How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

[j-bizzie123]

I have a Solara DSC VHF radio and a Lowrance Elite 5 GPS chartplotter. I want to connect this two components to have my GPS position sent to Coast Guard in an emergency situation. I have programmed my MMSI number into the radio, and I have the NDC-4 NMEA adaptor cable from Lowrance. It has three wires, Yellow > NMEA transmit, Orange > NMEA recieve, and Black > ground. Now, my solara has three potential wires from the ACC cable Green > GPS data in, Brown > GPS ground, and Yellow > NC. I have no idea what NC means, nor does it explain it in the manaul.

My plans are to connect both grounds together Black > Brown, then Yellow (NMEA Transmit) > Green (GPS data in), and Orange(NMEA recieve) to the Yellow NC.

Can anyone please provide guidance, or tell if the GPS data In goes to what and how this radio functions with GPSes. Thanks,

 

[jhebert]

Re: How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

In electrical nomenclature, the acronym NC usually means No Connection or Normally Closed.

 

[j-bizzie123]

Re: How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

Thank you, that makes sense. So, it'd just be ground to ground and Yellow to Green?

 

[Boatist]

Re: How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

What you have so far sounds right.
You also need to make sure that both units are set to the same speed. 4800 is pretty common.

 

[drindeale]

Re: How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

I'm about to attmpt the exact same hookup. (I am surprised at the lack of any clear instructions by either manufacturer on connecting to other various manufacturers)
So did this work for you?

Lowrance NDC-4 as mentioned has only 3 wires- black, yellow, orange

Lowrance black wire to Uniden brown(ground)
Lowrance yellow Yellow (NMEA Transmit) > Uniden Green (GPS data in),
Lowrance Orange to Uniden ?was this used?

Thanks

 

[skargo]

Re: How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

When I connected my Uniden to my Raymarine chartplotter/GPS I had to go to both manufacturers websites to figure out the correct connections.

Glad to see others doing this!

 

[AguaSki]

Re: How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

Not sure this is the best method, but when I connected my Uniden Solara to my cheap handheld GPS I just made my connections using my best guess. There are only 3 wires so you can get it correct fairly correct using trial and error. The Uniden Solara has an animated on screen icon that will tell when GPS is working. Keep trying several configurations until the icon confirms that the GPS is working. After I confirmed my guesses were correct I soldered everything up, then some electrical tape followed shrink wrap tubing. I suppose you could burn something out using my guessing method, but I did have it wired wrong on the first couple attempts and nothing bad happened. Works great now.

 

[capeja]

Re: How to connect Uniden DSC to Lowrance Elite 5 Chartplotter

Guys, I have similar case with NASA SX35 DSC radio - just that the connection spec at radio end is different to what you had. VHF has connections as follows:

1 NMEA Rx (+) Brown
2 NMEA Rx (?) Red
3 NMEA Tx (+) Orange
4 Ground/Tx (?) Shield
5 Clock Green
6 Reset Blue
7 PDI Gray
8 PDO Purple
Pins 3 & 4 reserved for DSC/PC printer interface
Pins 5~8 reserved for Flash programmer

I couldn't make it with first try - I assume we are talking about only pins 1 and 2 and that Lowrance transmits lat/lon without any tricks.

BR,

Pekka