Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

[pizzafellow]

Hi ya all doing!
I have been using a GlobalSat BU-353 gps usb puck connected to a laptop running the free Seaclear II and OpenCPN navigation software. This setup is very affordable and works great.
Now, I just bought an Icom IC-M602 VHF radio, and would like to connect it either to the laptop or to the gps puck directly, to get the nmea stream to the radio for DSC. Has anyone tried this connection? or is it feasable?
Any thoughts will be much appreciated.
Thank you

 

[jhebert]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

You cannot connect the USB output of your GlobalSat BU353 GPS receiver to an NMEA-0183 serial data input connection on your VHF Marine Band Radio. However, GlobalSat does make another version of that GPS receiver which has RS-232 serial data ouput. This could be used to connect to your VHF Marine Band radio. See the GlobalSat website for more details.

 

[pizzafellow]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

Thankyou jhebert for your response. I found a thread on another site by someone with a similar situation. The more detailed posts show that connecting the gps receiver puck is not doable.
I wonder if anyone knows what would be a suitable gps receiver for this radio.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

Just look for one with NMEA 0183 output.

 

[blzrul]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

I have a somewhat related question - same radio, and a Furuno chartplotter/radar setup. When I got the boat the radio displayed lat/long which it picks up from the Furuno. To my knowledge everything connects through a sounding box and then into a hub, which is where I'd expect the radio to get the GPS data.

We had some work done on the boat (as in a complete electrical rework) and now the GPS data isn't being passed. The error is "No Position/No Time". Pretty obvious. We found the hub and naturally none of the cables is labeled, but reseating them seems to have partially solved the problem - the radio now displays the lat/long as reflected on the Furuno. However it alternates that with "?????" ...

The radio is installed in such a way that it's difficult to access...there's nothing in the manual about the "???" message...has anyone seen this?

 

[jhebert]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

blzrul--Are you using a Globalsat device with serial data output as your GPS receiver?

What is a "sounding box"? I have never heard of this device.

 

[blzrul]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

blzrul--Are you using a Globalsat device with serial data output as your GPS receiver?

What is a "sounding box"? I have never heard of this device.

My understanding is that the chartplotter/radar setup (Furuno CF1900) connects to this sounding box - this box receives the data such as water temp etc from a sounding device mounted somewhere on the hull - and then everything connects to a network hub (including the sounding box).

We'd had a bunch of work done on our electrical system, and suddenly the radio, which used to display lat/long and time, does not. I know from the documentation that the radio gets GPS externally, and the only source of GPS is the chartplotter. The radio is mounted overhead (back inaccessible), and would not have been touched during the work. I can see the chartplotter wires all going down (not up to the radio)and into the sounding box. Thus I believe that the NMEA input cable from the radio goes down too and probably connects directly to the hub... in any event, we got the GPS to feed into the system by connecting/disconnecting at the hub, but now we get these flashing question marks. I think I will call iCom directly. It's funny, boat systems are fairly simple, but the problems can just leave you scratching your head....

 

[jhebert]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

I think you are using an unfamiliar term "sounding box" to mean a black-box SONAR.

I don't understand what your inquiry has to do with using a Globalsat BU-353. As I understand your reply, you do not have a Globalsat BU-353. That is the topic of this discussion.

 

[blzrul]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

I think you are using an unfamiliar term "sounding box" to mean a black-box SONAR.

I don't understand what your inquiry has to do with using a Globalsat BU-353. As I understand your reply, you do not have a Globalsat BU-353. That is the topic of this discussion.

Sorry - I began my post with the phrase "somewhat related" thinking people who read this thread might know something about the way that GPS and VHF radios would connect. My mistake. Next time I will start a new thread.

 

[jhebert]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

I concur--you should start a new thread. I do not see much value in reviving a discussion which had been dormant for four months only to change the topic of the dormant discussion to something completely new. If you start a new thread on your new topic you will probably get some advice on your new topic.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

You cannot connect the USB output of your GlobalSat BU353 GPS receiver to an NMEA-0183 serial data input connection on your VHF Marine Band Radio. However, GlobalSat does make another version of that GPS receiver which has RS-232 serial data ouput. This could be used to connect to your VHF Marine Band radio. See the GlobalSat website for more details.

You CAN actually. Just going thru all this myself, same setup. Bought a USB GPS puck, running into a netbook, and I was looking for a way to run from one of the USB ports on the netbook to the NMEA wires on my VHF.

There is ONE option, or at least one sensibly priced option.
http://www.digitalyacht.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=11652

Goes for about $50 in a few online stores I've browsed.


And before anyone works themselves into a rage about bringing up an old thread again, this is certainly relevant, and one of TWO threads brought up in search for OpenCPN (which is amazing, and Im surprised so few people use)

 

[jhebert]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

This is not a good solution. You can buy a second GlobalSat GPS receiver, one with NMEA-0183 output, for less than the convertor box. Visit the GlobalSat website for details on their products.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Globalsat bu-353 gps to vhf radio connection?

My radio came with naked wires for NMEA in/out. More than 'good', although perhaps not for every situation.
Still believe its quite possible with a 9 pin port on the back of a radio though.