available, but you should expect more. Hopefully NMEA 2000 will fix that  .....


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## brak (Jan 5, 2007)

I just went through Raymarine documentation and tech support for this exact question. 

The autopilot core pack (or control head) will only translate and send a very small subset of messages from Seatalk to NMEA. Specific list of messages is in documentation, but really it only includes things related to autopilot operation. So, autopilot cannot act as a general purpose Seatalk to NMEA bridge. 

To translate all messages from Seatalk to NMEA (and back) you do need their translatio box. This is somewhat silly, since Seatalk messages are virtually identical to their NMEA counterparts, but that's how Raymarine makes money.


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

I've got my entire Ray Marine st60+ sensor array (wind, speed, depth) plugged into my Lowrance 5200c as a NMEA 2000 with no translators. Seems to me it integrated quiet nicely. When I plug my laptop into the network the data all streams in correctly. The 5200c provides a pure 2000 network, it misses the Seatalk2 (Ray Marines version of 2000) specific sentences but everything else comes through just fine including water temp (speed log), depth, rudder sensor (autopilot) etc on both laptop and 5200c.


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## obelisk (May 23, 2008)

Sorry to dredge this thread back up but this is a project that just keeps dragging on. I have installed a new Garmin Bronze Tri-ducer thru hull transducer (model# 010-10183-01) with a GSD 22 Sounder and Garmin 4008 chartplotter. 

All of my cockpit instruments are older Raytheon (pre-Raymarine) ST60 instruments. I had two separate transducers (one for speed and one for depth) for the ST60's but had to choose between eliminating the speed or depth when I installed my new Garmin Tri-ducer. I opted to replace the speed with the triducer, rationalizing that it was better to have depth in the cockpit than speed. However, I miss the speed and log functions at my cockpit fingertips and would like to use the Tri-ducer to supply speed info to my ST60. 

Currently, the Tri-ducer plugs directly into the GSD 22 sounder and then is relayed from there into the 4008 chartplotter. Is there any way to get the TriDucer to supply data to the ST60? Could I put a Y in the transducer cable with one lead going to the GSD 22 and one to the ST60? I believe the Tri-ducer sends info on a NMEA 0183 platform--is it possible to convert that to SeaTalk? I found a SeaTalk-NMEA converter but have not seen anything that converts NMEA to SeaTalk.

Neither Raymarine nor Garmin are interested in providing any helpful info--they just want to sell me whole new systems. I would really like to get this taken care of and I am willing to jury rig it if necessary. Any info or help would be greatly appreciated.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Obelisk—

If the GSD22 does output in NMEA, you might be able to use a NMEA-Seatalk bridge. While Raymarine doesn't make one that goes from NMEA to Seatalk, some of the aftermarket NMEA multiplexers will do so.


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## obelisk (May 23, 2008)

sailingdog,

I have been looking at the Brookhouse Multiplexer with SeaTalk option(Brookhouse home for NMEA products) Have you had any experience with Brookhouse or offer an opinion on the best multiplexer?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Obelisk-

While I've used a Brookhouse-type multiplexers from several different labels, I've never used them for SeaTalk, just for NMEA, so what ever experience I have would probably not be useful.


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## Grumpymx (Nov 16, 2007)

*Brookhouse NMUX AIS-C with Sea Talk*

I have a Brookhouse NMUX AIS-C with Sea Talk and USB option, which I think is great. I also have a Raymarine 85001 SeaTalk-NMEA 0183 converter, which I no longer use.

On Sea Talk is a RayStar 125 GPS, ST60 Wind, ST60 Speed, DMS250 depth, and a C80 MFD
NMEA 0183 talkers are AIS(@38400), DSC VHF and backup Garmin GPS, Fast Heading Sensor, and a PC with RayTech RNS.
NMEA 0183 4800 baud listeners are the Simrad WP30 (will sail to wind or WP), DSC VHF, and the Garmin 176c.
NMEA 0183 38400 baud listeners are the C80 and the PC via USB.

Everything SeaTalk and NMEA gets to the C80 and the PC with the RayTech RNS. The Garmin gets everything except AIS/FHS @4800.

The SeaTalk RayStar 125 is the primary GPS with an auto fallover in the NMUX that uses the NMEA Garmin GPS fix if the RayStar fails.

The C80 or the PC can drive the boat, the 176 is a bit to old to drive..

You can pace or filter the data as needed. 
It really was a great solution when I had this kind of issue.


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## FrankW (Sep 14, 2009)

obelisk said:


> I found a SeaTalk-NMEA converter but have not seen anything that converts NMEA to SeaTalk.
> 
> Neither Raymarine nor Garmin are interested in providing any helpful info--they just want to sell me whole new systems. I would really like to get this taken care of and I am willing to jury rig it if necessary. Any info or help would be greatly appreciated.


Hi obelisk,

I thought the Raymarine PC-SeaTalk-NMEA Interface Box would also translate from NMEA to SeaTalk. Is this wrong ?

If it does not - there are meanwhile a few converters out there, that do translate from NMEA to SeaTalk. 
Since I have built a converter myself, I do not want to make advertising here. If you're still looking for it and can't find one - just send me a mail.

Regards
Frank


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## goboatingnow (Oct 10, 2008)

obelisk, The ST60 is a seatalk unit by the way. Also it will not act as a repeator. The depth unit must have a feed from its own transducer as the same as teh wind unit.

More modern versions the ST60+ will repeat

The easiest way is buy a differnt display repeater that accepts nmea0183. Note the seatalk NMEA bridge is one way


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## GTBecker (Jul 5, 2010)

FrankW, I am interested in what you've done with your Seatalk-NMEA translator. I an an embedded device engineer and have pretty complex signaling on my cruiser. I've encountered weaknesses with Raytech Navigator that apparently only switching to Seatalk will correct - unless Flir's recent purchase of Raymarine restarts Raytech development.

Specifically, do you translate DSC/DSE and MSS/MSK sentences?


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## FrankW (Sep 14, 2009)

Hi GTBecker


GTBecker said:


> Specifically, do you translate DSC/DSE and MSS/MSK sentences?


Currently I do not translate DSC/DSE and MSS/MSK sentences. ( To be honest - I don't even know the MSS/MSK sentences.  )

But - if you like - the source codes and the circuit diagram ist open source. I'd sent it to you if you like to have a look at it and maybe add new functions to it.

Frank


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## GTBecker (Jul 5, 2010)

I'd enjoy seeing the code, yes. GTBecker at RighTime dot com. Still have a board?


Tom


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## FrankW (Sep 14, 2009)

Sorry for the delay. 
Usually I get an E-Mail when someone responses to this thread. Must have switched it off somehow. 


GTBecker said:


> I'd enjoy seeing the code, yes. GTBecker at RighTime dot com


All right. I'll send it to you.


GTBecker said:


> Still have a board?


Yes, I still hvae boards available. 
I Think I should not make too much advertising here. 
I'll send you the address of the webpage where you look at it and even order it as personal mail.

Frank


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