Stand alone gps transmitter for VHF

gtflash · 17 March 2023, 19:48

Hi all

Brother in law has a cobra VHF and wants DSC to work but doesn’t have a plotter. Anyone come across an easy way to get this feature?

We found a cobra GPS that transmits on NMEA. But mostly in United States. Happy to do some electronics and assembly for this project.

Gt

gtflash · 18 March 2023, 08:46

This is gps module. Seems easy enough https://www.marinepanservice.com/en/accessorio/cps-cm-300-005

ShinyShoe · 18 March 2023, 09:44

There are what are often called GPS mouse or GPS picks available. You'd want one with loose wires that runs on 12v not USB.

However, for reasons unknown to anyone, they cost 5 times what the chip and electronics do. Which means there are sometimes more functional GPS options available for not a lot of extra ££. You'd probably get a reconditioned Garmin GPS72 for £120. Just check it has outputs

Pikey Dave · 18 March 2023, 14:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

There are what are often called GPS mouse or GPS picks available. You'd want one with loose wires that runs on 12v not USB.

However, for reasons unknown to anyone, they cost 5 times what the chip and electronics do. Which means there are sometimes more functional GPS options available for not a lot of extra ££. You'd probably get a reconditioned Garmin GPS72 for £120. Just check it has outputs

You can pick up old Etrex for pennies 2nd hand. I’ve got a couple at home. They’re pretty bomb proof & many have NMEA 0183 outputs. Pick a working one & you get a backup navigation device for free.

Peter_C · 18 March 2023, 17:19

I can't imagine not having a GPS chart plotter, as fog is often of concern. To me a depth sounder is also extremely important, especially when boating in rivers and lakes.

Ebay can usually produce a viable product new or used for a reasonable price, be it a replacement VHF with built in GPS, or a chart plotter with GPS. Heck a post on this board might produce something like a Garmin 441 for supa cheap. We have a website in the USA called Craigslist that always has a bunch of chart plotters for sale.

A GPS module for some radios is available but at what cost?

gtflash · 19 March 2023, 19:38

He has invested in a decent tablet setup and wants to pursue that option for now. Hence no stand alone. I’ll look at the second hand options for him too

tehguy · 10 April 2023, 01:07

Can you clarify what you are trying to do? DSC doesn't require a chart plotter - I have handheld VHF DSC radios.

All DSC radios nowadays have GPS built in but can also accept an external GPS source, either by a separate RF connector on the radio (usually BNC or TNC) or over NMEA2000.

Something like this, which also has a heading sensor for added usefulness: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134147543128

gtflash · 12 April 2023, 20:27

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384416369...mis&media=COPY

The VHF does not have built in GPS receiver and the brother in law has a tablet for navigation.

He wants GPS positioning into radio so the DSC functions work. As I understand it he might be able to use a gps antenna and receiver such as The link attached and push the rs232 in via NMEA input on radio.

tehguy · 12 April 2023, 21:22

Does the radio have any other connections? E.g. a BNC or TNC socket for a GPS antenna, or NMEA 2000?

If no to all of the above, then the NMEA 0183 GPS receiver you have linked to is probably his best bet. But personally I would just buy a new radio since it sounds like he's in need of an upgrade anyway.

ShinyShoe · 13 April 2023, 07:11

@tehguy why is he in need of an upgrade? This is the problem with society nowadays. If he upgrades, what happens to the old radio. Landfill? eBay(so that we can get another thread like this in a few months?).

What will be better about a new radio other than it can do GPS? The principals of the platform remain as dreadful as the system designed them to be 30 years ago. The user interfaces are still worse than a Nokia phone from 2001. So, unless he upgrades to AIS he will add very little if anything. If he adds AIS he increases costs and has a tiny dotmatrix display as he doesn't want a plotter.

Minimum cost for a fixed VHF is £160. So he is £100+ worse off.

ShinyShoe · 13 April 2023, 07:24

If in no rush, that ebay item can be had for £20 on aliexpress. Biggest issue would be it needs the mushroom to be seeing the sky. If he has an a frame that's fine. Otherwise how do you mount inside the console as it would take up space on the console.

tehguy · 14 April 2023, 17:41

Does the boat have an NMEA 2000 network?

ShinyShoe · 15 April 2023, 00:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by tehguy

Does the boat have an NMEA 2000 network?

He's running a Cobra VHF and a Tablet for Chart Plotter... What do you think?