RAM Mike installation at the pedestal.

Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
What about interference with the autopilot?

I'm in the middle of installing my EV-200 and the instruction say to have any wiring for the EV-200 at least 3 feet from any wiring for a VHF.
 
Feb 2, 2006
464
Hunter Legend 35 Kingston
What about interference with the autopilot?

I'm in the middle of installing my EV-200 and the instruction say to have any wiring for the EV-200 at least 3 feet from any wiring for a VHF.
My autopilot is an older Raymarine one where the display is also the control head. (The EV-200 has a separate computer right?) so we not comparing the exact same thing, but ...

I would think the signals travelling on the RAM mic wire are generally low level enough to not interfere. A different story if your actual VHF radio, or VHF antenna wire were close to the AP.

For me, I have the RAM mic wire, and ALL AP wiring (power, compass, drive, rudder, GPS) and all sorts of other wiring all bundled together through the pedestal, and beyond.

So far I've had no interference problems. I do get interference on my wind instrument when I transmit on VHF. My wind direction will spin randomly when I transmit. I suspect this is happening at the mast head, but I'm not sure. So, using my AP in Wind mode, and transmitting on VHF could cause some course direction problems!

Chris
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
My autopilot is an older Raymarine one where the display is also the control head. (The EV-200 has a separate computer right?) so we not comparing the exact same thing, but ...

I would think the signals travelling on the RAM mic wire are generally low level enough to not interfere. A different story if your actual VHF radio, or VHF antenna wire were close to the AP.

For me, I have the RAM mic wire, and ALL AP wiring (power, compass, drive, rudder, GPS) and all sorts of other wiring all bundled together through the pedestal, and beyond.

So far I've had no interference problems. I do get interference on my wind instrument when I transmit on VHF. My wind direction will spin randomly when I transmit. I suspect this is happening at the mast head, but I'm not sure. So, using my AP in Wind mode, and transmitting on VHF could cause some course direction problems!

Chris
Yeah, this is how our old one is setup.

I now have both a NMEA backbone, a power cord and the ram mic cord coming up the port side. I might have to change the ram mic if it gives me interference.
 
Dec 16, 2011
257
Catalina 310 Atlantic Highlands
Probably not terribly useful, but I wanted to follow up on my post from earlier. Just a reminder - I had an old VHF (original from 2001) and RAM, but I purchased a new, AIS-receive VHF and RAM with which the existing cable was not compatible. When it looked like the smaller end of the cable wouldn't fit in the binnacle pipe, I hired out the job. It is now complete. I went onto my boat yesterday to check it out, and everything works great. I did have him also install the USB charger into the NavPod, so he had to move the new RAM plug to the left of center (which is where the old, incompatible RAM plug was) to make room for the USB charger. The overall job took him 9 hours (4 hours over his initial estimate), but I was only charged for the original estimate. I forgot to take a picture with the MIC plugged in, but here is a quick collage.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I went with the B&G V50 base with AIS and NMEA2000 in the cabin, and the H50 wireless remote at the helm.
http://www.apsltd.com/b-g-v50-fixed...MI_o38vYG22gIVQzuBCh3hzQTPEAQYASABEgJsCPD_BwE

I mounted the charger at the nav station so I dont have to leave the handheld out in the open when not in use. Battery life is plenty for a day.

I tied my radio with my Garmin chart plotter using N2K so the radio can get coordinates from the chart plotter and the Garmin can get AIS info from the radio....works pretty well for me.

Greg
 
May 1, 2011
4,187
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
I was out yesterday with my Simrad HS35 wireless remote mike for 6 hours - battery indicator showed 50% when I got back to the slip. The unit has a USB charging port, so I assume that with a long enough USB cable, I could plug it in to the 12v charging point near the helm.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
You could always mount the charging cradle at the helm (or a second one at the helm), but I did not need that for my application.

The cradle would be nice at the helm as it holds the handheld nice and tight.

Greg
 
Oct 3, 2011
825
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
Curt, Which VHF did you install?
With me doing that job, would have taken me three days! I agree some things you should always do yourself but others need to be done by a professional!
 
Jan 1, 2020
1
Ericson 32-200 San Francisco
Ran into the same consideration last year when I was upgrading my VHF and Chart Plotter . Went with the SH GX2200 with GPS / AIS and a RAM mike on our pedestal. Wanted to make it easy on the RAM but eventually broke down and cut the extension cable (OK per instructions) and fished the smaller cable up and soldered each wire of the cable back and heat shrank each one to seal. GX2200 with AIS is really nice and clear and am interfacing the AIS to my Raymarine Axiom 9 as an overlay.
Jeff - I am doing the same thing (I cut the remote mic extension cable to run it through my boat and am now splicing it back together. I’m having a devil of a time trying to make it work.
Inside the cable is a micro coaxial cable with a braided housing. Did you use some micro coax connector or did you solder the braided portions like another wire?

Any suggestions welcome.

Tom
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Oops.
I installed the Standard Horizon Ram Mike. It came with a terminator fitting to install in the boat at the helm. The wire from the radio to the terminal fitting had a connection to the radio and bare wires on the end. I ran the bare wire end through the boat to the terminal fitting. Then it was simple to follow the diagram in the install manual pink to pink terminal etc. The mike then attached to the fitting by plugging it in.

Unclear where you are in the procedure.:facepalm:
 
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Apr 4, 2013
5
Jeanneau 43DS Hong Kong
Oops.
I installed the Standard Horizon Ram Mike. It came with a terminator fitting to install in the boat at the helm. The wire from the radio to the terminal fitting had a connection to the radio and bare wires on the end. I ran the bare wire end through the boat to the terminal fitting. Then it was simple to follow the diagram in the install manual pink to pink terminal etc. The mike then attached to the fitting by plugging it in.

Unclear where you are in the procedure.:facepalm:
Hi there

I am having the same issue, I had to cut the connector between the flash mount and the CT-100, and now there is no way I can get it to work
I have connected each cable by color, but only manage to power on/off from the RAM3+, do you have a diagram of the wires?
I understand that there are 2 wires (red & shield) wrapped in foil, but when I connect each wire, it does not work :frown::frown::frown::frown::frown::frown:


Cheers
Andres
 
Aug 29, 2016
131
Catalina 2004 310 (Hull #250) BC
On my Edson binnacle all the wires run up the port tubing. I noticed no opening at the base for the starboard rail tubing. Anyone know how to access the base opening? Can one just open the pedestal base up top deck and drill through? It would be great to leave the old wires alone on the port rail and run up N2k, Ram mic and radar cables up starboard rail.
 

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Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
BC Bernie, if I was to put on my thinking cap and consider the actions of a builder, I would imagine they drilled a hole from the top down. They looked at the base of the binnacle tube. Removed the tube and drilled a hole through the base, thru the deck. Seems like the easiest way to attempt what you propose. When you look at the image where your cables come through the "port side", is the deck an inner shell? Or is it the deck of the cockpit?
 
Aug 29, 2016
131
Catalina 2004 310 (Hull #250) BC
BC Bernie, if I was to put on my thinking cap and consider the actions of a builder, I would imagine they drilled a hole from the top down. They looked at the base of the binnacle tube. Removed the tube and drilled a hole through the base, thru the deck. Seems like the easiest way to attempt what you propose. When you look at the image where your cables come through the "port side", is the deck an inner shell? Or is it the deck of the cockpit?
Unless someone posts here otherwise, it looks like I am going to have to open up the base and investigate. Will check for any corrosion issues too as I remember Jesse posting some warning about potential problems there.
 
Aug 29, 2016
131
Catalina 2004 310 (Hull #250) BC
On my experience, the command mic is only hard to hear when wet/raining. I ran the wire up the starboard pipe on the binnacle guard. Had to remove the existing wires and file the hole a little bigger to get it out.
Just curious - do you mean you ran the wire up internally up the pipe? How?