Connecting iFinder Go GPS to DSC VHF?

[boggybrn]

I have a Navman DSC VHF radio. Shortly after powering it up it raises an alarm asking for me to input the position, as it is not connected to a GPS receiver.

I have trained my son to do this, but am wary that the position in the radio isn't very up to date. So in an emergency may it may not be very helpful.

I also have an iFinder Go handheld GPS. The manual for this claims that it has an NMEA output. So I should be able to connect this to the radio. However I haven't been able to find anywhere that sells a suitable cable to fit the connector on the GPS unit. The VHF end is OK as it has flying leads & I am a dab hand with a soldering iron.

Any ideas where I could get a cable?

Thanks.

 

[wooslehunter]

This must be the commonest question on the forum. So, here are some generic instructions.

On the GPS you need to identify two connections. On most handheld GPS units, you normally get a single "DATA Out" or "NMEA Out" wire. This is not exactly what is required by the NMEA specification but will work. Some other GPS units will have a NMEA+ Out and NMEA - Out.

On most radios, you get a correctly specified NMEA input pair: NMEA+ In and NMEA- In. Some may have a single connections though. I've not heard of one.

If you have a pair on both sides, it's easy. Just connect the NMEA+ OUT on the GPS to the NMEA +IN on the radio and connect the NMEA- OUT on the GPS to the NMEA -IN on the radio.

If you have a single connection on either side, substitute Ground for the - connection.

i.e. the most common form is a single line on the GPS and a pair on the radio: connect the NMEA+ OUT on the GPS to the NMEA +IN on the radio and connect the Ground on the GPS to the NMEA -IN on the radio.

Now you need to set up the data format and Baud rate. Make sure that the GPS output format is set to NMEA and the Baud rate is 4800. You may also have to enable it. You generally don't have to set anything on the radio, but if you do set the input format to NMEA and the Baud rate to 4800.

 

[boggybrn]

Thanks for this. It seems fairly straightforward.

The tricky bit is finding a suitable connector to pulg in to the iFinder Go...

 

[wiggy]

You need cable to conect the two, lawrence are suplied by Silva Marine in UK check out the link part number Lawrence product guide

 

[pappaecho]

I would not worry too much about the technicalities of setting the baud rate etc. Once you have the correct hardware connection usually the default settings for the GPS and the radio work first time. Rarely do you have to muck around with baud rate settings etc