GPS for 2 scanners?

[licpl8man]

Is it possible to split the GPS signal on the BC-SGPS to and 325P2 and an SDS100? I tried using a serial Y cable with the appropriate serial to USB adapters and neither scanner receives a gps signal. If I only plug 1 scanner into the module without the splitter the gps works fine. I saw other posts where folks have had success doing this but I’m not getting anywhere. Any ideas? Or is this set up not possible without a second gps kit

 

[dave3825]

Can you link those success posts?

 

[licpl8man]

Can you link those success posts?

GPS Receiver working with multiple scanners

I've got the Uniden GPS receiver installed in my vehicle for use with a 996XT. Is there a way to make this receiver work on two scanners at the same time? With a little tinkering and some equipment, one antenna can serve two scanners or one external speaker can server two scanners, so I was...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[Ubbe]

I've connected several 2-way radios to the same GPS. If you only connect ground and each receivers RX pin to a GPS's TX data it can drive several receivers/scanners without any issues. It's a one way communication and each receivers RX pin doesn't load the GPS's TX pin much at all.

/Ubbe

 

[licpl8man]

I’m starting to suspect that the issue is with the serial splitter and usb to DB9 adapters that I have. The only serial cable that works properly is the one that was included with the gps kit. If I plug my aftermarket cable into the scanner and converter box the gps does not work but when I use the one supplied with the kit it works fine. I’m suspecting that uniden uses a non standard pin arrangement on the serial side of the cable. Does anybody have a pinout diagram for the bc-sgps kit that I can compare to a rs232 pinout?

 

[Hdc30474]

I've connected several 2-way radios to the same GPS. If you only connect ground and each receivers RX pin to a GPS's TX data it can drive several receivers/scanners without any issues. It's a one way communication and each receivers RX pin doesn't load the GPS's TX pin much at all.

/Ubbe

I wondered about this and thought it would work. I will try connecting my SDS100 and Home Patrol 2 to the same GPS in the car. I use the HP2 for most listening because the display is much easier to read and control when mobile, but the SDS100 is required for simulcast systems.

Thanks.

 

[N9JIG]

I created a custom cable to share my Garmin GPS to up to 4 scanners and my Kenwood APRS rig years back. I used a simple barrier strip and appropriate cables to the radios.

In my current vehicle I have a simplified setup with 2 546's sharing a single Uniden GPS receiver, again with serial cables to the radios and just soldered the appropriate wires, Works great!

On the DB-9 Pin 2 is the Data and Ground is Pin 5, just connect those in parallel to the GPS data na dground.

 

[buddrousa]

The SDS100 uses the same USB cable for GPS and Scanner power this will require very careful work or you could kill both.
Splitting a 9 Pin Serial is very different than Splitting USB.

 

[N9JIG]

The SDS100 uses the same USB cable for GPS and Scanner power this will require very careful work or you could kill both.
Splitting a 9 Pin Serial is very different than Splitting USB.

Yeah, you are right. I should have read the entire thread instead of the last couple posts!

 

[licpl8man]

Would I be connecting pin 2 of the db9 to the data receive wire on the usb and pin 5 of the db9 to the ground wire of the usb? I‘m not worried about powering the scanners as I’m using this set up for
my commute to and from work and the batteries will easily last for the round trip. Thanks

 

[N9JIG]

Would I be connecting pin 2 of the db9 to the data receive wire on the usb and pin 5 of the db9 to the ground wire of the usb? I‘m not worried about powering the scanners as I’m using this set up for
my commute to and from work and the batteries will easily last for the round trip. Thanks

The PIN numbers were for a DB9 serial port, I failed to notice you were using USB enabled handhelds.

As for sharing with them it would be more complicated but I wonder is some sort of USB hub could be leveraged with the GPS receiver being the host.

 

[richardbritt]

I've connected several 2-way radios to the same GPS. If you only connect ground and each receivers RX pin to a GPS's TX data it can drive several receivers/scanners without any issues. It's a one way communication and each receivers RX pin doesn't load the GPS's TX pin much at all.

/Ubbe

Do you happen to know what pin in a BCD-436 and/or 325p2 are the scanners RX pins? I have been beating my head against the wall for several days trying to get a BR-355S4 to work with either of these scanners. I have tried every diagram I have found regarding the internal GPS discussions, as well as homepatrol GPS external ones. I get the GPS red blinking lock indication, and I have tried 4800 and 9600 baud settings. No GPS indication on either scanner. I do see some type of data signal using a Tektronix oscope either on the GPS rx or tx output from the GPS (I forgot which). I am stuck thinking my GPS puck might be counterfeit or something.

Thanks for any suggestions

Richard

 

[richardbritt]

In addition, I am using a Promaster 3696 cable. I traced the cable colors and pins to be: pin 1 is Red, pin 2 is White, pin 3 is green, and pin 4 is black. I hooked up all the black leads together, 5v to the GPS only, Uniden PIN 1 to GPS rx white wire, nothing to uniden pin 2, and GPS TX green wire to the Uniden PIN 3. I assume PIN 1 is on the left side of the connector with the 2 grooves at the top of the connector and looking at the rear of the connector as it it was plugged into the 436 scanner. When it didn't do anything, I reversed all the wires on the connector but it didn't change anything

 

[richardbritt]

As far as the 325p2 connector, I used red for 5v, black for ground, and tried all the wires as GPS rx or tx but I didn't get a GPS showing up on the scanner display, using either baudrate. I did tie the GPS ground and scanner ground on the connector together, and I powered the 325 using my 5v battery pack only.

 

[dave3825]

On my 436 and the same gps I believe I had to tie the shield and black together and it then worked. Been a few years. I can try to look at my wiring tomorrow

 

[richardbritt]

Thank you

 

[dave3825]

I made mine with a battery pack. White was not used
Green goes to scanner
Red to positive battery source
My black and shield are tied together and looks like they go into scanner ground as well.

Can test tomorrow with meter

This is on my 436.

 

[dave3825]

With the meter on those 2 tied wires (black and shield) from the gps, I get continuity from them to the sma antenna connector on the 436.

 

[richardbritt]

I just measured the same thing

 

[richardbritt]

What does your green GPS puck wire connect to on the scanner end? If you are looking at the scanner facing up (laying on its back on a workbench) the 4 pin connector has 2 small indentions on the top. If we call the left most connection 1, and the right most one 4, what do your go to on the puck?