New GPS/bottom machine combo question

[phatdaddy]

Santa came early this year, bought myself a new GPS & bottom machine combo. Amazing how much technology has changed in last decade. This one has the capability to show gauge s with engine info. I have a smart gauge with my merc 150. Anybody know what i need to do this. Garmin has a NEMA 2000 starter kit It s a Garmin Echo map plus g3 94sv

My questions are

Is it just a matter of plugging up or more involved than this.

Will it run simultaneously with the smart gauge or is it an either or situation.

What is a “backbone” and what does it do

Thanks

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

Santa came early this year, bought myself a new GPS & bottom machine combo. Amazing how much technology has changed in last decade. This one has the capability to show gauge s with engine info. I have a smart gauge with my merc 150. Anybody know what i need to do this. Garmin has a NEMA 2000 starter kit It s a Garmin Echo map plus g3 94sv

My questions are

Is it just a matter of plugging up or more involved than this.

Will it run simultaneously with the smart gauge or is it an either or situation.

What is a “backbone” and what does it do

Thanks

Offhand, I'd say a backbone is what all the politicians in Washington are lacking....

In the field of electronic information transfer the backbone is the type of system that is used to transfer the info from one point to another. If can be a wireless, cable or fiber optic system.

[SkunkBoat]

I have an Echo 94sv, probably one version older than yours.
Really nice machine. Side view is great for wreck fishing.

NMEA2k makes connecting things together very easy. Unlike old interfaces that required a pair of wires for every different signal, it uses a single pair of wires for the data and that data has a standard format that every machine understands. It also has a pair of power wires so it can power remote sensors with the same cable.

You will have to figure out how to connect to the Mercury.(edit: You might need an adapter from SmartGuage to NMEA2K) If it has a NMEA2k cable going to the smart gauge then you just connect that to a drop on your backbone and insert "T"s and drop cables to your smart gauge and Echo. It will work on both at same time. You can add "T"s to the backbone and (on a large boat) even extend the backbone with a cable.

The thing to remember is that the drop cables and backbone cables are different. The drops come off the T and go to devices and the backbones extend the network. You also need to "terminate" the network. Your kit will include a terminator.

You can't add Ts to drops. Each device must connect to the backbone thru its own drop.

[phatdaddy]

Thanks skunk & D. I went by the local merc dealer and they were telling me i need a 500 dollar adapter, then a 250 dollar cord.

https://www.amazon.com/Ancor-Marine-...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Would this work? I think all i need is one input and two output

Edit. Did a little more reasearch, looks like i need a gateway or something like that.

What txducer do you have thru hull or transom mount? Most of my fishing is 140 ft or less and bay stuff is less the 30 ft. Really looking forward to the side scan and down vu.

[SkunkBoat]

yep, best I can tell, Mercury will need an adapter to NMEA.
You already have a Smart Gauge display so you won't gain anything spending that money. The only thing you would gain is dash space if you got rid of the Mercury display. But then you would have to use your Echo for GPS and FF and Gauges. Doesn't help you at all.

If you had twins or quads and two 12" displays it might make sense to spend money to get rid of 4 Merc gauge displays...

So until you get more nifty Christmas gifts, you don't need the NMEA2k.
Unless you have another FF or GPS or a DSC/AIS VHF or an autopilot that can get gps data thru your NMEA2k.

I have the transom mount transducer that came with the 94sv. Its a huge savings over buying a 94sv and a separate xducer. Thru hulls are $700.

I get great results looking for wrecks (slowly) in 150ft...like a picture....
Doesn't work too good on plane with the twin 225s.

I have another older Garmin 4208 with a non-CHIRP traditional 50/200khz sonar thru hull with a fairing. It works great at high speed.

When wreck fishing I use the Echo94 full screen side vu and the old garmin for traditional sonar, split screen with the Chart.
If I'm not wreck fishing I set the Echo94 to traditional (CHIRP). The CHIRP separates targets and is "cleaner" than the old one. But the old one finds schools of bait better. It shows as a red&yellow blob...

The Echo GPS is built in and works well. Mine is mounted inside a hardtop electronics box. I also have a Garmin GPS17x connected thru NMEA2k to the old 4208 display.

Do yourself a favor and get the free Garmin Homeport software(it only works on a PC now, not MAC ). With that software you can use a keyboard and computer to enter and edit lots of waypoints (wreck/rocks/reefs) in the comfort of your home and then use an SD card to load the Echo unit.

( a note here..Your newer unit might have bluetooth and connect to Garmin ACTIVE CAPTAIN software running on smart phones rather than using the SD card.)

[phatdaddy]

Yeah skunk, thats the same conclusion i came to. My grandmother used to say. Too much sugar for a dime. Just thought it would be cool to be able to link.

This one has the blue tooth, i downloaded the active captain for updates, but haven t played with it much.

Right now i have a furuno bottom machine gps combo, but it is too hard to navigate the machine. I use an old garmin for the gps and it is much more user friendly. The screen finally went dark, I was looking at some used garmins for 200-300 and West Marine had these with txducer for 699.it is the CV not the GT , but should be ok in less the 150’, from what i ve read