Cobra F75 GPS connection

ed_dash · 26 February 2010, 22:02

Hi

I have just bought a new rib and it had a Cobra F75 DSC VHF fitted which i want to connect up to the Garmin GPS. Whilst i have both manuals i dont know what size plug fits in the back of the VHF. I think its a 3.5mm mono plug but does any one know whether this is correct and whether the tip of the plug is negative or positive.

Thanks in advance

Ed

City Radio · 05 March 2010, 21:41

Hello Ed,

Most NMEA signals consist of "DATA" and "SHIELD" or screen to/from the GPS unit. I've not worked on the Cobra F75, but the data input at the back of the unit may also double as the data to clone or upgrade the software for the radio (this is normally done with the "ring" of a stereo jack.

I would guess that the tip is DATA in from your GPS unit and the sheild is connected to the outer ring - It shouldn't matter if you have a stereo or mono jack, as long as you use Tip and Shield for the GPS data.

Don't forget NMEA sends data at different rates and is configured in the GPS menu so it can "speak" to the other unit ie. PC, DSC Radio, AIS, etc

Hope this is of some help.
Paul

ed_dash · 05 March 2010, 22:01

thanks for that. I have managed to get it all working, i used a 2.5mm mono jack. The garmin GPS is outputting the NMEA string with a baud rate of 4800, took a bit of fiddling but now all seems to work, well i have the position on the display of the VHF so i guess it is.

City Radio · 05 March 2010, 22:04

Hi Ed,
Some peeps tend to forget about the Baud rate of the GPS and complain that the radios and GPS are not compatable - at least you realised that!
Good luck, Paul