GPS , NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000... confused

Fascadale

Fascadale

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I have a 3 year old GPS connected to a 3 year old external GPS aerial

I am thinking of getting a Lowrance GlobalMap 7200C chartplotter which says its input/output is NMEA 2000

The Lowrance website does not mention NMEA 0183 in its details for this plotter

Will the new plotter speak to the older aerial or have I got a confusion of NMEAs
 
NMEA 0183 & 2000 are different "Sentence Structures" -- you will need them both talking the same to them communicating.

NMEA 0183 soes seem to be supported by a number of modern devices though. I upgraded to DSC VHF last season oand my ICOM 421 was compatible with Garmain GPS128 - thanks to 0183.
 
Lowrance use their own gps units. In this case an LGC 3000. It is part of the NMEA 2000 system. You will have to use this supplied unit.
You will also have to connect it to a 12V supply. This is all quite straightforward though.
 
It has both...

The Lowrance 7200C has both NMEA2000 and NMEA0183. There are 2 serial ports offering NMEA0183 communications. You can download the 7200C manual from here and read all about it.

As far as the GPS aerial is concerned, you should use the Lowrance aerial supplied with the 7200C.

At £565 for a 7" 640x480 plotter, the Lowrance 7200C looks to be good value.
 
It's worth pointing out that, as with most charplotters with external antennas, the 'antenna' is actually a gps receiver not just an aerial.
 
Yes it is confusing.

Lowrance seem to be the only people majoring on a NMEA 2000 bus, and though NMEA 2000 has far more potential bells, whistles and sirens than 0183 it's not much good if no other equipment can speak with it.

Fortunately my 3500C has an NMEA 0183 output as well as the 2000.

Strictly speaking the "aerial" as you call it is the GPS receiver - but your 7200 will come complete with the NMEA unit. Be aware that the 2000 bus has to have its own power supply, separate from the plotter.
I'm still using the old Garmin 35 GPS, it's inputting into the GMDSS as well as a legacy Navico chartplotter, on NMEA 0183.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Lowrance seem to be the only people majoring on a NMEA 2000 bus, and though NMEA 2000 has far more potential bells, whistles and sirens than 0183 it's not much good if no other equipment can speak with it.

[/ QUOTE ]In fairness, it's worth noting that every current Lowrance plotter will also communicate using NMEA0183.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Lowrance seem to be the only people majoring on a NMEA 2000 bus, and though NMEA 2000 has far more potential bells, whistles and sirens than 0183 it's not much good if no other equipment can speak with it.

[/ QUOTE ]In fairness, it's worth noting that every current Lowrance plotter will also communicate using NMEA0183.

[/ QUOTE ]


Lowrance do both NMEA ... 0183 and 2000 as others have said here .... and note : You can input GPS data from a Handheld to the plotter via NMEA 0183 ... as well as use the LGC via NMEA 2000 (obviously not at same time !)

I have checked my 3500C for exactly that in case the LGC2000 I have fails .... and it works perfectly.

But you will be supplied an antena - which in fact is the GPS engine ... so why worry ?

Logically - no manufacturer is going to miss out on 0183 as it talks to near all other equipment ... and DSC VHF is standard on NMEA 0183....... so daft if not catered for. The only people who seem to consider 0183 as secondary really are Raymarine - who appear to concentrate more on Seatalk - their version of Seatalk as well ..... different from original ...
 
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