Hi,

We haven't tested connecting with the AS3 cable before - we use the bare wire NMEA connector cable, soldered to a DB9 serial plug and connected to an off-the-shelf serial->USB adapter.

I suppose the first question is, are you sure your physical connection is OK? Have you connected your HB unit to other devices with this setup?

Just to be sure - are you running your HB in simulator mode? It does not output NMEA in simulator mode, regardless of the menu settings. You can test your connection at home by starting the unit up normally, and replaying a sonar log file from a memory card. You won't get position, but you do get depth and empty RMC sentences which at least prove the connection works.

If both the above are OK, then we need to check whether or not you are getting anything over your serial connection. If you have a serial logger application, try logging the appropriate COM port and see if any data is coming through. If you need a logging application, try this, which works on W8 and will simply log all serial data to a specified file.



Just choose the COM port, enter a file name and click Start Logging. If any data is coming through, you'll see the bytes received field increase.

If you are getting data through on your COM port, and still not getting any joy from RM, then please post up the contents of your log file and we can take it from there.

Good luck!

Matt

I suspect that at least part of the solution lies in the use of a proper serial to USB adapter. I have learned that any old cheap adapter does not necessarily work. One that does work for me is a Tripp Lite USA-19HS Hi-Speed USB Serial Adapter. It is about $35 from Amazon.
Since I do have the same 798c si and a Toshiba Satellite laptop, I will get back to you in a couple of hours with pictures and settings that work for me. I think I am using a different port and baud rate but will need to verify.

Lorne

I am not using the simulator mode, I hitched the trailer up and had my wife wife drag me around the neighborhood after all else failed. <pausing for laughter>

I have not connected this unit like this before as I had no real need until now. I tried playing the log file under the current setup and by moving the connection to the RS 232 port as I'm not sure which one to use at this point, but according to the RS232 data logger; I've got nothing in the way of data but the unit now asks if I want to retract the 360 imaging I don't have. Weird.

I guess I should have clarified, but I am trying to run this off of the 998, not the 789. I just thought that the fact that they were networked might have some relevance. However, the pictures and settings would still be most appreciated.

Fortunately, the Y cable came with the bare wire NMEA plug so I suppose I will be the guinea pig to test out the stock USB connector from Humminbird. It certainly sounds like the next logical step to get a DB9 connector and serial to USB adapter.

I would prefer to use things already tested to remove as many variables as possible so I'll be going with the Tripp Lite adapter. Matt, could you share which DB9 connector you used and the wires to pins information?

I really appreciate the help! The RS232 logger will save a lot of time and embarrassment and having info for an adapter that works will give me one less thing to factor.

I spent some time on this issue today sitting in the boat in my back yard. After some trial and error I have concluded that you must have a good quality serial to USB adapter such as Tripp Lite USA-19HS Hi-Speed USB Serial Adapter or follow Matt's recommendation. It seems that you cannot just hook up some wires with ends that fit your hardware. There is obviously some signal conditioning that takes place in the adapter circuit board. See the photos attached
Using this setup works to establish communication with your computer and RM software.
I am connecting to a 798ci HD at 4800 baud on Com3 port.
I am using a Toshiba Satellite laptop running Win7.
Please post questions and I will try to help resolve your issues.

Lorne

You need a standard DB9 female socket, which you'll need to source from a computer components supplier. They are very cheap - I paid about 30c the last time I picked one up.

The wiring from the Humminbird cable is very simple: connect the black wire to pin 5, and the white wire to pin 2. The pins will be numbered on the DB9 connector:







We are using a Serial to USB adapter by Plugable which is $15 on Amazon and I can confirm that it works with ReefMaster on both W7 and W8.

The image of you riding around in your boat as your wife drives around the neighbourhood is funny - but you don't need to go to those extremes to test the connection. If you set everything up in your yard, you'll get GPS position data every second - it will just be in one location. You should be able to see the indicator lights on RM working nonetheless, and your boat position should update to your current location.

Let us know how you get on!

Edit to say: don't worry about the green and red wires in the Humminbird cable. They are NMEA Rx and power, which are not required. Just make sure they are taped up and not shorting anything.

Thanks so much everybody. I'll get back to work and let this forum know how it goes. If anything, I should at least be able to confirm support of the native Humminbird USB cable so that someone else does not have to incure the cost and go through the same thing.

Does anyone know if it would be best to use the Y connection to the com port or the RS232 port on my 998? The 998 does not have internal GPS so the puck occupies the com port at the moment.

Sorry I should have been more clear - the black and white wires are coming from the pigtail attached to the GPS puck cable. Maybe this is different on the 998, as you have a dedicated RS232 port. Perhaps Lorne can chime in here?

thanks,
Matt

Whew! Im glad you clarified. I do have the pigtail coming off of the GPS puck as well. I believe Lorne has the 798 which does not have the RS232 port, but it does have an internal GPS. My guess from his pictures would be that he is using the AS PC2 serial cable on the COM port for RM.

I have a DB9 connector and an AS PC2 on the way along with the serial to usb converter. I'll see if I can dig up another DB9 connector and I will use the NMEA wires from the GPS puck's pig tail first to make sure I can get it working. Assuming I do, I will then test the Y connector off the COM port using both the AS PC2 and the bare wires NMEA from the kit and then test using the RS232 port using the AS PC2 and bare wires NMEA from the kit. I'll report my results back once I complete it.

I am using an AS YC splitter cable off the COM port on the 798. One side goes to my Garmin Map 78S and the other side goes to the computer via the adapter. See below. The cable on the left goes from COM to serial and the USB output from the adapter plugs into the computer. No soldering was required.
I am using the Garmin because the Humminbird base maps are crap and the Navionics chip I bought is crap. The only way I can prevent myself getting lost in our great white north is to use the great Garmin maps. The Minn Kota iPilot trolling motor also hooks into the system.
I hope this helps. Let me know if I missed something.

Lorne

OK I think I got it working!

For the Humminbird 998, I discovered the following (I'm not saying the following is fact; just my observations based on my own trials):

1. The "Y" cable will not work to split the signal between the GPS puck and RM (NMEA device). The "Y" cable is pinned for two distinct functions, NMEA and an Accessory (ASSC) like 360 imaging or a handheld device.
2. The RS232 port in the back of the unit will not work for NMEA. This apparently serves the same function as the ASSC line on the "Y" cable.
3. The AS PC3 USB cable from Humminbird will work in the computers USB port without the need for additional connectors or adapters when plugged directly into the COM port.
4. The AS PC2 Serial cable will work in the computers USB port with a serial to USB adapter.
5. In order to use RM with the GPS puck you need to use the NMEA pigtail off of the GPS puck.
6. Data transferred at a 9600 baud rate will not work. My machine configured the serial port at a 9600 baud rate. I was able to confirm that data was transferring but when I viewed the log the data appeared corrupt and unreadable. RM would not work for me at this baud rate despite matching the rate in the settings. When I set the rate to 4800 on both, the data was readable and RM appeared to work.

My final solution was to cut the NMEA section of the "Y" cable off, match the pinning with the serial configuration and solder this to the GPS puck's pig tail. This gives me a Humminbird female end to plug the AS PC2 or AS PC3 into. I figured this was my best solution so since I had already bought the parts and I like the fact that the cables are longer than when I soldered the DB9 connector directly to the pigtail.

I did notice that the heading arrow in RM seemed to jump back and forth when running the unit normal and when playing back the recording. It placed me in the right location on either scenario so I am hoping this is just a matter of playing the recording and remaining stationary when running the unit as normal. I'm crossing my fingers that this will work out when I get on the water and move. I went ahead and connected the green wire since I figured it wouldn't hurt if it wasn't using it so I hope that's not an issue.

I appreciate the help and advice. Thanks Much!

Good stuff - let us know how you go when you get it out there! The "jumping about" of the heading in RM might just have been because you were getting some small random movements in your position as you sat stationary.

I finally got the issue resolved where the heading kept flipping around. I swapped out my connection etc only to figure out that using the HDM and or HDT settings in the sentences section were causing it. Once I turned those off, all was well. I suppose I need a bit of an education on what the different sentences do and how they are best applied. I just selected all of them since I didn't really know any better. Any explanation or assistance would be appreciated, but for what it's worth, it seems to work just fine now.