Help connecting our NMEA data sources

[offgridcanuck]

Hi everyone,

Just coming up to the end of the refit and its time to have the electronics talk to each other. I would like some advice on how I should do this to make sure I'm on track.

I have:

2 x win7 laptops
Nobeltech Ethernet Radar
Standard Horizon Spectrum+
Lowrance Elite 4 with NMEA out
Furuno GP 32
ARC EPIRB


The idea here is that I get 2 USB to RS232 and load my two licenses of Time Zero onto the laptops. One gets vac bagged and stowed. I also have OpenCPN and some more charts on them as well.

The Lowrance has sentences for gps and depth which come out of the NMEA optional harness I picked up as a BLACK, YELLOW, ORANGE.

I want this information to go into the USB-RS232 cable on the laptop. I have a cable and pinouts for it but not sure which is the talky and listen. I tried a few ways but nothing so far.

Now we have the old Furuno 32 but I'm not sure if I want to run it to give GPS to the VHF or use the signal from the Lowrance?

We have many redundant sources for GPS including a couple of garmin pucks in an emergency. I am thinking that grabbing a signal multiplexor or something like that would help, or do I just wire the devices direct?

VHF wires are GRAY, BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN, WHITE, BROWN and a small paired set which I think is the PA speaker.

Lastly there is a pair of wires leading for the EPIRB. It says it provides GPS updates to the unit etc. Just a paired black set on with a stripe.

Sorry for the lame and vague email. Ive gone through the manuals and can't even seem to get the VHF happy. If you know of any part of my equation here I would love to hear from you.

best regards,

James

[offgridcanuck]

Forgot to add we have an ACR AIS unit as well. It can provide GPS and AIS data. Ugh. Off to look at multiplexors...