Wifi GPS/AIS

[Arthur Garfield]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Wouldn't a cellular (gps capable) iPad Air do the same thing? Our's functions as a wifi hotspot on the boat, sophisticated 3D navigation device which works hundreds of miles offshore, weather forecasts, a camera and.... it can even plays music all at the same time.

How does this system you write of function "works hundreds of miles offshore"" ??? ????????
Again-cellular is ONLY line of site-at best 25 miles.
What type of RF ?
Please elucidate.


All the Best

[jibstay]

The GPS capability of the cellular-equipped iPad functions perfectly well outside of cellular signal coverage.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Arthur Garfield

How does this system you write of function "works hundreds of miles offshore"" ??? ????????
Again-cellular is ONLY line of site-at best 25 miles.
What type of RF ?
Please elucidate.


All the Best

Well.... I won't even try to address the level of scepticism leveled by hhmcsv, but I will tell you that we've been using the iPad system offshore along with many thousands of other cruisers for over six years without a problem... Even hundreds of miles offshore.

A significant part of the confusion lies in Apples naming of the cellular iPad. The cellular models are the only ones with a built in gps antenna, so yes... It can be used outside the confines of the cellular system.

AIS is a separate system we have onboard via the vhf antenna, the chart plotter and pc which also runs a very sophisticated Nobeltec navigation program. The pc is then linked to the other devices onboard via wifi and cables.

To sum it up, we sit in the cockpit with our iPads encased in their Lifeproof floating protective cases and view all navigation, AIS, radar and weather data whilst lying on the cockpit cushions. Never needing to head below or get behind the helm.

[Arthur Garfield]

Kenomac,

Thanks for the 411.

How are you receiving WEATHER data through this system when "hundreds of miles offshore" and / or relaxing in cushions???


All the Best

[Arthur Garfield]

Originally Posted by jibstay

The GPS capability of the cellular-equipped iPad functions perfectly well outside of cellular signal coverage.

Well-yes. Any GPS enabled anything should give location anywhere.
Thanks


All the Best

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Arthur Garfield

Kenomac,

Thanks for the 411.

How are you receiving WEATHER data through this system when "hundreds of miles offshore" and / or relaxing in cushions???


All the Best

At present, we need to download the weather data prior to the trip onto the computer and iPad. We have an Icom SSB radiio onboard which I plan to learn about this summer. Thanks to a fellow CF member, I became aware of an iPad app which will enable us to use the SSB radio to download current weather information. We had Weatherfax onboard, but the app looks much easier to use. It listens to the radio signal via the iPad mic, then translates it into weather maps and charts. No need for a pactor modem.

The iPad app is called "HF Fax" by Black Cat Systems, I look forward to giving it a try in about a week. I comes highly recommended by someone who's been using if for three years.

[SailRedemption]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Well.... I won't even try to address the level of scepticism leveled by hhmcsv, but I will tell you that we've been using the iPad system offshore along with many thousands of other cruisers for over six years without a problem... Even hundreds of miles offshore.

A significant part of the confusion lies in Apples naming of the cellular iPad. The cellular models are the only ones with a built in gps antenna, so yes... It can be used outside the confines of the cellular system.

AIS is a separate system we have onboard via the vhf antenna, the chart plotter and pc which also runs a very sophisticated Nobeltec navigation program. The pc is then linked to the other devices onboard via wifi and cables.

To sum it up, we sit in the cockpit with our iPads encased in their Lifeproof floating protective cases and view all navigation, AIS, radar and weather data whilst lying on the cockpit cushions. Never needing to head below or get behind the helm.

Not to drift, but I'm looking at getting the Nobeltec software with a laptop computer for the nav table. Are you using a regular household router for WiFi or using a maretron or Go Free NMEA2000 WiFi deal to send to the ipad?

I already have the ipad, so I was curious. I'm also guessing you're using the ipad Nobeltec app for the repeater information in the cockpit?

- Ronnie...on the geaux

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by SailRedemption

Not to drift, but I'm looking at getting the Nobeltec software with a laptop computer for the nav table. Are you using a regular household router for WiFi or using a maretron or Go Free NMEA2000 WiFi deal to send to the ipad?

I already have the ipad, so I was curious. I'm also guessing you're using the ipad Nobeltec app for the repeater information in the cockpit?

- Ronnie...on the geaux

There's no need to connect the iPad directly to the computer via wifi. Just download the Nobeltec app which is free, then download the carts you need onto the iPad. The European and Mediterranean charts cost around $100... Maybe $150 for the entire Med Spain all the way to Turkey. Then you'll have the same program on the pc and iPad, but the iPad will function... More touch screen friendly. I can add an onboard network if I like to link the iPads and pc, but right now it's not necessary. The pc runs nobeltec continuously while making a passage, while one iPad runs the Nobeltec app and the second iPad runs INavx.

[SailRedemption]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

There's no need to connect the iPad directly to the computer via wifi. Just download the Nobeltec app which is free, then download the carts you need onto the iPad. The European and Mediterranean charts cost around $100... Maybe $150 for the entire Med Spain all the way to Turkey. Then you'll have the same program on the pc and iPad, but the iPad will function... More touch screen friendly. I can add an onboard network if I like to link the iPads and pc, but right now it's not necessary. The pc runs nobeltec continuously while making a passage, while one iPad runs the Nobeltec app and the second iPad runs INavx.

Great, thanks! I was just curious as I have NMEA2000 sensors and wondered if you were also getting that info on the ipad as well.

I'm looking at getting a Dell xps with the touch screen so I'll have both touch and mouse at the nav table. I like your setup, simple.

What do you use for AP? Do you have a chartplotter at the helm to do that or does the Nobeltec software do that for you? I'm only guessing you have a AP so forgive me if I'm wrong.

- Ronnie...on the geaux

[Kenomac]

We have an auto pilot that isn't linked directly to a chart plotter. We need to glance periodically, usually every 10-15 minutes at the iPad in order to check position. It would be easy enough to connect a chart plotter to the auto pilot, but right now we just choose not to do it. With the many obstacles and other ships in the Med, our current system keeps us on our toes.

[sailsunfurled]

Originally Posted by hhmcsv

Over the past year or so I have been experimenting with diffent solutions to provide wifi connection to my on-boat GPS (from Garmin 128) and AIS (from RO4800 VHF) with not much succes.
But now I found this router (vYacht Yacht automation) which for a reasonable investment (USD 148) does what I want .
Installation and setup is more or less plug-and-play, 12V DC supply and two wires from the 38400baud output from the VHF.
So now I can move my Win8.1 PC around the boat and still have Opencpn running with full functionality.

hhmcsv,

You have this running now with OpenCPN? This seems like it may work also as a tool to get the NMEA 2000 data onto OpenCPN in my boat. I went to the vYacht web page and it said it translates all known NMEA 2000 sentences. But, they do not list those translated sentences that it does put on the TCP/IP stream. I think I will write them to see if there is a list. Looking at their GitHub download page, there has been no updates in 2 years. So I wounder how fresh the NMEA 2000 translation info is?

If this does all it say it can do, it would be a better link to OpenCPN than the Actisense unit to speak 0183 to OpenCPN.

[hhmcsv]

@sailsunfurled,

Yes, the unit is up and running. I have mailed some with the man behind the vYacht router and he is pretty helpful.
Unfortunately, I'm caught between generations of NMEA. This spring I have commisioned a new instrument system (Simrad) for log, sounder and compass, and all this is with NMEA2000/Simnet. And apart from being a very beautiful instrumentation, I also got a substantial simplification in the cabling.

My VHF (DSC/AIS) and my GPS (Garmin 128) is sadly only NMEA0183, so to bring GPS and AIS to the PC with Opencpn (and the swedish Seapilot app) I have to use NMEA0183 input.
I also noticed, that the vYacht router can be obtained in a version that will accept NMEA2000 and Seatalk input, but I am not aware of any conversion of these signals ?? - and Opencpn and Seapilot only accepts NMEA0183-signals?

Hans-Henrik

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by hhmcsv

Well no, such a system would not be able to receive AIS-targets.

It can with the $8 usb rtl-sdr dongle. Look for r820t.

Originally Posted by Kenomac

It listens to the radio signal via the iPad mic, then translates it into weather maps and charts. No need for a pactor modem.

The weatherfax plugin for opencpn can do this already. No need for an iPad.


I have revised my "idea" it's a bit more expensive now:

1. odroid-c1 $35
2. usb wifi 1000mW $13
3. usb cell data modem 2g/3g/LTE $20
4. 18dbi gain yagi antenna for wifi and cell modem $15
5. usb gps $20
6. rtlsdr $8
7. upconverter $20
8. 8gb sdcard $4
9. 5v switching regulator $3
10. RC sailboat winch servo $8
11. 3 axis accel/mag/gyro $12
12. waterproof case $5

Total cost $164

What can it DO?

1. GPS
2. AIS A and B simultaneously
3. Automatically scan and track wifi and cell hot spots with high gain antenna. I have already built and tested this concept years ago, and active tracking with directional antennas works really well. Especially with anchorage that has changing tide and wind (I used in la paz and had internet when the other boats could not) or when trying to use underway when tacking.

I had good connection from 3 miles that could not work with a 5dbi dipole from only 1 mile. So range is greatly increased but also just as important, in congested areas like larger ports and cities, you eliminate noise coming from all the other devices from directions you don't want care about.

3. Can listen to any VHF channel as audio (like 16 or weather)
4. Can listen to any SSB channel and receive weatherfax (and with software I don't yet possess navtex)
5. Provides magnetic heading and other seastate data (accels and gyros) which is very useful for any autopilot, but having magnetic heading also allows you to compute leeway (compared to gps heading) and detect better times to tack in straits with strong currents. It would help further to have waterspeed as well...

I build an autopilot using a raspberry pi and very powerful servo motor (connected to a wind vane) as well as a brushless motor with controller to the main rudder already using these sensors, so it is a very small step to make a working autopilot from the above.

Also, simply plugging in an hdmi display to the above gives a chart plotter if the other computers failed.

Either wifi or 3g is then relayed along with all other data received (like weatherfax gps ais etc..) via a local wifi network which is easy to pick up on the boat.

Due to the modular nature using many parts, they can easily be upgraded/replaced individually with minimal cost, and the software being completely free it is possible to create anything without restriction. Keep in mind the software already exists to do everything mentioned (except navtex which shouldn't be hard)

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Wouldn't a cellular (gps capable) iPad Air do the same thing? Our's functions as a wifi hotspot on the boat, sophisticated 3D navigation device which works hundreds of miles offshore, weather forecasts, a camera and.... it can even plays music all at the same time.

With any device (iPad or whatever), you want the following:

- data feeds into the device,
- data flow from the device (inbuilt GPS, e.g.),
- data-to-wifi software on the device,
- AP on the device, capable of UDP,

Do you have the above on iPad Air?

b.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

With any device (iPad or whatever), you want the following:

- data feeds into the device,
- data flow from the device (inbuilt GPS, e.g.),
- data-to-wifi software on the device,
- AP on the device, capable of UDP,

Do you have the above on iPad Air?

b.

I don't know, but somehow.... I've been able to get from point A to point B quite easily over the past 6 years with just a simple IPad. Nearly everyone we've met while out cruising is doing the same thing. Cellular IPad = simplicity.