GPS

[tarik]

SWMBO has bought me an AIS Display unit as a birthday present. Can anyone recommend a cheapish ( Value for money) GPS to link into it. I am not really interested in a chart plotter as such.


Thanks for any replies,



David

 

[Billjratt]

Do you actually want a GPS or do you just need lat-long NMEA ?
If the latter, there are USB dongly things available for about £12 or so., and other engine-only devices.

 

[maby]

Do you actually want a GPS or do you just need lat-long NMEA ?
If the latter, there are USB dongly things available for about £12 or so., and other engine-only devices.

the USB based device is probably not compatible with most AIS displays - they expect serial communications and the USB-serial adaptors sold for laptops are the wrong way round... You can find RS232 GPS receivers up on ebay, but they are getting quite rare these days. There are also little unpackaged GPS modules - mostly from China - that sell at between £20 and £30 and will drive almost anything. hey are probably the best option if you are comfortable with a soldering iron and don't mind encapsulating it in a small plastic box.

 

[elton]

SWMBO has bought me an AIS Display unit as a birthday present. Can anyone recommend a cheapish ( Value for money) GPS to link into it. I am not really interested in a chart plotter as such.


Thanks for any replies,



David

Second hand Garmin GPS 45 would do. They're often available on eBay quite cheaply.

 

[maby]

Second hand Garmin GPS 45 would do. They're often available on eBay quite cheaply.

Do make sure you can get hold of the required cables before buying any elderly GPSs off ebay for things like this. I picked up an ancient Magellan to provide the positioning data to our DSC radio, then had the devil's own job sourcing the appropriate cables!

 

[tarik]

Second hand Garmin GPS 45 would do. They're often available on eBay quite cheaply.

Elton,


Thanks for that, is there an external lead from the Garmin that can be linked to the AIS?

Cheers

David

 

[elton]

Elton,


Thanks for that, is there an external lead from the Garmin that can be linked to the AIS?

Cheers

David

I don't know what type of plug you'd need for the AIS end, but this type of lead fits several Garmin devices, including the GPS 45:

If the 9 pin 'D' isn't compatible with the AIS, you should search for a "bare end" 4 pin Garmin type lead. I used to buy from "GPSBitz" but they seem to have disappeared.

You can also buy a lead with an integral cigar lighter connector to power the GPS.

 

[LadyInBed]

SWMBO has bought me an AIS Display unit

WRT connections, saying which make and model of 'AIS Display unit' would be helpful. Is it NASA?

 

[tarik]

WRT connections, saying which make and model of 'AIS Display unit' would be helpful. Is it NASA?

Hi,

Yes it is a NASA unit.

Cheers


David

 

[ffiill]

Do you actually want a GPS or do you just need lat-long NMEA ?
If the latter, there are USB dongly things available for about £12 or so., and other engine-only devices.

So are you saying you can get a USB dongle-gps engines that can pick up GPS signal and feed direct into a laptop? without need for a seperate GPS receiver?

 

[sailorman]

So are you saying you can get a USB dongle-gps engines that can pick up GPS signal and feed direct into a laptop? without need for a seperate GPS receiver?

i bought a usb GlobalSat BU-353 from amazon.
its a disc about 45 m/m dia on a lead about 1m long, extension leads available if you want to put it on deck

 

[maby]

So are you saying you can get a USB dongle-gps engines that can pick up GPS signal and feed direct into a laptop? without need for a seperate GPS receiver?

Definitely - I have one from Maplins that cost about £15 and does a pretty good job. It is a GPS receiver without display or controls.

 

[alahol2]

Lots here

 

[ffiill]

i bought a usb GlobalSat BU-353 from amazon.
its a disc about 45 m/m dia on a lead about 1m long, extension leads available if you want to put it on deck

Yes just been looking on ebay-I have a non mapping Garmin on my boat and just never got round to wiring it in to my laptop so I can use my Admiralty mapping CD or Seaclear.
This is a far easier option-completely missed out on this one-forget buying old GPs-just plug in one of these with waterproof external aerial.
Mind you only just caught up with Bluetooth!

 

[sailorman]

Yes just been looking on ebay-I have a non mapping Garmin on my boat and just never got round to wiring it in to my laptop so I can use my Admiralty mapping CD or Seaclear.
This is a far easier option-completely missed out on this one-forget buying old GPs-just plug in one of these with waterproof external aerial.
Mind you only just caught up with Bluetooth!

i have only just open cpn fully loaded & have yet to get the gps hooked up on the netbook

 

[maby]

Yes just been looking on ebay-I have a non mapping Garmin on my boat and just never got round to wiring it in to my laptop so I can use my Admiralty mapping CD or Seaclear.
This is a far easier option-completely missed out on this one-forget buying old GPs-just plug in one of these with waterproof external aerial.
Mind you only just caught up with Bluetooth!

Don't go for the very cheapest - I have come across a few at the very low end that are not very reliable. I would suggest Maplins rather than ebay - the price difference will not be very great and you have the opportunity to return it if it doesn't do what you need.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-gps-dongle-476503