Wiring DSC VHF to chart plotter

col421

Recruit
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
3
Hey there folks.
I'm trying to wire my VHF to my chart plotter so that my radio can get GPS data for a DSC distress call and sending my location to friends thru DSC. Also would like to have any DSC positions reported to me on the vhf show up on my chart plotter as an icon. It has the capability if wired correctly but the wiring diagrams don't seem to be talking the same language. The radio has positive and negatives identified but the plotter only has inputs or outputs. See attached wiring diagrams for the radio and chart plotter. Also there is a bare ground(shield) wire on both cables. Not sure if i run both of those to the neg bus bar or connect them or forget about them. Any help on which wires go were would be appreciated.
 

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GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
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49,038
Welcome aboard.

It helps to have some basic info. What brand/model of plotter and VHF?
 

col421

Recruit
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
3
I guess I left out the models.. the radio is Uniden UM 385 and the plotter is a Lowrance elite 7ti
 

KC8QVO

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
247
For what it is worth, I have a Standard Horizon GX-2200 with AIS and a Garmin 820xs plotter. I used to live near a shipping canal. The AIS receiver in the VHF radio did a nice job plotting all the barges going through the channel. They showed up as icons on the plotter screen. Clicking on the icons you could see information about the barge/company.

AIS, if you know anything about Ham radio, is like the equivalent of APRS. However, you need a special transmitter. That is not part of any of the VHF radios that have AIS receivers built in, that I am aware of. There are 2 levels of AIS transmitters - a low power one and a higher power one (they are both relatively low power... only a few watts). They are very pricey for what they are.

I am not familiar with the DSC functionality you are referring to, though my radio has that also (I have never registered anything with it so I don't have the radio set up to do it - if you register and need to change the ID you have to send the radio to the manufacturer to reprogram so I've never messed with it). Others may be able to guide you through that better.

I'll see if I can dig up a screen shot of the AIS. It is pretty slick. If you had 6 people out fishing you could see everyone on the screen - so long as their AIS signal was receivable at your boat.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
It has the capability if wired correctly but the wiring diagrams don't seem to be talking the same language. The radio has positive and negatives identified but the plotter only has inputs or outputs. See attached wiring diagrams for the radio and chart plotter. Also there is a bare ground(shield) wire on both cables. Not sure if i run both of those to the neg bus bar or connect them or forget about them. Any help on which wires go were would be appreciated.
First off , did you register and get an MMI number for DSC?

The diagrams are talking the same language, just a different Dialect ;)

NMEA Out to RX, NMEA IN to TX

The + and - are different channels for additional I/O

For the wiring, brown to orange and green to yellow. Both shields tied to ground
 

mike_i

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
879
Is your system NEMA0183? Do you have a NEMA 2000 backbone?
 
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