Can I configure the NGW-1?

NMEA Reader contains all the currently available configuration options for the NGW-1.

In the majority of cases, configuration of an NGW-1 is not required as it communicates at the standard 4800 baud rate for NMEA 0183 devices (38400 for the AIS firmware) by default. All available conversions are enabled by default so the only conversion related configuration option is to reduce the number of conversions carried out by the NGW-1. Checking extra boxes in the PGN enable lists in NMEA Reader that weren’t initially checked will have no effect.

All available conversions being enabled on the NGW-1 should not cause conflicts as NMEA 0183 devices are usually good at recognising data that they don’t require and ignoring it. NMEA 2000 is also very good at handling data.

For full instructions on how to use NMEA Reader, please refer to the “NMEA Reader & EBL Reader User Manual Issue 1.00.pdf”. In the manual it shows the hardware configuration option as a window, however with the latest edition of NMEA Reader it is a tab that can be selected at the bottom left side of the NMEA Reader window.

As a quick description: Using NMEA Reader, you can choose which PGN’s are received (Rx) or transmitted (Tx) by the NGW-1. For example, turning off PGN 127251 from the “Rx PGN Enable List” will stop all ROT sentences appearing on the NMEA 0183 output of the NGW. However, turning off PGN 128267 from the “Rx PGN Enable List” will stop both DPT and DBT sentences appearing on the NMEA 0183 side of the NGW. There is currently no way of choosing DPT or DBT, you can only get or stop both.

The “Tx PGN Enable List” works in a similar way, DBT and DPT are used to generate PGN 128267 you cannot choose data from one sentences and not the other. Please refer to the NGW-1 Conversion List document to fully understand the relationship between the NMEA 2000 PGN and the NMEA 0183 Sentences.

Only the USB variant of the NGW-1 is capable of baud rates of 115200 Baud and above. Changing the Baud rate of non USB variants to 115200 Baud or above will prevent the NGW-1 from communicating and will require assistance from Actisense tech support.

See question number 4 for details on how to connect your NGW-1 to a PC.

For more information on NMEA 0183 and how it works, please download our free guide to NMEA 0183 networking here: https://actisense.com/everything-to-know-about-nmea-0183-guide/
For more information on NMEA 2000 and how it works, please download our free guide to NMEA 2000 networking here: https://actisense.com/complete-guide-to-building-an-nmea-2000-network/