Help! - SH GX2150 Installation

[Neptune999]

I'm going crazy: Can anyone recommend a simple, inexpensive, puck-type gps that I can attach directly to a GX2150 VHF radio? Also, being electronically challenged, exactly how would I connect it to the radio?

[four winds]

Check your manual, on page 15 it shows the wiring for the connection to a device to provide Lat and Lon info.

This could be your chartplotter, if you have one, or a standalone GPS antenna.

You should have a small wire harness on the back with grey, green, and blue wires. This is for the NMEA data input and output from a GPS. It would be connected with radio out to antenna in, radio in to antenna out, and grounds connected.

Pretty simple, you can do it.

Let me look for an antenna that will work.

Here's a pdf for your manual if you don't have one. Link on the page just below the pic of the radio.

http://www.standardhorizon.com/index...3&isArchived=0



edit,..... well, choosing an antenna is a bit more difficult, for me. Of course the puck style are cheaper but usually USB or serial. With pinout info they could be adapted but that's more head scratching.

[xymotic]

I think any decent antenna that actually puts out a NEMA output usable by the 2150 will cost you $250+ and at that point you might as well get an actual GPS or chartplotter.

you could use an inexpensive garmin handheld as the bare minimum.

[Neptune999]

Ya'll are a huge help! This seems easy enough to do. I haven't seen one yet, but I'm hoping something as inexpensive as a BU353 would work as the GPS, although it has a USB connector. I guess I could just cut it down to the bare wires to connect it.

After I get that accomplished, I'll be wondering how to connect this to a laptop to receive the location and AIS data for OpenCPN - I want to keep the gps dedicated to the radio.

[four winds]

Maybe someone with direct experience with antenna choice will chime in.

Looks like the Garmin 17x would work, I think. I have no experience with it.

Prices vary depending on source, but they're not really cheap compared to my wallet.

Best price I find in a quick search. $105 and in stock. Not as bad as I thought.

http://www.gpscity.com/garmin-oem-17...nmea-0183.html

From what I see in the manual it has a data/power cable to wire into your system. Data wires to the radio and power wires to the vessel DC bus.

That's all I got, hope it helps.

[four winds]

Buy a Bu-353 for your laptop exclusively. They are not expensive and can act as a backup. I use one, works well.

Cutting down the connector for use with the radio would require supplying 5 volt supply from the boat. Just another hurdle to overcome. May not be worth the effort.

Here's another "bare wire" option.

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-18x-LVC.../dp/B0016O3T7A

Please be careful with these recommendations. I'm merely trying to point to items to consider researching.

[StandardHorizon]

Neptune999,

Please check out the wiring diagram on the link below.
Welcome to StandardHorizon.com

Jason Kennedy
Standard Horizon

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by StandardHorizon

Neptune999,

Please check out the wiring diagram on the link below.
Welcome to StandardHorizon.com

Jason Kennedy
Standard Horizon

Jason,

I ordered my own 2150 last week. Looking forward to getting it installed.

You need to know, your decision to participate on this forum is what made the decision for me. Thanks man.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by StandardHorizon

Neptune999,

Please check out the wiring diagram on the link below.
Welcome to StandardHorizon.com

Jason Kennedy
Standard Horizon

Jason, please try again. Your link took me to the marketing product page for the GX2100. I did not see a wiring diagram and would like one for a USB puck GPS.

Mark

[four winds]

It's the correct page, just need to click the "Files" tab to get to the diagram download.

The fourth link is a diagram for the 2100, which I'm thinking works for the newer 2150 that has replaced it. Granted that's a diagram for connection to a Garmin chart plotter.

My opinion, connection to a USB puck style would be problematic. I'd go for one of the "bare wire" options instead. The one linked in post 6 is about 60 dollars US.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Neptune999

Ya'll are a huge help! This seems easy enough to do. I haven't seen one yet, but I'm hoping something as inexpensive as a BU353 would work as the GPS, although it has a USB connector. I guess I could just cut it down to the bare wires to connect it.

After I get that accomplished, I'll be wondering how to connect this to a laptop to receive the location and AIS data for OpenCPN - I want to keep the gps dedicated to the radio.

The GX2150 won't work directly connected with a "USB" puck GPS. The GX2150 is NMEA0183 compatible (RS422 not USB), with GPS input @ 4800 or 38400, DSC output @ 4800 or 38400, and AIS output @ 38400 only. When DSC output is selected @ 38400, it then includes AIS information. The wiring diagram is at:

http://www.standardhorizon.com/downl...lication%2Fpdf

I believe you'll need (2) serial ports to the laptop, one 'bridged' on the GPS output along with the GX2150 and the second one connected to the AIS output of the GX2150.

The Garmin 18x LVC GPS OEM (bare wire) version mentioned above should work.