Garmin VHF 115 Series User manual

VHF 115/215 AIS SERIES
INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS
Important Safety Information
WARNING
See the Important Safety and Product Information guide in the
product box for product warnings and other important
information.
CAUTION
Always wear safety goggles, ear protection, and a dust mask
when drilling, cutting, or sanding.
NOTICE
When drilling or cutting, always check what is on the opposite
side of the surface to avoid damaging the vessel.
Mounting Considerations
NOTICE
This device should be mounted in a location that is not exposed
to extreme temperatures or conditions. The temperature range
for this device is listed in the product specifications. Extended
exposure to temperatures exceeding the specified temperature
range, in storage or operating conditions, may cause device
failure. Extreme-temperature-induced damage and related
consequences are not covered by the warranty.
When selecting a mounting location, you should observe these
considerations.
• The location should provide optimal viewing as you operate
your boat.
• The location should allow for easy access to all device
interfaces, such as the keypad, touchscreen, and card
reader, if applicable.
• The location must be strong enough to support the weight of
the device and protect it from excessive vibration or shock.
• To avoid interference with a magnetic compass, the device
should not be installed closer to a compass than the
compass-safe distance value listed in the product
specifications.
• The location must allow room for the routing and connection
of all cables.
• The location must not be a flat, horizontal surface. The
location should be in a vertical angle.
The location and viewing angle should be tested before you
install the device. High viewing angles from above and below
the display may result in a poor image.
VHF Antenna Mounting and EME Exposure
WARNING
Radio operators with cardiac pacemakers, life-support
machines, or electrical medical equipment should not be
exposed to excessive radio-frequency (RF) fields, because the
RF field may interfere with the function of their medical
equipment.
CAUTION
This device generates and radiates radio frequency (RF)
electromagnetic energy (EME). Failure to observe these
guidelines may expose people to RF radiation absorption
exceeding the maximum permissible exposure (MPE).
Garmin® declares an MPE radius of 2.48 m (97.64 in.) for this
system, which was determined using 5 W output to an omni-
directional, 6 dBi gain antenna. The antenna should be installed
to maintain a distance of 2.48 m (97.64 in.) between the antenna
and all people.
Bail Mounting the Device
NOTICE
If you are mounting the bracket on fiberglass with screws, it is
recommended to use a countersink bit to drill a clearance
counterbore through only the top gel-coat layer. This will help to
avoid cracking in the gel-coat layer when the screws are
tightened.
You can use the included bracket to bail mount the device on a
flat surface.
1Using the bail-mount bracket as a template, mark the pilot
holes.
2Using a 3.5 mm (9/64 in.) drill bit, drill the pilot holes.
3Using the included screws , secure the bail-mount bracket
to the mounting surface.
4Install the bail-mount knobs on the sides of the device.
5Place the device in the bail-mount bracket and tighten the
bail-mount knobs.
Flush Mounting the Device
NOTICE
Be careful when cutting the hole to flush mount the device.
There is only a small amount of clearance between the case and
the mounting holes, and cutting the hole too large could
compromise the stability of the device after it is mounted.
If you are mounting the bracket on fiberglass with screws, it is
recommended to use a countersink bit to drill a clearance
counterbore through only the top gel-coat layer. This will help to
avoid cracking in the gel-coat layer when the screws are
tightened.
GUID-4E35EBDF-6BB0-4B04-89C5-4642E8D77431 v3March 2021

The included template and hardware can be used to mount the
device in your dashboard.
1Trim the template and make sure it fits in the location where
you want to mount the device.
2Using a 9.5 mm (3/8 in.) drill bit, drill one or more of the holes
inside the corners of the solid line on the template to prepare
the mounting surface for cutting.
3Using a jigsaw or rotary tool, cut the mounting surface along
the inside of the solid line indicated on the template.
4Place the device in the cutout to test the fit.
5If necessary, use a file and sandpaper to refine the size of
the cutout.
6After the device fits correctly in the cutout, ensure the
mounting holes on the device line up with the pilot holes on
the template.
7If the mounting holes on the device do not line up, mark the
new pilot-hole locations.
8Using a 3.5 mm (9/64 in.) drill bit, drill the pilot holes.
9Remove the template from the mounting surface.
10If you will not have access to the back of the device after you
mount it, connect all necessary cables to the device before
placing it into the cutout.
11If necessary, cover unused connectors with the attached
weather caps to prevent corrosion of the metal contacts.
12Remove the protective liner from the foam gasket.
13Install the gasket on the back of the device.
14Place the device in the cutout.
15Secure the device to the mounting surface using the included
screws .
16Install the decorative bezel by snapping it in place around the
edges of the device.
Mounting the Microphone Hanger
NOTICE
If you are mounting the bracket on fiberglass with screws, it is
recommended to use a countersink bit to drill a clearance
counterbore through only the top gel-coat layer. This will help to
avoid cracking in the gel-coat layer when the screws are
tightened.
You can mount the microphone hanger in a convenient location
near the radio.
1Select a mounting location for the microphone within reach of
the microphone cable.
2Using the microphone hanger as a template, mark the pilot
holes.
3Drill the mounting holes using a 3 mm (1/8 in.) drill bit.
4Secure the microphone hanger to the mounting surface using
the included screws .
Connection Considerations
Item Description Notes
Ground
connection
You can use the included grounding screw to
connect the device chassis to water ground, if
needed (Additional Grounding Considerations,
page 2).
Power and data
wiring
harnesses
You must connect the device to a 12 Vdc power
source (Connecting the Wiring Harness to
Power, page 2).
You can connect this device to a NMEA® 0183
device using this wiring harness to share DSC
and GPS information (optional) (NMEA 0183
Device Connections, page 3).
You can connect this device to an external GPS
antenna using this wiring harness (optional)
(Connecting to a Remote GPS Antenna,
page 3).
You can connect this device to a hailer horn
using this wiring harness (optional) (Connecting
to a Hailer Horn or PA Speaker, page 3).
You can connect this device to an external
speaker using this wiring harness (optional)
(Connecting to an External Speaker, page 3).
VHF antenna
connection
You must connect the device to a VHF antenna
(sold separately) (Connecting a VHF Antenna,
page 3).
Additional
microphone
connector
You can add an additional microphone (sold
separately) or relocate the existing microphone
on a VHF 215 AIS radio (microphone relocation
kit sold separately).
This connector is not available on a VHF 115
radio.
NMEA 2000®
connector
You can connect this device to a NMEA 2000
network on your boat to share DSC and GPS
information (optional) (NMEA 2000 Device
Connections, page 3).
Connecting the Wiring Harness to Power
1Route the wiring harness to the power source and to the
device.
2Connect the red wire to the positive (+) battery terminal, and
connect the black wire to the negative (-) battery terminal.
Additional Grounding Considerations
This device should not need any additional chassis grounding in
most installation situations. If interference is experienced, the
grounding screw on the housing can be used to connect the
2

device to the water ground of the boat to help avoid the
interference.
Connecting a VHF Antenna
1Mount the VHF antenna (sold separately) according to the
installation instructions provided with the antenna.
NOTE: You can purchase a VHF extension cable. Go to
garmin.com or contact your Garmin dealer.
2Connect the VHF antenna cable to the port on the VHF
115/215 AIS device.
NMEA 2000 Device Connections
NOTICE
If you are installing a NMEA 2000 power cable, you must
connect it to the boat ignition switch or through another in-line
switch. NMEA 2000 devices will drain your battery if the NMEA
2000 power cable is connected to the battery directly.
If you are unfamiliar with NMEA 2000, you should read the
“NMEA 2000 Network Fundamentals” chapter of the Technical
Reference for NMEA 2000 Products. Go to garmin.com/manuals
/VHF115-215 .
Item Description
Compatible NMEA 2000 chartplotter or other device
VHF 115/215 AIS device
Ignition or in-line switch
NMEA 2000 power cable
NMEA 2000 drop cable
12 Vdc power source
NMEA 2000 terminator or backbone cable
NMEA 2000 T-connector
NMEA 2000 terminator or backbone cable
Connecting to a Remote GPS Antenna
This device includes an internal GPS antenna. If your mounting
location does not provide good GPS reception, you may install a
remote GPS antenna with a female BNC connector (not
included), and connect it to the device.
NOTE: If you connected this device to a NMEA 2000 with a
GPS antenna, you can use that antenna as a GPS source
instead of installing a remote GPS antenna (NMEA 2000 Device
Connections, page 3).
1Follow the instructions provided with the external GPS
antenna to install it on your boat correctly.
2Route the GPS antenna cable to the back of the VHF
115/215 AIS device, away from sources of electrical
interference.
3Connect the GPS antenna cable to the BNC connector on the
wiring harness on the VHF 115/215 AIS device.
NMEA 0183 Device Connections
This diagram illustrates two-way connections for both sending
and receiving data. You can also use this diagram for one-way
communication. To receive information from a NMEA 0183
device, refer to items , , , , and when connecting the
Garmin device. To transmit information to a NMEA 0183 device,
refer to items , , , , and when connecting the Garmin
device.
Item Description
Power source
Power cable
NMEA 0183 device
NMEA 0183 cable
Item Garmin Wire
Function
Garmin Wire
Color
NMEA 0183
Device Wire
Function
Power Red Power
Power ground Black Power ground
Data ground Black Data ground
Rx/A (In +) White/orange Tx/A (Out +)
Rx/B (In -) White Tx/B (Out -)
Tx/A (Out +) Gray Rx/A (In +)
Tx/B (Out -) Pink Rx/B (In -)
If the NMEA 0183 device has only one input (receive, Rx) wire
(no A, B, +, or -), you must leave the pink wire unconnected.
If the NMEA 0183 device has only one output (transmit, Tx) wire
(no A, B, +, or -), you must connect the white/orange wire to
ground.
Connecting to a Hailer Horn or PA Speaker
You can connect a VHF 215 AIS radio to a hailer horn or public
address (PA) speaker (not included) to use the microphone or
the handset to make announcements.
NOTE: The VHF 115 radio cannot be connected to a hailer
horn.
1If necessary, mount the hailer horn or PA speaker according
to the installation instructions provided with the device.
NOTE: To avoid feedback, you should mount the hailer horn
or PA speaker at least 3 m (10 ft) away from, and facing
away from, the microphone or handset.
2Route or extend the wire from the hailer horn or PA speaker
to the radio.
3Connect the white wire on the radio wiring harness to the
positive (+) wire from the hailer horn or PA speaker.
4Connect the green wire on the radio wiring harness to the
negative (-) wire from the hailer horn or PA speaker.
5Cover the connections with a waterproof tape or heat-shrink
tubing.
Connecting to an External Speaker
You can connect the radio to an external speaker (not included)
to hear the radio at a remote location.
3

1If necessary, mount the speaker according to the installation
instructions provided with the device.
2Route or extend the wire from the speaker to the radio.
3Connect the red wire on the radio wiring harness to the
positive (+) wire from the speaker.
4Connect the black wire on the radio wiring harness to the
negative (-) wire from the speaker.
5Cover the connections with a waterproof tape or heat-shrink
tubing.
Appendix
Specifications
Specification Measurement
Dimensions (H x W x D) VHF 115: 8.5 x 17 x 14.6 cm (3.35 x 6.7 x
5.75 in.)
VHF 215 AIS: 9.8 x 19.7 x 14.9 cm (3.86
x 7.76 x 5.78 in.)
Weight VHF 115 (with microphone): 1.241 kg
(43.77 oz.)
VHF 215 AIS (without microphone):
1.212 kg (42.75 oz.)
VHF 215 AIS microphone: 0.248 kg
(8.75 oz.)
Operating temperature
range
From -15° to 55°C (from 5° to 131°F)
Storage temperature range From -20° to 70°C (from -4° to 158°F)
Compass-safe distance VHF 115: 70 cm (27.6 in.)
VHF 215 AIS: 75 cm (29.5 in.)
Water rating IEC 60529 IPX71
Antenna connector S0-239 (50 ohms)
Operating voltage 12.0 Vdc
Wireless frequency 156 to 162 MHz @ 44 dBm (25 W)
maximum
Standby current draw 350 mA
Receive current draw 600 mA
Transmit current draw From 2.0 A to 6.0 A (from 1 W to 25 W)
Maximum antenna gain 9 dBi
Antenna port impedance 50 ohms
Internal speaker audio
output power
1 W (with 4 ohms at 10% distortion)
External speaker audio
output power
4 W (4 ohms/max)
External speaker
impedance
4 ohms
Hailer output power 20 W at 4 ohms
Hailer horn impedance 4 ohms
NMEA 2000 LEN @ 9.0
Vdc
1 (50 mA)
NMEA 2000 PGN Information
Transmit
PGN Description
059392 ISO acknowledgment
060928 ISO address claim
126208 NMEA request/command/ack
126464 PGN list
126996 Product information
129799 Radio frequency/mode/power
129808 DSC call information
1 The device withstands incidental exposure to water of up to 1 m for up to 30 min.
For more information, go to www.garmin.com/waterrating.
Receive
PGN Description
059392 ISO acknowledgment
059904 ISO request
060928 ISO address claim
126208 NMEA request/command/ack
129026 COG/SOG, rapid update
129029 GNSS position data
Transmit (AIS models only)
PGN Description
129038 Class A position report
129039 Class B position report
129040 Class B extended position report
129794 AIS class A static and voyage related data
129798 AIS SAR aircraft position report
129802 AIS broadcast safety message
129809 AIS class B static data part A
129810 AIS class B static data part B
NMEA 0183 IN Sentences Supported
Sentence Definition
GGA Global positioning system fix data
GLL Geographic position (latitude/longitude)
GNS GNSS fix data
RMA Recommended minimum specific Loran-C data
RMB Recommended minimum navigation information
RMC Recommended minimum specific GNSS data
NMEA 0183 OUT Sentences Supported
Sentence Definition
DSC DSC information
DSE Expanded DSC
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registered in the USA and other countries. GHS™ is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its
subsidiaries. These trademarks may not be used without the express permission of
Garmin.
NMEA® and NMEA 2000® are registered trademarks of the National Marine Electronics
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