CruzPro RP30 NMEA 0183 Remote Data
Repeater/w 4 Input Channels
The RP30 remote data repeater is capable of
displaying over 200 standard and proprietary NMEA 0183 sentences.
The RP30 can monitor up to 4 separate data channels
and can be trained to learn new sentences. New sentence formats can be
downloaded into re-programmable, non-volatile flash memory using the RS-232
serial data port of a PC compatible running Windows 95, 98, NT, SE, ME or 2000.
Free software provided on floppy diskette.
Up to ten new sentences can be stored in the
on-board flash memory - these can be re-programmed as many as 1 million times so
your RP30 will never go obsolete.
Compact design - only 2-1/2" diameter and
mounts in a standard 2-1/8" round instrument hole.
Five levels of backlighting can be selected and all
set-up information is automatically saved to non-volatile memory. The RP30 works
on both 12 and 24 VDC systems.
For those with little or no knowledge of repeaters and NMEA 0183 signals, here
is a short tutorial that describe the usefulness of the RP30:
Most CruzPro instruments have an output terminal upon which the instrument sends
out a serial data stream of information. This signal is called NMEA 0183, a
standard defined by the US National Marine Electronics Association to enable
instruments from one manufacturer to communicate with instruments from another
manufacturer.
A GPS that outputs NMEA 0183 can send position, speed and heading data to an
electronic autopilot, for instance. The autopilot uses this information to steer
the boat. For another example, a speed log (such as the CruzPro SLT30) can
output speed data to a wind instrument so the wind instrument can compensate for
boat speed to calculate TRUE wind speed and direction as apposed to APPARENT
wind speed and direction.
Since CruzPro instruments, such as the T30 temperature gauge, OP30 oil pressure
gauge, RH30 RPM gauge, etc. all output NMEA 0183 data, you can connect up to
four of these instruments to one RP30 remote data repeater and see the same data
at a remote steering station without having to replicate the entire set of
instruments. In fact, you are not limited to seeing data only from CruzPro
instruments - the RP30 will repeat data from anyone's NMEA 0183 instrument. You
could connect a radar or depth sounder from Raytheon or Standard Horizon to the
RP30 and it will repeat that information as well.
The RP30 is already factory pre-programmed to repeat 200 "standard"
pre-defined NMEA 0183 sentences. There is a "flash" memory
(re-programmable) that allows the user to add up to 10 more new sentences. You
simply connect the RP30 to a computer's RS-232 output port and use the PC
computer program that is provided with the RP30 and "teach" the RP30
new sentences when required. This allows the RP30 to recognize and repeat future
NMEA 0183 sentences that have not yet been defined today. Therefore the RP30
will not go obsolete.
RP30 Sample Connection Diagram
