Connecting Furuno chart plogtter PC

willdadd · #1 (**permalink**) 08-31-2010

Does anyone know off hand what pins on a serial cable are used?

Cheers

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 08-31-2010

On what type of serial cable?? A DB-9 RS-232 cable would use pins 2, 3 and 5 for an NMEA 0183 connection.

As a general rule, the more relevant information you include in your OP, the better answers you'll get. I'd also HIGHLY recommend you read the POST in my signature to help you get the most out of sailnet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willdadd

Does anyone know off hand what pins on a serial cable are used?

Cheers

willdadd · #3 (**permalink**) 08-31-2010

thanks for the response, the cable is a 9 pin serial rs232, to usb converter, will read your post and I appreciate the info

sailingdog · #4 (**permalink**) 09-01-2010

Be aware that not all of the serial-to-USB converters will work for this purpose.

Some of the less expensive ones just don't cut it.

The typical NMEA serial settings are 4800, 8, N, 1.

willdadd · #5 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010

I've been told this one will work, just have to find out the exact pinouts, pretty sure it 2 is tx 3 is rx and 5 is gnd?

sailingdog · #6 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010

Will—

If you google RS 232 pinout, you'll get the information you need. You might want to learn how to use google, since it can answer a lot of the basic technical questions, like what are the RS-232 pinouts.

BTW, the pinouts are 2 is Receive Data and 3 is Transmit Data, and 5 is signal ground. If you connect the NMEA OUT + to Pin 2 and NMEA IN + to Pin 3 and the NMEA OUT - and NMEA IN - wires to Pin 5, you should be good to go.

However, not all NMEA 0183 ports are RS-232 compatible... some are RS-422 ports, and some of the pickier RS-232 to USB dongles won't want to play nice with them, because they won't recognize the change in signal levels. IIRC, RS-232 is an unbalanced protocol, and RS-422 is a balanced one, with lower voltage signal levels.