posted 05-29-2009 11:33 PM ET (US)        

Do I simply connect the blue to blue wire and the black (GRD) to green wire as shown on the one attachment? All of the applicable documents to each piece of equipment are attached.

What is the best way to connect these 'tiny' wires? I can solder them but I'm not certain shrink wrap is available that small. I don't want to have to use a terminal block because of the difficulty mounting because of all the other wires and the confined space inside the console.

posted 05-30-2009 05:40 PM ET (US)            

Blue to blue wire and the black (GRD) to green wire

I 'think' this is what you are telling me?

posted 05-31-2009 01:40 AM ET (US)            

Let me give you an example:

GPS
NMEA output (+) = COLOR
NMEA ground = COLOR

RADIO
NMEA input (non-inverting) = COLOR
NMEA input (inverting) = COLOR

Just fill in the colors. Don't cut-and-paste a page of text.

posted 05-31-2009 02:22 PM ET (US)            

I retyped some of the Standard Horizon Radio and GPS information below. I can't relate anything to inverting & non-inverting.

*** NEMA DEVICE #1 ***
GPS
NMEA output (+) = COLOR [BLUE]
NMEA ground = COLOR [BLACK]

RADIO *
NMEA input (non-inverting) = COLOR
NMEA input (inverting) = COLOR

*** NEMA DEVICE #2 ***
GPS
NMEA output (+) = COLOR [GREY]
NMEA ground = COLOR [BLACK]

RADIO *
NMEA input (non-inverting) = COLOR
NMEA input (inverting) = COLOR

------------------------------------------------

INFORMATION FROM THE GARMIN INSTRUCTION BOOK:

1. ...For Garmin units, the ground (Black) wires serve as NMEA ground and must be attached together or on the same terminal. Refer to the wiring diagram of your GPS unit for wire identification. [Diagram was included in my original post].
2. Connct the Blue (NMEA Out 1) wire from the unit to the NMEA In wire on the NMEA unit's wiring harness, and the brown (NMEA In 1) wire to the NMEA Out wire on the unit's wiring harness.
3. Repeat step 2 using the Grey and Violet wires for an additional unit.
4. Set the unit's serial port's) to use NMEA In/NMEA Out...

------------------------------------------------

NFORMATION FROM THE STANDARD HORIZON INSTRUCTION BOOK:

8.4 ACCESSORY CABLE
Blue: NMEA IN (+) From GPS navigator receiver
Green: NMEA IN (-) From GPS navigator receiver
Gray: NMEA Out (+) From GPS navigator receiver
Brown: NMEA IN (-) From GPS navigator receiver

Diagram Shows:
Radio - Blue > GPS NMEA OUT (+)
Radio - Green > GPS NMEA OUT (-)
Radio - Gray > GPS NMEA IN (+)
Radio - Brown > GPS NMEA IN (-)

Matrix Shows:
Wire Color/Description // Connection Examples
Blue: NMEA Input (+) // Connect to NMEA (+) output of GPS
Green: NMEA Input (-) // Connect to NMEA (-) output of GPS
Gray: NMEA Output (+) // Connect to NMEA (+) input of GPS
Brown: NMEA Output (-) // Connect to NMEA (-) input of GPS

8.5 CONNECTION OF GPS WITH NMEA OUTPUT

Matrix shows:
Manufacturer Model // Wires // PS1000 Std. Hor.

Garmin Fixed Mounts // Blue // Blue
Garmin Fixed Mounts // Black (GRD) // Green

Garmin Portables // Brown // Blue
Garmin Portables // Black (GRD) // Green

------------------------------------------------

My interpretation is that you connect:
Radio Blue to GPS Blue
Radio Green to GPS Brown
Radio Gray to GPS Grey
Radio Brown to GPS Violet
GPS to Black(Ground)

Agree?

If the connections are incorrect I realize the units may not function properly but will it do any damage to either the radio or GPS?

posted 05-31-2009 08:58 PM ET (US)            

None of the wires are actually tagged. I have to interpret from what I read and have copied here. It just isn't obvious.

I'm going to contact both Garmin & Standard Horizon and see what they have to say.

I'll post their feedback.

posted 05-31-2009 11:39 PM ET (US)            

You're making this much to complicated. I connected a number of these units. Here's the connectivity.

http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/4892322_2160052_70601210_Web_3/ Image-4892322-70601210-2-Web_0_bd53425047a028aa3773709d6c950e10_1

posted 06-01-2009 12:39 AM ET (US)            

Also, why is the BROWN GPS connected to the GRAY NMEA Output (+) rather than the BROWN NMEA Output (-)?

In othe words, what is the significance of the (+) and (-) for the Inputs and Outputs?

Doesn't it make any difference?

posted 06-01-2009 09:16 AM ET (US)            

The markings of (+) and (-) are not polarity markings.

The (+) means the input is non-inverting.
The (-) means the input is inverting.

I think I have deciphered all the colors from your long posting. This is really simple stuff. First we find the OUTPUT from the GPS RECEIVER. You wrote:

GPS
NMEA output (+) = COLOR [BLUE]
NMEA ground = COLOR [BLACK]

Now we look for the INPUT to the RADIO TRANSMITTER. [Oops--we had some bad information. I don't see any value in preserving the wrong information so I have deleted it; see below for the correct information--jimh]

Also, this is only one serial data connection, from the GPS RECEIVER output to the RADIO TRANSMITTER input. Once we get this working we can figure out the connection in the other direction.

posted 06-01-2009 12:27 PM ET (US)            

http://albums.phanfare.com/4892322/2160277_3919106#imageID=63334192

posted 06-01-2009 12:55 PM ET (US)            

GARMIN

BLUE to Standard Horizon BLUE
BROWN to Standard Horizon Gray
Green - not used
White - not used
Yellow - not used
Orange - not used
Violet - not used

Standard Horizon

BLUE to Garmin BLUE
GRAY to Garmin BROWN
GREEN to BLACK (Grd)
BROWN to BLACK (Grd)

I believe this is exactly what Tom is showing in his link. Am I right Tom?

I'm curious to see what Standard Horizn's reply is.

posted 06-01-2009 03:11 PM ET (US)            

In general, NMEA wiring color coding is standardized, but this does not mean that you would connect like-colored wires to each other. Typically, a certain color set represents an "out" and a different one represents an "in". If you're connecting two devices to each other, you'll be connecting the "out" from one, to the "in" from another. Thus, if the two devices use the same color coding scheme, you would, by definition, be connecting different color wires to one another.

As for making the connections, the "best" method is to use a water resistant junction box, such as the one sold by Raymarine for use in their SeaTalk systems. The box itself can be used for any small wire terminations. Fisheries Supply sells the little nylon terminal blocks that go inside them in a number of different sizes so you can accomodate multiple connections.

posted 06-01-2009 05:24 PM ET (US)            

I appreciate the time you spent trying to help. The terminology for this exercise was completely foreign to me: NMEA in & out, + & -, inverting & non-inverting just didn't register because I had no prior reference point.

Another point of clarification, I think several people had the impresion that I was trying to match the same colors from each unit e.g., blue to blue, green to green, etc.
This was never the case but I just couldn't get things clear enough in my mind to see which colors did go together.

I'm going to have a heck of a time soldering the wires together because of the confined space under the center console and the conglomeration or other wires and equipment. I think I'll go the twist and tape route until I'm sure everything works OK. If so, I'll try to solder with the back-up being sissor type mechanical connectors and shrink tubing.

pglein - I'm not sure I could find a good spot for a junction box that I could reach and work in but that would be my preference.

It will be several days, due to weather and other commitments before I can work on the connections but I'll post my result when done.

Thanks to everyone

posted 06-01-2009 05:38 PM ET (US)            

http://www.standardhorizon.com/downloadFile.cfm?FileID=1311& FileCatID=86&FileName=PS1000%5FOwner%27s%5FManual.pdf& FileContentType=application%2Fpdf

The manual gives the information we need on Page 12. I cut and pasted it below:

BLUE- NMEA Input (+)
GREEN - NMEA Input (–)
GRAY- NMEA Output (+)
BROWN-NMEA Output (–)

We look at this information to see where the RADIO's NMEA INPUT is located. Voila!

NMEA Input (+) = BLUE
NMEA Input (–) = GREEN

So now, finally we have the data we need: The input for the radio to receive a NMEA signal.

We already found the output information from the GPS receiver:

GPS
NMEA output (+) = BLUE
NMEA ground = BLACK

This IS correct (at least for the radio), and the connection is as follows:

GPS------>RADIO
BLUE----->BLUE
BLACK---->GREEN

--or--

GPS------>RADIO
Out(+)---->In (+)
OutGnd---->In (-)

posted 06-01-2009 09:28 PM ET (US)            

Now that we have the connection from the GPS RECEIVER OUTPUT to the RADIO TRANSMITTER INPUT, we ought to look at the connection in the other direction. This will be a connection from the RADIO RECEIVER OUTPUT to the CHART PLOTTER INPUT. In the case of the two devices in use here we find:

RADIO RECEIVER OUPUT

NMEA Out (+) = GRAY
NMEA OUT (-) = BROWN

CHART PLOTTER DISPLAY INPUT

This is a little trickier. It took me ten minutes to find it. On page 49 of the Garmin manual there is a diagram and the inputs are shown as follows

NMEA In 1 = BROWN
NMEA In 2 = VIOLET

We only need to use one input, so let's use number one:

NMEA In 1 = BROWN

How do we connect this to the RADIO RECEIVER OUPUT? The output is a differential signal with both (+) and (-) signals. The input is a single-ended input, with only a single signal, which we assume is the (+). This means we ought to connect them as follows

RADIO ---> CHART PLOTTER
GRAY ----> BROWN
BROWN ---> no connection

--or--

RADIO ---> CHART PLOTTER
NMEA Out (+) = NMEA 1 In
NMEA OUT (-) = no connection

posted 06-14-2009 01:37 PM ET (US)            

If I receive sound signals how will I know what they mean & how do I respond? Will they come from the radio or the GPS receiver?

Will I get any visual displays/signals on the GPS or radio?

I have the NEMA IN & OUT settings set, are there any other 'preferred' settings that should be set.

posted 06-14-2009 01:48 PM ET (US)            

Assessing a problem in the communication link should be divided into layers. The most basic layer is the physical and electrical layer. Are the proper wires connected together? Are they electrically connected? Is the output connected ot the input? Are the non-inverting and inverting polarities consistent?

The next layer is the serial data configuration. Normally NMEA-0183 standards apply, but some device may allow for or prefer non-standard parameters. Be certain that both the sender and receiver are configured for serial data parameters that are the same, that is the same speed, number of data bits, number of parity bits, and so on.

The next layer of the link is the data layer. Is the sender sending the data that the receiver needs? A GPS receiver can typically send many NMEA-0183 data sentences. A VHF Marine Band radio may be particular about which NMEA-0183 sentence it needs to receiver in order to work. The instruction manual of the radio is the only place to find out what it needs. The instruction manual of the GPS receiver is the only place to find out what it can send.

posted 06-14-2009 02:06 PM ET (US)            

quote:

---

"If I receive sound signals how will I know what they mean & how do I respond?

---

Sound signals are made via a whistle or a horn. To interpret sound signals refer to the Navigation Rules. Sound signals are not really electrical in nature.

Sound Signals In Restricted Visibility
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/Rules/Rule35.htm

"Will I get any visual displays [or] signals on the GPS or radio [that there has been successful data communication]?"

The GPS receiver is the sender. This is no way for it to acknowledge anything. It is just sending. In order for the GPS receiver to acknowledge that its data was sent, it would also have to be a listener and acquire data from another device. So far in this discussion we are still working on the first connection, the GPS receiver sending data to the radio transmitter. Let's hold off for a minute we get the first one working.

The VHF Marine Band radio may be able to give an indication that it has received valid data about vessel position. To learn if this happens, read the instruction manual for your radio. Some radios will display a small icon of a satellite on their display panel when the radio has been connected to a GPS receiver and is receiving valid position data. Again, this is entirely dependent on the radio. The radio instruction manual explains.

Testing the connection from the radio receiver to the chart plotter is going to be much more difficult. The radio receiver itself does not generate any data. It only receives data from a remote station, demodulates it, and makes it available on its data output wires. To test this link you will need the help of another sender, that is, a radio that will transmit some data to your receiver. When your receiver gets the data, it will send it to your chart plotter. When your chart plotter gets the data, it will do something with it, perhaps display it on its position display. But to check all of this, you'll need another radio with the proper configuration that is known to be working.

You cannot send data to your GPS receiver. The GPS receiver does not listen for data from the radio. The GPS receiver receives satellite signals, deduces its position (and other data like speed and heading), and sends this data out. But the GPS receiver does not listen for any data, at least not any that I can think of.

posted 06-14-2009 06:50 PM ET (US)            

I believe I saw a new icon on the GPS that may represent a satellite but I don't see any mention of it in the instruction book. I don't see anything different on the radio display but I have only been playing with the setup with the boat in the driveway.

I believe you misunderstood my question regarding 'sound signals'. I was referring to bells, beeps, buzzers etc. from the Radio or GPS and what they represent. It's mentioned in the instruction booklets but lacks detail.

posted 06-14-2009 10:51 PM ET (US)            

Many modern electronic devices employ audible feedback to indicate to the user that the device has acknowledged an input keystroke or other form of user input. These BEEPs are typically controlled by a menu setting, and can be turned on or off as the user desires.

posted 06-18-2009 08:35 PM ET (US)            

quote:

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One call to either Standard Horizon or Garmin would save you a lot of typing.

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