Android with Navionics ?

[ocean5ail5]

Would like some info from the technology competent sailors here?
My technology understanding isn’t up to the best standard.
Some of the questions I tried to get answers from the chat on Navionics but they were answering in circles never answering what I ask.

1. Planning to get a dedicated android tablet for my Navionics, know it must have internal GPS for position on the big blue ocean, so my understanding is if it has GLONASS, BDS or GAILILEO then it will be able to get position in middle of nowhere.

2. I know you must download the charts for the area you planning to sail for when you offline, tried to find out how much space is needed for storing the charts, sometimes when cruising no places or proper internet to download new charts. Is it possible to download the charts and then store it on external drive or computer and load it again on tabled as you proceed with your voyage?

3. I would also like to receive AIS on tablet. Saw that you can buy AIS Transceivers with Wi-Fi, do you only need this transceiver with the Wi-Fi it gets the AIS targets on Tablet chart screen. So basically only need the AIS Wi-Fi Transceiver and my Tablet.

Thanks for your assistance.

[pdx_sailing]

I am using a samsung Tab with navionics I am adding a Quark-elec ais receiver https://www.quark-elec.com/product/a...-ais-receiver/

this unit has wifi to send ais and gps to the tablet and any other system you have as well.
If you already have your AIS system, you just need a wifi multiplexer like these https://www.quark-elec.com/product-c.../multiplexers/

Digital yacht also makes a few, quark-elec seems to have better cost, shipping was 3 days to west coast of usa.

you should be able to add and external usb drive the tab to if you don't have enough storage for all the charts you want.

[donradcliffe]

I am able to see the Navionics chart files directorie on my phone with Samsung My Files, but my Android skills can't get their combined size. I'm guessing that my charts for Western Mexico, the US west coast, and hawaii take up less than 2 GB.

[sailingharry]

I have downloaded all the navigation charts and sonar charts for the East Coast from Maryland to the Canadian line, the Hudson River and the Erie canal, and the St Lawrence River from Lake Ontario all the way out including the southern portion of Newfoundland and all of Nova Scotia. Android reports that my user data for this app is about 5 gb, I assume most of that is charts.

[sailingharry]

I have a Quark 0183 Wi-Fi multiplexer that sends all of my instrumentation, including GPS and AIS, to my Android devices, including one that does not have internal gps. Navionics picks it all up just fine.

[ocean5ail5]

Thank You Smart Sailors.

So from above replies Tablet with Wi-Fi AIS Transceiver is the way for me.
Also seems storage for charts not taking a lot so a 32GB storage Tablet more than ample.

Thanks Sailors

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by ocean5ail5

Thank You Smart Sailors.

So from above replies Tablet with Wi-Fi AIS Transceiver is the way for me.
Also seems storage for charts not taking a lot so a 32GB storage Tablet more than ample.

Thanks Sailors

storage costs close to nothing, suggest the get the biggest in storage of that model....if its your navigation tablet lots of additional sailing and boat apps will find its way on the tablet and 32GB is nothing nowadays.
be aware that wifi needs much more energie then bluetooth, so the runtime of your tablet will descrease significantly.


I have a BT 10Hz GPS receiver that works with battery and USB connection so I can a) optimse location and b) if boat is out of power I have a full backup system with several power banks to at least survive 4 days. Was my delivery setup together with a yacht devices NMEA to wifi dongle and now used in paralell to my older e7 raymarine MFD.

Also runtime increases a lot if you just use BT. Be aware that most of battery usage is your screen and 2nd the permanent GPS location on your tablet and thats on even your tablet is in flightmode. so you need to figure how to shut it off if possible or just buy a wifi only tablet (my suggestion). The GPS function always comes with the SIM card version.