Why would I want or need an NMEA Data Multiplexer?

The NMEA 0183 standard allows any suitably designed marine electronic device to share its gathered information with any other device on a vessel. Unfortunately, there is one very large drawback with this standard – only one device on a connected network can actually send data (a single ‘talker’ device), with multiple devices (determined by the current limit of the sending unit) listening to that data (multiple listeners).

If the vessel owner has an instrument that ideally requires the data output of two or more devices, for example a chart plotter, then the owner has no alternative but to settle on connecting only the most important device, usually the GPS.

What happens if the owner prefers the vessels gyro compass output to that of the GPS, or requires that the current depth be displayed on the plotted chart to help avoid the possible case of running the vessel aground on a shifting sand bank? The NMEA 0183 standard cannot supply an answer to those questions: “one transmitting / talking device only”.

The Actisense NMEA Data Multiplexer’s NDC-2 and NDC-3 can solve all these problems and more with their simple, easy and flexible designs.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NDC-2 and NDC-3 ARE RETIRED PRODUCTS.

Take a look at the newer NDC-5 for the best NMEA Multiplexer.

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/