Where to buy an NMEA cable for the Lowrance 600C?

[ArVeeNiner]

Hi:

I just purchased a Lowrance 600C which just arrived. Where can I get an NMEA cable for it so that it can talk to my autopilot and Xponder? I've Googled for an hour and looked at the Lowrance accessory site to no avail. I know the NMEA information is available I just have to get it out of the unit. I'll call Lowrance on Monday but I was hoping for an answer this weekend.

Thanks

Kelly

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by ArVeeNiner

Hi:

I just purchased a Lowrance 600C which just arrived. Where can I get an NMEA cable for it so that it can talk to my autopilot and Xponder? I've Googled for an hour and looked at the Lowrance accessory site to no avail. I know the NMEA information is available I just have to get it out of the unit. I'll call Lowrance on Monday but I was hoping for an answer this weekend.

Thanks

Kelly

Kelly,

Lowrance accessories are sold through LEI Extras. Here is the page for the 600C:

http://www.lei-extras.com/store/sear...it=AirMap+600C

You will probably want the cable with the power plug. The Airmap 1000 and 2000C can use 12 vdc, but the 500 needed 5 vdc if I recall correctly. Make sure you verify power requirements before connecting your 600C to ship's power. The power plug will have any necessary voltage modifiers built into it.

Good luck calling Lowrance!!!!! It's been my experience that nobody in support has a clue about a data cable.

[ArVeeNiner]

Thanks Sam:

After some more research I'm thinking that the PC-DI8 cable is what I need. The NMEA output and input are via a serial connector. I'll either cut that connector off and hardwire it or mate it two another serial connector that I will fab. I found one site with the pinouts but hopefully I can get the official word from Lowrance.

The unit can only take 3V. I'll either gut the cigarette lighter plug and hareware to it, or cut it off all together, hardwire it, but then step down the voltage to it.

Hopefully I'll be able to talk to Lowrance on Monday.

[mannanj]

Just guessing that the cig lighter plug has a built in power supply to adjust the voltage to what the 600 needs. You can still hardwire it by maintaining the internal electronics in the plug, or buy a female lighter adapter and hardwire that behind the pannel and plug the cig lighter plug into it.

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by ArVeeNiner

Thanks Sam:

After some more research I'm thinking that the PC-DI8 cable is what I need. The NMEA output and input are via a serial connector. I'll either cut that connector off and hardwire it or mate it two another serial connector that I will fab. I found one site with the pinouts but hopefully I can get the official word from Lowrance.

The unit can only take 3V. I'll either gut the cigarette lighter plug and hareware to it, or cut it off all together, hardwire it, but then step down the voltage to it.

Hopefully I'll be able to talk to Lowrance on Monday.

$49.00 is a ridiculous price for that cable. Here is another source, but don't know about availability:

http://www.gpscity.com/ifhpccombo

I'd probably install a power outlet and use the cable as is. Wire the outlet "hot all the time" (fused of course) so you can use it to charge your cellphone while at a fly-in. You can also charge the airplane's battery through the power outlet. All in all, a pretty handy thing to have.

[ArVeeNiner]

Yea, $49 is nuts! I found it at some site somewhere for $28. Still nuts but less nuts. I found that the iFinder (a marine GPS) takes the same power as the Airmap.

Regarding the cell phone charger, a friend of mine suggested putting an outlet inside the glove box. That way you can charge the cell phone while it's sitting in the box and you're flying. I'm also going to put one in the baggage area for camera batteries and such. I already have a switch on the panel.

Thanks again all!!