Tuesday, April 26, 2011

How To: Import a GPS file to a Raymarine E120

Wanted to write this down while I remembered it, and thought I'd share it with the world in case it helped someone else in future! Getting a standard GPX file, or a list of waypoints in any other form onto a Raymarine E120 is far too difficult, so please post a comment if you know of a better way! Also, you do this at your own risk, especially the plugging in of CF cards to the reader and E120!
  1. Download GPSBabel from http://www.gpsbabel.org/capabilities.html
  2. Download Raymarine RayTech Navigator from http://www.raymarine.com/ProductDetail.aspx?SITE=1&SECTION=2&PAGE=1890&PRODUCT=4263 (Note: you may need to create an account to do this, but the free version of RayTech is fine. You don't need to purchase the full version)
  3. Install a Navionics CF card reader and plug in a compatible CF card [BEWARE OF BENDING THE CF CARD/READER's PINS!] (note: in my experience many new CF cards are not compatible with Raymarine products. The one that's consistently worked for me is a 512mb card purchased from Raymarine themselves!)
  4. Backup any files on the CF card, especially Archive.FSH.
  5. Download/create GPX file
  6. Open GPSBabel, select GPX XML in the Input format box, select the GPX file you downloaded/created in Input File Name box, select Raymarine Waypoint File (.rwf) in the output format box, and finally click on the Output File Name box, navigate to c:\Program Files\Raymarine\Raymarine Raytech Navigator\archive and type in a new file name and click Save. Then click apply and your file will be converted.
  7. Open RayTech Navigator (start-> Programs-> Raymarine RayTech Navigator)
  8. [Optional] Delete existing waypoints by going to Waypoint -> Manage Waypoints, click any folder other than Up one Level and New Folder, click OK and click Delete (this makes it easier to just import all waypoints, but will obviously delete all the waypoints you have entered previously)
  9. Go to File -> Import/Export Routes and Waypoints, click Import Routes and Waypoints, then Next. Click Import from File, then Next. Click Import from Raymarine Waypoint File, then Next. Click the file you created in GPSBabel and click OK. Your Waypoints should now be imported and you can check them on the chart in RayTech Navigator
  10. Go to File -> Import/Export Routes and Waypoints, click Export Routes and Waypoints, then Next. Click Export to Removable Card, then Next. Click Export to C/E-Series CF Card, then Next. Click Export All Routes and Waypoints and click Finish. Select the file listed (Archive.FSH) and click OK
  11. You can then plug the CF card into the E120 [again, beware of bending pins] and import these Waypoints into it using the on-screen menus.
Notes:
GPSBabel appears to be able to import CSV files among others, so creating a GPX file may not be necessary. Haven't tried this so not sure of the format of the CSV file needed!
Raymarine RayTech Navigator appears to import Excel files and Text files, so creating the GPX file and converting to a Waypoint file may also not be necessary, but haven't tried this either!


Good luck!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for sharing. I did this years ago and did not record the method so was completely lost this time.