OpenCPN, AIS over wifi - How to proceed?

[jallis]

My boat came with a Raymarine C80 plotter and additional instruments (like the ST60+), all connected via Seatalk (the original).


I have added an Android tablet running OpenCPN as my main plotter.


Now I want to add and AIS receiver/transponder and have the AIS information available in OpenCPN on the tablet (over wifi).


My main focus is to get the AIS up and running, but a more long term goal would be to also have connection between OpenCPN and the rest of the instruments on the Seatalk network.


I have not decided on which parts to buy, either an AIS transponder with wifi included, or a transponder and a separate NMEA wifi gateway.


I'm not sure if OpenCPN will be able to handle AIS over NMEA 2000, or if I have to go for NMEA 0183 to keep OpenCPN compability?


I would really love if any of you who have been in my shoes already would let me know what is the way forward from here?


What has worked for you?

[pa391as]

i have had very good experience with the ShipModul Miniplex. It have Wifi, can act as a Wifi server and a Wifi client on an existing network, which is the way I have it configured. You can connect NMEA2000 and Seatalk, plus NMEA0183. very flexible software for bi-directional routing of NMEA messages.

[wholybee]

The simplest solution (and cheapest if you don't yet have AIS) is to buy an AIS unit with Wifi built in. I very much like the Vesper, but there are many others.

OpenCPN will connect to it and display AIS, SOG, COG, and if you connect your instruments to the AIS via nmea2000 or nmea0183 (many AIS units have connections for both) you will get those as well. You would need a converter for seatalk to connect that up.

All of this will also work with Navionics on a tablet as well.

[jallis]

Thank you both for your feedback.


I had actually settled on the Vesper XB-8000 smartAIS, but as I were about to order I was told by the importer that Vesper was bought by Garmin, who killed the Vesper brand and stopped all production of the Vesper products


My main concern is:


Can I go with NMEA 2000 or do I have to stay with NMEA 0183 for OpenCPN compability on the wifi part?

[MattStibbs]

Another vote for the ShipModul MiniPlex if you want a very capable NMEA multiplexer, router etc.

My own plan is to upgrade my AIS receiver to an EM-Trak Transponder at some point - they seem to have a great reputation and best feature to cost balance that I can find.

Originally Posted by jallis

Thank you both for your feedback.

Can I go with NMEA 2000 or do I have to stay with NMEA 0183 for OpenCPN compability on the wifi part?

Regarding NMEA 0183 - NMEA data over wifi is always* transmitted using NMEA 0183, and that's what Navionics on your tablet will be expecting. NMEA 2000 is great for connecting wired devices that support it, but when you're starting to share the data with tablets and OpenCPN etc NMEA 0183 is the standard used.

Many AIS transponders will output both NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000, but the ShipModul devices will also handle these conversions for you and there are several models that have different capabilities around that.

* I'm sure someone will have an edge case where NMEA 2000 is used over wifi, but it isn't the norm and it won't be 'out the box'

[hpeer]

I also have a C-80 and an older AIS transponder.

I bought a Yacht Devices YDNR which connects original SeaTalk to NEMA 0183 (2 ports) to NEMA 2000. I have an Android phone running OpenCPN, and AquaMap, I have an iPhone running iNavex and AquaMap.

It all works all at the same time.

You need to setup OCPN to talk to the AIS. Some folks here talked me through. A little confusing, not intuitive to the non-initiated, but not terrible.

I have been happy with the YDNR as a universial translator to/from WIFI. Power is provided by the NEMA 2000 network. So if you have no NEMA 2000 you need to add a power stub. Relatively cheap and simple.

https://www.yachtd.com/products/wifi_router.html

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by hpeer

I also have a C-80 and an older AIS transponder.

I bought a Yacht Devices YDNR which connects original SeaTalk to NEMA 0183 (2 ports) to NEMA 2000. I have an Android phone running OpenCPN, and AquaMap, I have an iPhone running iNavex and AquaMap.

It all works all at the same time.

You need to setup OCPN to talk to the AIS. Some folks here talked me through. A little confusing, not intuitive to the non-initiated, but not terrible.

I have been happy with the YDNR as a universial translator to/from WIFI. Power is provided by the NEMA 2000 network. So if you have no NEMA 2000 you need to add a power stub. Relatively cheap and simple.

https://www.yachtd.com/products/wifi_router.html

We also use a Yacht Devices unit to broadcast via WiFi all of our Seatalk network data, including AIS. Ours is the YDWG-02R https://www.yachtd.com/products/wifi_gateway.html and simply plugs into a SeatalkNG terminal. We’ve set it up so that it’s a client of our existing boat WiFi network, but if you don’t already have a network it can be set up as an access point, creating its own WiFi network.

For OpenCPN and any other app you configure a TCP or UDP connection on the port you configure in the YDWG. That provides your apps my not only AIS data but also GPS and all the other data on your Seatalk network such as wind, depth, speed, etc.

If you’re buying a new AIS transponder consider getting an AIS B+ unit that transmits at 5W rather than 2W. Like this one https://www.raymarine.com/ais/ais700.html or these https://digitalyacht.com.au/product-...-transponders/.

[chris in SG]

"I had actually settled on the Vesper XB-8000 smartAIS, but as I were about to order I was told by the importer that Vesper was bought by Garmin, who killed the Vesper brand and stopped all production of the Vesper products"

Is this true? I know they are pushing the new "Cortex" products, but I desperately hope they don't stop producing the Watchmate Vision 2 which is my favourite piece of equipment. My unit won't last forever, and I worry that I won't be able to replace it.

[ChristianV]

Originally Posted by jallis

Thank you both for your feedback.

My main concern is:

Can I go with NMEA 2000 or do I have to stay with NMEA 0183 for OpenCPN compability on the wifi part?

Some devices, like Quark A034, can convert NMEA 2000 PGNs to be NMEA 0183 format and transfer over WiFi or USB which OpenPCN accept.

[stevead]

From the original post

I have added an Android tablet running OpenCPN as my main plotter.

To the best of my knowledge as there is no physical way to directly connect a NMEA 2000 network directly to an Android tablet (CAN Bus adapter, USB Gateway such as Actisense NGT-1 etc.) you are limited to receiving AIS data using NMEA 183 over WiFi.

Can I go with NMEA 2000 or do I have to stay with NMEA 0183 for OpenCPN compability on the wifi part?

From an OpenCPN on Android perspective, it doesn't matter but you need to ensure that whatever solution you purchase has WiFi capability and can transmit AIS data as NMEA 183 over WiFi.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by ChristianV

Some devices, like Quark A034, can convert NMEA 2000 PGNs to be NMEA 0183 format and transfer over WiFi or USB which OpenPCN accept.

Yacht Devices have similar WiFi units. I am using a YDNR to transmit RM SeaTalk depth data, and NEMA 0183 AIS data and NASA wind, to an iPhone (AquaMaps & iNavEx) and to an Android (AquaMaps & OFPN). The YDNR also has a NEMA 2000 connection, I am not using, except as a stub for power feed.

So far so good.

Just another option.