[C320-list] External GPS antenna wire routing and NMEA 0183 question

[Jeff Smith]

To all,

I am about to install my AIS, at long last. I purchased the XB8000 that requires an external GPS antenna. My question is this - is there a reason that I should not simply pass the GPS antenna cable through one of the two cowlings on the stern of the boat and utilize one of the two large holes that are already cut? Or should I buy a waterproof cable gland/sea strut and pass through the deck/transom? If the latter, is there a preferred location? My plan is to zip-tie it to the railing until I get to the point of ingress on the boat.  

Also, I plan to connect the NMEA 0183 listen from the chart plotter to the NMEA 0183 talk from the AIS. I plan to leave the NMEA 0183 talk from the chart plotter connected to the VHF for my DSC. I think this will work, but I am not sure if I need to connect the NMEA 0183 listen for the AIS. I think I could run my NMEA 0183 Wind and Depth to the AIS and then the AIS would also communicate that to the chartplotter, but I am not sure. If anyone has any thoughts about this configuration besides converting to NMEA 2000 (everything on the boat is NMEA 0183 so I am not converting it all to NMEA 2000 right now), that might save me lots of trial-and-error.

Thanks for any help.

Jeff Smith, ’94, #121