Actisense PRO-NDC-1E User manual

1Active Research Ltd 2022
Connect without limits
Professional Type Approved
NMEA®0183 Multiplexer
Install/User Manual
Issue 1.0

2Active Research Ltd 2022
Important Notices
The device to which this manual relates
complies with the Electromagnetic Compatibility
requirements according to IEC 60945:2002-08,
DNVGL-CG-0339:2019 & IACS UR E10 Rev7.
The unit should always be used in conjunction
with appropriately approved, shielded cable
and connectors as per NMEA 0400 to ensure
compliance. A declaration of conformity is
available for download at www.actisense.com.
If the device to which this manual relates is to be
installed within ve metres of a compass, please
refer to the ‘Compass Safe Distance’ section in the
‘Technical Specications’ table.
Trademarks and Registered Trademarks
Actisense®and the Actisense logo are registered
trademarks of Active Research Limited (Ltd).
All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
The NMEA®name and NMEA logo are copyright
held by the NMEA. All uses in this manual are by
permission and no claim on the right to the NMEA
name or logo are made in this manual.
Fair Use Statement
The contents of this manual may not be
transferred or copied without the express written
permission of
Active Research Ltd. Copyright © 2021 Active
Research Ltd. All rights reserved.
Technical Accuracy
To the best of our knowledge the information
contained in this document was correct at the
time it was produced. Active Research Ltd cannot
accept liability for any inaccuracies or omissions.
The products described in this manual and the
specications thereof may be changed without
prior notice. Active Research Ltd cannot accept
any liability for differences between the product
and this document. To check for updated
information and specications please check www.
actisense.com.
Active Research Ltd will not be liable for
infringement of copyright, industrial property
rights, or other rights of a third party caused by
the use of information or drawings described in
this manual.
Product Registration
Please register your product via the online form at
https://actisense.com/product-registration
Your product package includes a unit serial
number. The serial number is six digits long and
can be found below the barcode on the label. Your
registration will assist Actisense Support to link
your product to your details, simplifying any future
assistance you may require.
Product Guarantee
All Actisense products are provided with a 5 year
guarantee upon registration. To register your
product, visit https://actisense.com/product-
registration
If you suspect that the unit is faulty please refer to
the Troubleshooting Section of the User Manual
before contacting support.
It is a requirement of the guarantee that all
installations of electronic equipment follow the
NMEA 0400 specication. Any connection to a
battery or power supply must meet the mandatory
essential safety requirements that may be
imposed by local regulatory agencies.
Actisense products are intended for use in a
marine environment, primarily for below deck
use. If a product is to be used in a more severe
environment, such use may be considered misuse
under the Active Research Ltd guarantee.
Product Disposal
Please dispose of this product in accordance with
the WEEE Directive. The product should be taken
to a registered establishment for the disposal of
electronic equipment.

3Active Research Ltd 2022
Type Approved NMEA Multiplexer - PRO-NDC-1E
Contents Page
• Introduction 4
• Installation Warnings 4
• Software Updates 4
• Features 5
• NMEA wire colour coding 5
• Terminal Connections 6
• Powering the PRO-NDC-1 6
• Serial Port Connections 7
• Ethernet Connection 7
• RF Ground connection 7
• NMEA ‘Talker’ Connections 8
• NMEA ‘Listener’ Port Connections 8
• Standard Ethernet Network connection 9
• Direct / basic Ethernet connection 9-11
• Troubleshooting 12
• Technical Specications 13-14
• Returns Procedure 15

4Active Research Ltd 2022
Introduction
The PRO-NDC-1E multiplexer is designed to suit the majority of NMEA 0183 systems and provides a
web-based conguration tool for setting the device to suit your requirements.
The web browser based conguration tool allows full customisation of the PRO-NDC-1E, and as it is
web based it is compatible across all popular Operating Systems.
The PRO-NDC-1 supports a direct Ethernet connection to a PC without the need for a specialised
Ethernet crossover cable.
Installation Warnings
All warnings and notices must be followed to ensure the correct operation of the PRO-NDC-1E.
Incorrect installation may invalidate the guarantee.
It is highly recommended that all of the installation instructions are read before commencing the
installation.
There are important warnings and notes throughout the manual that should be considered before the
installation is attempted.
Warning 1: Accuracy
The Actisense PRO-NDC-1E is designed to accurately transfer data from input to output. When the
PRO-NDC-1E is in a Basic Mode no data integrity checking is performed, therefore any incomplete,
inaccurate or corrupt data received on a PRO-NDC-1E input will be duplicated to the PRO-NDC-1E
outputs. In contrast, PRO-NDC-1E Smart Modes do use the sentence checksum (if available) to
remove incomplete and corrupted data, however, the accuracy of the data elds in a valid sentence
still remains the responsibility of the NMEA Talker that generated the data.
Warning 2: Installation and Operation
This product must be installed and operated in accordance with the instructions provided. Failure to
do so could result in personal injury, damage to your boat and/or poor product performance.
Warning 3: Installation Code of Practice
When wiring the power supply to the PRO-NDC-1E ensure the isolation switch is off. Wiring the PRO-
NCD-1E while the connection is live may damage the PRO-NDC-1E and is in breach of the guarantee.
Any connection to a battery or power supply must meet the mandatory safety requirements that may
be imposed by local regulatory agencies.
All wiring should be in accordance with the requirements of the NMEA 0400 installation specication.
Warning 4: Mounting Requirements
Select a at location to mount the PRO-NDC-1E. Mounting on a contoured surface may cause
damage to the case.
Do not mount the PRO-NDC-1E while the device is powered, or the cable harness is connected.
Note that the connectors are pluggable for easy disconnection when mounting or removing the PRO-
NDC-1E.
Software Updates
The PRO-NDC-1E units have built-in rmware which is held in ash memory, allowing quick and easy
upgrades using the latest Actisense Toolkit. It is highly recommended that the rmware is kept up to
date in the PRO-NDC-1E.
The current PRO-NDC-1E rmware version can be viewed on the conguration tool ‘Home’ page, in
the ‘Main Application’ section. Details of the latest PRO-NDC-1E rmware version can be viewed on
the Actisense website’s PRO-NDC-1E ‘Downloads’ page.

5Active Research Ltd 2022
Type Approved NMEA Multiplexer - PRO-NDC-1E
Features
• Type-Approved (RINA)
• 5x Congurable Opto-isolated inputs.
• 2x Congurable ISO-Drive™ isolated outputs.
• 1x Bi-directional, congurable, isolated serial port.
• Automatic baud rate matching on inputs
• Advanced data ltering/routing.
• Free rmware updates making the device “future-proof”
• Diagnostic LED’s on all inputs and outputs.
• Bi-color status LED.
• Panel moutable.
• Using the conguration tool, each NMEA 0183 output can be congured to
communicate at independent baud rates.
• Data statistics and load indication via web tool.
• Designed for 12 and 24 Volt supply.
• Pluggable connector system supports both screw and screwless terminals.
• Double Galvanic isolation between all inputs and outputs. Galvanic isolation to
battery supply.
NMEA wire colour coding
The wire colours used in this manual are in accordance with the NMEA 0183 specication (v.4.10,
June 2014) and are for illustration purposes only. Please ensure you check the wiring colours given in
the installation instructions for any devices you wish to interface with the PRO-MUX-2.
Not all manufacturers follow this standard colour coding which can lead to confusion.
Currently, the specied NMEA0183 signal colour coding for individual wires is as follows:
• Talker A - White
• Talker B - Brown
• Listener A - Yellow
• Listener B - Green

6Active Research Ltd 2022
PRO-NDC-1E Overview
PRO-NDC-1E Connections
Terminals
The PRO-NDC-1E comes supplied with high quality 2-way and 3-way rising clamp connectors which
are tightened with screws.
Screwless spring-loaded connectors are also available as a optional extra and are available via your
distributor.
Power Supply Connections
• The PRO-NDC-1E requires a power source provid-
ing between 10 to 35 Volts DC.
• The PRO-NDC-1E “+” terminal should be connect-
ed to the vessel power supply “+” terminal via
the correctly rated fuse (in accordance with the
NMEA 0400 installation standard).
• The PRO-NDC-1E “-” terminal should be connected
to the vessels DC ground plate.
• The input supply connection has continuous re-
verse polarity and ESD protection.
• Red and Black wires are shown here as they are
the most common designation for power and
ground.
+ve
-ve
NMEA0183 Inputs from talkers (x5)
Status LED
Grounding Stud
Power
Serial Port
NMEA0183 Outputs to listeners (x2)
Ethernet Port
Mounting Holes
Mounting Holes

7Active Research Ltd 2022
Type Approved NMEA Multiplexer - PRO-NDC-1E
Standard Serial Port Connections
• The PRO-NDC-1E serial port connector allows a
serial device/adapter to be connected easily.
• The Standard RS-232 wiring designation is as
shown below.
• Connect the Tx (pin 3) terminal from your serial
device to the “IN” terminal
• Connect the Rx (pin 2) terminal from your serial
device to the “OUT” terminal
• Connect the GND (pin 5) terminal from your seri-
al device to the “COM” terminal
Tx (pin3)
Rx (pin2)
GND (pin 5)
USB - Serial Port Connections
• Should you require to connect your PRO-NDC-1 to a PC via a USB connection, Actisense have
provided a way to achieve this using our USBKIT-PRO (Universal Serial adaptor) which contains a
USB-SERIAL converter with the necessary Rx/Tx and GND connections.
Ethernet Connection
• An Ethernet port is provided as a means of cor-
rectly conguring your PRO-NDC-1E.
• Use either a standard Ethernet patch cable with
an RJ45 plug to connect directly to a PC.
• Alternatively, the PRO-NDC-1E can be connected
to an Ethernet switch.
• Insert the RJ45 plug into the PRO-NDC-1E “Eth-
ernet” terminal until a click is heard. To remove
the RJ45 plug, push down on the locking clip and
gently pull the cable away from the “Ethernet”
terminal.
N.B Wire colours may vary between 3rd party cables/adapters
(Pin numbers refer to a standard DB9 connector)
RF Ground Connection
• The PRO-NDC-1E must be properly grounded us-
ing the grounding stud provided.
• This connection should be made using a robust
crimped connection if possible and routed back to
the vessel’s ‘boat’ ground.
Grounding Stud

8Active Research Ltd 2022
NMEA 0183 Talker and Listener Designations
• The NMEA have updated the NMEA 0183 specications to ensure a consistent naming conven-
tion is used for labelling ports. The designation follows the same rules as used for Rx and Tx
labelling but uses the terminology “Talker” and “Listener” instead.
• The Input / Receiving (Rx) port will be labelled as a LISTENER port.
• The Output / Transmitting(Tx) port will be labelled as a TALKER port.
NMEA “Talker” Input Connections
The PRO-NDC-1E has 5 input connections, labelled
IN-1 to IN-5.
• Inputs are labelled ‘A’ and ‘B’ in line with the NMEA
specication for labelling NMEA0183 signal pairs.
• If your “talker” follows the NMEA wire colour con-
vention, the wires should be coloured as follows:
• TALKER ‘A’/+ : WHITE
• TALKER ‘B’/- : BROWN
• If your wire colours do not follow the NMEA
convention, you will need to consult your device
manual and nd which wire colours corrrespond
to ‘A’/+ and ‘B’/- and attach accordingly.
• If your “talker” device has only ‘A’ and ‘GND’ output
wires, connect the ‘GND’ wire to ‘B’/-
‘A’/+‘B’/-
NMEA “Listener” Output Connections
The PRO-NDC-1E has 2 output connections, labelled
OUT-1 & OUT-2.
• Outputs are labelled ‘A’ and ‘B’ in line with the
NMEA specication for labelling NMEA0183 sig-
nal pairs.
• If your “listener” follows the NMEA wire colour
convention, the wires should be coloured as fol-
lows:
• LISTENER ‘A’/+ : YELLOW
• LISTENER ‘B’/- : GREEN
• If your wire colours do not follow the NMEA
convention, you will need to consult your device
manual and nd which wire colours correspond to
‘A’/+ and ‘B’/- and attach accordingly.
• The shield from each listener should be connect-
ed to the ‘GND’ connector on the output terminal.
• The RF ground stud should be connected to the
vessels RF ground plate using a minimum con-
ductor size of 8 AWG in accordance with the
NMEA 0400 installation standard. Use a crimped
connector to securely bond the RF wire.
‘B’/- ‘A’/+

9Active Research Ltd 2022
Type Approved NMEA Multiplexer - PRO-NDC-1E
Web Browser Conguration
• The web-based conguration tool for the PRO-NDC-1E is built in, and can be accessed using the
ethernet conguration port (see page 7).
• As it is web-based, the conguration tool is compatible with all popular web browsers and operat-
ing systems.
• NOTE: An internet connection is not required to access the conguration tool.
Standard Ethernet Networks
• If the PRO-NDC-1E is connected to an ethernet network containing both DHCP and DNS servers,
launch any of the popular web browsers.
• Replacing ‘xxxxxx’ with the serial number of your PRO-NDC-1E, type the following command into
the address bar.
http://prondc-xxxxxx
• The following web-page will now be displayed allowing conguration of the PRO-NDC-1E
• Please see PRO-NDC-1E-2 Conguration manual for full details regarding set-up.
Direct connection or basic ethernet networks
• If the PRO-NDC-1E is connected directly to a PC, or the ethernet network does not have a DHCP
server, the PRO-NDC-1E will communicate using the auto-IP by default.
• A standard Ethernet cable can be used for the connection to your PC. The PRO-MUX-2 will auto-
matically detect this. You do not require a cross-over cable.
• The auto-IP process can take up to 60 seconds to complete.
• The PC’s ‘Local Area Connection’ must also be set-up to use auto-IP in order to communicate on
this network. Most PC’s are set-up to do this by default. If needed, instructions on how to do this
using Windows 10 are detailed overleaf (other Windows operating systems will be similar).
NOTE: Administrator privileges are required to carry out these modications.
• Once the PC and PRO-NDC-1E are using the same IP address range, launch any popular web
browser.
• Replacing ‘xxxxxx’ below with the serial number of your PRO-NDC-1E, type in the following com-
mand into the address bar.
http://prondc-xxxxxx
• The web-page shown above will now be displayed allowing conguration of the PRO-NDC-1E.

10 Active Research Ltd 2022
Conguring ‘Local Area Connection’
• Search for ‘Network Status’ on your PC and open the ‘Network Status’ menu
• In the ‘Network Status’ menu, under ‘Advanced Network Settings’, select ‘Change Adapter Options’
• ‘Right-click’ on your ‘Local Connection’ and select ‘Properties’
• Select ‘Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4)’ and leave the box on the RHS checked.
• Click on ‘Properties’

11 Active Research Ltd 2022
Type Approved NMEA Multiplexer - PRO-NDC-1E
Conguring ‘Local Area Connection’ (cont’d)
• Under the ‘General’ tab in ‘Properties’ make sure that:
• ‘Obtain an IP address automatically’ is selected.
• ‘Obtain DNS server address automatically’ is selected.
• Under the ‘Alternate Conguration’ tab make sure that:
• ‘Automatic private IP address’ is selected
• Click ‘OK’ to accept these changes, and close the ‘local connections window’

12 Active Research Ltd 2022
Troubleshooting Guide
First level PRO-NDC-1E diagnostics / fault nding can be performed by observing the LED behaviour.
The normal behaviour of the PRO-NDC-1E LEDs is described on the next page. If the LEDs are not
behaving as expected, this will indicate a fault in either the device connected to the PRO-NDC-1E, the
wiring/connections, or the PRO-NDC-1E itself.
Some common checks to perform on all terminals of the PRO-NDC-1E if the correct LED behaviour is
not displayed:
• Connectors are fully inserted
• All pins of the connector are in the correct location (not overlapping into another port position)
• Wires are terminated rmly and correctly (check polarity)
LED Colour State Description User action
PWR Blue Pulsing Indicates presence of power None required
IN (INCLUDING
‘SERIAL IN’)
Green Flashing Data available on input indicated by LED. No action required
-O󰀨 No data available on this input or autobaud
detection in progress (up to 20 seconds)
Check if connected Talker is sending
data. If it is, review conguration.
OUT (INCLUDING
‘SERIAL OUT’) Orange Flashing/ solid
Flashes at a rate determined by baud rate and
data length. If available bandwidth is nearly full,
LED may appear solid instead of ashing
None required
STATUS
Red Flashing / solid Bu󰀨er Full – Overload condition, sentences are
being dropped.
Use a web browser to review congura-
tion and correct overload condition.
Yellow Flashing / solid
Warning, bu󰀨er is lling. Duplicate deletion is
managing to maintain output capacity by delet-
ing older copies of sentences
Review conguration to understand the
required rates of sentences which is
acceptable to any connected device
Green Flashing / solid Normal operation. No data issues. No action required
-O󰀨
No data passing through outputs. Either no
input data, or if IN LED is active it means all
data is blocked.
Check if the connected Talker is sending
data. If it is, review conguration.
Ethernet
Green Flashing Data activity on the Ethernet port No action required
Yellow On Indicates line speed at 100Mbps No action required
O󰀨 Indicates line speed at 10Mbps
-O󰀨 No data available Check that the Ethernet network is oper-
ational.
PWR and STATUS
(combined)
Power = blue
Status = red
Power = on (solid)
Status = on (solid)
Critical HW Error. Both Power & Status LED’s
are solid
Return to manufacturer if this persists
after a power reset

13 Active Research Ltd 2022
Type Approved NMEA Multiplexer - PRO-NDC-1E
Technical Specication
Power Supply
Input supply voltage 10 to 35 V DC
Input supply current 150mA max @ 12V DC (all outputs @ full drive into 100 ohm loads)
Input protection Continuous reverse polarity, transient overvoltage and ESD protection
Power indicator LED, Blue - indicates unit is functioning correctly
Input Supply connector Pluggable 2-way screw terminal, 5.08mm pitch (12 to 30 AWG)
NMEA 0183 Port - Listener & Talker
Number of Listener / Input Ports 5 isolated NMEA 0183 Listeners
Number of Talker / Output Ports 2 isolated NMEA 0183 Talkers
Compatibility Fully NMEA 0183, RS422 & RS232 compatible. RS485 Listener compatible
Speed / baud rate 4800 to 38400 bps
Talker Output Voltage Drive >= 2.2V (di󰀨erential) into 100 ohm
Talker Output Current Drive 20 mA maximum per output
Talker Output Protection Short circuit and ESD
Talker Data Indicator LED, Orange (Flashes with data rate)
Listener Input Voltage Tolerance -15 V to +15 V continuous, -35 V to +35 V short term (< 1 second)
Listener Input Protection Current limited, overdrive protection to 40 VDC and ESD protection
Listener Data Indicator LED, Green (Flashes with data rate)
Connectors Pluggable 2/3 way screw terminals, 5.08mm pitch (12 to 30 AWG)
Serial Port
Compatibility RS422 & RS232 compatible. RS485 Listener compatible
Speed / baud rate 115200 bps
Output voltage drive >= 2.1V (di󰀨erential) into 100 ohm
Output current drive 20 mA max.
Output protection Short circuit and ESD
Input voltage tolerance -15 V to +15 V continuous, -35 V to +35 V short term (< 1 second)
Input protection Current limited, overdrive protection to 40 VDC and ESD protection
Data Indicators LED’s: Green = Receive, Orange = Transmit
Connectors Pluggable 3-way screw terminals, 5.08mm pitch (12 to 30 AWG)
Ethernet Port
Host interface 10/100BaseT, automatic polarity detection
Supported protocols TCP/IP for conguration and rmware updating
TCP/IP and UDP for NMEA 0183 comms
Connector RJ45
Indicators Green - Link, Yellow - 100 Mbps
Isolation
NMEA 0183 Listener Uses IsoDriveTM, Hi-Pot tested to 1000V
NMEA 0183 Talker Uses IsoDriveTM, Hi-Pot tested to 1000V
Serial Port Uses IsoDriveTM, Hi-Pot tested to 1000V
Ethernet Port 2kv for 60s

14 Active Research Ltd 2022
66mm
80mm
98.4mm
139.3mm
124.3mm
139.36mm
27.1mm
M4 Earthing Stud Ethernet Port
128.31mm
PRO-NDC-1E Dimensions
Mechanical
Housing Material 316 Stainless Steel
Dimensions 139mm (W) x 98mm (H) x 26mm (D)
Weight 360g
Mounting Bulkhead mount or DIN rail mount (DIN kit 1)
Approvals and Certications
EMC IEC 60945:2002-08, DNVGL-CG-0339:2019 & IACS UR E10 Rev7
Compass Safe Distance 300mm
Type Approval Certicate RINA
Operating Temperature -25 to +70°C
Storage Temperature -40 to +85°C
Relative Humidity (RH) 95% @ 55°C
Environmental Protection IP40
Guarantee 5 Years

15 Active Research Ltd 2022
Intelligent Type Approved NMEA Multiplexer - PRO-NDC-1E
Technical support and the returns procedure
All installation instructions and any warnings contained in this manual must be followed before
contacting Actisense Technical Support. If the troubleshooting guide did not help resolve the prob-
lem and an error persists, please contact Actisense Technical Support to help trace the issue before
considering the return of the product.
If the Actisense support engineer concludes that the PRO-NDC-1E unit should be returned to Acti-
sense, a ‘Return Merchandise Authorisation’ (RMA) number will be issued by the support engineer.
The RMA number must be clearly visible on both the external packaging and any documentation
returned with the product. Any returns sent without an RMA Number will incur a delay in being pro-
cessed and a possible charge. Any cables originally supplied with the product are to be included in
the returned box.

16 Active Research Ltd 2022
Active Research Ltd
21 Harwell Road
Poole, Dorset
UK BH17 0GE
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.actisense.com
Connect without limits