Many hams who own the IC-7100 and want to add GPS, have used the Garmin 18PC. The reason being that the 18PC has a 13.8v lighter plug, and may include voltage regulation in the plug. I say that because every other model of the 18 uses 5volts, and most mobiles have 13.8v
The 18PC also has a cable with a DB9 plug. You can either buy the cable that mates to it on Ebay, or cut the DB9 off and solder a 3.5mm plug to it. Use the DB9 pins 2 and 3 to Tip and Ring of the 3.5mm plug. Set your radio to 4800 baud and if you get nothing, reverse the two wires on Tip and Ring.
I will try to verify that the lighter plug has a voltage regulator embedded in it when it arrives on Tuesday. If it does, it would be easy to insert a 7805 voltage regulator into the cable and heat shrink over it. The GPS draws less than 100ma, and would not require any sort of heat sink. The most power is drawn when the GPS searches for satellites, I think that once it is locked on, the power is reduced to around 80ma.
I will also try to verify all this and update this.
UPDATE: I did verify that the Lighter Plug contains a voltage regulator. One user took the regulator out of the plug and installed it to his car for the 5v that the GPS needs.
The 18PC also has a cable with a DB9 plug. You can either buy the cable that mates to it on Ebay, or cut the DB9 off and solder a 3.5mm plug to it. Use the DB9 pins 2 and 3 to Tip and Ring of the 3.5mm plug. Set your radio to 4800 baud and if you get nothing, reverse the two wires on Tip and Ring.
I will try to verify that the lighter plug has a voltage regulator embedded in it when it arrives on Tuesday. If it does, it would be easy to insert a 7805 voltage regulator into the cable and heat shrink over it. The GPS draws less than 100ma, and would not require any sort of heat sink. The most power is drawn when the GPS searches for satellites, I think that once it is locked on, the power is reduced to around 80ma.
I will also try to verify all this and update this.
UPDATE: I did verify that the Lighter Plug contains a voltage regulator. One user took the regulator out of the plug and installed it to his car for the 5v that the GPS needs.
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