NMEA 0183
The legacy serial standard, done right. Sentence parsing and generation (GGA, RMC, AIS VDM/VDO and more), reliable multiplexing of multiple talkers, baud handling, and bridging 0183 listeners and talkers without dropped data.
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Marine Data Networks
0183 · 2000 · OneNet
NMEA development — 0183, 2000 & OneNet.
Custom sensors, gateways, interfaces, and firmware for the protocols that run a modern vessel. From a single sensor to a fully integrated bridge — built to survive the marine environment and move the data cleanly.
NMEA Development & Consulting
Built by someone who helped write the standard.
- Committee Member NMEA 2000
- Committee Member NMEA OneNet
- Co-author OneNet Gateway module
Big Cove designs the hardware and writes the firmware that lets sensors, instruments, and software share data across a boat. We've shipped NMEA products across the marine industry — most of them under NDA. The ones we can name, like the Nemo Gateway (a multi-protocol bridge built for Rose Point), are only the part of the iceberg above the water.
And we don't just follow the spec — we help write it. Big Cove's founder serves on the NMEA 2000 and NMEA OneNet standards committees and co-authored the OneNet Gateway module. When you build with us, you're working with someone who helped write the rules — not someone learning them on your dime.
Capabilities
Every layer of the marine network.
NMEA 2000
The modern CAN-bus backbone. PGN encode and decode, address claiming, instance management, and the plug-and-play behavior end users expect — engineered for certified devices that play nicely on a crowded bus.
Learn moreNMEA OneNet
The Ethernet and IPv6 future. OneNet carries NMEA 2000 PGNs over IP for the high-bandwidth data — radar, video, dense sensor streams — that outgrows the 2000 bus. A dedicated focus — we helped author the OneNet Gateway module.
Learn moreGateways & Integration
Bridging 0183, 2000, and OneNet; multiplexing many sources; sensor prioritization and automatic failover; and getting clean marine data into PCs, tablets, and the cloud — exactly the problem the Nemo Gateway solves.
0183 vs 2000 vs OneNet
The three NMEA standards, side by side.
| Attribute | NMEA 0183 | NMEA 2000 | NMEA OneNet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical layer | Serial (EIA-422 / RS-232) | CAN bus (DeviceNet-style) | Ethernet (IPv6) |
| Speed | 4,800 baud (38,400 for AIS) | 250 kbit/s | 100 Mbit/s–1 Gbit/s+ |
| Topology | One talker → many listeners | Multi-drop bus, plug-and-play | Switched IP network |
| Data format | ASCII sentences (GGA, RMC, VDM…) | Binary PGNs | NMEA 2000 PGNs over IP |
| Best for | Legacy gear, AIS, simple links | Modern instruments & sensors | Radar, video, dense sensor streams |
| Status | Legacy, still everywhere | Current mainstream standard | Emerging, high-bandwidth future |
Most modern vessels run a mix of all three — which is why bridging 0183, 2000, and OneNet cleanly is one of the most common jobs we do.
Shipped, not theorized
We've put NMEA to sea many times over — most of it under NDA. The public examples tell the story: the Nemo Gateway bridges NMEA 2000 and 0183 with automatic sensor failover and data fusion; the Commercial Radar Interface puts live radar on the navigation chart. They're a sample, not the sum.
FAQ
NMEA, answered.
What's the difference between NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000?
NMEA 0183 is the older serial standard — one talker to many listeners, ASCII sentences, typically 4800 baud. NMEA 2000 is a modern CAN-bus network — binary PGNs at 250 kbit/s, many devices, plug-and-play. Most new gear is 2000, but 0183 is still everywhere, so bridging the two is one of the most common jobs we do.
What is NMEA OneNet?
OneNet is NMEA's Ethernet-based standard (built on IPv6). It carries NMEA 2000 PGNs over IP, enabling high-bandwidth data — radar, video, dense sensor streams — that exceeds the NMEA 2000 bus. It complements NMEA 2000 rather than replacing it. See our dedicated OneNet development & gateways work.
Can you build a custom, certifiable NMEA 2000 device?
Yes. We design the hardware and firmware — PGN handling, address claiming, instance management, load behavior — with certification in mind, and guide the product through the process.
Can you get NMEA data onto a PC, tablet, or the cloud?
Yes — that's exactly what the Nemo Gateway does. We pull marine data off the bus and into navigation software, tablets, or a cloud platform. Our TrackMyWake fleet platform is an example of that full hardware-to-cloud path.
Do you work with AIS, radar, and autopilots?
Yes. AIS (VDM/VDO), radar overlay on charts, and autopilot and instrument integration are all in scope — and all things we've shipped.
NMEA Development
Building a marine product that has to speak NMEA?
Building a marine product that has to speak NMEA?
Let's talk.
Tell me about the boat, the bus, and where the data needs to go — and I'll tell you how I'd build it.
Set a course info@bigcove.io