VHF GPS Input

[bubblehead]

Hello all,
Would anybody please be able to advise on this radio. I’d like to connect a GPS receiver to it so I can get position displayed.

could anyone advise what I would need to for it please?

Thank you..

 

[tillergirl]

Pin 4 is NMEA IN (-)
Pin 5 is NMEA IN (out)

The connector is upside down in the image. Turned 180, Pin 4 is at 2 o clock, Pin 5 is at 10 o clock.

Location; Connections - Radio Ocean RO4700 User Manual [Page 7]

 

[nigel1]

Have attached pdf of the user manual which shows the connector pin out.
Unless you have the GPS interface cable you might have to cut the connector off and expose the two NMEA output wires (NMEA -ve is Green, and NMEA +ve is yellow), and then connect these wires to the NMEA ouput wires from the GPS.

 

[bubblehead]

Ah great, thank you. It was the connector that was confusing me as I couldn’t find any GPS receivers with that connector.
I was u aware that it was just specific wires within for the receiver..

I can hopefully work with that, thank you all.

 

[Kendal]

The connector looks like a standard 8 pin Din plug. If your looking to wire up a GPS without cutting wires, you can buy an inline socket from companies like CPC. The manual doesn't seem to sepcify what speed nmea input is required so it would be worth seeing if you could find out. If you are looking at buying a receiver, you can pick up receivers that work at 4800 baud on ebay for £50.

 

[bubblehead]

I’m assuming this is a GPS receiver.. but stand to be corrected if not.
Now I know which wires are required I will see what is there?

 

[tillergirl]

Probably. Which model Humminbird do you have. You will need to identify the NMEA out (-) and (+) wires from the Hummin. On mine there is a bespoke terminal on the back of the Humminbird and needs a Humminbird cable. They are about £15 if I recall correctly.

 

[Dellquay13]

I’m assuming this is a GPS receiver.. but stand to be corrected if not.
Now I know which wires are required I will see what is there?

View attachment 164180

That is a gps antenna, which should be connected to a gps receiver. It is the the gps receiver that can connect to the vhf, not the antenna, if you weren’t aware

 

[bubblehead]

That is a gps antenna, which should be connected to a gps receiver. It is the the gps receiver that can connect to the vhf, not the antenna, if you weren’t aware

No I didn’t know that. I need to get the panel off now and chase the wiring, see what’s actually there.. maybe there is a receiver and it will be as simple as connect up. I doubt it though.
Thanks for all the input, I’ll update when I know what’s there.

 

[nigel1]

If it is a GPS receiver, or a GPS antenna connected to a seperate receiver it looks old and it's very likely to have been affected by GPS rollover. It might be able to provide usable position data, but the date and time output will be incorrect, likely by 20 years

 

[Refueler]

Two wires ....

NMEA out from GPS Receiver ... connects to NMEA In at radio.

The second wire is the NMEA GROUND and this connects to the negative lead of radio ... most boats have common ground of instruments - but its often good policy to ground locally anyway.

A post earlier said NMEA + and NMEA - to be used ... not correct. Unless post meant NMEA + of one unit to NMEA - of other unit. He forgot the GND wire.

 

[chriscallender]

Two wires ....

NMEA out from GPS Receiver ... connects to NMEA In at radio.

The second wire is the NMEA GROUND and this connects to the negative lead of radio ... most boats have common ground of instruments - but its often good policy to ground locally anyway.

A post earlier said NMEA + and NMEA - to be used ... not correct. Unless post meant NMEA + of one unit to NMEA - of other unit. He forgot the GND wire.

That depends ... NMEA0183 version 1 is single ended like you describe, however v2 is differential so the other post isn't necessarily wrong. Fortunately v1 and v2 devices can still even be wired up to each other (if the OP needs to get into that), for instance this web site describes the wiring

ShipModul Marine Electronics

 

[Refueler]

A simple separate way to 'GPS" a radio is to use a GPS Module such as sold by Banggood / AliExpress / Amazon and other online sellers. For less than 20 euros you get a module that is a) highly accurate, b) as small as a 50p piece and even smaller, c) you can double side tape to the radio out of sight.

It will need a BEC (about 5 - 10 euros) that reduces 12V to 5V ....

I am just waiting for replacement module myself after using my spare on another project.

GPS/GLONASS-Modul Beitian BN-220ZF mit hoher Genauigkeit, 72 Kanälen und NMEA-0183-Protokoll. Kompakte Größe ideal für FPV-Flugzeuge, Drohnen und Roboternavigationssysteme

Just have to read sales page to make sure module has NMEA 0183 ....

To give an idea of their accuracy and reliability - they provide the GPS positioning of expensive and highly agile drones ... even to autonomous flight capability. Far more than needed by a VHF.

The 5v BEC can be :

DC-DC-Wandler-Step-Down-Modul UBEC 3A 5V / 12V BEC für RC-Flugzeug FPV für RC-Drohne FPV Racing

Again small enough to stick to radio out of sight.


Just commenting on alternative way ...

 

[nigel1]

Two wires ....

NMEA out from GPS Receiver ... connects to NMEA In at radio.

The second wire is the NMEA GROUND and this connects to the negative lead of radio ... most boats have common ground of instruments - but its often good policy to ground locally anyway.

A post earlier said NMEA + and NMEA - to be used ... not correct. Unless post meant NMEA + of one unit to NMEA - of other unit. He forgot the GND wire.

I mentioned NMEA + and NMEA -, this was after reading the user manual for this particular DSC VHF.
I'm pretty sure that NMEA v1 predates DSC. Have attached a simple connection diagram for reference.

 

[andsarkit]

A simple separate way to 'GPS" a radio is to use a GPS Module such as sold by Banggood / AliExpress / Amazon and other online sellers. For less than 20 euros you get a module that is a) highly accurate, b) as small as a 50p piece and even smaller, c) you can double side tape to the radio out of sight.

It will need a BEC (about 5 - 10 euros) that reduces 12V to 5V ....

I am just waiting for replacement module myself after using my spare on another project.

GPS/GLONASS-Modul Beitian BN-220ZF mit hoher Genauigkeit, 72 Kanälen und NMEA-0183-Protokoll. Kompakte Größe ideal für FPV-Flugzeuge, Drohnen und Roboternavigationssysteme

Just have to read sales page to make sure module has NMEA 0183 ....

To give an idea of their accuracy and reliability - they provide the GPS positioning of expensive and highly agile drones ... even to autonomous flight capability. Far more than needed by a VHF.

I was going to order one of these but I see the default baud rate is 9600. How easy is it to change to 4800 as required for interfacing to other systems?

 

[Refueler]

I was going to order one of these but I see the default baud rate is 9600. How easy is it to change to 4800 as required for interfacing to other systems?

Generally the baud will not actually cause it to fail working ... but there are many others that can be user set to baud rates as low or as high as you want.
The cheap ones usually require the Drone Flight Controller program to do it ...

But - I have never had to change baud rates on any so far .... but of course I haven't owned / connected up all brands !!!

 

[Refueler]

I mentioned NMEA + and NMEA -, this was after reading the user manual for this particular DSC VHF.
I'm pretty sure that NMEA v1 predates DSC. Have attached a simple connection diagram for reference.

I have two current DSC radios and both accept NMEA as I described .... 0183 generally predates DSC by a wide margin.

I have also interfaced various other current and older gear as I described ... you can connect up to 3 listeners to 1 NMEA 0183 output.

As I already said in another post - I haven't connected all brands / makes ... so variations can be out there I am not aware of.

On the subject of manuals and kit ... one radio I have - the jack plug and manual supplied for NMEA are wrong. The jack plug supplied - WITH a connection label ! is a 4 segment 2mm plug. Useless as the centre pin on such are unconnected. The stereo etc. is connected via the sections of the outer ... so GND has no connection in the radio ... NMEA in is out of alignment. A mono 2mm jack plug is needed where centre pin is GND and outer is NMEA.

 

[Bilgediver]

Hello all,
Would anybody please be able to advise on this radio. I’d like to connect a GPS receiver to it so I can get position displayed.

could anyone advise what I would need to for it please?

Thank you..


View attachment 164173View attachment 164174

That is a standard 8 pin Din plug. Amazon sell 8 pin Din sockets to fit

 

[bubblehead]

Evening all, thank you for all the replies. If I’m honest, a lot of it seems to have gone over my head. Too much I don’t know about here.

I did get down to the boat today and took the panel off the arch to see what was under there below the Humminbird Antenna, and there was just a double plug socket, not connected to anything.
So assume that is entirely redundant as not a receiver.
So best way is to buy a small receiver, remove the 8 pin connector on the radio to reveal the correct wires and connect.

 

[Refueler]

The Hummingbird would most likely be no use to you anyway without its original 'mate' - as such antenna .... requiring its 'mate' to decode and display.

Same can be said for USB Puck GPS ... without a PC to decode the output - its useless to anything else.