Peter Bennett wrote:
On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 18:08:37 GMT, "Roger Long"
wrote:


Now that all new VHF radios have the GPS input, it seems that there
should be a little GPS box the just puts out the NMEA signal with no
other functions. You could then use the output from your main GPS for
something else and have the radio’s readout for a position back up.



Yes, there are "black box" GPS receiver/antenna units, but they cost
as much as a low-end handheld GPS.

A single NMEA output should be able to feed at least four listeners.
I have one GPS feeding an autopilot, computer, DSC radio and radar
simultaneously, and am about to add a Bluetooth module to the mix, to
get the NMEA data into my Dell PDA, for use at the upper helm.

The current NMEA wiring diagram for my boat is on my GPS/NMEA site...


I have a black box GPS that plugs into a laptop and uses the laptop as
the power source. Something like that for the VHF might be neat. If
you just plug in a handheld you'd be buying batteries regularily.