Autohelm AH4000 Autopilot Support

[Bob Miller]

My AH4000 manual refers to a Radio Navigation Interface (Cat. No. Z075 - NEMA format) to "be used with any radio navigation system that outputs cross track error to either the NEMA 0180, 0182 or 0183 standard". Does this unit convert NEMA to analog? I assume this unit will interface my Garmin 162 GPS to my AH4000, as well. Where can I purchase this unit? And how much will it cost? If this unit is no longer available, why not? I should think that support for a product should be available for the life of the product.Jerry Visser posted this following message on Oct. 10th. His experience has been my experience, exactly. And I repeat his request for information.I have an Autohelm 4000. I can't find any reference whatsoever to this unit on the Raymarine website. I would sincerely appreciate continued support of older products. Could you please put product documentation and related information for older products on your site? If not, please explain.I'm looking for support on the 4000, not the ST4000. Mine is the old black case Autohelm, non-seatalk (ST) pilot without the LCD display, etc. Believe me, I've been all over the Raymarine website - you'd never know that any of the pre-ST stuff ever existed. I have a manual. I am interested in other technical info, like interfacing with a GPS, schematics, discussions or explanations of the steering algorythms, upgrades and fixes, technical notes, etc., etc. My most recent experience with Raymarine tech support was hardly fulfilling. See my post in the discussion archives. I WAS able to repair the unit myself. By the way, why isn't the output short-circuit protected?So, if there is any info available that will help inform me, and extend the useful life of my gear, I would appreciate access to it. Bob Miller

 

[Bill Boudreau]

Radio Nav Interface (pre 1990 AH4000)

Unfortunately, the radio navigation interface that you are reading about in your manual is for connecting one of the older pilots to older radio navigation equipment through NMEA 0180. This system used an interface which would take XTE information from the Radio Navigation equipment and convert it into helm commands that would be fed into the remote port on the pilot. The interface that would have converted the information for your model is no longer available and the Radio Nav equipment that would be compatible is dated and scarce. It would not accept a NMEA 0183 version 1.5 or 2.0 from a newer GPS unit. You would need to upgrade the equipment in order to bring in the GPS information. Please keep in mind the NMEA 0183 versions and GPS did not exist or were not widely available at the time of manufacturing for your unit.I hope that this answers your question. If you still had all the original equipment then it should still work together. Fortunately/ Unfortunately data interchange protocols and electronics interfacing has changed in the past several years. The old Radion Nav interface sold for $288 in its day. With the retail prices of a new ST4000 System, I do not think we have two many customers that would elect to buy this interface for their 12 year old autopilots. It would get then some limited route tracking functions with the right navigator, but I would not recommend it.

 

[John Visser]

Specs available?

Hi Bill, For those of us who hope to continue to use our AH 4000 autopliots forever, would it be possible for you (Raymarine) to provide for us the specifications for the interfaces, and the circuits for the converter? I would be very interested in keeping my existing pilot and making an interface so that I could connect my 425 GPS/Chartplotter NMEA output to it. Thanks,jv