Connect B&G Pilot to Garmin Plotter via NMEA?

[frejo]

I have a Garmin 525 plotter and I wish to connect it to my B&G Network Pilot via NMEA. Can anyone explain, in a easy way, how to do it. Which wire connects to which wire?

B&G manual says: The Network PILOT display head has an NMEA input connector at the
rear, use a special 3m NMEA input cable 612-OA-053 (Red sig+, Blue
sig-). This cable have a screen, what to do with this?

Thanks
frejo

[sded]

There are two different models of the B&G Network Pilot control head. One uses a two pin NMEA connector and cable; one uses a three pin connector and cable. I have one of each (spare), which is a PITA and uses two different cables. What do you have? Does it match the control head?

[frejo]

Two different heads?! This may explain some things... On the back of my control head I have two cables plus a two pin NMEA connector in the middle (this is the only version I've seen). The NMEA cable I have though (as mentioned above), has three pins. This appeared to me as very odd but B&G said that it's the right cable. I can attach the cable to the head so it fits alright, but I have no idea if there is any signal going through it.

[frejo]

Looks like this

[sded]

Shouldn't make any electrical connection differences, though. According to your drawing, the Garmin uses the older RS232 NMEA and the B&G the newer RS422 NMEA. Should be able to make it work by connecting the black ground wire of the Garmin to the blue signal- wire of the B&G, blue signal wire of the Garmin to the red signal+ wire of the B&G, How does the 3 pin cable connect securely to the 2 pin socket?

[frejo]

The cable connects with a plastic bayonnet (at least that's what its called in Swedish), the electrical connections is uncertain but, as I said, B&G says it's the right cable, but I sometimes wonder if they know their older equipment well enough...

Should I just cut the B&G screen?

Thanks for your answer.

[sded]

I would just tape over the screen since it is not being used. Question was how 3 pins fit into two holes with a bayonet connector? I have both types of cables and just connected them both to the GPS, swap them when I swap control heads.

[sded]

Probably not helpful, but found an old manual that says the PN for the 2 pin cable is 612-OA-014

[frejo]

Maybe I have the wrong cable after all?? But the picture above showing the backside of the control head looks exactly like mine, and it has a two pin connector and the picture comes from the manual where it says the cable is 612-OA-053.

[frejo]

I have now got a hold on the 612-OA-014. Thanks for the tip.

By the way, why do you think the pilot is a PITA?

[sded]

Pilot works fine. I just think having two nmea cables installed is a PITA instead of B&G providing an adapter when they changed the control head.