Integrating different systems

[ellabres]

Hi all,
New in this forum. I hope this new thread is helpful for a lot of people.

I have bought a second hand Catana 41, and what I have is:

Furuno NavNet vx2. Connected to a radar, windgear, paddlewheel, gps, compass PG700.
Can output (and get as input) NMEA 0183 or 2000
I will need AIS as an input and GPS and wind data as an output.

Autopilot : Raymarine (SmartPilot X30) with its own compass fluxgate. P70 autopilot control head. Not connected to anything else in the system
Input: NMEA 0183. I don't think I need output.
Can I set as input GPS, wind and Heading? If heading is not possible, I can leave both compasses.
AIS: Digital Yacht (AIT1000). Own GPS antenna. DIGITAL YACHT SPL250 AIS Transponder Antenna Splitter . NMEA output (38,400 baud)
Sailor VHF Radio

I want to connect them.
Here is what I want to achieve:
to have the data in an android tablet (or IPAD if much easier) I prefer xperia, which is waterproof, but I read is much more difficult to find an APP fro android. AIS, GPS, Wind, Compass Paddlewheel.
to have wind data and GPS data in the autopilot (set a waypoint and make the autopilot follow or set wind autopilot).
To get the data from AIS to the chart-plotter.
to have GPS data to the VHF
Get rid of the redundant compass and the redundant GPS, if possible. (gps to AIS, furuno compass to autopilot)

After reading a bit, I think that what I need is a multiplexer.
I own already a router, and it is installed in my boat.
Do you think I can solve my problem with a Brookhouse eMux?
What apps (android or ipad) is this compatible with?
Which app can I use to view AIS? (once nmea is transmitted via wifi)

I have not found anything better for my porpouses than iNavX, but maybe I am missing something.

Thanks in advance.

Elv.

[sbender]

You might want to look at SignalK.org. You can setup a Raspberry PI with NMEA 0183 and 2K inputs. And make all your data available via wifi.

[ellabres]

Hi sbender,
Thank you for that.
I had a look, and really looks very good.
On the other hand, one of my main goals is being able to send wind and gps information to the autopilot to be able to set a track or autopilot in wind mode.
I have understood that signalK gets all the information and displays, but doesn't send anything back. Is that right?
Cheers,
Elv

[conachair]

Originally Posted by ellabres

Hi sbender,
Thank you for that.
I had a look, and really looks very good.
On the other hand, one of my main goals is being able to send wind and gps information to the autopilot to be able to set a track or autopilot in wind mode.
I have understood that signalK gets all the information and displays, but doesn't send anything back. Is that right?
Cheers,
Elv

The openplotter image for the Pi can do a lot with signalK & nmea data, also built in to the operating system is a program called node-red which can do some very powerful stuff to any kind of data coming in/out of the Pi.

https://www.gitbook.com/book/sailoog...tation/details

I use a Pi & xperia tablet running opencpn, the Pi is also set up to output temperature data as a web page & turn on/off a fuel pump from main tank to day tank. ->

[ellabres]

Hello,
Yes, but the Pi is not meant to send NMEA back to a sensor, like the autopilot, right? or is there a way?
Maybe USB to serial and feed it back?
Cheers,
Elv

[sbender]

It is possible to output from SignalK-node-server. I think you could set it up as a multiplexer. I don't have much experience with 0183, so was trying to stay away from that issue.

If you have multiple 0183 sources that need to go to a device that has only one 0183 input, then you definitely need a multiplexer. You can buy hardware for that, use kplex. Or maybe node server if you're really technical.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by ellabres

Hello,
Yes, but the Pi is not meant to send NMEA back to a sensor, like the autopilot, right? or is there a way?
Maybe USB to serial and feed it back?
Cheers,
Elv

Openplotter has Opencpn already configured to send autopilot data to a serial port, if you have a usb/serial adaptor reading some nmea0183 data then you could use that to output as well. (openplotter uses the kplex programme to do this, but set up in a window which is much easier than command line)
Or maybe a canbus adaptor if you want nmea2000, I haven't tried any nmea2000 so can't confirm - that's for the rich folk

https://sailoog.gitbooks.io/openplot...ltiplexer.html

https://sailoog.gitbooks.io/openplot...autopilot.html

[ellabres]

I really like this!
I have in my boat already a minix.
I guess there is no reason not to use this one.
I might need a usb HUB (powered, probably) and some usb to serial adaptors, to read and write on the devices

But now I have a navnet2, which is outputing the data from furuno windsensors (can bus to navnet), compass, gps
Can I bypass that or I need to keep that box hidden and disable the display and keep it in the family?

- AIS sending NMEA to PC
- AUTOPILOT receiving NMEA from PC

Missing something else?

Elv