Electronics / Electrical Help with GPS / VHF

[Fish Killer]

Hello,

I bought a LMS 377 Lowrance Sounder and a ICOM 302 Radio. I have hooked everything up but I can't seem to get the VHF to recognize the Lat and Long from the GPS.

The Sounder / GPS uses the NMEA 0183 Wire which has a Yellow Transmit wire and Orange Recieve wire. The VHF radio has a Yellow (+) wire and a green (-) wire.

I was told to hook up Yellow to Yellow, attach no other wires and turn on NMEA OUT on the Sounder. I did all of this and no such luck. Has anyone hooked these two units up before or something similiar. Both Sounder / GPS and VHF are working just trying to get the GPS co-ordinates to work on the VHF for the Distress signal if every needed.

 

[Gomphus]

Not familiar with your GPS. but in my Garmin it has to be set up to use the NMEA format for the serial data output. NMEA is one of about six options that can be used through the serial port on my GPS, so if the wrong one is selected (or if NONE is selected) the data will not be able to be used by the VHF. Check your setup options. Mine are found under Interfface Setup.

 

[5-Salt Fever]

Follow in/out NMEA per factory instruction manuals - GPS out to VHF in and so on. As well update your 0183 NMEA GPS firmware to the lastest version available, 2.0 or 3.0, for your unit - availble for download from Lowrance.

Make sure your NMEA Shield wires are grounded to a deadicated ground wire and not themselves. Also ensure your GPS baud transmitt/receive rate is 9600 or so. If not 9600 try others after doing all above. Select all data types for GPS transmit and receive on 0183.

I had same problems with Lowarance 7500c Plotter/Icom 402 and got it resolved with the above on advice from local DSC/VHF guru.

Good luck

 

[Fish Killer]

Thanks for the replies I will give this a try. Everyone has suggested different things but I think 5-Salt Fever might have the best answer. Thanks.

 

[Fish Killer]

5-Salt Fever,

If the Sounder / GPS has a Yellow Transmit Wire, Orange Receive Wire and a sheild / Ground and the VHF Radio has a Yellow + NMEA In and a Green - NMEA IN How would you connect this?

I would connect Yellow to Yellow, connect Shield to a ground plate, turn on NMEA Out on sounder with correct data types and 9600 Baud rate would this and should this not work?

Let me know your thoughts.

Or should the Orange and Green be connected together as well.

 

[5-Salt Fever]

I don't know from color but, you must connect GPS-transmit to VHF/NMEA-receive and VHF/NMEA-Transmit to GPS-Receive. You Lowrance and Icon manual should clearly describe/diagram which is which.

In addition to ground wire there is/are wire jackets or sheilds around each or some of the wires in question those must be grounded to dedicated boat ground in addition to any other grounds you may have. All connections must be soldered. All grounds can be tied to one bus or wire so long as that ground goes to the boat and not back to either the GPS or VHF.

As to solder, you can purchased from Napa autoparts store butt-connectors that are waterproof AND have a same solder ring in the center of the connector when heated with a lighter or small propane torch will melt and similtaniously cause the tubing to shrink and slightly melt just at the wire insulation to creat a water proof seal. They come in packs of 3-4 and are worht their weight in gold.

Throw and extra pack or two of large and small sizes into your emergency tool kit for repair while at sea etc...