Using HyperTerminal to test NMEA 0183 output

Some Garmin devices have the ability to output NMEA 0183 data over a serial connection. This data can be viewed on a computer in a program called HyperTerminal.

NOTE: HyperTerminal is not available on Windows 7 or any newer Windows OS.

To allow the information to be sent to the computer, the device needs to be connected to the computer using a serial interface cable. Some devices have special Serial connection cables; however some do not. To find out if a device has a Serial connection cable (often referred to as an AC/PC Interface Cable), please view the webpage for the specific device, click on the Accessories tab, and look through the list of accessories for this cable.

For the devices that do not have a Serial connection cable, a DB9 Serial connector can be connected to the NMEA In, NMEA Out, and Ground wire of the power cable of the device. Please refer to the Owner's Manual or Installation Manual of the device for instructions on connecting a Serial connector to the power cable. By doing this, the device will still need to receive 12 Volts of power to be able to operate. For more information about connecting the device to a 12 volt power source in the house, please refer to the article titled "How can I power my Garmin Marine Chartplotter/Sounder inside my house?".

Once the Serial cable is available, connect the device to the computer and follow these instructions:

1. Ensure the device's communication port is set to NMEA In/NMEA Out
   1. Please refer to the Owner's Manual of the device for instructions on changing this setting
2. Open the HyperTerminal program
   1. Click the Start button
   2. Choose All Programs
   3. Choose Accessories
   4. Choose Communication
   5. Choose HyperTerminal
3. When HyperTerminal opens, enter any name into the box titled Name:
4. Click the OK button
5. Choose the communication port that the device is connected to in the box called Connect Using
6. Change the Bits per second option to 4800
7. Keep all other settings on this page the same
8. Click the OK  button

At this point, the NMEA 0183 data should begin to stream to the computer and the output of the device will be displayed on the screen in the HyperTerminal program.