Using independent GPS antenna for NMEA feed

MattS

MattS

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There seem to be a number of GPS antennas available that output NMEA 0183 natively - which I’m assuming means you can connect them up to listener devices (e.g. repeater displays, VHF units) without the need for a GPS head unit of some kind.

Does anyone use one of these antennas in their system? What are the setups in which people use these? Could I just do away with my old Garmin GPS152 in exchange for one of these, given that I only really use it as a way of outputting NMEA GPS sentences to other devices?
 
I do not use the Raystar 125 GPS which is mounted on top of my boat and used to output NMEA/Seatalk into the chartplotter. I now use a modern GPS antenna which is stuck in a locker below decks and has never seen the sky .... but is quicker to respond and more sensitive that the Raystar. The new GPS is only an antenna and does not output NMEA but connects into an AIS which then outputs the NMEA data over both cable and wifi but the principle is similar.

The old Raystar is used to simulate a paddlewheel and connects into the ST60 system.

Richard
 
Agree with RichardS.

I had a Raystar GPS for our boat which started to fail on me. I bought one off eBay which worked for about 3 times and failed too. Conned! A new one was about £300 or something like that. I already used a £30 USB GPS for my laptop which works perfectly, so I got a 12v GPS antenna to replace the Raystar, again for about £30 and it works perfectly. No issue whatsoever, even when it is fully enclosed in the instrument housing and can't see the sky.
 
asteven221 said:
Agree with RichardS.

I had a Raystar GPS for our boat which started to fail on me. I bought one off eBay which worked for about 3 times and failed too. Conned! A new one was about £300 or something like that. I already used a £30 USB GPS for my laptop which works perfectly, so I got a 12v GPS antenna to replace the Raystar, again for about £30 and it works perfectly. No issue whatsoever, even when it is fully enclosed in the instrument housing and can't see the sky.
Click to expand...

@asteven221 is the new 12v GPS antenna an independent one that outputs NMEA 0183? What do you output it to?

This is an example of the antennas I saw Marine Ship GPS Receiver Antenna Module NMEA 0183 Baud Rate 4800 Connector | eBay where they appear to output NMEA directly to instruments, meaning I don't need a separate GPS instrument to connect the antenna to...
 
MattS said:
@asteven221 is the new 12v GPS antenna an independent one that outputs NMEA 0183? What do you output it to?

This is an example of the antennas I saw Marine Ship GPS Receiver Antenna Module NMEA 0183 Baud Rate 4800 Connector | eBay where they appear to output NMEA directly to instruments, meaning I don't need a separate GPS instrument to connect the antenna to...
Click to expand...
That one doesnt seem to do 4800 baud which could be a problem.

oops sorry it does - just not very clear on its spec list (its in the page title, d'oh!)
 
What is the performance like on antennas located inside the cabin nowadays? How much benefit do you get from it being, for example, pushpit mounted vs just having it behind a bulkhead near the navdesk?
 
MattS said:
What is the performance like on antennas located inside the cabin nowadays? How much benefit do you get from it being, for example, pushpit mounted vs just having it behind a bulkhead near the navdesk?
Click to expand...

Just mounted a Standard Horizon VHF, about 2’ above WL behind a cupboard door, below a 20mm GRP deck. The inbuilt GPS sensor picked up position and time as quickly when switch on, no faffing about looking for fatalities, unlike my plotter, just straight to the point. Also being new, it had no idea where it was. New tech is so much more robust.
 
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