Pascal,
Although this won't help, it is exactly why I didn't buy Garmin for my
last boat. Instead, I got a Standard Horizon CP155C, which has two
independent NMEA inputs and three independent NMEA outputs, all
configurable. The third NMEA out is even meant as a dedicated autopilot
output. The fact that it has a total of 5 NMEA connections means total
flexibilty in the setup. All NMEA sentences are really 100% standard and
there are no proprieatary sentences. Furthermore, the fact that Garmin
uses maps that are only usuable on Garmin products is another reason not
to go Garmin. After all, they can decide to abandon their system as they
did with G-charts. There is no guarantee for long term support, which
you do get with C-map and Navionics; those work on a wide range of
compatible systems.
It is a shame really, because otherwise most Garmin stuff is rather nifty.
Regards
Marco

Pascal Goncalves wrote:
About two month ago, I reported here (and to Garmin) a problem with
the NMEA interface with my new GpsMap 276C and my autopilot AH/ST4000
and until today, this problem was not fixed by Garmin. I do not
believe that I am the sole user in the world witch have interfaced my
gps with my autopilot, but nobody else reported here this problem:
why?

The fact is that, here I have many friends, witch have theirs Garmin
gps interfaced with theirs autopilots, and many of them have the
problem, and a few others have not, as I showed in my report; In
general, old Autohelm autopilots like AH/ST 2000/4000/6000/7000, have
this problem with Gamins gps models: 130/12XL/45 with NMEA 2.0, III
Plus, III, V, 60C, 76C, and 276C. The problem does not exist with gps
models: 176, 176C, Map76, 130/12XL/45 with NMEA 1.5.

As I had explained in my report, I discovered, after several tests
that the problem is caused by the RMB message, and all gps witch sends
BWC, XTE and VTG does not have the problem, but all Garmin gps witch
does not send this messages causes the problem with that old
autopilots.

As the manual of GpsMap 276C states in page 90, "Advanced NMEA Setup",
that the unit ALWAYS sends the BWC, XTE and VTG, I have the right to
expect that Garmin will fix this fault ASAP, witch does not happened
until now (more than 60 days).

As several users of this gps forum had talked, maybe someone who read
this message could be a Garmin dealer or Garmin employed and perhaps
he/she can give me a help in convincing Garmin to solve this problem,
so that I could use my new and expensive Gps with my Autopilot, as
now I am forced to use again my old Map130 and Map76 for the
interface and keep my new Map276C in the box (since september/2004).

I am a Garmin customer since 1992, but now I am very angry with Garmin
because of this problem, I am thinking that maybe I should instead,
try sell this 276 and buy a plotter from NAVMAN or other brand: any
suggestions?



Regards

Pascal Goncalves
S 13 00/W 038 27