Appendix
NMEA 0183 Connection Diagrams
The helm control is not included in all autopilot packages. A helm control must be installed in your autopilot
system to connect NMEA 0183 devices according to these diagrams. If you install the autopilot without a helm
control, all NMEA devices you plan to use with the autopilot system must be connected to a compatible Garmin
chartplotter on the same NMEA 2000 network as the CCU. See the installation instructions provided with your
chartplotter for NMEA 0183 connection information.
These wiring diagrams are examples of different situations you may encounter when connecting your NMEA
0183 device to the helm control.
NMEA 0183 Connection Considerations
• The chartplotter provides one Tx (transmit) port and one Rx (receive) port.
• Each port has 2 wires, labeled A and B according to the NMEA 0183 convention. The corresponding A and B
wires of each internal port should be connected to the A (+) and B (-) wires of the NMEA 0183 device.
• You can connect one NMEA 0183 device to the Rx port to input data to this chartplotter, and you can connect
up to three NMEA 0183 devices in parallel to the Tx port to receive data output by this chartplotter.
• See the NMEA 0183 device installation instructions to identify the transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) wires.
• You must use 28 AWG, shielded, twisted-pair wiring for extended runs of wire. Solder all connections and seal
them with heat-shrink tubing.
• Do not connect the NMEA 0183 data wires from this device to power ground.
• The power cable from the chartplotter and the NMEA 0183 devices must be connected to a common power
ground.
• The internal NMEA 0183 ports and communication protocols are configured on the chartplotter. See the
NMEA 0183 section of the chartplotter owner's manual for more information.
• See the chartplotter owner's manual for a list of the approved NMEA 0183 sentences that the chartplotter
supports.
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