Garmin 551 to Cobra F57

[GunnerStu]

Help! I’ve trawled and trawled but can’t quite nail it down: I have an existing 551 chart plotter but want to link to my Cobra VHF via the 3.5mm jack that’s supplied. The jack has a Green, Yellow and earth shielding. Does anyone have the same setup and can they tell me the proverbial what colour to what answer please? Also do I need to ground the dart that part of the shielding on the jack? TIA

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by GunnerStu

Help! I’ve trawled and trawled but can’t quite nail it down: I have an existing 551 chart plotter but want to link to my Cobra VHF via the 3.5mm jack that’s supplied. The jack has a Green, Yellow and earth shielding. Does anyone have the same setup and can they tell me the proverbial what colour to what answer please? Also do I need to ground the dart that part of the shielding on the jack? TIA

you need the NMEA 0183 data out colours on your garmin. You also need to check the baud rates are set the same on both devices

[GuyC]

When I was trying to get my head around my NMEA 2000 set up, I rang the Garmin help line (0808 238 0000) and they were very helpful.

The NMEA 0183 system works by having a +ve and -ve talker and a +ve and -ve listener so if you have something that provides a signal e.g. a GPS, the information will go out on the talker wires. For the thing that is picking up the signal e.g. your VHF, the signal will be received on the listener wires so for the data it is a case of linking the GPS talker +ve to the VHF listener +ve and the GPS talker -ve to the VHF listener -ve.

I don't know what the colours are but the manuals for the garmin products are on line.

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by GuyC

When I was trying to get my head around my NMEA 2000 set up, I rang the Garmin help line (0808 238 0000) and they were very helpful.

The NMEA 0183 system works by having a +ve and -ve talker and a +ve and -ve listener so if you have something that provides a signal e.g. a GPS, the information will go out on the talker wires. For the thing that is picking up the signal e.g. your VHF, the signal will be received on the listener wires so for the data it is a case of linking the GPS talker +ve to the VHF listener +ve and the GPS talker -ve to the VHF listener -ve.

I don't know what the colours are but the manuals for the garmin products are on line.

This is the best advice you will get ,i have phoned the helpline several times and never failed following their precise attention to your questions ,they will tell you the answer and then confirm the details by email ,in addition i even think they know what gear you have from the incoming phone number ,last time i phoned regarding dashboard layout ,i ended up with 2019 map updates foc for two plotters over5 years old
i think the 3.5 mm jack maybe leading you up the wrong tree here ,i think from memory its all about blue and brown wires from both devices ,ring to check but i think you link brown to blue x2

[GuyC]

I think the jack lead is associated with the radio.

A look at the manual on line suggests the jack lead has a yellow and green wire, which is backed up by your post. The yellow is a listener -ve and the green is listener +ve.

On the 400 / 500 series, the blue wire is the talker +ve so I think green goes to blue and you simply ground the yellow wire.

I wouldn't bother earthing the shielding and certainly the manual makes no mention of it.

I'd sort of assumed having a name of gunnerstu and living in Salisbury, you would be either military or ex military and as a result I was happy to help but I've just had an unpleasant thought that you might be an Arsenal fan in which case I still hope the above works for you but that's out of sympathy rather than respect .

[Bern Hanreck]

Do you not have to also give them a common ground by joining the 0V of both devices together ? ( otherwise any signal in or out is just at some random voltage ) .

[GunnerStu]

Thanks for all the responses, Thanks GuyC; first to clear the air. Your first assumption is correct (military not footie)! I could bore you with why Arsenal is linked to my cap badge but it’s Christmas soon and I don’t want to spoil it for you!

Thanks for you help, I’ll give it a go and let everyone know the results!