This is what users of Brookhouse NMEA Multiplexers say:

Italy,  Nov 2017 (iMux) 

I confirm you it works properly now. GPS gets lat/lon sentences as requested. Now installation it’s fully operating.

Thanks again for your patience and support. I hope we’ll keep in touch anyhow.

Should you come to EU you have now a friend to visit!!!

I’ll take you sailing in Tuscany!!!

Take care and regards,

Giuseppe

Maine, USA, Sept 2017 (iMux)

The answer is "great success"!!   Package came in a week, as you predicted, and the installation was perfectly straightforward.  Your documentation is excellent, and there is enough detail so that if you really read it and digest it, then it produces a better understanding of precisely what the unit does, and the options.  As you said in an earlier e-mail, I shouldn't need to change anything from the standard configuration, and that is the way it came out.  So everything is talking to everything else now, and seems stable.  The only element I couldn't test is the radar interface because I had to take the radar mast down before the unit came.  I'll do that piece in the spring.  The wi-fi connection to the iPad works great, so the iPad at the helm now runs off the ship's Sitex GPS rather than a bluetooth BadElfGPSPro.  iPad also displays AIS targets.  And in the spring I should be able to set up functionality for the autopilot to steer to waypoints set on the iPad, which would be helpful.   

Chuck Lucas

UK, May 2016 (iMux)

We have an old boat 1981 with original ST auto helm together with new Garmin and Lowrance kit, none of which was integrated. There was nothing else on the market that would fulfil our requirement. After a couple of false starts support supplied a script that solve our problems within 24 hours.

I can only say a big thank you to Wout for the excellent product and service.

Kind regards
Marcus Moosa

May 2016 (iMux)

 

 

 

Créer une liaison UDP réseau pour envoyer sur POLAUTO EN SORTIE UNIQUEMENT, avec les n° de ports lisibles sur la capture ci-dessous.

 

 

 

Maintenant il faut configurer Polauto , (en ayant au préalable chargé la dernière version que Patrick Tiercelin ( sur son site ) à eu la courtoisie de modifier pour que cela marche ( qu ‘il en soit vivement remercié ) )

 

 

 

Tout ceci s ‘est fait avec le suivi attentif, courtois, permanent de Brookhouse, Patrick TIERCELIN, Maitai ; je les en remercie à nouveau .

 

Je suis complètement satisfait de mon installation sans aucun “fil à la patte” ....Et j ‘ai surtout dépassé les conflits de port com crées par W10 ......

 

Claude Berjaud

France

April 2016

(iMux)

March 2016

The iMux ST arrived, I hooked it up, and everything worked!  I got the SH GX2200 installed, and AIS, GPS, and DSC (DSC not tested yet, have to find a friend to send location to test) all worked perfectly, setup Wifi stuff on iNavx and NMEARemote, and all my SeaTalk stuff worked like a charm.  Put a waypoint in iNavx and engaged ST2000 autopilot, and off we go!

Bottomline, I'm super impressed with your product.  I was expecting a different experience in the hook up and interaction of the equipment, but it all just worked...still shocked...

Scott Kennedy
San Jose, California

February 2015 (iMux)

Ahoy from Sea Scout Ship 1776 of San Ramon, CA!  We have a 1978 33' sloop sailing vessel that was donated to us a few years ago.  Most of the nav equipment was original and starting to fail.  We wanted to upgrade to a modern chart plotter like those from Raymarine and Garmin, but the prices were at the extreme edge of what we could afford.  Our crew researched the possibilities and decided to go with an iMux and an iPad instead.
  
The attached picture shows the iPad employed as the navigation station for our boat, running iNavX software.  The iPad connects to the iMux Wifi signal automatically and starts receiving data from our onboard instruments.  We picked up a used AIS receiver and the iMux easily recognizes its messages and forwards them wirelessly to the iPad.  In the picture you can see the orange-outlined ship names of nearby vessels.   

Our ship has an older Raymarine ST-4000 wheel pilot which includes a heading sensor/compass.  iMux sends that information to the iPad, too.  This is cool because it allows us to set waypoints using the iPad, which sends them to the iMux, which then sends the instructions to the AutoPilot.  We can navigate and steer from the iPad! 
We also have an old green-screen Furuno chartplotter that has a slow and hard-to-read display.  We networked that to the iMux and it serves as our primary GPS sender.  The iPad also has a built-in GPS so with either sensor we can speed (COG) and position information.The iPad also has Bluetooth.  And we added a Bluetooth-to-aux adapter to the boat's stereo, so we can play music from the iPad while we're underway.It seems each time we decide to add something new to the system, the iMux designer has already anticipated the need and provided the proper connections and firmware support.
  
Best regards, 
Ken Nicholson, Skipper 
Sea Scout Ship 1776 
San Ramon, CA

November 2014
(iMux)

I took the boat out this weekend for a sea trial and everything performed great.    The Wifi set up performed without any incident.  This is a great device and I appreciate your help and guidance for the easy installation.  I would recommend this device to anyone who is looking to upgrade the older Raymarine products to provide AIS capability and the ease of use of the iPad interface – not to mention at a fraction of the cost of upgrading any of the Raymarine components!  

All the best.
Regards,

Jon

Jonathan McLean
Vancouver

April 2014

(iMux-ST)

Like a charm!

Wout, thank you so much for taking the time to help me out on this.
You've gone above and beyond.

You have a brilliant product - and brilliant customer service.

Thanks again,

Steve Brothers
Bahamas

February 2014

(iMux-ST)

I’ve installed the iMux on the “Slappey II” without incident.  At this point I only have the Standard Horizon GX2150 and Garmin GPS17x hooked up to it.  This weekend I should get around to adding the SeaTalk connection to my cockpit instruments.  The iPad sees the WiFi signal from anywhere on our little 34’ boat and the signal works fine even when I turn on all the electronics I can find and have the engine running. 

Thanks for building a great product that makes a nice integrated boat possible.  Perhaps we can come by your shop and say Hi, when we get down to Auckland in couple of years.

John Fogarty
Redmond, Washington
United States

January 2014

(iMux-ST)

Just to let you know, connected all yesterday, works fine! Remains to connect and try out the AP, but assume that will be OK. Thanks, nice product! Will tell my sailor mates!

Morten Bjerkholt
Stjørdal, Norway

February 2013

Your iMux-ST is up and running on my 38' sailboat. It works as advertised. Using WiFi data from the iMux, my iPad displays AIS ship locations, lat/lon, wind, speed, depth, temperature, etc. The lat/lon feed to my SSB and VHF works as well. I am very satisfied. Thank you for product and your support after the sail ... er sale! Great product. I love it.

John Gardner
Brandon, Florida, USA

December 2012

(iMux)

Plymouth, Devon UK, May 2012

Just a quick bit of feedback.

Your product is every bit as good as you say if not better.

Came in post (finally with UK Customs!) yesterday. My 19 year old son fitted it in no time at all and had it working with Nexus instruments, iNavX, and iRegatta software with no hitch at all.

Hugely impressed.

William Mumford

(iMux)

Seabrook, TX, USA, Nov 2011

The iMux is easily the most capable and best designed 4/5 channel intelligent multiplexer by itself, let alone with the WiFi capability. Brookhouse's support, only rarely needed, is excellent and thorough. Its my personal choice as well as the first choice I recommend to my clients and in my articles. For a single-unit solution there is nothing else in its field half as capable in my experience.


Daniel Collins
Tech Talk Columnist, Blue Water Sailing Magazine &
Skipper of s/v Aletheia

(iMux)

Alameda, CA, USA, Sept 2011

The unit works flawlessly and is really easy to install and get hooked up. This will be the third unit I have bought from you directly for the new J/111's and you have supplied several to other clients who have purchased direct. Everyone loves the product, nice!

Norman Davant 
Sail California

(iMux)

Noirmoutier-en-l'Île, France, Sept. 2011

L'IMUX Wifi multiplexeur NMEA 0183 pour l'IPAD est un produit fantastique.
Relié à la VHF NAVICOM RT 550 AIS et aux instruments de NASA MARINE CLIPPER, permet une visualisation extraordinaire sur IPAD et IPHONE.
Les connexions NMEA des instruments NASA MARINE CLIPPER furent très complexes et je remercie très vivement Wout de ses conseils techniques et sa disponibilité à trouver les solutions.
Sur notre site schéma des branchements http://capdevents.free.fr

Henri

The NMEA 0183 multiplexer IMUX WiFi for IPAD is a fantastic product.
Connected to the AIS VHF NAVICOM RT 550 and instruments NASA CLIPPER MARINE, provides an extraordinary view of IPAD and IPHONE.
The NMEA connections for NASA CLIPPER MARINE instruments were very complex and I am very grateful for Wout's  technical advice and his willingness to find solutions.
A diagram of connections can be found on our website: http://capdevents.free.fr

Henri

Spring, Texas, USA, August 2011

The iMux ST is a Fantastic Product! 

Solved all of our problems with the Raymarine C80 limitation of a single NMEA port. Outputs AIS and other information to our Raymarine and Garmin Chartplotters, DSC information to both VHF and SSB radios, and allows us to to wirelessly communicate with the navigation instruments with either our Windows-based laptop running Raytech RNS or our Apple IPAD running INavX. Technical assistance after our purchase was extraordinary."

Ray Meyer

Guilford CT, USA, July 2011

First of all, let me thank you for all the considerate measures you took in getting us an iMux before our racing season started. That unit works flawlessly, and enabled us to take 2nd place in the Bermuda Race this year on our Cookson 50 "Brigand".It is a huge improvement not only in the technological advances, but the weight savings department as well. 
That said, I've been "ordered" to order another for the Endeavour 51, "Intrepid", which has now become our cruiser. Your original unit is still doing well, but Janet is over the moon about being able to get out of the "dungeon" and out into the cockpit with her work in tow.

All the best,

Sean Saslo

Toronto, Canada, July 2011

I found the iMux installation simple and straightforward. The installation guide was clear and easy to follow and very specific about connections. I did have a more advanced question for Brookhouse technical support. The answer was thorough and quick (given the 12-odd hour time zone difference).

James Roscoe

France, June 2011
(iMux)

Thanks you, everything works perfectly !!!

http://lady-jane.fr/Lady-jane/Le_Blog/Entrees/2011/6/21_VHF-ASN-AIS.html

J.DEBEZE

June 2011

(iMux)

Dear Friends,

A few months ago, I installed your excellent iMux ST on my sailboat. I have finally gotten all the connections completed so that it multiplexes data from my SeaTalk data bus, a Comar AIS, and pushes it to my Raymarine C80 Classic and ICOM radio, as well as broadcast the data to my Macintosh laptop that runs MacENC. 

WOW! It does all that it's supposed to do. I'm very impressed with the device, the excellent and simply installation, and the superb support. Thank you, thank you. 

All the best. Great success.

William Ennis
S/V Wings at http://svwings.com

Netherlands, June 2011

(iMux)

Hallo Wout,
Het werkt allemaal perfect.
Ik heb nu 1 antenne boven op de mast en in de (polyester) boot een gps antenne, verder niets. Door de mastantenne komt nu tv, radio, marifoon en ais binnen. Dat werkt via de easytrx2-is (ais en marifoon) en de easydvbt(radio en tv). Van de easytrx2-is komt het ais signaal en een gps signaal binnen op 38400 bps. Verder op de iMux zijn Northstar windmeter en een Northstar log aangesloten. Mijn iPad werkt via de iMux-wifi met Inavx. Dat gaat heel mooi. Heel veel schepen zijn er te zien via ais met een groot bereik. Op de computer in de boot, aangesloten via USB werkt ook alles naar behoren. Fantastisch ding hoor de iMux van jullie. Bedankt!

Groet, Tino Pat

Netherlands, April 2011

iMux is vandaag binnen en meteen aangesloten, werkt als een speer, geweldig ding!

groet en succes met Brookhouse,

Ruud

Arkansas, USA
Sept 8, 2010

The multiplexer is a great product and performs as described. The printed information, installation directions are easy to understand and follow. The online support that was given to me was much appreciated and excellent. I am a satisfied customer.

I have the standard horizon gx2100 and using the mux to feed AIS to a Raymarine E classic. The Raymarine E series also has a DSM 300 blackbox fishfinder connected to it. My mux is the raymarine seatalk version.

I did the configuration as outlined option 7 block E. also selected the backup option 1 for primary 1, backup 2, and uploaded the script that was provided. The mux connections are seatalk , input 2 is the backup nmea gps, input 4 is the gx2100 AIS. Then the nmea output to the E series and nmea 4800 to the gx2100.

Gary Barger

Rocklin CA, USA
May 2010

I had the opportunity to work on my boat this weekend and the results were fantastic!
 
I followed your suggestion and bingo the data transfers to my laptop from the RS232 as well as all of the seatalk data.
 
Once that was working I continued to push my luck and connected other equipment, so that I now have:

• Garmin GPSmap 545 taking AIS input from GX2100 before it goes into the mux.

• GPSmap 545 providing NMEA on mux Ch2.

• Laptop receiving and sending AIS and NMEA from the mux across the RS232.

• GX2100 sending DSC info on mux Ch3.

• GX2100 receiving NMEA data from mux differential out for lat/long.

• Furuno radar receiving NMEA data from mux differential out.

• Uniden VHS receiving NMEA data from mux differential out.

• Autohelm course computer receiving NMEA data from mux differential out

At this time I have every combination of sharing data I can conceive of and all seem to be working happily.

I could not be happier.  Thank you for your outstanding support in getting this (to me) complicated combination of equipment to work together. 

Kevin Belcastro
Rocklin CA, USA 

Victoria, Australia
April 2010

I originally had only a DSC radio on my NMEA interface, but I wanted to add an AIS transponder rather than just a simple AIS receiver, and needed to add a GyroPlus Smart Heading System to help my autopilot and radar work more effectively.  With a C80 Raymarine chartplotter a multiplexer is a must for anything but a one-device NMEA setup, but what makes the Brookhouse stand out from the crowd is the Seatalk bridge and the way messages can be massaged by scripts.  I now have a fully integrated system with a backup GPS that starts providing data ten seconds after the main GPS fails, and an AIS unit that as well as doing what it should, also stops the C80 from thinking there is an AIS problem in areas where there is no other AIS traffic.  Support is knowledgeable and timely, and the price is very competitive.  I cannot recommend this product highly enough!

http://www.xtsea.com.au/images/Raymarine-Config.jpg

David -' XTsea' Seawind 1160 Sailing Catamaran

San Bruno, California,
March 2009

The Brookhouse AIS-C Multiplexer allowed me to integrate my existing onboard navigation equipment from different manufacturers, and expand this network with a new chartplotter, plus link in a computer. Our boat did not have any of the electronics integrated - Redundant GPS receivers, autopilot, radar, and wind/water tridata were all isolated systems from varying manufacturers. When replacing the radar with a combined radar/chartplotter, I wanted to integrate all these onboard data streams together, as well as allow integration with a laptop and have the ability to add an AIS receiver. I also wanted the flexibility to have data even with individual nav equipment off, where possible. This meant the MUX had to be the hub of my integrated system.

As I did my research on how to accomplish this, it didn't take long to choose the Brookhouse MUX - as it allowed me to achieve all of the above in a single piece of hardware, including integrating data from SeaTalk and doing data rate conversion to and from the chartplotter. I ordered the unit and a short time later had everything wired together and communicating.

I soon ran into an unanticipated problem when the chartplotter would report an incorrect boat heading, or bounce back and forth every few seconds between different headings. When I analyzed the data stream from the MUX, everything looked fine. Technical support for the chartplotter acknowledged that the issue was a known problem with the chartplotter's software, but that they did not have plans to fix it it (the chartplotter has field-upgradable firmware).

I then contacted Brookhouse technical support to see if filtering on the MUX could workaround the issue. As we narrowed down the problem and tried a few different filters, Brookhouse was able to work out a solution with a script on the MUX using advanced conditional filtering.

In the end, I couldn't have made a better decision than choosing a unit from Brookhouse. Not only fast turnaround in shipping halfway across the world, but they stand behind their product. Brookhouse technical support is always responsive and helpful, even when helping solve an issue with another manufacturer's system. Brookhouse even graciously responded when I ran into an issue because I didn't follow instructions correctly. There's no question I will recommend them when the topic of NMEA integration comes up!
Thank you Brookhouse!

Scott Emmons
s/v JaneO
 

February 2009
Mallorca, Spain

I receive the multiplexer only in 4 days, from New Zealand to Mallorca(Spain)very very fast shipping. In this moment is working OK in my boat, with data of wind and GPS, to a repeater(Garmin GMI 10) and autopilot(Simrad TP20) .

Thank you very much for this great product!!

 

December 2008
Hampshire, UK

I have just installed a Raymarine C-80 in a B&G ‘Network’ environment on my Warrior 40. The ‘Network’ is 15 years old but while all functioning well is obsolete with no help or support available from B&G. The Brookhouse AISC multiplexer not only fed in all the required C-80 inputs but provided the essential NMEA output to the B&G Network autopilot. Brookhouse were able to provide essential script modifications which when input to the multiplexer converted the NMEA 3.0 to the old NMEA 1.5 used by my system. The support received by myself and my contractor via e-mail was truly exceptional with replies to our queries in a matter of hours. This unit has better functionality at a better price than anything else known to be available with great customer support as well. A great product and service to match!

Trevor Nichols
Hampshire
United Kingdom

 

July 2008
Grasonville, MD , USA

(Multiplexer model AIS,  with Seatalk, USB and LCD)

Thank you very much for your intelligent (and patient) support.  I’ve been very impressed with the MUX and display; now I’m just as impressed with the support behind it.  You can be certain that I will be happy to favourably recommend Brookhouse wherever possible.
 Best regards,
 David Romasco
S/V Archipelago

 

June 2008

"Many thanks to the team at Brookhouse who helped us integrate our electronics for the 2008 Newport- Bermuda Race. With Wout's help we were able to integrate our Raymarine Seatalk systems (C 70 Chart Plotter, Radar, ST60 Instruments) with a Seacas AIS, ICOM 802 and 602 for DSC, a mini ITX on board computer, and a Laptop back up running  Raymarine RNS Software.
 
The Brookhouse team answered every question within 24 hours by e mail and walked me through the install even though I'm not an electronics wiz by nature. "
 
Richard Donn, M.D.
Captain/Navigator  Poeske

 

April 2008

Dear Brookhouse,
In August last year I purchased your AIS-capable/USB multiplexer, which has been languishing in a box ever since (shame on me!).  However, this week everything came together and imagine my delight when the whole system worked straight out of the box – no modification required.
The system is shown below, and everything appears to be working and talking to each other correctly:

*  The Seatalk network uses the NMEA data from the              plotter to repeat the depth and log data on the Tridata
    repeater, as well as GPS data;
*   The chartplotter is able to display the heading info from
     the Autohelm’s fluxgate compass;
*   The AIS is working flawlessly and receives targets
     25NM away (at Port Botany) even when anchored in the
      Pittwater, surrounded by high ground 150 meters high.
*   The VHF and AIS share the masthead antenna through
     a Smart Radio VHF Antenna Splitter and this appears
     to work flawlessly; and
*    NavBus equipment (DSC7200 VHF and Repeat 3100)
     all share info seamlessly.

At the moment the Mux is merging the Seatalk and AIS data streams and the output is fed back to the chartplotter. 
Thanks for a great product!

Gerhard Malan
Newport Beach, NSW, Australia

 

Februari 2008

Re: Multiplexer model AISC

Just a few words to thank you for the phenomenal assistance you provided me during the installation and commissioning of your great product.
It works just perfectly.

Thanks
Pierre Porcheron
Washington
USA

 

 
December 2007

Hi,
This is a short note to thank you for your product, help and support in getting it to work. 
I completed the trip from Mallorca to Portugal without major event and the multiplexor made things so easy to fit and operate the electronics.  The AIS interface in particular was a huge help going through the Gibraltar Straits.
I have already got a number of my fellows in the yacht club interested in the product.

David Christy
UK

 

May 2007
Kentucky, USA

This is an extremely cool product at a very comfortable price. Your documentation is superb and your support is second to none. I have had prompt, thoughtful and extremely helpful replies to every inquiry.
Mike Philipps
M/V "Sweetwine"
1983 DeFever 49 RPH
Port of Rabbit Hash, Ky.

 

April 2007
Cobham, Surrey, UK

I own a Beneteau First 31.7 with B&G Network instruments.  B&G no longer make Network equipment and getting hold of additional units is very hard work.  When we wanted to fit a repeater at the mast, we found that the NMEA sentences used by the Network system were older versions which are no longer compatible with the more modern repeaters on the market.  The solution was a Brookhouse Mux with which we were able to take the B&G signal, amend the sentences and send them on to Navman 3100 repeaters.  Brookhouse were extremely helpful with the programming required and the solution worked straight from install.  Very happy!
Tony Dickin

 

March 2007
SV Sarah from the USA, currently in Lagos, Portugal.

I recently completed an upgrade of my NMEA network replacing the original Brookhouse Mux, installed 3 years ago, with the Brookhouse AIS-C Mux.  The original Mux had served me well.  I used it originally to integrate my Raymarine instruments, autopilot and C120 Multi-Fuction Display (MFD) with my navigation PC, DSC radios and backup GPS units.  I described the installation of this Mux and my trials and tribulations of integrating the various onboard electronics on my website at //www.svsarah.com/Sarah/Upgrades/SarahElectronicsFrame.htm
This network configuration served me well for over two years, including an Atlantic crossing from Florida to Portugal in 2005.  However, in early 2006 I installed a NASA AIS Engine onboard and attempted to integrate it with my existing NMEA network.  Here I hit a major compatibility issue because of the Baud rate of the AIS Engine, 38400 Baud for the engine vrs. 4800 Baud for the rest of the network.
I Could have reconfigured the Brookhouse Mux for 38400 Baud and connected the AIS Engine to an available port on the Mux.  However that would have required my entire network to run at 38400 Baud.  That would not be a problem some devices (e.g., the PC, C120 MFD), but other devices (DSC radios, NAVTEX, backup GPS, etc.) could not communicate at that Baud rate.
So my solution for the moment was to configure two NMEA networks.  One network ran at 4800 Baud and was centered around the Brookhouse Mux with multiple talking and listening devices.  The other ran at 38400 Baud with a single talker (the AIS Engine) and only two listeners (the PC and the C120MFD).
While this configuration worked and I was able to navigate a summer cruise in the Western Mediterranean with AIS targets displayed on both my PC and the C120 MFD, it was not the ideal configuration.  This configuration required two NMEA inputs to my PC so I could receive both instrument data (GPS, wind, speed, depth, etc.) and the AIS target data.  Also the C120
MFD received NMEA data only from the AIS Engine and the C120 NMEA output had to be disconnected (unless I added a second Mux).
In early 2007 I was notified by Brookhouse of the availability of the AIS-C Mux, which provides both 4800 Baud and 38400 Baud inputs and outputs.
I have now replaced the original Brookhouse Mux with the AIS-C.  All of the NMEA data, including the AIS data, is now delivered to the PC via a single USB port and the C120 MFD now sends and receives NMEA data via the AIS-C.  The AIS-C provides a single 4800 Baud output port, which I use to drive my DSC radios and NAVTEX.  The AIS-C also has two 4800 Baud inputs (I have the SeaTalk interface on my AIS-C, which replaces what would have been the third 4800 Baud) , which I use for a backup GPS connection and NMEA data from the autopilot.
I have published another web page on how I have configured the AIS-C Mux at http://www.svsarah.com/Sarah/Upgrades/NMEAmux.htm.
Initially I configured both Muxes in my network as I thought it would provide greater resiliency and flexibility to the network.  I subsequently rejected that approach as it added too much complexity to the network with little benefit.  So I now run my entire network through the AIS-C.
I am a great fan of the Brookhouse products as they have served me well for the last three years and I expect for a number of years in the future.  Equally important to me is the level of support Brookhouse provides to their customers.  I have rarely had to wait more than 24 hours to get a response to a technical inquiry, and Brookhouse Support has always been willing to work with me on any issue, even when the issue was a problem with one of the connected devices and not the Mux.  I highly recommend this company's products and service.

John Stevenson
www.svsarah.com
Currently lying Lagos, PT preparing for another trans-Atlantic voyage.

 

Guisborough, Cleveland, UK    28 January 2007

As expected, the installation went with ease due to the superb instructions that came with the mux. The AIS-C is certainly a brilliant piece of kit which is also very reasonably priced and complements my Raymarine C120 with the Nasa AIS, Lowrance globalnav, and Simrad DSC Radio all working happily together.
Thanks again for the excellent support which you have taken the time to give me. I will have no hesitation in recommending this product and your company to anyone.
 
Kind Regards
 
Paul Thatcher

 

The Netherlands, August 2006

We are using the multiplexer with our autohelm SeaTalk network, everything worked instantly. Using Stentec's WinGPS 4 Pro planning routes is fantastic! We just plug in the USB cable and the laptop is constantly fed with fresh NMEA data. Really a must have for every skipper!

Met vriendelijke groet,

Pieter Roos
TBWS Web Solutions

 

July 2006
Mount Vernon, NY, USA

I have had my boat for 20 years and it has seen a few generations of navigation equipment. The back bone is my B&G Hornet which is not NMEA based.  But along the way I picked up a B&G Navaid GPS repeater which would fit nicely with the cockpit instruments and supply GPS data.  I then added a KVH sailcomp which is NMEA and acts as a repeater as well as providing heading information.

I made the next move which was to use a Raymarine C80 MFD with radar, GPS and now AIS which I am still sorting out.  But when I connected the NMEA out to the old B&G Navaid... disaster... some data was missing completely and other data had the wrong number of decimal places.  Then I realized how handy having that data in the cockpit was... and so my search for how to get these NMEA instruments to have a nice conversation and one that I could "listen in on".

One of Brookhouse's customers, John of sv Sarah sent me in a cyber way to the MUX.  Since I am laptop challenged on board and in general not swift with any code... I conveyed my issues to Brookhouse and a few weeks later the MUX appeared with some custom programming.

Install was a no brainer and lo and behold everything is now working nicely.  Brookhouse... thank you very much.  Along the way I learned the the B&G is programmable and with some hunting I was able to get all the sentences (data) displayed and my trips up and down are now a thing of the distant past.  In the background the MUX is dealing with all these squaky NMEA talkers and outputting a nice clean stream of data!  And it all happens in the background!

I still have 2 NMEA ports to add more talkers to the conversation on the MUX... DO I dare connect a back up GPS?  Sounds tempting and I know the MUX is up to it.

When you do jump in, you will find the tech support without a question top notch. The Brookhouse people know how to get these instruments to have the conversations that make your life a whole lot more pleasant.

Go for it!

Jeffrey Orling
sv Shiva
Contest 36s

 

The Netherlands, April 2006

Our HR 37 built in 2005 is equipped with Raymarine instruments. ST 60 for Wind, Depth and Speed, a Raynav 300 S DGPS, a  ST 7001 G2 autopilot.
At the navigation table we use  a laptop with SeaClear (www.sping.com)  or WinGpsPro for navigation.
Under the sprayhood a Raymarine C80 with the Navionics Gold charts is installed.
(After downloading an upgrade  to version 3.16 from Raymarine the C series can now handle AIS and NAVTEX).
 
After buying a SR 162 AIS Engine with an antenna splitter from Smart Radio (www.trueheading.se) the big question was how to get the Seatalk instrument data combined with AIS Data (at 38400 bps) into the nav programs and AIS also into the Raymarine C80 plotter. The Seatalk/NMEA interface from Raymarine doesn't support 38400 bps.
 
The solution came from the Brookhouse Multiplexer with USB, SeaTalk and (5th) HS Port options.
In Setup the Baudrate of the 5th port was set to  38400.
I connected ST Red Black and Yellow to the ST port of the mux.
After cutting the standard RS 232 cable of the  AIS SR 162  the AIS DATA OUT (from the 10 coloured wires the green one) at pin 2 is connected with RxD at the mux and the (violet) wire from pin 5 the GND into GND of the mux.
The NMEA cable from the C 80 was connected with the mux. DATA IN (pos) from the C80 (the white wire) was put into point A from the RS 422 OUT port of the mux and the DATA IN (neg - the green wire) was put into B.
 
With the USB from the Mux a virtual comport was created and set at 38400 Bauds. The C 80 was also set at 38400 baud and the comport selection in the properties of the navprogram too.
 
After starting the ST instruments and the AIS,  all the data (ST and NMEA) are going through the Brookhouse mux and are visible in SeaClear, WinGPSPro, and the Raymarine C80.  I'm for sure that all other nav programs working with NMEA will do the same.
 
I'am a happy man again
 
Jan-Enno
The Netherlands
 

March 2006
Paris, France

I must say you gave me an excellent support and therefore I've been able to
connect all the electronics devices onboard my sailing boat, which was not an easy
task at first glance because of the various types and oldness of the devices
(NKE intercom GPS/Log/depth from 1994, ST/60 wind+ Multi from 2005 and S3
Raymarine calculator for the pilot).
Frankly I'm not at all a specialist and nevertheless I succeeded quite easily, now all the equipments speak to each other including my laptop charting software. It's even possible through the computer charting software having selected a course with waypoints to drive the pilot in track mode which is very useful when motoring.

I must say the Brookhouse Mux is really a great product.


Patrick
France

 

January 2006

Again excellent documentation you sent. Considering the distance, the time zones, and the date lines you certainly qualify as some of the best support I have ever seen.
At the moment I have your unit on the pilot house chart table. It is working great. The signal is rock solid to my laptop charting software. I have a NASA AIS engine, A Garmin GPS, and a Furuno depth sounder feeding your multiplexer. I am very pleased with your product!
 
Thanks,
 
Pat Harman
M/V Meriwether
Oak Harbor, WA  USA
 

October 11th, 2004
From Brent Woodward, Seattle, USA:

Gentlemen,
Very well done on your multiplexer.  I had installed a .........  multiplexer, and it was choking on data from three different Simrad talkers  (autopilot, IS15 Instruments and CR40 radar/chartplotter). The ......... could handle the data from the IS15s and the AP, but would choke and garble all the data when I turned on the CR40.  I thought your filtering
capability would alleviate the problem, but your multiplexer handled it even without the need  to filter the data.  Nice.

Best regards and thanks for a great product.  You have become my multiplexer of choice (I am a marine electronics installer in Seattle).

 Brent
 Belgium, November 2005

Since one year now I'm using the NMEA multiplexer on my sailing yacht to combine SEATALK data, NMEA data from B&G instruments and GPS info from my NAVMAN chart plotter. Everything worked without a glitch from day one.
 
Thanks for a simple and nice product which helped me to realise some software of my own.
 
Johan Labeur
Belgium
 

UK, September 2005

I am now the very satisfied owner of an integrated navigation control system which perfectly suits my needs.  The advice and service which I have received from Brookhouse I regard as second-to-none.  The performance of the combination which I have fitted exceeds my original expectations. 
My advice to anybody wanting to interface any combination of marine electronics is, at the very least, include Brookhouse on your list of potential suppliers.  Don’t let the distance you might be from New Zealand put you off.  I found Brookhouse very much easier to contact and more helpful than the suppliers of my wind system, whose headquarters is just 25 miles down the road!
 Paul Gladden

London, UK
Sept. 2005
 

Rockville, MD, USA
August 2005

I used your *A command to subtract the 2 ft offset.  Now Nobeltec Visual Series is showing correct depth at the boat and the ST50 is also showing correct value.
I must say your Mux is really impressive for its performance and flexibility – a great product that I will tell people about.
Thanks again for your help.  I’m happy…smile.
John Poindexter,
Rockville , MD 
 

San Francisco,  April 20, 2005

I became aware of the Brookhouse multiplexer when I was researching for a way to interface my Raymarine instrumentation with my Nobeltec navigational software. My GPS was already connected, but it would be quite advantageous to be able to integrate all of Raymarine Tridata and wind data into the computer, and have it appear on the flat screen monitor I have installed on a bulkhead behind the chart table. The Brookhouse multiplexer made that possible.
 
I installed the model with the LCD repeater so I can see just how bad it is outside without getting cold and wet. The installation is quite straight forward, and takes up very little space. I am very pleased with the Brookhouse installation, and would recommend it to anyone seeking a solution to a similar problem.
 
Gary Hasenstab                                                                        
Aboard "Victoria" in San Francisco

Click here for photo
 

From Stockholm, May 13, 2005

We use Brooks and Gatehouse instruments from Network series (wind/tach/depth/speed) from 1998 connected to the Brookhouse Mux using B&G own common NMEA communication between instruments. As GPS we use a vintage GARMIN 128.

We use a common laptop PC with the software SeaClear for navigation (www.sping.se) which is a freeware for scanned charts (you will need to get charts but you may scan and calibrate your own). To analyze our sailing during races we use two plugins to SeaClear called SeaTrace and SeaTrack (www.pbeekman.com) which makes graphs of wind speed and wind direction + we get a wind vector in the nav program. Seatrack enables later analysis of all parameters.

The Mux from Brookhouse is quietly doing its job. The small repeater is extremely convenient when the computer is not running. We can check wind speed/direction or simply the water temperature for a morning bath...Our project for the new season is to connect a small 7" touchscreen display that can be used on the rail (by wire or bluetooth) and we are also
planning our own software for a selfgenerating polar diagram that can be compared to the one gerated by the VPP in IMS.

Per Lundqvist, X-332 Xplorer SWE16532

Per Lundqvist, associate professor
KTH School of Industrial Engineering and Management
Dept. of Energy Technology
Chair Div. of Applied Thermodynamics and Refrigeration
Chairman of undergraduate studies, Mechanical Engineering programme
(M.Sc.)
 

The Netherlands, April 24, 2005:

Wij zijn een Wrakduikstichting en hebben de nodige apparatuur aan boord voor veiligheid en opsporing.
Het was dan ook zinvol om alle NMEA data te kunnen koppelen aan ons navigatie programma.
Het was dan ook niet moeilijk om onze keuze: prijs/kwaliteit....  op de "NMEA Combiner/Multiplexer " van Brookhouse te laten vallen.
De combinatie van het selectief gebruiken van de apparatuur en het totaal overzicht dankzij de "Multiplexer" is ideaal.
Zie onze site: http://www.wdsr.nl
 
Gr. Harold Schilperoort

Translation:
We are ship wreck divers and we have a variety of equipment on board for safety and recovery. It was therefore useful to feed all NMEA data into our navigation program. The selection of the Brookhouse Combiner/Multiplexer for its quality and price was not difficult. The combination of selective use of the equipment and the central availability of all data, made possible by the multiplexer, is ideal.
Our website: http://www.wdsr.nl

Regards,
Harold Schilperoort

 

 
8-3-2005
(From Gmunden, Austria)

Dear Brookhouse Team!
I'm very pleased with your standard MUX model. Especially the integrated Filtering/Editing "on the fly" feature in combination with a fair price makes the difference to the other rival products.The programming is easy to do, without confusing and unimportant features.
We are working on GPS based underwater video searches in freshwater lakes. Therefor 2 GPS devices - one with an integrated depth sounder - are connected to a Nav PC, via your MUX. This gives us nearly each possibilty, in the NMEA sentence handling, before the data stream is feeded to the COM Port of the Nav PC. Different Nav Software products expects different data formats - this was the reason of troublesome compatibility problems in the past. All those problems
we fixed immediately with your MUX.
 Congratulation and Thank You for this great product !
 
Stefan Neuhauser
 

20-12-2004
(From Figueres, Spain)

Dear Felicity,
 
We have on friday 17th, received your package. Status is ok, and it was successfully installed and tested. 
The mux and seatalk converter are actually working perfectly.
I hope to "meet" you again, as I intend to recommend and sell your hardware devices in a near future.
Please, keep doing it so well.
 
Thank you,
Juan Miguel Roman
 
 

I purchased my first Brookhouse multiplexer some time ago and installed it on the sailboat the Last Dance. Last Dance has sailed from Vancouver to Ireland and back to Vancouver again. I tied all of the navigational equipment Furuno Loran, Garmin GPS, MARPA Raytheon radar up to it and took it's output to both the boat's laptop and the input for the Nexus autohelm. The system performed flawlessly during the entire trip. The computer/autohelm combination never kicked out due to data errors which was a constant source of problems before using the Multiplexer.
I have installed another unit in the sailboat "Rare Mettle" a 55 foot Brandlemeyer that I sailed down to Columbia from Vancouver, again it had several navigation "talkers" and I needed to keep the data channel error free. This turned out to be more of a problem with the NEXUS autohelm more than anything else but the mux solved the problem and once again the system worked without problems.
My last unit is tied into my raceboat, the American Eagle. The Eagle is building a reputation of a boat not to be second guessed, races the Pacific Northwest area races around Vancouver. She is heavily armed with all of the latest and greatest electronics and my crew calls the navigation station the Spaceship console. My Furuno radar did not accept any wind direction and speed information from the network so I fired off an email to Brookhouse and asked them to make a custom modification in their software to change the sea-talk message type. This was done in record time for no additional charge to me. Service like this is rare in this industry and I want to commend the folks down there at Brookhouse. As part of the modification, I also upgraded to the remote display model, in keeping with the Spaceship console theme.
I cannot express my pleasure with dealing with the folks from New Zealand, they are A+ in my books and will continue to use their multiplexers in all of my marine installations.

Thanks again
Dennis Breckenridge
President
Nebulus Networks Ltd.
Vancouver, B.C., Canada

 

 I'll write testimonial after the Sydney-Gold Coast race which starts this Saturday. In the meantime just a few personal comments:

Works like a dream. Helped to fix a couple of problems we have been having with firmware versions between Hydra, Plotter, GPS and Pilot - our local supplier has been driving us nuts, the MUX got us out of a few holes.

The display is great for quick diagnostics, although Im almost fluent in reading NMEA sentences on the fly, being able to "see" what is going on without needing a PC wired in etc is really great. It is much easier to use than an FFD to flick through the sentences for diagnosis .......................
.......... The boat will be going from Southport to Hamilton Island for Race Week and then back to Sydney. That should be a good sea trial! We will have a couple of nav packages running ( MaxSea and Deckman) we will try USB on one machine and RS-232 on the other. Long term I expect we will go USB as the laptop doesnt have native serial ports............
JD
 

I bought my first Brookhouse NMEA Multiplexer/Combiner about a year ago.  I had the need to input data from my Aquascan AX2000 magnetometer and a Garmin Sounder and a Magellan GPS into my laptop while doing Mag Surveys.  I use some software called Pnav which can
accept NMEA sentences from 1 to 4 serial ports.  It can parse out whatever data is needed from the appropriate NMEA sentences. Unfortunately, my laptop only has only one serial port.

The Brookhouse NMEA Combiner was the perfect solution!  It allowed me to connect my Magnetometer, GPS, and Sounder to the Combiner, and then the output of the Combiner goes to my laptop serial port.  I configured the Brookhouse Combiner and the Pnav software to operate
at 9600 baud so the single serial port could handle the traffic generated by the three devices.

It all worked perfectly and I've been very happy with the solution.

I accidentally made a wiring hookup mistake a few weeks ago and blew some fuses and other parts on several pieces of equipment.  My Combiner was one of the casualties, but I contacted Brookhouse via email and had an almost instant response with suggestions on how to
go about a field repair.  I followed their instructions and was back up and running in no time.

I have now ordered one of their new models without the LED's and with external connectors as a second unit/spare.

This is a great device which fills my needs perfectly.  Nice people to deal with, and they give very good support service.

Bill Seliger
E.O. Industries, LLC
Florida, USA

 

Hello Folks,

You are more than welcome to post my comments on your website. I am extremely pleased with the Mux. I recently purchased a B&G Network system with dual Autopilots as well as Data repeater for the Nav station in our 51' Endeavour sailboat, as we prepare for the 2004 Newport-Bermuda race. A computer built into the process added a difficult wrinkle, and running Deckman for Windows software required integration of all the data we could give it. The Brookhouse multiplexer provided a seamless and effortless solution, instantly providing the program with at least 10 NMEA sentences simultaneously, and with a price and shipping time that clearly trumped all others, will be the only recommendation that our friends in the sailing/racing world will hear from us. Thank you again!
                              
Sean Saslo/Janet Riesman
                 "Intrepid"
                US 51785
 

Excellent product, easy to install and working exactly as expected.
Running  a Toshiba 430CDT (Pentium 120) with RS232 input.  Collecting data with a freeware program called Seaclear.
Instructions for the mux were good.  It was the manufacturers instructions on which wires to connect that were difficult to interpret.  
Excellent feedback and communication from Brookhouse prior to product purchase  
Looked at a number of other products but baulked at paying around $500 for alternative units.  It is used recreationally not commercially so cost was a big factor.
Hudson Moody
Wellington, New Zealand 
                                           

We are a production /development company making GPS embedded navigation and attitude systems for military use mainly but thinking in adapting the device into the system test equipment as a quick readout tool. We use the device as a ad on to a test bed in our production lab
Connected instruments: various nav systems and simulators…………
 
SkyDec BV, Netherlands
N.J. Spaans (technical director)

 

I bought your NMEA mux with separate display. I’m very pleased with it. I use a Toshiba laptop for navigation on my Catalina sailboat. The mux is connected to the laptop with  a RS232-USB adapter. The main reason for buying the Brookhouse product is that I wanted my RayMarine ST60 wind data plus GPS NMEA together in laptop.  Your mux does it all in one affordable unit, plus it gives me all other main Seatalk readouts. I really only needed the mux, but I’m glad I bought the model with display. I leave it on all the time, also when the laptop is turned off, to monitor wind angle when I'm in the cabin. My charttable is not very big, but the small display unit fits neatly above, next to the GPS. I can easily read it from across the cabin.

Thanks,
Bud Simich
San Francisco 

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