"Pascal" skrev i en meddelelse
ups.com...
... Today, I use the only seriel port on
the PC to get the NMEA stream of data from the GPSvia RS232 ... The
C-map chart reader is using a USB interface,

... I will then have to figure out how also to get the
seriel input from the AIS engine into the PC ... May be via USB? Or a
multiplexor? If I'm not mistaken, Meindert will have an answer to
that
...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61

Flemming,

If you buy the SR161 (I have one of these) it alows you to connect the
serial output cable (DB9 end) of your Gps (my gps is a Garmin and the
serial cable is standard) to the "serial input/output" DB9 on the AIS
receiver SR 161, so, the SR161 act as a Multiplexor, joinining the Gps
NMEA outputed at 4800 bps from the gps with his own generated AIS
NMEA data and sending to the serial port of the PC (DB9) a "correctly
combined Gps/Ais mixed NMEA Messages" at 38400 bps ... In this way, I
do not need another serial port on the laptop/Pc.

The Milltech Marine site where I have buy my AIS unit sell a already
made special cable, (I have buy one, becase I do not like to made this
type of work too) but they have an diagram in PDF of the cable so tht
you can made one yourself.

Pascal

Hello Pascal,

I have just finished reading some of the last updates John has
implemented in Sarah ... impressive and fascinating report, I must say.
I have learned more in the last five hours about problems in integrating
navigational instruments from different manufacturers and the way to
tackle these issues, than I ever dreamed/dreamt(?) of ...

As to your comment about cabling: Thank you for pointing this out to me.
I had not seen that, but I have so far not studied the SR161/162 in
detail, but this piece of information is certainly of great importance
to me. Now, there should hopefully be no more obstacles for me? ... So,
what I understand is, that now I just need an "AIS engine" i.e. SR161 or
SR162 (?), an antenna splitter and the special cable you mention, that
I - also - would rather purchase ready made than make myself ... ;o) ...
and then I should be ready to test the system on my PC running SOB and
the C-Map card reader connected to an USB port. As I live a few miles
from Øresund - the water between Sweden and Denmark with pretty heavy
trafic, I hope, I can do the testing from here ... I'll give it a try
....

When it gets warmer, I will go to the boat and see, if the SOB
application is able to "read" the C-maps from the Raymarine chartplotter
when the hsb2 is activated between the chartplotter and the PC ... In
that way, I will get the best of two worlds ... You know: One wants the
cake *and* eat it ...

Thank you again for your helpful and useful comments ... I'm an
"enthusiastic amateur in this game" ...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61