Lowrance HDS-5 or 7 displaying AIS via NMEA 0183?

[MarkSF]

I am trying to get my Lowrance HDS-5M to display AIS targets that the Standard Horizon GX2150 is putting out via NMEA 0183.

Having searched the forums, what I have gleaned is that this should definitely work, or should definitely NOT work, depending on who you believe.

So is there anyone WITH a HDS-5 or 7 that is showing AIS data via NMEA 0183?

That would be nice to know, that at least it SHOULD work.

The Lowrance documentation (FAQ, manuals, etc) is hopeless.

Thanks!

[colemj]

I have the 2150 but not the Lowrance. I looked at their manual and it looks like you should do the following:

1. Set the baud rate on the 2150 to 38400
2. Connect the 2150 grey wire to the HDS green wire. Connect the 2150 blue wire to the HDS yellow wire. Connect the 2150 brown wire to the HDS orange wire. Connect the 2150 green wire to the HDS shield wire.
3. Go to page 85 in the manual and set the networking to NMEA0183
4. Go to page 86 and configure the serial settings to RS-232 protocol and 38400 baud rate on both comm ports
5. Also on page 86 select NMEA output sentence "RMC and RMB"
6. Go to page 87 and select show and display all vessels.

If I understand this correctly, that should work. The HDS definitely will show AIS data.

Mark

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by colemj

I have the 2150 but not the Lowrance. I looked at their manual and it looks like you should do the following:

1. Set the baud rate on the 2150 to 38400
2. Connect the 2150 grey wire to the HDS green wire. Connect the 2150 blue wire to the HDS yellow wire. Connect the 2150 brown wire to the HDS orange wire. Connect the 2150 green wire to the HDS shield wire.
3. Go to page 85 in the manual and set the networking to NMEA0183
4. Go to page 86 and configure the serial settings to RS-232 protocol and 38400 baud rate on both comm ports
5. Also on page 86 select NMEA output sentence "RMC and RMB"
6. Go to page 87 and select show and display all vessels.

If I understand this correctly, that should work. The HDS definitely will show AIS data.

Mark

That wiring diagram is for the models with 2 com ports.

Lowrance's own manual is full of errors. Firstly the 5 and 7 only have one com port. So in step 4 you can only set RS422 when 38400 is set.

On page 87 : on my plotter there is no display all vessels option. There is a "dangerous vessels" option.

[colemj]

Yes, I saw that there was only one comm port in the installation guide for the 5 and 7-series, but I downloaded the specific operating manual for the HDS5 and it describes it as two comm ports like above and shows how to set them up like that.

If you really do only have a single 422 port, then my best guess would be:
1. set the 2150 to 38400
2. Connect the 2150 blue wire to the HDS yellow wire. Connect the 2150 Brown wire to the HDS orange wire. Connect the 2150 green wire to both the blue and green wires on the HDS. Leave the 2150 gray wire and the HDS shield wire disconnected.
3. set the networking to NMEA0183
4. set the serial settings to 422 and 38400 baud
5. select the RMC/RMB output sentence
6. select display all vessels

You will be left without DSC capabilities on the chartplotter, but it will still work on the radio.

Mark

[scgator2001]

Did it work?

[MarkSF]

Yes it is now working perfectly. Standard horizon have a diagram on their website, which is the one to follow.

[continuouswave]

So is there anyone WITH a HDS-5 or 7 that is showing AIS data via NMEA 0183?

I have interfaced an HDS-8 with an AIS receiver using NMEA-0183. I show several screen captures of the display of AIS targets on the chart plotter at

continuousWave: Whaler: Reference: AIS Ship Spotter

The HDS chart plotter draws all AIS targets with a generic ship icon. The HDS does a nice job of presenting ship information. A screen shot in the above article shows that presentation. The article section under the heading "AIS Target Display on HDS-8."