Controlling ST2000 Tiller pilot with NMEA and Arduino

Projects General Guidance
1

Dear All,
I'm an arduino user and I'm now approaching since last few weeks on sailing world.
I own a small boat with a tiller pilot st2000+ and I was wonder if it is possible not only to read information but also controlling it with NMEA 0183.
I have no idea if it is possible and how to wire them.
Anybody can give me some adivce?

Antonio

2

The first thing to do is to check the complete documentation or user manual for the tiller pilot.
Post a link to it and perhaps forum members can help.

3

jremington:
The first thing to do is to check the complete documentation or user manual for the tiller pilot.
Post a link to it and perhaps forum members can help.

Thanks . . . here specifications and documents link

Many thanks

Antonio

4

The download for the PDF user manual does not seem to work.

Have you been able to download it?

...R

5

Robin,
I couldn't download the manual from that link either,

but I managed to download it from here.

6

I took a look at the manual, and yes, you can program an Arduino to talk to it, using the SeaTalk interface and protocol.

I doubt there is much that an Arduino could do to add to the capabilities already built into that sophisticated autopilot, except act as, for example, a wind direction sensor or source of waypoints (which are already provided by other accessories).

7

JohnLincoln:
Robin,
I couldn't download the manual from that link either,

but I managed to download it from here.

I hope the OP fully appreciates the trouble you took on his behalf.

I would have left him to do that himself - good exercise in self-sufficiency,

...R

8

Robin2:
I hope the OP fully appreciates the trouble you took on his behalf.

I would have left him to do that himself - good exercise in self-sufficiency,

...R

sorry for the inconvenience but I checked the link before posting it and I checked now again, I confirm I'm still able to download all the file with no problems from my link.

Thanks for the first evidences, I read the arribasail blog post but it seems I need a raymarine base station (am I wrong?) to transmit the signal to the tiller pilot, is it correct?

Regarding the capabilities, I know there are many accessories able to send information to the tiller pilot but what I would to do is way simpler . . . just something able to trigger a +1°/-1° or +10°/-10° movement.

9

antogiamba:
sorry for the inconvenience but I checked the link before posting it and I checked now again, I confirm I'm still able to download all the file with no problems from my link.

Interesting. It seems to work for me now, but it definitely did not when I tried previously.

However that download does not describe the SeaTalk system so you will need to go fishing for more.

...R

10

Robin2:
However that download does not describe the SeaTalk system so you will need to go fishing for more.

...R

infact I was asked to post tiller pilot user manual link

11

does not describe the SeaTalk system so you will need to go fishing for more.

OR follow the link in reply #5, which is a complete project to use the SeaTalk interface. The links therein describe the SeaTalk system and how it works.

This is certainly not a beginner project and will require a great deal of thought and effort.

12

Thanks jremington
I'm already starting from that

Antonio

13

antogiamba:
infact I was asked to post tiller pilot user manual link

I am aware of that. But I did not know then that it did not have the relevant information.

...R