Which GPS antenna works with SmartCraft ?

[djbaumhover]

I bought a bank repo, 2004 300 Sundancer that was missing some equipment when I purchased it, and being such, I was unable to get information from the previous owner. There are mounting holes on the arch that I think were for a GPS antenna. When I go through the SmartCraft screens, I get the message "no GPS data" which I'm assuming is due to no antenna?? Is there a specfic brand antenna that I need to make this work?

 

[Kreole Kid]

What GPS head unit do you have?

 

[Henry Boyd]

I bought a bank repo, 2004 300 Sundancer that was missing some equipment when I purchased it, and being such, I was unable to get information from the previous owner. There are mounting holes on the arch that I think were for a GPS antenna. When I go through the SmartCraft screens, I get the message "no GPS data" which I'm assuming is due to no antenna?? Is there a specfic brand antenna that I need to make this work?

Yes, you are sort of right. The message "no GPS data" means exactly that; no data. That could be from no antenna, no display, or simply no physical connection between a perfectly good GPS and Smartcraft. Assuming you have either a System View, or Vessel View display you would need a GPS that outputs NMEA 0183 data strings. What is generally considered the 'GPS' antenna, the bulb, or hockey puck shaped thing depending on brand, is actually the entire GPS. Typically this feeds a chart plotter display that takes chart data contained in either the displays on board memory, or memory chips (like a digital camera's) and overlays the location data coming from the GPS. Depending on the brand/model features the display then can output the NMEA sentences to SC. In theory you can just get a GPS that outputs NMEA 0183 without a display and wire it into the SC display. But it would be a bad idea for a couple reasons, one SC does not provide chart plotting features, and two SC only uses a sub set of the NMEA output that a GPS generates. The display is useful in turning off, or filtering unnecessary GPS output. I've been down this path connecting my system View to my chart plotter, and SC will choke on incoming data it can't use, or recognize.

As for brand, or model it then becomes a function of your wallet size and how big of an electronic suite you want to have. Basically the choice becomes whether you want to integrate DSC VHF, radar, AIS, weather, depth/fishfinder, chart and SC, or whether you just want the SC speedometer to work and to have a time display.

Henry


On the SC display there should be a two wire harness with a blue wire with white stripe and white wire with blue stripe. This is the SC NMEA input harness. SINce it sounds like the PO may have striped out the electronics/GPS, it possible he just unplugged this harness from the main SC display harness. If the wires are still there, then that is where you attach the new stuff.

 

[carterchapman]

Scott - you mean Raystar 120... the older one...