PPS Box Rerouting Trick

By John LIndberg

When interfacing with a multibeam sonar and all its peripherals, the wiring can easily become
out of hand. Add a bunch of RS-232 cables, Ethernet cables, and BNC cables into the
picture…… with all that ‘spaghetti’, you might as well throw a few meatballs on top along with
a jar of Ragu and you’ve got a nice Italian dinner!
When supplying a PPS signal from a GPS receiver to HYPACK® and a multibeam sonar, it
could involve multiple BNC connectors, splitters, etc. Since a lot of GPS receivers supply a
PPS signal via the RS-232 cable (typically pin 8 or pin 9), this may also involve a little bit of
creativity with a soldering iron! Here is a way to eliminate a little bit of that rat’s nest!
Run the RS-232 cable directly from your GPS receiver to your HYPACK 1PPS Box.
1. Use a Philips head screwdriver and remove the 4 screws from the top of the 1PPS
box.
2. Open the box carefully so you do not damage the wire going to the 1PPS LED.
3. Note the jumper block as highlighted in the image below:
FIGURE 1. 1PPS Jumper Block

4. Place a jumper on PIN 9 of the jumper block. Most of the newer GPS receivers output
a 1PPS signal on Pin 9 of the RS-232 cable. (If you happen to have an old GPS that
outputs the 1PPS pulse to Pin 8, place the jumper on Pin 8.)
5. Add a jumper to the BNC pins (highlighted in green in Figure 2).

September / 2012 1
 FIGURE 2. Jumper at the PIN 9 and BNC Locations

You can now route the 1PPS signal from pin 9 of your GPS, into the 1PPS Box (for the
HYPACK PC) and out the BNC connector and to your sonar. In addition to supplying your
HYPACK® PC with a 1PPS signal, you are also using the 1PPS box as a splitter,
eliminating additional splitters and cables.
FIGURE 3. Connections Between the GPS Receiver, the Sonar and the HYPACK® Computer.