Dsc Radio

[Mike Fox]

Has anyone ever installed their own DSC radio?

 

I bought a new DSC Radio last week, following comments about clarity etc, and am struggling to install it properly. Ariel and power no problem - it's the missing bits from the manual about connecting it to the GPS!

 

The radio is a Silva S15, and comes with a nice bit of cable, with 4 dangly wires, labelled:

- Red GPS+

- Shield Wire (GPS GND)

- White (EXP. SP -) - believed to be to an external speaker

- Yellow (EXT SP +) - believed to be to an external speaker

 

My fixed GPS is a Garmin 128 with 4 years of usage. It only has the one connector, which is a 7-pin plug, which according to the manual is as follows:

- 1. Red. 10-40v volts

- 2. Black. Ground

- 3. Blue. NMEA Out (presumably to other devices)

- 4. Brown. NMEA In (presumably from the GPS ariel)

- 5. White. No connection

- 6. Green. No connection

- 7. Yellow. Alarm.

 

In theory they should talk. The bit "missing" in the instructions is how to join the devices. The only way I can see, is to cut the Garmin 128 7-pin wire, and separate it into constituent parts into an electrical "chocolate block" - and join like for like to make sure that the GPS continues working.

 

In theory - I should just join up the DSC bits to the right GPS bits, and it should all work! But which bit to which? Instinct suggests the following:

 

DSC Red to GPS Blue;

DSC Shield wire to GPS Black

DSC White - leave disconnected for now

DSC Yellow - leave disconnected for now

 

Is my understanding of connections correct ?

 

Is a "chocolate block" the best way to go ?

 

Is this best hidden behind a bulkhead, or kept accessible (and vulnerable)?

 

Finally, do I have to select the "right" NMEA protocol to use on both devices?

 

Phew. Whoever said boating was easy?

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[duncan]

yes

yes

hidden/mounted properly

configure the 128's com post and select NMEA as the message - pick the latest message it offers probably 0183 2.0 but maybe only 1.5. Baud rate doesn't matter (shouldn't). check the silva is happy with that message in it's configuration software.

 

don't forget that the eradio needs to have the MMSi number programmed to show your position on screen.

 

good luck - people with silva's do have problems; sometimes insurmountable!

 

 

[Brian]

Mike

You shouldn't need to cut the wire.

I've got a Garmin 128, get at the other end of the cable, it's a 7 core cable, the red and black will be connected to the supply, the other wires should be just taped up.

 

Blue = NMEA out +ve

Black = Ground

Edited May 7, 2007 by Brian

[Mike Fox]

Thanks for the suggestions chaps.

 

Now got the VHF bit working (Solent Coastguard confirmed on Channel 67), and the old slot enlarged as a temporary fix.

 

Might have to cut my GPS cable - it looks like a moulded plug round it - and no way to free it.

 

Now have the smallest chocolate block I could find in Maplins, but have run out of time today. Have a Sea Check to do tomorrow evening, then the rest of week away on business. Might not get another chance till after the Bream Comp.

 

Anything else I should know?

 

Mike

 

 

[Newboy]

When I did mine, it didn't help when Navman had a differnt name for the cables to the ones from Hummingbird . I email who I bought the units from and they send me a diagram for the installation where both names are shown.

[kaptin kod]

Hello mate, I had exactly the same problem with mine, the cable from your S15 is not the correct one for the job, if you ring Silva technical exlain the problem and they will send you the correct cable, the cable they will supply actually has an extra + & - connection which boosts the signal from the gps connection.

 

 

[Mike Fox]

Hi Kaptin,

Did you get a cable to link the S15 to both GPS and Navtex?

 

I bought the S15 because of the Navtex capability at little extra cost.

 

Mike

[kaptin kod]

I didn't connect to navtex but I believe the connections are on the cable that Silva sent, best bet is to ring.

 

Service and Technical Support

Silva Ltd

Unit 7, Elphinstone Square

Deans Industrial Estate

Livingston

EH54 8RG

 

01506 406288

 

Guy I spoke to is Iain Henderson and he was more than happy to give info and sort out the problem, in fact I purchased mine for

[toerag]

MY Garmin had the relevant wires taped back, and I just had to chocolate block the NMEA and GPS+ together on my DSC (Silva I think). Don't forget to enable NMEA on the GPS!