iPad and Navionics Question

[sv Shearwater]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

Looks great, Shearwater, but for the price it would be nice to have a 2-way AIS.

Yes, it would be nice. Where can I get one?

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

What is "AIS"?

Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a navigation system to track ships and give details about them. It was initially primarily only on commercial ships but is now available to the recreational boating market. Some recreational units are for receive only and do not transmit details about your own vessel.

Without going into more depth this link will give you full info.

Automatic Identification System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by sv Shearwater

Yes, it would be nice. Where can I get one?

I don't know, but when you do, please let me know. LOL!

[engele]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

I don't know, but when you do, please let me know. LOL!

For just a touch more you can get a transponder from the same company, but it doesn't have the wifi bridge built in and I believe it lacks a display (not that we have ever used the in radio display on our Martix2150).

That wifi bridge is more expensive than Standard Horizon's top of the line radio. It's great having AIS tied to the radio because you can make a DSC call to an approaching ship with a button press, or navigate to a given position request acknowledgement.

While we love our iDevices, I regularly upgrade and am not about to continually pay Xtraverse for a "data" subscription (no matter how cheap), and to add insult to injury you have to re buy charts. No thanks.

[rcmpegasus]

INavx has been great for me, just used it for a three week trip and oceanographic operation. It's replaced all of our other navigation and planning software/equipment. We plan vessel navigation, buoy operations and log all vessel tracks on the iPads. When combined with the AyeTides program and the weather add on its a pretty complete package. We have access to thousands of dollars worth of specialized equipment, but don't even turn it on anymore as iPad and INavx does it better.

I have never found the chart issue to be a problem, and the technical support has been great.

[Sailor_Hutch]

"The IPad 3 (and 2) come in two network flavours: WIFI only, or 4G & WIFI. This second option includes a fully-functional GPS receiver. " ....

When it comes to gadgets, I like to find external equipment. Then, I can mix and match as I like. You can get external GPS for the ipads that don't have built-in units (and they're real small) ...

Dual Electronics iPad GPS with Bluetooth (Dual XGPS150A) - Sporty's Pilot Shop

[Mike OReilly]

I can attest to the terrific customer support from iNavX. I purchased their software and licensed the Navionics 2XG Canada and South East Alaska package from them. When I first loaded the charts a few key ones were inexplicably missing. I received an immediate response to my email query, and the support person (Andre) worked with me over a couple of days to solve all the problems.

I do find the chart licensing arrangement less than appealing, but the software is very good, and the support from this company is excellent. I guess like all things with sailing, it's a compromise.

[sv Shearwater]

Originally Posted by Sailor_Hutch

"The IPad 3 (and 2) come in two network flavours: WIFI only, or 4G & WIFI. This second option includes a fully-functional GPS receiver. " ....

When it comes to gadgets, I like to find external equipment. Then, I can mix and match as I like. You can get external GPS for the ipads that don't have built-in units (and they're real small) ...

Dual Electronics iPad GPS with Bluetooth (Dual XGPS150A) - Sporty's Pilot Shop

That's what we use with our first generation wifi only iPad. Works great.

[Jammer Six]

Do I need additional hardware to see AIC information on the plot on iNavX?

Merry Christmas!

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by GPSNavX

If your iPad is within cell (or WiFi) range, you can get AIS reception in many areas using the free SiiTech AIS service..

SiiTech AIS NMEA Data Server

I haven't checked that site but I presume it is not instantaneous updating. Most AIS web sites update every couple of minutes.

Not useful for traffic avoidance.

[pk999]

Just to reinforce what has been already said. I have a new Ipad3 with sim card, but have never bothered to insert the PAYG sim card. This model has independent GPS and will work for navigation without any cell phone or wifi coverage.

I Installed a wifi mux on the boat and it is then possible (with an app) to see all Raymarine boat data on the ipad (apart from Radar) or display chart and AIS.

But beware... the Ipad, when placed in a waterproof housing is even more sensitive to heat, and will shut down if exposed to periods in hot sun (even under the bimini).

As I bought it with the intention of replacing my ageing Raymarine plotters, without having to spend a fortune and changing electronic chart formats. To this effect it has worked, as one navionics chart for the whole med, plus the Ipad and housing, was less than the new cheapest Raymarine plotter alone (which is no longer compatible with my older Raymarine radar and electronic instruments and charts).

However, if you want to use the ipad in the cockpit in hot locations the screen is not very good in sunlight, and will cut out if it gets too hot. One also has to consider how you secure it at the steering position. They are fragile and will not take kindly to being dropped. The battery life with GPS running is less than 10 hours, so in situ charging needs to be considered... and I have not found a solid waterproof housing which allows room for the charging plug.

Having used it for a season in the med my conclusion is - For a back up system - great. For primary navigation system, dubious.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by pk999

Just to reinforce what has been already said. I have a new Ipad3 with sim card

.....

Where do you insert the SIM card? Is it the same SIM card that you would insert in a phone - but you buy a data plan instead of voice?

[Richard_W]

Just to reinforce what has been already said ...

You need the iPad with GPS chip.
The GPS chip comes as a chipset with a cell phone (3G/4G) chip.
You do not need to use 3G/4G service to get GPS signal that comes from satellites, and not from cell towers.
You do NOT have to insert SIM card, NOR have a cell service, NOR have working cell towers around for GPS function to work.
Only if you need cell/data connection, you need working SIM card inserted and cell/data service activated, and be close to cell towers.

BTW, you insert the SIM card (of correct size for your particular iPad) into the SIM card tray/slot on the side of iPads that support 3G/4G service. The SIM card is the same as or a phone ... the size is different for different iPads.

[royco]

Thanks to all for the advice. I took the plunge and bought the Navionics app with Africa/Australasia chart to use as a backup to my 8 year-old Raymarine plotter. My son and I sailed our 38' cat from Cape Town to Knysna (a 48 hour sail) and the iPad app was fantastic. We experienced brisk conditions --a following 25~40kts breeze and estimated 10~18' following sea, allowing for the 30% sailors' increased height perception ;0) !
The iPad app was a joy to use. Being able to zoom in or out with a quick gesture and "walk" the dropped pins to obtain numerous distance measurements was such a pleasure. This is an unfair comparison as the new Raymarine plotters may have touch screens? Anyway, I soon became so irritated with the old cursor system --zoom in/find ship/move cursor - oops, wrong way! Move it other way/up, down -- I ended up doing all the serious navigation on the iPad. Of course we were lucky. It would have been very dicey with an unmounted, un-waterproofed iPad beating into that weather system. I'm sure someone will soon come up with a way to deal with these issues. But at this stage I give avionics/iPad a gold star.

[Jammer Six]

I use an unmounted iPad in a waterproof container, on a lanyard to my jacket.

I'm in a charter fleet, and it has to move with me from boat to boat, and so far, I'm very happy with it. It's backed up by my iPhone.

Some day, some guy is going to go into the water, and he's going to have an iPhone or an iPad tied to him in a waterproof container, and he's going to call the Coast Guard, look at the map and give them his coordinates, and they're going to come get him, and he'll live where he would have died because of these devices.