SAE J1939 and NMEA 2000 are closely related because they share the same technical foundation: both are higher-layer communication standards built on top of the CAN (Controller Area Network) protocol. SAE J1939 was developed primarily for heavy-duty vehicles and industrial equipment, defining how engine, transmission, braking, and diagnostic data are exchanged over CAN. NMEA 2000, introduced later for the marine industry, adopted much of the same CAN-based architecture, including message framing, priority handling, and parameter-based data encoding, making the two standards conceptually and structurally similar.
A key commonality between the two is the use of Parameter Group Numbers (PGNs). In SAE J1939, PGNs define structured messages that group related parameters such as temperatures, pressures, speeds, or status flags. NMEA 2000 uses the same PGN concept, but adapts it to marine-specific data such as wind, depth, navigation, environmental sensors, and vessel systems. While many PGN numbers and parameter definitions differ between the standards, the underlying mechanism—how PGNs are transported, prioritized, and decoded on the CAN bus—remains largely the same.
Despite these similarities, SAE J1939 and NMEA 2000 are not directly interchangeable. They differ in physical layer details (such as cabling, connectors, power distribution, and termination rules), as well as in network management, device certification, and application-level semantics. In practice, this means that engineers familiar with SAE J1939 can transition to NMEA 2000 relatively easily at the protocol level, but must still account for marine-specific electrical, mechanical, and compliance requirements. This shared heritage is why tools, concepts, and even simulation techniques often translate well between the automotive and marine CAN ecosystems.
Copperhill Technologies offers a range of development and testing hardware centered on CAN-bus and NMEA 2000 marine networking.
The ESP32-S3 CAN-Bus Board with NMEA 2000 Connector is a compact embedded development board featuring an ESP32-S3 microcontroller with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an integrated CAN transceiver plus a standard NMEA 2000 Micro-C connector for direct integration into marine networks, ideal for building logging, gateway, or IoT applications.
Their ESP32-S3 NMEA 2000 Device Simulator combines an ESP32-S3 base board with a dedicated top board that provides potentiometers, buttons, and LEDs to simulate specific NMEA 2000 Parameter Group Numbers (PGNs) such as temperature and humidity for testing and development.
For more advanced simulation needs, the Teensy 4.0 NMEA 2000 Simulator uses the powerful Teensy 4.0 microcontroller pre-loaded with firmware to emulate multiple marine data channels (analog and digital) and PGNs over NMEA 2000, enabling dynamic test and validation of marine electronics without a live vessel network.
The ESP32S3 CAN-Bus Board with NMEA2000 Connector is a compact and powerful embedded development platform designed for CAN-based networks such as NMEA 2000. It is built around an ESP32-S3 module featuring a dual-core processor, ample flash and PSRAM, and integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, making it well suited for modern connected and IoT-enabled applications. An onboard CAN transceiver combined with a standard NMEA 2000 connector allows direct connection to marine networks for transmitting and receiving CAN messages used by sensors, navigation equipment, and vessel systems.
The board is designed with developers in mind and includes an RGB LED for visual status indication, dedicated BOOT and RESET buttons, and USB-C connectivity for power and firmware programming. An additional I²C connector enables easy integration of external sensors, while a wide input voltage range with reverse-polarity protection supports use in real-world embedded installations. Together, these features make the board an ideal foundation for developing NMEA 2000 devices, CAN-bus gateways, data loggers, and wireless marine applications based on the ESP32-S3 platform. More information…
The ESP32-S3 NMEA 2000 device simulator is a two-board development and testing platform designed to generate and control NMEA 2000 traffic on a CAN-based marine network. The base board is built around an ESP32-S3 microcontroller with integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and an onboard CAN transceiver, providing the processing and communication core. A stacked top board adds physical user controls, including potentiometers, push buttons, and indicator LEDs, allowing developers to interactively adjust simulated values and trigger events in real time. The simulator is preconfigured to generate standard NMEA 2000 Parameter Group Numbers such as environmental data, enabling realistic sensor emulation without requiring actual marine hardware.
The device is intended for development, testing, and validation of NMEA 2000 products, gateways, and embedded applications. Its firmware is fully reprogrammable, allowing the simulated PGNs and control behavior to be adapted to custom use cases beyond the default configuration. By combining a flexible ESP32-S3 platform with intuitive hardware controls, the simulator provides a practical and efficient way to test network behavior, verify device interoperability, and accelerate development of CAN-based marine and embedded systems. More information…
The Teensy 4.0 NMEA 2000 Simulator is a powerful embedded simulation platform designed to generate and manipulate marine network traffic for development and testing purposes. Built around the high-performance Teensy 4.0 microcontroller, the simulator includes an onboard CAN controller and physical interface hardware that enable it to emulate multiple NMEA 2000 Parameter Group Numbers (PGNs) simultaneously. Users can configure the device to broadcast a variety of sensor and system data such as analog inputs, digital statuses, and environmental values, providing a realistic source of network traffic without needing a live vessel or multiple physical sensors.
This simulator is ideal for engineers, integrators, and developers working with NMEA 2000 devices, gateways, or diagnostic tools who need a versatile and controllable source of test data. Its firmware can be customized to create specific simulation scenarios, making it suitable for validating device behavior, testing network load and response, and ensuring compatibility across CAN-based marine systems. By combining a robust microcontroller with flexible simulation capabilities, the Teensy 4.0 NMEA 2000 Simulator helps accelerate development cycles and improves the reliability of embedded marine electronics projects. More information…
Master the fundamentals of modern marine networking with a clear, practical introduction to CAN Bus and NMEA 2000 systems. Many boat owners, technicians, and engineers feel overwhelmed by complex wiring rules, unfamiliar terminology, and data networks that seem opaque and unforgiving. This guide was written to remove that barrier and explain how marine communication networks really work, step by step, without assuming prior expertise.
First Steps in CAN Bus with NMEA 2000 is a beginner-friendly yet technically accurate book that teaches you how to understand, build, and maintain a reliable marine data network. It walks you through core concepts such as CAN communication fundamentals, cabling and termination, power distribution, PGN structure, and real-world troubleshooting. Rather than serving as a dry reference manual, the book focuses on learning by doing, using practical examples and clear explanations that reflect real installation and diagnostic scenarios.
Written from hands-on experience, this book is ideal for anyone new to marine electronics as well as those looking to strengthen their foundation before tackling more advanced systems. By the end, you will have the confidence and understanding needed to design, install, and troubleshoot NMEA 2000 networks correctly, avoiding common mistakes and ensuring stable, dependable communication on board. More information…
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