Connecting a GPS to a radio.

[rolmops]

I have a Garmin 182 GPS and a Uniden Oceanus ship to shore radio.The radio has a few extra plugs hanging out of the rear.One for a PA system and the other to hook up to a GPS so in case of a MOB or MAYDAY the radio will automatically start broadcasting the ships location combined with a constant MAYDAY signal.The GPS has only one outlet in the rear,but it has a lot of pins coming out.
Is there a special gizmo or special plug that will enable me to connect the GPS to the radio??
Thank you for your help and advice.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Connecting a GPS to a radio.

There should be several wires housed in the power cable. The Green wire is the one that goes to the radio. I had to get a connector from Radio shack to solder on the end of the green wire to make the connection

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Connecting a GPS to a radio.

I used the owners manual from the GPS and the Radio to determine which wires to connect. The GPS should have an NMEA data out wire and the radio should have an NMEA data in wire. I stripped, twisted and soldered them together. I think it was a total of two wires that needed to be connected.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Connecting a GPS to a radio.

One more thing, The Garmin GPS I have is capable of plotting boats based upon receiving their GPS coordinates over the radio. Hence you need to hook up the NMEA in and NMEA out wires from the radio to the GPS.

BTW the automatic MayDay signal only works if you register the radio with the USCG, and program the code number they provide into the radio.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Connecting a GPS to a radio.

Thank you guys for all the information.
It is indeed the green wire on both the radio and the GPS and I have connected them.
Now comes the next step and that is programming the VHF radio so it will actually broadcast the longitude and latitude.The GPS has been programmed already.Now all I really need is for the weather to be nice enough to actually get my boat on the water.

By the way,I called the Garmin support people and they supplied me with all the wrong info.They were very nice to talk to.