Wheel pilot to Laptop conection ...

[MrBee]

I have installed the x5 wheel pilot and it is working pretty well so far.
I have Nav software on my laptop, Seaclear and Offshore Navigator Lite.
Both are nice. Now I would like to hook the laptop to the Autopilot. I have been reading up on this and know how to set up the software but what I'm not finding is what exact cable I would need/need to buy to run from the laptop USB to the Auto pilot course computer. I might be making this harder than what it is. Do i need a multiplexer ? I do intend to buy a stand alone chart plotter sooner or later but do not intend to hook anything more to the Auto pilot, just the computer now then the Chart plotter later when we get one. I know we some sailers don't hook anything into the pilot and we don't NEED to but I like playing with the stuff.
I checked on Raymarine web site and don't see any type of cabling.
What do some of you suggest ?

Thanks
Brian

 

[alexco38]

Rs422

Technically NEMA is the same as RS232 or RS422 serial communication.

you would use the NEMA IN on the Raymarine course computer and the laptop provide the NEMA output. You only need 2 wires if your laptop has a DB9 comm port. Pin 3 = NEMA+ out, Pin 5 = on NEMA - ground

If you don't have a DB9 port on your laptop, just get a Comm to USB converter plug.

Raymarine only need the XTE, BTW, DTW and COG sentence. Some chartplotter can turn off certain sentences but I think Seaclear send everything. It doesn't matter to Raymarine as it ignore those sentenses that it dfoesn't care.

You don't need an expensive multiplexier because only the laptop send output (i.e. talker). You can hook up a DSC VHF to the same output.

 

[MrBee]

Thanks alexco38

I will need a comm - usb plug.
no problem I can handle getting that, but what I'm not finding is a diagram or wire layout of exactly what wire goes where. I have never cut into a usb cable so i don't even know how many wires are in there.
What i have been searching for on line is some type of wire schematic. I do have a few extra usb cables around here i could cut one open just for educational purposes.
I figure I just haven't clicked on the right link yet, to find the exact info i need. The wire hookup or adaptor if there is one, that connects from the Course comp. to the usb/serial cable. ??

Thanks

 

[kenn]

Thanks alexco38

I will need a comm - usb plug.
no problem I can handle getting that, but what I'm not finding is a diagram or wire layout of exactly what wire goes where. I have never cut into a usb cable so i don't even know how many wires are in there.
What i have been searching for on line is some type of wire schematic. I do have a few extra usb cables around here i could cut one open just for educational purposes.
I figure I just haven't clicked on the right link yet, to find the exact info i need. The wire hookup or adaptor if there is one, that connects from the Course comp. to the usb/serial cable. ??

Thanks

What you need is a RS 232 serial to USB ADAPTOR, not simply a cable. (I'm assuming you already have a Raymarine to RS 232 cable). These adaptors are available at most decent computer stores, and for cheap on Ebay. Last year I bought 2 for $6 plus postage. I'm using one to take the NMEA0183 output from a Garmin GPS to my netbook.

 

[Snotter]

Google NMEA and DB9 and hunt for the pin wiring guide.

 

[MrBee]

Thanks
I have no wires other than what is already used to run the auto pilot. let me make sure i have this correct... I will need a USB to RS 232 serial adaptor , then an RS 232 to Raymarine cable (this plugs into the usb adaptor and the course computer).. Will i also Then need the cable that connects the course computer to the st6000 control head.(other than the one already there.)

 

[Ross]

Brian, Where are you gonna use this on the upper chesapeake? You have to sail south of the bay bridge before you can no longer see the western shore from the eastern shore.

 

[kenn]

Thanks
I have no wires other than what is already used to run the auto pilot. let me make sure i have this correct... I will need a USB to RS 232 serial adaptor , then an RS 232 to Raymarine cable (this plugs into the usb adaptor and the course computer).. Will i also Then need the cable that connects the course computer to the st6000 control head.(other than the one already there.)

I don't completely understand your current set-up, but this is what I do know, from my own setup: your laptop, which is running your charting applications, needs GPS data in order to 'know' what your current position is. The laptop isn't sending any NMEA info, it's just listening.

Here's another approach: don't touch the current setup, simply buy a USB GPS receiver from ebay (~ $25 - $40) or elsewhere and plug that into your laptop. this approach leaves your autopilot undisturbed, and provides a complete backup GPS system.

 

[MrBee]

ok, maybe I should have started with what I have now...
Just a sailboat with the new x5 wheel pilot that I installed this spring. That is running fine right now, just got it set up a few weeks ago.
I have my laptop that I have Nav software on with a GPS hooked in, and use for trip planning, dreaming, scheming , that sort of thing. Nothing else, no separate chart plotter.

As Ross stated, i don't really NEED this all hooked together but because it's possible and I like to play with the toys, why not. We mostly use the Pilot when motoring or if alone and I want to go below to grab something. I have NO other cables yet, thats what I need help with. I think I understand What i need to do just don't know exactly what I need in order to get that done.

So far I know i need a USB to RS 232serial/DB9 adapter to hook up to my laptop....then i think what is next is a DB9 to raymarine cable that will run from the usb adapter into the course computer...Then I need another cable, Seatalk, that will run out of the course computer and plug into the ST6002 pilot controller.
The Seatalk cable I guess would have the Plug on one end that plugs directly into the ST6002 and loose wires on the other end to connect to the Course computer.

Does this sound like i know what is suppose to go where ?
I'm just not sure Exactly which cable to buy to go from USB to the Course computer.

Thanks for all the help folks, I usually try to find these things out on my own but wasn't having any luck understanding what little I did find. I did just find a Seatalk manual on Raymarines web site, not sure how I missed it before, so I will be reading that today.

Usually when i can find a manual on something I can figure it out. I just wasn't finding the right info.

Thanks
Brian


Ross, how are things going with you, gonna be in the water soon ?

 

[Snotter]

You need the usb to DB9 (aka, RS232) cable. Buy the cable, identify the wires that connect to the appropriate 2 pins (I am not sure but I seem to remember pin 3 and 9) on the DB9 side of the cable. Once you know, whack the DB9 connector off, strip the appropriate two wires and connect them to your course computer's + and - terminals on the NMEA inputs. You need to google the NMEA DB9 white papers to see which wires go to + and -. After you do this, you will likely have trouble configuring your software. You may have to download some kind of hyper terminal. OpenCPN has a built-in tool for streaming GPS output to a text window. This stuff is not documented by the manufacturers because they want you to use their big-buck proprietary networking crap. (OK, I confess, if I were a millionaire everything on my boat would be Garmin and they would all be speaking garmin-ease to one another.) Hell, I'm an electrical engineer and it still took me a few weeks of research and phone calls to Raymarine to put it all together. However, I didn't know all the wonderful people on this forum back then.

 

[MrBee]

Thank you Snotter,

I'll be buying a cable off ebay soon and then will be giving it a try.
I guess i'll be looking for a seatalk cable also. to go from the course comp. to the st6002.

Thanks all for your info.
Brian

 

[Snotter]

In my installation, I kept the DB9 connector on the USB serial cable and bought a DB9 extension cord from best buy and cut the appropriate end off and spliced the wire to the course computer. If I wanted to, I could bring the lap top out to the cockpit. As it turns out, I never do because I keep an iPhone running Navionics phelcrowed (sp?) near my helm. The computer is used only when I am motoring to a route defined by desired way-points. Since all my travels are on the Tennessee River and tributaries, I use routes a lot.

 

[MrBee]

The extension cable will be a good idea for me, that's how we use the laptop, down below some and in the cockpit. After hooking this to the course computer, I still need a SeaTalk cable from the Course computer to the ST6003 control unit ?? or does the Course comp. send all that info via the connection That's already there.

Brian

 

[MrBee]

Snotter,
I have been looking at and reviewing different chart plotters and am considering Garmin or Lawrance. Trying to keep the price of the Plotter in the $500.00 range, give or take a few $. What do you think about the Garmin431s ? I did a search on here and am now reading up on them. The garmin seem to be well liked.
I see that I can get what must be a new version of the 431 that is nmea2000 compatible, this or the other version that is 0183 should work with my pilot.


Thanks again
Brian

 

[alexco38]

Picture worth 1000 words

Heres the block diagram

 

[Snotter]

I am an advocate of Garmin and wish I owned stock in the company. It is a shame that most all marine navigation equipment manufacturers claim NMEA accomodation but documentation is nill or non-existent. Who the heck wants to spend time making the neccessary research. However, those who do research it will be rewarded. The internet is a wonderful resource. The rich tidbits of information out there, I am convinced, will lead to usb-based transducers, radar, sonar, satellite radio, remote boat monitoring via the internet, etc, etc, etc. Central PC-based general-purpose computers and marine hardened touch-screen LCDs are the future of marine electronics.

Anyone reviewing chartplotters would do well to investigate there ability to track a straight coarse over a desired route. It is terribly inefficient to be zig-zagging all over a straight route. For my boat and my Raymarine coarse computer, OpenCPN fails misserably. I wonder if they would bennefit from incorporating a Kalman filter into their control logic. That is the same logic that military radars use to track their targets with pin-point precission.

Also, panbo.com is a wonderful source of late-breaking news that focusses on marine electronics.

 

[MrBee]

Many Thanks alexco38 !
That's exactly what I needed to see. I do ok with written instructions but for me a Visual is worth 3000 words.

Brian