DSC VHF with NMEA Output

[GTMarine]

Hello,

Can anyone suggest to me some DSC VHF radios that OUTPUT NMEA data so that distress and polling alerts can be plotted on a GPS. So far the only one I can find is the Icom IC-601. The M-Tech SX35 has some sort of NMEA output but I'm not sure if it will interface with my Garmin GPSMAP178C sounder. Are the M-Tech any good???

Regards,

GT /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[StephenSails]

I think the M-tech is ok, I believe it to be the same as the Nasa fixed DSC radio.

 

[pvb]

Look at Standard Horizon...

Most of the Standard Horizon DSC radios have an NMEA output. Some of these radios are also available in the associated brand names of Vertex and Yaesu. The Standard Horizon website has good info, including owner manuals for downloading. JG Technologies have the VM3500E (described as a Yaesu) for £299 inc postage, which is £100 cheaper than the Icom M601. MES have the same radio (described as a Standard Horizon) for a few quid more.

The better Simrad radios have DSC position output, but I think this is done via a proprietary Simrad DSC sentence which is probably only understood by Simrad chartplotters.

 

[tillergirl]

I have just received the Standard Horizon VM-3500E to test for a magazine. I have not yet fitted in but the manual indicates that it does NMEA output for precisely the reason you are after. The website shows that it will show such a position "if connected to any Vertex Standard GPS". The manual shows the NMEA Output strings as DSC, DSE.

Without having fitted it, I can say that it is a nice bit of kit; quite large but with decent size bottons and knobs as a result. A very attractive bit of kit that is an optional extra is a remote microphone + which will control nearly all of the radio functions where ever you site it (eg in the cockpit) and show some limited GPS data on its display.

 

[TaurusSkipper]

go for the ICOM 601

i plot POSITION REQUESTS from my 601 onto my laptop plotter,,,,, a good QUIET way to see where the other charter boats and dive boats are ;-)

 

[JonBrooks]

I can only quote about our kit.
The M601 works very well for this function.

I have rigged it on a number of boats now using Garmin Kit.

The Standard kit should do it as well.
Although there is only ONE of their radios on sale in the EU.
The other sets on their site are US home market products.

The Mtech is indeed a rebadged NASA.

Hope that all helps.

Regards

Jon