Tech Help Electronics

[easygoing]

Hi everyone, I need help before I start spending alot of money. I am out fitting my 38' Hughes to start cruising. I am looking at a Raymarine C80 Multifunction Navigation system. I have a Raymarine ST4000 Auto Helm so it would be compatible thru Sea Talk. I plan on putting my computer below in the Nav Station and the Chartplotter on the wheel. What I need to know is, will the computer show me the same display as the main unit? Do I need extra equipment to co phase? Or will it even work like this? Need I have special or extra software for the computer?

I would like to know if I am making the right choice with the Raymarine or do you think I should go with something else? All of your info would be greatly appertained. It is making me sick with all these decisions.

[Swesail]

Bill,
I’m using a similar scheme but with a Raymarine E80. I purchased the Raytech software (you will need some software on the PC) and downloaded BSB charts from NOAA that I run on the laptop. So in an essence I run Navionics on the plotter and free downloadable charts on the computer. Transferring routes / waypoints back and forth works beautiful. Looking at the radar screen, depth, temperature and so on works fine from the PC. I did do an Ethernet connection rather than Seatalk btw plotter and computer. You need a computer-to-computer Ethernet cable rather than the ordinary one but it it’s easy enough to crimp your own or just go out and buy.

I think – But I want to stress that I don’t know this – That you need to buy an extra card of whatever nav software you are using and load that on the PC if you want identical views on the plotter and PC. I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t think you can load the nav card into the plotter and then transfer the chart views to the PC. But again – free raster charts on the PC works beautiful. Someone else here probably knows if chart transfer from the plotter works...

So in the setup I have right now the E80 hands out the IP adr to the XP computer. I plan to upgrade this with a Linksys wireless Ethernet Bridge – adequately named WET200 (trying to reach an Internet connection in the home port). With that the Linksys “bridge-router” will give out the IP adrs to both the plotter and the computer.

You can download free test versions of the Raytech software from their site. I don’t know what the limitations are. Double check that the C80 has Ethernet connections, I really recommend that functionality. I’m sure that you can find totally free PC navigation software but I don’t dare to speak to the compability with the Raymarine plotter.
Hope this helped..

[easygoing]

Thanks SWESAIL; I have downloaded all of free charts from sailnet already. That will realy save alot of money. Now I am going to get dumb by asking a few quistions. What kind of card are you talking about? Are you talking about a card like C-Chart or Blue-Chart? Or, are you talking about a Memory Card. BTW Is your E-80 pre programed with charts when you bought it? Except money what is the difference in the E-80 and the C-80?

Thanks

[sailingdog]

Just curious, which free charts did you download from Sailnet. The only "free" charts I can think of from the Sailnet forums are the PNG versions that are NOT compatible with any software without a lot of work. You really want to get the NOAA BSB or ENC charts.

While you can use Raytech, it won't be all that useful with a C-series MFD IMHO. Also, you might find it easier to use SeaClear II, which is free, and use the BSB charts. SeaClear II will not read the newer, vector-based ENC formatted charts, only the older BSB-raster-format charts.

You'll need to setup the computer connection via the NMEA 0183 port on the C80, not the SeaTalk, since SeaTalk is a Raymarine proprietary protocol that most navigation packages can not interpret.

The main differences between the E80 and C80 is best seen in this chart at Raymarine. BTW, there is a new C-series Widescreen which is half-way between the C-series Classic and the E-series MFDs.

One major difference, the CSCs can only use analog radomes, the CSWs can only use digital radomes, while the ES can use both analog or digital.

Another major difference is that the ES has the ethernet capability and can have multiple displays—with different information on each, the CSCs are only single location, and the CSWs can do dual displays, but IIRC, they're mirrored.

Two minutes with a web browser would have found you this information regarding the differences between the various products at Raymarine's website. I'd highly recommend you read this POST to help you get the most out of sailnet. I'd also, highly recommend that you at least do the basics of your own research before asking a question.

Originally Posted by easygoing

Thanks SWESAIL; I have downloaded all of free charts from sailnet already. That will realy save alot of money. Now I am going to get dumb by asking a few quistions. What kind of card are you talking about? Are you talking about a card like C-Chart or Blue-Chart? Or, are you talking about a Memory Card. BTW Is your E-80 pre programed with charts when you bought it? Except money what is the difference in the E-80 and the C-80?

Thanks

[Swesail]

Bill,
My E80 did not come loaded with charts so the card I was referring to is indeed a memory card. For the E80 it’s pretty much a normal CF card (same as in some digi cameras). But it is loaded with vectorized charts (plotters are generally not fast enough to use raster charts). I happen to use Navionics in the plotter. There are plenty of vendors out there. Don’t know the pros and cons with the various ones. Except one con with the Navionics is that you need to buy their reader if you want to use the card in a PC rather than the plotter (I guess the card is encrypted and the reader decodes or so they claim).

Sailingdog is right; you need to download proper BSB or ENC charts from NOAA. Do the chart downloads and download a couple of trial versions of different vendors PC software to see what you like. After that you can start figuring out how to connect the plotter with the PC and use that as one of the decision points for plotter. But I think I should emphasize the simplicity with ordinary Ethernet again. I trust (but haven’t checked) that Sailingdog is right in stating that the C80 doesn’t have Ethernet. That would make the scheme I described earlier quite impossible and me think twice about buying the C80 today since I think that ordinary Ethernet is the way to go and hope that more and more marine manufactures will start using it.

Sailingdog, You have a point in your last paragraph… But, Both Bill and I are fairly new to Sailnet.. Cut us some slack and we may dare to grow old here and post interesting q’s over time … I was just about to start a new thread on Yanmar diesels and warranty issues with production boats due to boat manufacturers tendency to use the wrong cooling fluid in the engine– I have searched hi and low on sailnet, spoken to both Beneteau and Yanamar about the issue, discussed with seasoned diesel mechanics but now I think I’ll search a little bit more before posting . Unless of course you know this have been covered already and can point me in the right direction

[easygoing]

Thanks SWESAIL, for your info. and response. I will do more reserch before buying a system at these prices. At present I have my Sexton, Clock, almanac,and paper Charts also old that do me just fine. I just don't know to much about the electroic chart ploters or gps. I have read about them including downloading the operational manual for the C80 and the way I read it one might beable to hook all togather. I am assure I will find something that might be simple. If not I still have my Sexton.

Thanks

[johnferrell]

You might want to look at Coastal Explorer navigation software it has alot of nice features and uses all of the maps from NOAA website. there is a free download available so you can try it before you buy. The download has all the feature but will only recognize the GPS signal for 15 minutes each time it is started. Works well for planning trip and uploading waypoints.
You can even download coastal piolits and it will display local information.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by Swesail

Bill,
My E80 did not come loaded with charts so the card I was referring to is indeed a memory card. For the E80 it’s pretty much a normal CF card (same as in some digi cameras). But it is loaded with vectorized charts (plotters are generally not fast enough to use raster charts). I happen to use Navionics in the plotter. There are plenty of vendors out there. Don’t know the pros and cons with the various ones. Except one con with the Navionics is that you need to buy their reader if you want to use the card in a PC rather than the plotter (I guess the card is encrypted and the reader decodes or so they claim).

Sailingdog is right; you need to download proper BSB or ENC charts from NOAA. Do the chart downloads and download a couple of trial versions of different vendors PC software to see what you like. After that you can start figuring out how to connect the plotter with the PC and use that as one of the decision points for plotter. But I think I should emphasize the simplicity with ordinary Ethernet again. I trust (but haven’t checked) that Sailingdog is right in stating that the C80 doesn’t have Ethernet. That would make the scheme I described earlier quite impossible and me think twice about buying the C80 today since I think that ordinary Ethernet is the way to go and hope that more and more marine manufactures will start using it.

I wouldn't be surprised if the C-series-Classic are discontinued fairly shortly. The C-Series Widescreen offer much the same capabilities as the C-series Classic, but have been updated to take advantage of newer technologies since the C-Series Classics were developed.

Sailingdog, You have a point in your last paragraph… But, Both Bill and I are fairly new to Sailnet.. Cut us some slack and we may dare to grow old here and post interesting q’s over time …

I was just pointing out that Raymarine's website has the information about the differences pretty readily available... and basic due diligence would have been to check their website. Doing the basic research on your own has little to do with being new to a forum.... it's just common courtesy and common sense. BTW, the search function on Sailnet is pretty pathetic, and you're much better off using the search method via Google that I describe in the POST in my signature.

I was just about to start a new thread on Yanmar diesels and warranty issues with production boats due to boat manufacturers tendency to use the wrong cooling fluid in the engine– I have searched hi and low on sailnet, spoken to both Beneteau and Yanamar about the issue, discussed with seasoned diesel mechanics but now I think I’ll search a little bit more before posting . Unless of course you know this have been covered already and can point me in the right direction

If you're talking about Dex-cool and the damage it has caused to engines... Maine Sail wrote a good piece about it. I don't think it was on this forum though... I think it was over on the SBO forums in this thread.

[sailingdog]

One thing to consider is that many of the Garmin chartplotters come with either the US Coastal or US Inland waters charts pre-loaded. They offer a lot of value for the money, as buying the charts, if you sail in more than a single region, are fairly expensive otherwise

If you're primarily using the laptop for navigation planning, you would probably be fine with something like SeaClear II. If it was tied into the NMEA 0183 output of your GPS chartplotter, it would give you a real-time position and act as a very large chartplotter as well—giving you similar information on the display as the chart plotter, but not identical information. Transferring the waypoints and routes would probably require a card reader and memory card though.

Originally Posted by easygoing

Thanks SWESAIL, for your info. and response. I will do more reserch before buying a system at these prices. At present I have my Sexton, Clock, almanac,and paper Charts also old that do me just fine. I just don't know to much about the electroic chart ploters or gps. I have read about them including downloading the operational manual for the C80 and the way I read it one might beable to hook all togather. I am assure I will find something that might be simple. If not I still have my Sexton.

Thanks

[Swesail]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

If you're talking about Dex-cool and the damage it has caused to engines... Maine Sail wrote a good piece about it. I don't think it was on this forum though... I think it was over on the SBO forums in this thread.

Sailingdog,
Thanks. You are right on in the forum / thread piping you are doing regarding the cooling fluid – hat properly tipped for recognizing it and finding it on the other forum so fast. It took me way longer. There are a couple of twists in my situation though. I think I actually will try to start a thread about it (after all I have a production boat and there must be plenty of people out there with the same problem) rather than discussing it here and completely destroy this thread.