Expedition Navigation Software » New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

Matador · 10/26/2018 6:25 am

About to spend $20K on new B&G Zeus3 chartplotters, H5000 Graphic Displays, plus the H5000 CPU itself and all the other kit, and it seems CRAZY to STILL have no way to see the Expedition data I want up on deck without dragging a Toughbook or an iPad or some other cumbersome portable gizmo up on deck.

Is there a way to force the B&G displays to show some of the Expedition variables that are not part of the PGN list that the B&G system and displays are hardwired for? You know, not routine variables but the good stuff, like %VMC or 'delta target heel' that you won't get out of the H5000 by itself.

Maybe ditch the H5000 GFD;s and go with non-B&G instrument displays that can handle anything Expedition puts out? Which display would that be? Not mast displays, but helm and cockpit displays.

Do I need to shell out $3k more for the B&G "Performance" CPU vs. the "Hercules" CPU to get the "16 user defined variables"? Will that solve the problem anyway?

Or am I still stuck with the band-aid approach of Ventus or NMEARemote feeding some relatively poor hand-held screen? The new B&G screens are great -- crisp, clear, waterproof, and mounted in prime position. Why can't they show me the data I need from Expedition?

Totally tired of trying to drive the boat while fumbling with some portable gizmo in my hand or a Toughbook in my lap -- or heading below to look at the PC and letting someone else drive and have the most fun.

Any and all suggestions greatly appreciated.

Last edited by Matador (10/26/2018 9:23 am)

Joe Goulet · 10/26/2018 9:21 am

Note: This will not get you completely there but it will get you started.
From the Expedition Help File: (For the H5000)
Custom / External channels
Sending data to external channels is highly useful if you want to send some of Expedition's numbers/data to your instrument system for display on deck. For example you might want to display target speed when sailing a windward leeward course, or polar percentage when sailing a reaching course. There are ten external channels available for this purpose. Simply choose the desired channel and select the number/function from the drop down menu. Note that you can also select one of Expedition's alternating numbers. Selecting the damped check-box next to any external channel will cause damped data to be output.

After doing this you map the external channels (which will have Expedition names (Tags)) to the deck displays in a setup menu on your Zeus MFD.

I hope this helps. I believe this is called "channel mapping" and it can be a big PIA. I still do not know how to "reconfigure" mapping as I seem to have "run out" of B&G channels.

Last edited by Joe Goulet (10/26/2018 9:23 am)

Matador · 10/26/2018 9:36 am

Thanks, Joe,

Wonder if those Custom/External Channels can be displayed on the H5000 GFD's, since the Helm Zeus will generally have the chart displayed. We can fit up to three H5000 GFD's over the companionway plus one at the helm. But I don't see anything in the B&G literature that suggests they can display the 'good stuff' from Expedition.

Maybe they can, once the mapping you described is done? Same question for a Triton2 display.

I can't test it out until I buy the system and install it, so would like to be sure I'm buying something that solves my quest.

Anybody getting this 'esoteric' Expedition data displayed on a H5000 GFD? Or a Triton2?

Joe Goulet · 10/26/2018 9:49 am

Woops.
I messed up and failed to read your question thoroughly. I don’t know how to configure the “Graphics” to read remote channels. My mapping knowledge is limited to the MFDs and the 20/20s; that is what I was referring to when I wrote “deck displays”.

I should get to the Graphics some time this Spring and I will look into it then. In concept they should allow reconfiguration of the data fields to accomdate remote channels but I have seen no material on the subject, albeit I am not that well read on it.

Last edited by Joe Goulet (10/26/2018 9:51 am)

Matador · 10/26/2018 9:56 am

Thanks again, Joe,

So maybe I could install a 7" Vulcan MFD or 7" Zeus MFD and have it display the Custom Channels data?

The Vulcan 7" MFD is half the price of an H5000 Graphic Display anyway!

Thoughts?

blur · 10/27/2018 3:19 am

With the Expedition data sent to the Hercules CPU it's super easy to get it to the graphics displays as well as Zeus/Vulcan. Not 100% bug-free (old channels/labels tend to stick around), but very straightforward.

Last edited by blur (10/27/2018 3:20 am)

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» New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

10/26/2018 6:25 am #1

New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

10/26/2018 9:21 am #2

Re: New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

10/26/2018 9:36 am #3

Re: New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

10/26/2018 9:49 am #4

Re: New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

10/26/2018 9:56 am #5

Re: New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

10/27/2018 3:19 am #6

Re: New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

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» New B&G H5000 Installation -- What can it show from Expedition

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