Buy gold online - quickly, safely and at low prices

Interesting boats

A Life Less Ordinary?

Free Ads

----------------------------

SmileTrain

----------------------------

Our World 2.0

----------------------------

Avaaz.org

----------------------------

ProjectBriatin

----------------------------

CruisingWiki

RS232 and RS422 and Comms Port – What does all this mean ?

By Russ, on August 11th, 2007

Well first of all you know this is not going to be an easy explanation;-)

The trouble is that that the original standards for serial communications was elaborated upon by PC, printer, and modem manufactures all through the early years if the PC boom from 1980 to 1990 as they tried to innovate and outdo each other – oh, and also a few got tempted to be “plug incompatible” with their competitors!

So for the real experts out there I know this is not perfect but I hope this simple guide will help all the rest of the mystified sailing community.

1. The term “Comms port” is not sufficiently accurate for you to know what type of serial communications are coming in/out of your laptop or being received by the piece of marine electronics that your are trying to connect up. You have to know is your laptop port RS232 or RS422

2. RS232 is older than RS422 and slower and less reliable.
3. RS232 often has large plugs with 25 pins
4. RS422 is likely to have smaller plugs with 9 pins – but they could be RS232…

…click thumbnails for a larger image….

RS232 Pinout2 RS232 Pinout3

To send commands to a piece of marine electronics like a multiplexer you often have to connect up your laptop or PC and then bare the wires at the other end and stick them into the marine unit as bare wires.

RS232 PinoutMy advice is get a serial cable from a computer store that will connect to the laptop or PC – check the number of pins – and then cut the connector off at the other end.

Now look at the pinout diagrams (click on the 3 thumbnails on this post for larger images) and check the wires using the wiring diagrams.

Then you should be able to insert the bare wires into the correct sockets on the multiplexer – or whatever – its not worth making a proper connection – the configuration process is or should be a one-off. Then you connect your actual equipment.

 

Credit for diagrams to the excellent folk at Zytrax..check out their web site for nice illustrations to help you wire up that pesky cable;-)

FacebookGoogle BookmarksBlogger PostLinkedInTwitterMySpaceStumbleUponShare
August 11th, 2007| No comments - be the first!|Tags: - - .

Leave a Reply

  

  

  

You can use these HTML tags

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Which Multiplexer ?

By Russ, on August 11th, 2007

Over a year ago I searched high and low for the “perfect” multiplexer and readers of this blog will know that I selected the Brookhouse from New Zealand in the end {more of that in this post from last year}.

Configuration for nearly all these units is by using Hyperterminal or similar software – so you had better find out how to do that!. {see my posting on this program here}

This is a new unit from on sale at Marine Electronic Service Ltd for £194 inc VAT.

Eissing SB2006- 1x input NMEA0183 / RS-422 isolated

- 3x input NMEA0183 / RS-422 isolated

- 1x output NMEA0183 / RS-422 isolated

- 1x COM port (RS-422 level)
- power supply for external equipment

You should note that RS422 is not RS232 or RS232C which is the “older” and slower PC comms port standard – but nevertheless make sure that the laptop you want to connect to supports RS422 as its serial connection…{see my post here on the subject}.

I cant vouch for its operation since I am very happy with my Brookhouse. But you may want to compare the two if you are about to take the step of trying to integrate AIS and other slower NMEA instruments into your chart plotter or laptop. {See my posting here on the Brookhouse}

FacebookGoogle BookmarksBlogger PostLinkedInTwitterMySpaceStumbleUponShare
August 11th, 2007| No comments - be the first!|Tags: - - - .

Updating the C Series firmware v4.25

By Russ, on August 6th, 2007

I have just got round to updating my C120 (all comments here relate to all C-series plotters) and thought I would put in one place all the relevant FAQ’s on the Raymarine site. You will have to have a Raymarine account to see these FAQ’s so register its well worth it.

First download the v4.25 software – product registration is required.

The main instructions for the upgrade process are FAQ 1219 these are comprehensive and accurate and list a variety of other FAQ’s to read on a variety of subjects like which CF card to use and so on..I am not repeating all that here. Instead I am listing some FAQ’s that I think will help you overcome errors that you may encounter – mostly by not following the instructions !

Being in IT I believe I have a healthy scepticism when it comes to “following the instructions”… in other words, I always follow the instructions totally literally… and then when it goes wrong, knowledge, experience and gut instinct kick in and then the real work begins;-)

But I can recommend that you follow the instructions here – totally literally – they work faultlessly… up until almost the last step… step 9.

Here is my advice…..

Step 9. In step 9 you are advised to remove the upgrade CF card – you must remove it.
Step 10. In step 10 you press reboot – DO NOT put your Navionics card back in (as I did – this is how I know!)
Step 10.1 Let the C-Series boot

C120 UpgradeStep 11 Press OK to verify that the software version shown is v4.25. If this does not happen you need
FAQ 1138

Step 12 Wait for the default map to load – in my case a map of the UK
Step 12.1 Now insert the CF card containing the Navionics chart software
Step 12.2 The software is automatically loaded and the boat appears on the chart in the correct location.

Not a major problem – but care needed just at these last few steps.

So well done to the software team at Raymarine – Its wonderful to see how a totally embedded and controlled operating system and proprietary software works so flawlessly….oh well, back to Windows Vista on my laptop now….:-)

FacebookGoogle BookmarksBlogger PostLinkedInTwitterMySpaceStumbleUponShare
August 6th, 2007| No comments - be the first!|Tags: - .

Have you got a passage planner ?

By Russ, on August 3rd, 2007

Several people have complimented me on the simple folder that I use for filing my passage plans and other handy reference information.

I have used an A4 sized folder that has a black plastic cover and clear plastic sleeves into which I can insert A4 sheets of paper that I have printed from the web or that I have typed as aide memoirs for myself.

The first section is the passage itself with weather, tides, destination and alternative port information and so on. The second section is the fixed section which is reference info. This is particularly helpful and calming for crew who may be feeling anxious or confused about what is going on. Apart from being educational, discussing cloud formations, weather systems, understanding winds speeds and wave heights serves to calm the nerves and provide a healthy distraction if you have inexperienced crew and they are getting anxious or just bored;-)

Click for larger image Click for larger image Click for larger image
Met office weather forecast BBC web site Reference section :Beaufort scale
Click for larger image Click for larger image Click for larger image
Reference section :Symbols Reference section :Weather theory Clip in / out sleeves
Click for larger image Click for larger image Click for larger image
Skysail – guides Skysail – guides Skysail – guides

In addition to my usual inserts – I have now discovered the excellent plastic covered aide memoirs produced by Keith Bater of Skysail Training – for the very reasonable price of £16 you can get a full set of guides from Keith and I highly recommend them. See some pictures of what you get by clicking on the thumbnails above.

If you would like a WORD document with my passage plan template please contact me and I will be happy to send you a copy.

I would also appreciate any tips that you may have about how you prepare and write down your passage plans.

FacebookGoogle BookmarksBlogger PostLinkedInTwitterMySpaceStumbleUponShare
August 3rd, 2007| One comment so far - be the next!|Tags: - .
« Newer Entries