Garmin 741xs NMEA connection to West Marine 580 VHF radio?

Pseudomind

Pseudomind

Active Member
Jul 1, 2008
2,122
Jacksonville, FL
Boat Info
2011 Hurricane with Magic Tilt Trailer
Engines
115 HP Yamaha Four Stroke
I have it all connected up, Garmin 741xs Chart plotter but I cannot get the DSC GPS location to my West Marine 580 VHF. Nothing on the radio, the radio should say something to the affect of "missing GPS data" the radio works fine otherwise. Chart Plotter is working just fine. I have tried every thing but standing on my head. I have both the Garmin installation instructions and the 580 VHF connection instructions. I am thinking the two manuals are contradicting each other.

However my question is about the NMEA 0183 connection from the Garmin to the 580 VHF. Does anyone who has a Garmin 741xs have a NMEA 0183 to your VHF radio? If so do you remember how you connected it? Which wires connected to what?

I only have these items on my boat and the only NMEA 0183 I have is the Garmin power connection and the 580 VHF radio.

Thanks
 
I have the Garmin Echomap 50s which should be the same or similar connected to a Standard Horizon, on the Garmin go to
Settings > Communication > NMEA 0183 > Setup , select System , Enable

Then go to Settings > Communications , then make sure it's set to NMEA 0183 Setup or NMEA 2000 Setup whichever your using, with 2000 you can check Device List to see if the Garmin sees your VHF.

The chartplotter is set to Port1 by default.

I had the same problem on the first try. If it still doesn't show on the VHF you can try changing the nmea in & out wires it won't hurt anything at least it didn't with mine I had to change them before I enabled the NMEA 0183.

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Also check baud rates. That was my problem with a Simrad/Standard Horizon setup. They can be either 4800 or 36 something - but they must be the same on both ends.
 
I am returning the radio and looking for another model which better support and instructions. There is no continuity between the instructions with West Marines 580 VHF and the Garmin 740xs. I am tired of playing "what if" trying to connect this thing. Even the tech I hired to assist and has done a number of other radio and chart plotter installations cannot get this to work. It is damn disgusting that what should be such a simple task is so complicated by no common naming/marking and set wire colors. That and the fact the West Marine product has no tech support one can contact either by phone or email

Yes I am very much DISGUSTED! Plus out $160.00 paid to a tech to connect this POS.

I am taking this new West Marine 580 VHF radio back to West Marine as I cannot get the NMEA 0183 connection to work, my Garmin 741xs list their version of connections and the 580 has their version. I cannot get GPS position to the radio, though the radio works, and the NMEA 0183 is set up on the Garmin 741xs. West Marine has no support phone or email for questions, and I am tired of playing multiple "What If Questions?" with wiring connections. As I previously stated I have already also paid a technician to try and wire this and he cannot get it to work.

This should be a simple connection but the manufacture's will not use the same language and markings for their NMEA 0183 and I am tired of mucking with the whole affair. One will list wires as port one or two + or - while anther does not. Dose a Garmin Tx connect to the radios Tx? or does the Garmin Tx suppose to connect to the radios Rx? Then which is positive and which is negative? Which radio wires are fro port one or two? What is a "bare/Shield? What does it mean to connect the (-) to the ground wire, when it is labeled Rx or Tx (+) or (-)? Just pure unadulterated BS. It cost me as much for the tech as the radio alone cost. Grrrr!
 
Last edited:
If you're looking for compatibility, warranty & great customer service I'd go with a Garmin VHF 100 or Standard Horizon GX1600 depending on how much you want to spend SH comes with a 3 year warranty & $30 rebate till 7/31/15. They have an excellent website for troubleshooting & easy to understand instructions, I've only spoke to CS once they had no problem explaining what I needed to know. Garmin's CS is great they've even helped me while on the boat with questions on my 550C fish finder & chartplotter without any concern of how long the call was, never felt rushed they wanted things to work & even gave me a call back later that day to make sure.

Give Jim a call at BOE marine he'll find the best solution to your problem with great prices.

Good Luck
 
Last edited:
Garmin got funky with their NMEA 0183 wiring, and use the main ground for the (-) NMEA 0183. When connecting to other brands' equipment, you just hook their (-) to ground as well. I just added a dedicated patch block for grounding the (-) wires when I hooked up my Garmin.
 
src said:
Garmin got funky with their NMEA 0183 wiring, and use the main ground for the (-) NMEA 0183. When connecting to other brands' equipment, you just hook their (-) to ground as well. I just added a dedicated patch block for grounding the (-) wires when I hooked up my Garmin.
Click to expand...

So does the radio ground have to be physically connected to the Garmin ground wire, or just a common ground someplace? And thanks for you reply
 
The Garmin ground has to be common to the NMEA 0183 (-) wires from the other equipment. I ran the Garmin ground and NMEA (-) wires to the patch block, then a wire from that to the instrument cluster ground. It would probably work just as well to run everything to a common ground, but I was experimenting. The result is that my Garmin is interfaced both to my Furino fishfinder and the Raymarine RL-70 radar.
 
I do not know why, in neither manual does it mention any thing about the "green" wire?

It has Garmin blue wire to radio yellow wire and radio bare wire to Garmin black.

This below is what finally worked?
Garmin blue port 1(TX+) to VHF 580 Green (RX-) 580 radio green connected to Gamin ground (Garmin NMEA -)

Thanks "src" you are correct, it was (CORRECTION)

Garmin blue port 1(TX+) to VHF 580 yellow and the radios Green (RX-) 580 connected to Gamin ground (Garmin NMEA -) But there was no mention anywhere about connecting the 580 VHF green wire to Garmin ground.
 
Last edited:
The Garmin Green and White wires (on the 740, at least) are marked as "Spare". I think this is because Garmin uses the same wiring harness for several different units, some of which don't use those wires.

I would have expected the Garmin Blue (TX+) to go to the VHF Yellow (RX+), with VHF Green (RX-) connected to Garmin Black (Ground). But whatever works.
 
I just saw this thread. Nmea0183 wiring is a very non standard thing among brands. You will rarely see a guide to connect specific units of one brand to specific units of another. Garmin does make it confusing by using the ground wire for Nmea-. Here is a guide as wrote that explains much of this http://www.boemarine.com/nmea-0183-interfacing-guide/
 
Pseudomind said:
I do not know why, in neither manual does it mention any thing about the "green" wire?
Click to expand...

If you go to WM website and download the PDF manual for a 580 it shows Green NMEA_IN(-)

I would call WM and find out why your manual doesn't show it and explain everything you've gone through plus the $160 spent on an electrician.

I'd also call the USCG and find out how you do a DSC MMSI Check in your area, you sure don't want to find out when you need that red button that it's not working correctly.
 
Thanks Jim

All I had was this Garmin Blue TX + Radio 580 Yellow NMEA IN +
Garmin black to Radio 580 Bare (Shield/GND

Where the 580 radio green NMEA IN - wire to Garmin black ground comes into play is not mentioned anywhere in either manual.

Anyway it is working now, so thanks to all who replied.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,186
Messages
1,428,173
Members
61,097
Latest member
Mdeluca407
Back
Top