Garmin GPS 152 Feedback

[Ex-Calif]

Have an opportunity to pick up a G152 for the price of a round of beers. Includes exteernal antenna, mounting brackets etc.

Other than being older than dirt, B&W etc it seems like a good deal on the surface.

I primarily want it so I can get GPS speed "permanently" on the boat when I dont want to mess with rigging up the iPad.

I would like to upload waypoint data into it but it seems this has to come from CD data which I wont have.

Anyone know how to get the waypoint data for Singapore - i.e. nav buoys etc.

I know it can all be plugged in manually and stored but I am looking for a short cut.

Thanks,

[barnakiel]

Go get it. It is a good unit.

I have not found the shortcut. Zoom out max and see what happens - you may see the navaids except that maybe not for the right hemisphere ... ages ago they were sold in 2 coverages 'euro' and 'us' - they had the respective nav aids built in. I looked for a way to transfer such POIs (nav POIs sort of) between units but did not find any way (much as I am sure a skiled IT guy would succeed at this).

Cheers,
b.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Go get it. It is a good unit.

I have not found the shortcut. Zoom out max and see what happens - you may see the navaids except that maybe not for the right hemisphere ... ages ago they were sold in 2 coverages 'euro' and 'us' - they had the respective nav aids built in. I looked for a way to transfer such POIs (nav POIs sort of) between units but did not find any way (much as I am sure a skiled IT guy would succeed at this).

Cheers,
b.

Thanks b.

I am sure I will get it and then pay some 14 y/o kid $10 to type in the nav buoys I want - LOL

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Thanks b.

I am sure I will get it and then pay some 14 y/o kid $10 to type in the nav buoys I want - LOL

From Garmin's: "... comes preloaded with a marine database that includes cities as well as nautical navigation aids: lights, buoys, sound signals, day beacons and tide data...."

So check out your unit before you hire that kid ... ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

From Garmin's: "... comes preloaded with a marine database that includes cities as well as nautical navigation aids: lights, buoys, sound signals, day beacons and tide data...."

So check out your unit before you hire that kid ... ;-)

Cheers,
b.

Yup. But I think that is US data pre loaded for this one. The current owner is vague (and a buddy) and says, "I think I saw some nav data for around the southern part of the island but I haven't used the thing around here" (eastern end) - it is what it is I suppose and for <$50 I'll have gps speed on the boat.

He bought it in the boat and replaced all his instruments with fancy new stuff and an onboard network.

The main reason I want nav data is all our club races use nav buoys as marks and I want to use the vmg function as well. So plugging in the 15 or so marks around here, adding courses for our 8 standard passage courses is probably a 12 pack and an afternoon on the boat - sounds like real tough labor - LOL

I don't plan to use it for "real" chartplotting as there is zero topographical/hydrographical data.

[barnakiel]

You can make your WPTs in a mapping software and then upload them to the unit. OpenCPN will do it for free. After the regatta you can download the track to any software and run any kind of analysis you like with it. The VMG function on all basic Garmins works very well and is aptly named ... VMG (how convenient).

Another way to quickly input the WPTs in your unit is just sail to the marks and pres the enter/wpt button - the spot will be stored as waypoint and you can custom the name.

BTW I have checked back label of the units and the ones with Europe to Asia nav aids were marked ...152, Int`l the ones packed with US nav aids data were marked ...152.


Cheers,
b.

[barnakiel]

Which should not distract you from the 12 pack project!!!!

;-)
b.

[gpshephe]

After the help and comfort you gave me during my halyard debacle, I hesitated to blog here considering I don't think I have anything earth shattering to add, but I have a 152 as well, so I thought I'd chime in. I think it's a neat little device. I really like it mainly to give me coordinates into OpenCPN ( another neat bit of technology ). Do you use OpenCPN? I highly recommend it if not. Back to the 152. Do you have a data cable? Can you connect it directly to your PC to get charts. I have 7 wires coming out of the 152. I haven't yet figured out which wire goes to NMEA on the PC, and I will when I get ready to set it up. I think I'm going to have to wire it to my my USB input on the PC somehow. Probably DB 9 or 15 to USB connector. Soldering gun required, which I left in the philippines. So I need to purchase another one. Oh as an aside the 152 I used in the phils went gunnysack, I sent it to Garmin ( bought it originally for 65 ) and they sent me a new one for 75. Oh well, one thing to think about down the road considering these things sell new for 300. Enough rambling, let me know If I can help.

[barnakiel]

Gary,

It is not a soldering job: the db9 to usb cable (serial to USB cable) has a chip there, it is not a plain welded connector.

The nmea layout is in the booklet, the signal out goes via NMEA out and the GROUND. Signal into the unit goes via NMEA IN and the GROUND.

Cheers,
b.

[gpshephe]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Gary,

It is not a soldering job: the db9 to usb cable (serial to USB cable) has a chip there, it is not a plain welded connector.

The nmea layout is in the booklet, the signal out goes via NMEA out and the GROUND. Signal into the unit goes via NMEA IN and the GROUND.

Cheers,
b.

The 152 has a chip there? Sorry didn't understand. I have loose cable ( 7 wires hanging free ), it is not the normal data cable that connects to the PC.

[barnakiel]

The raw cables at GPS 152 can only be connected directly if your PC has a serial (e.g. DB9) connector (few new ones will have it).

Hence, you will need a serial to USB cable and THIS cable is not just a plain DB to USB jack-to-jack soldered connection. In this cable, there is a chip.

b.

[gpshephe]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

The raw cables at GPS 152 can only be connected directly if your PC has a serial (e.g. DB9) connector (few new ones will have it).

Hence, you will need a serial to USB cable and THIS cable is not just a plain DB to USB jack-to-jack soldered connection. In this cable, there is a chip.

b.

Please don't think of me as dense, but I'm stuck on the won't need solder thingy.

I have two cables( actually one cable and one pseudo gender bender for discussion sake ). One is a USB to DBx. The other is a Garmin supplied power data cable. The 152 has only one cable connection, so I need to get the NMEA data from the Garmin supplied cable to the correct Pin on the DBx to USB interface and then into OpenCPN. This is where I need to solder, I think. Or is there a DBx connector that I don't know about that doesn't require solder?

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by gpshephe

After the help and comfort you gave me during my halyard debacle, I hesitated to blog here considering I don't think I have anything earth shattering to add, but I have a 152 as well, so I thought I'd chime in. I think it's a neat little device. I really like it mainly to give me coordinates into OpenCPN ( another neat bit of technology ). Do you use OpenCPN? I highly recommend it if not. Back to the 152. Do you have a data cable? Can you connect it directly to your PC to get charts. I have 7 wires coming out of the 152. I haven't yet figured out which wire goes to NMEA on the PC, and I will when I get ready to set it up. I think I'm going to have to wire it to my my USB input on the PC somehow. Probably DB 9 or 15 to USB connector. Soldering gun required, which I left in the philippines. So I need to purchase another one. Oh as an aside the 152 I used in the phils went gunnysack, I sent it to Garmin ( bought it originally for 65 ) and they sent me a new one for 75. Oh well, one thing to think about down the road considering these things sell new for 300. Enough rambling, let me know If I can help.

Thanks for the tips. I dont use open CPN as I am not a "Long Ranger" most of the time. The iPad with navionics handles plotter duties when I need them at present.

I dont have the "data cable" for the pc nor do I have the book for it.

I have a g275 somewhere in my pilot bag that has a cable. Maybe I luck out and it is the same one. I do have the cable that plugs into the init and interfaces to the power and seatalk circuit on the boat as well as the accessories that mount it all.

I haven't put any tme into this since I bought it and if I get stuck I will definitely ping you.

First step is google and see if I can get a pdf of the manual.

Cheers!

[barnakiel]

Yep. Soldering onto a DB then this one plugs into the serial/USB cable and this one into the PC.

You are not dense. I am a moron when it comes to expressing my vague ideas in plain English.

Cheers,
b.

[gpshephe]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Thanks for the tips. I dont use open CPN as I am not a "Long Ranger" most of the time. The iPad with navionics handles plotter duties when I need them at present.

I dont have the "data cable" for the pc nor do I have the book for it.

I have a g275 somewhere in my pilot bag that has a cable. Maybe I luck out and it is the same one. I do have the cable that plugs into the init and interfaces to the power and seatalk circuit on the boat as well as the accessories that mount it all.

I haven't put any tme into this since I bought it and if I get stuck I will definitely ping you.

First step is google and see if I can get a pdf of the manual.

Cheers!

If you can't find the manual online give me your email and I'll send it to you.