Question depth transducer analog rca type cable to digital conversion

[mforum]

I have an old standard horizon DS-1 analog 207 kHz thru hull depth transducer. The display LCD became cracked and unreadable.
The cable end where it inserts into the display unit looks like this (looks like the male RCA audio type - see photo below).

Is it possible to convert this to a digital signal then find an adapter to plug in to a new display unit or chart plotter or connect it to a nmea type network? I have a tacktick mn100 micro net wireless wind system (the manual says it’s possible to put depth on the display, I’m not sure how)
Or splice the cable like this?
New Depth Sounder With An Old Transducer by Compass Marine How To

Thanks

 

[sailme88]

Analog cell phones died years ago.. People were forced to go digital. support is the key here.. No analog support.. This maxim holds true across the electronics industry. The sending unit is analog. a receiver in digital is listening in a different language. You have 2 options. First: Try and locate a display of the same make and model.. OR bite the bullet and install a new system

 

[Leeward Rail]

I assume that the transducer is a thru-hull design, so you want to avoid dealing with a hole in the hull ?

Did you contact Standard Horizon ?

They may repair the display/controller for you. The owner's manual mentions a list of repair parts and a schematic.

Who knows, they may even have some old ones laying around. Replacement DS1 display/control units were $50

The analog transducer itself is "dumb".
The display is the brains of the system.

In theory you could try find another display/controller that supports an old analog 207khz transducer... That is assuming that the transducer is really a generic one like Airmar. Without knowing what that transducer is.. you are likely SOL for that option. Maybe Standard Horizon can tell you what the transducer is.

Personally I would just get a complete new unit that supports NMEA output.
If you have the skill, I would consider filling the old transducer hole in the hull (assuming it exists), and mount the new transduce inside the boat.

Airmar makes a smart transducer that outputs NMEA data and doesn't have a display. Personally I would prefer one with both NMEA output and it's own display.
That way you have a backup display unit.

 

[jssailem]

I use a thru hull transducer from the 70’s. Its power and signal comes thru an iTC5 Raymarine transducer converter box. The data is then broadcast on the SeatalkNG backbone I got with the Raymarine Autopilot. Connecting the backbone to a wifi gateway on the Vesper Marine AIS I have all the data displayed in multiple places (laptop, iPhone, iPad, specific displays like the p70 etc.)

How to provide data to the tick tack display should be in the input specifications of the manual.

 

[Leeward Rail]

I have a tacktick mn100 micro net wireless wind system

Reading the manual, the mm100 is a multifunction display that connects wirelessly to other "micronet" devices.. wind, depth transducer etc.

You could buy the T121 wireless hull transmitter for $500. It will take transducer input and transmit a wireless signal to your mm100 tacktick display.
For another $160 there is the T912 Depth transducer that matches it.

Unfortunately Raymarine, who is owned by FLIR, and bought tacktick a decade ago, has made the tacktick gear overpriced IMO.

The cheapest option that I have found is a fish/depth finder meant for the recreation fishing market.

I had a Lowrance depth/fish/GPS unit that had NMEA output, connected to a Yakbitz bidirectional NMEA to wifi bridge that could send Wireless NMEA data via wifi hotspot to navionics app on my phone and tablet, and data to the Standard Horizon plotter.

End result was depth display on both wired and wireless devices, plus a backup depth/fish finder display that showed more data than a simple overpriced sailing depth finder

The Lowrance fish/depth/GPS unit, and the NMEA wifi bridge unit were just under $200 combined.

YakBitz

Fwiw: If you are the DIY electronics type, there are all sorts of DIY NMEA to wifi and NMEA conversion projects listed online. Many use an Arduino. The Yakbitz unit was cheaper and just plug and play.

 

[mforum]

As I’m thinking about this, I’m wondering if I could find a 52 mm internal diameter depth/temp/speed combo transducer such as the DST810 and replace it by pulling the existing 20-399-01 airmar speed transducer (sitting on the opposing port side of the DS-1 depth transducer) which is hooked up to a ray marine ST60+ speed instrument. I read the manuel on the DST810 but am not clear if it would be the same diameter. I emailed Airmar but haven’t heard anything back. That way I could leave the DS-1 Horizon depth transducer alone. Manuel for the ST60+ speed instrument / 20-399-01 Airmar speed transducer shows a 52 mm internal diameter.

 

[Leeward Rail]

That would work well. Get you up and running and can delete the unused one at some point at your leisure before it eventually leaks.

Maybe Airmar knows if they made the ds1 transducer. I wouldn't be surprised, they seem to make everything. The Standard Horizon Blackbox fish finder add-on for the Standard Horizon plotters uses an airmar unit.

 

[mforum]

I got this answer back from Airmar

Good day,



There is an adapter to take 200khz analog depth to NMEA 0183. If you wanted to take it to NMEA 2000 it would require an additional NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 adapter. As much as these two adapters cost it would be cheaper to buy a new transducer or almost two transducers. The product below is made by Actisense, I can’t guarantee if it will work with 207khz.

 

[Leeward Rail]

What did standard Horizon say about fixing the ds-1 display ?