Feeding Lat / Long to a Lowrance 520C?

[9D280]

OK, as usual the manual tells me everything except the one question I need an answer to!

In summary, due to the "agricultural" nature of my A- frame and the unexpected find of a Lowrance 520C I have the problem that I cannot physically fit the NMEA2K cable up the inside of my A- frame to put the "GPS pod" up there.

So, as I have always as part of my high level plan been going to use the Garmin 12 as a backup GPS anyway (it will instantly switch to "AA power" if the battery dies) It struck me that I could use the "data out" currently being sent to the VHF to feed the plotter via the NMEA0813 cable.

Now, I am aware that the Lowrance is set up by defult to read position from the NMEA2K bus, so can anyone confirm my theory that I can use the "0813 In" to feed lat / long to the plotter without it throwing a canary fit?

As an aside, if I donlt have the "pod" or any other NMEA2K stuff plugged in, can I drive it without feeding it "NMEA2K power" if the lat / long is being supplied via the 0813 cable?

Thanks.

[jyasaki]

According to the 520C manual, Com1 will accept NMEA 0183 input sentences. I do not know if Lat/Lon are supported under 0183, nor could I tell if the unit would accept those as a primary position reference.

An alternative is to whack off the connector on the cable, pull it through, and reterminate using a third-party field installable NMEA connector (as I recall, the GPS module has a female connector on the cable end?) Molex, Maretron and Garmin all supply field installable connectors. No idea who you'd source from in the UK.

jky

[9D280]

jky,

looks like you have the same manual as me! There's only one way to find out now - will let you all know what happens!

It's not the connector that's the problem - it's the cable! My A- frame is made from thick walled Ally tube, I/D 30mm. the "crossbar" at the top is welded onto the verticals (whoever made it presumably had no bending machine to hand) and the resulting weld at the join by the time I have suffed the Nav light, ARW, and two VHF antenna cables through I'd be lucky to get a single core out a telephone cable through the space that's left at the join!

As the frame is also getting in the way of an Aux installation I will be replacing it sooner or later, hence just needing a temporary fix for the new toy.

[jyasaki]

Could always zip tie it to the outside of the arch. Not pretty, but functional.

jky

[9D280]

I have toyed with that option too, (and it would blend in perfectly with the rest of the boat ) but the problem is that the frame being of the agricultrural nature it is has just enough "land" on a small bracket to mount the ARW light. (I think it was welded together in the days when "under 7m" was the get out clause for only needing an ARW) and so the VHF aeriel is U- bolted to it as are the homemade brackets for the P&S lights..... Pic here http://www.rib.net/forum/attachment....9&d=1307609348

Worst case I'll just do that with a plate sandwiched between the ARW & the GPS "pod", but if I can get it to take Lat / long from the garmin that will be soooo much easier to fit!

[Trailer Bloke]

Why not just fit the aerial pod on the top of your steering consul?

It works fine like that for two units I have

[9D280]

Ultimately I want it on the (new) frame, but don't want to be drilling holes in my console for a temporary fix.

Especially when I already have a garmin that does exactly that already!

Hopefully get some time this week to try it out........