NEMA 0183 to CAN bus ?

[Hermchet]

Greetings All

I would like to connect the unused CAN bus output of my Furno GP-1870F chart plotter to my two ICOM MC-506 VHF radios with unused NEMA 0183 connectors so they get position data from the Furno for the distress button function.

Two pictures of the connectors attached. Round CAN bus connector on the Furno. Small 4 wire rectangular plastic connector on the two ICOMS (NEMA 0183)

Appreciate any guidance you could provide

 

[Circumnavigator]

I've used this twice:
https://yachtdevicesus.com/collections/nmea-converters-adapters/products/nmea-0183-gateway
Yacht Devices makes good stuff.


You'll need an N2K gender changer -- the easiest way to do that would be with a micro tee such as Maretron CM-CF-CF. Technically the connection between the Chart Plotter and the YD adapter is an N2K network and needs a terminator at both ends, but I suspect it will work without any.


On the radio the NEMA 183 +IN is the inner conductor of the red wire, 183 -IN is the outer conductor. On the YD adapter the 183+OUT (also known as TX) is red, and the - is black. Tape off the yellow and blue wires.


Jim



Jim

 

[STB]

I've done the same. Works good for me!

 

[Hermchet]

I've used this twice:
https://yachtdevicesus.com/collections/nmea-converters-adapters/products/nmea-0183-gateway
Yacht Devices makes good stuff.


You'll need an N2K gender changer -- the easiest way to do that would be with a micro tee such as Maretron CM-CF-CF. Technically the connection between the Chart Plotter and the YD adapter is an N2K network and needs a terminator at both ends, but I suspect it will work without any.


On the radio the NEMA 183 +IN is the inner conductor of the red wire, 183 -IN is the outer conductor. On the YD adapter the 183+OUT (also known as TX) is red, and the - is black. Tape off the yellow and blue wires.


Jim



Jim

Jim

Thank you !!! Is there a way we could email each other ?

 

[Hermchet]

Thank you STB also ! I will give it a try.

 

[Hermchet]

Thanks Again. Thought of one more question. After I connect the two vhf radios and chartplotter do I need to do any programming of the units to get the chartplotter to report GPS position to the two radios. Enabling, address assignment/selection, etc

 

[twistedtree]

Just a quick check, but I assume the M506 version that you have does not include the N2K interface? Some do and some don’t.

Re configuration, yes, you will need to configure both the MFD and the VHFs.

 

[Hermchet]

Also wanted to verify. If I understand correctly I need one of the Yachtdevices NEMA 2000 to NEMA 0183 converters for each of the two vhf radios ? Is that correct ?


Thanks

 

[Hermchet]

Twistedtree - Appreciate your thoughts. No MFD involved, just trying to get my older Furno chartplotter with CAN bus to give GPS data to two VHF radios with NEMA 0183 so their distress function can report position if activated. Right now no bus connections to any of these

 

[twistedtree]

Also wanted to verify. If I understand correctly I need one of the Yachtdevices NEMA 2000 to NEMA 0183 converters for each of the two vhf radios ? Is that correct ?


Thanks

One will do if you only want to send GPS data to the VHFs. The converter output can. E wired to both VHF inputs.

Just keep in mind that the VHFs will also receive distress calls from other boats, and send data no the 0183 output telling the plotter where the distress is coming from. If you want that too, then you have two choices.

1) pick one of your VHFs and wire its output to the converter input. Any distress received by that VHF will get plotted, but not any distress received by the other VHF.

2) use two converters, and wire the VHF output of one radium to one converter input, and the same for the other VHF and converter.

 

[Circumnavigator]

No configuration should be required. The radios will take whatever time and position data comes in and show it on screen. The YD device defaults to a speed of 4800 baud, which is what the radios expect to see. Although I don't know your chartplotter, it should output at 4800 baud since that is the default speed for NMEA 183.


The YD device will drive up to four inputs, so you need only one YD for the two radios.


Twistedtree is correct that if you want to show received DSC calls on the chart plotter, you will need to connect the radio out (TX) from only one of the radios and the YD device IN -- just the opposite of sending data to the radios. I don't see any advantage in showing DSC from both radios -- I would just use the one with the better antenna.


Jim

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

There is another option instead of getting position data from the chart plotter and go through the expense of converting nmea 2k to nmea 183... When you can add a gps antenna/receiver that has NMEA 183 interface. IRRC digital yacht has one and there are others out there.

 

[Circumnavigator]

There is another option instead of getting position data from the chart plotter and go through the expense of converting nmea 2k to nmea 183... When you can add a gps antenna/receiver that has NMEA 183 interface. IRRC digital yacht has one and there are others out there.

Pro:
May be cheaper.
Gives you a redundant position source.
Cons:
Requires an antenna mounted someplace outside and running cable from it.
Requires another switch on the panel or at least a fused source of 12V.


Jim

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

I would guess that unless the Furuno provides power for NMEA 2k network, that power would have to be injected into network to power the protocol converter. If that is the case, it would require a multiple port NEMA 2k connector (1 for power, one to the MFD, and one to the protocol converter) This seems overly complicated just to get position data to the radios, but it is a good reason to start building a NMEA 2k network.

 

[Circumnavigator]

I would guess that unless the Furuno provides power for NMEA 2k network, that power would have to be injected into network to power the protocol converter. If that is the case, it would require a multiple port NEMA 2k connector (1 for power, one to the MFD, and one to the protocol converter) This seems overly complicated just to get position data to the radios, but it is a good reason to start building a NMEA 2k network.

Good catch! I completely ignored this, sorry. The Furuno chartplotter does not supply 12V for the N2K bus. If you use the tee that I suggested above, then you need a female cable for power. Use a Maretron Female Micro/Mid Field Attachable Connector - FA-CF-ST. Attach a red wire to pin 2 and a black wire to pin 3 (there are screws -- no soldering required). Connect the wires to 12V power with a fuse.


Jim

 

[Hermchet]

Huge Thank you to all for the replies. Excellent information. I bought the parts and will install in the next few weeks

Is there a way to test the send distress from my vhf’s and reception/display of distress messages from others on my Furno chart plotter ?

 

[Hermchet]

I did some more searching and found posts on how to test using test message feature. I should have checked before asking !