PredictWind DataHub - Reviews?

[TopherTO]

Hello! Anyone have any experience with the PredictWind DataHub? I know it's fairly new, so just wondering if anyone out there has purchased it and care to share their experiences.

It looks like exactly what I need, but I don't want to be the first one... LOL.

Chris.

[Messing About]

I believe this is what ArmySailor used in his first solo off shore trip from the Chesapeake around Bermuda and back. You can read the thread by searching for Test#1 by ArmySailor

[TopherTO]

Originally Posted by Messing About

I believe this is what ArmySailor used in his first solo off shore trip from the Chesapeake around Bermuda and back. You can read the thread by searching for Test#1 by ArmySailor

Thanks... but no, that thread is talking about PredictWind the weather routing service. Not the Datahub hardware I'm referring to.

[jeremy.s]

I have a DataHub and just finished a two week trip with it. So far it works as advertised.

I just purchased a boat with very limited electronics so I wanted it for the following:

• WiFi Router
• Broadcast GPS position so I can use Navioinics on my tablet.
• GPS Tracking

I used it as a WiFi router using a Hotspot plugged in via usb and ethernet from Starlink. I only plugged in one source at a time and has no issues.

On a 40 foot boat the wifi signal seemed a little weak. I had it mounted in the aft stateroom and it wouldn't broadcast a signal to the bow of the boat. I'll move it to a more central location in the future.

The admin UI is fairly basic but it had the functionality I needed.

Worked great for broadcasting GPS position to the tablet.

No issues with GPS tracking. It can save a log of GPS position and NMEA data that can be downloaded. I don't have mine connected to NMEA2k yet.

[FreedomNZ]

We've had one for about 2 months now while sailing around NZ & Fiji and it works well. It means we don't need to keep the IridiumGo running for our GPS tracker page, which saves us $$$.

The wifi hub works well and beats some of the network controls that limit which devices can connect and allows devices to download data, where a direct connection prevents stops that.

The wifi sharing of boat data and AIS saved us on the trip from NZ to Fiji when our B&G plotter died and we had no display for the AIS or NMEA 2000 data. We manage to setup Open CPN to give us that data.

[jc1409]

I’ve been using for awhile now.

I use it as a WiFi router for all of my onboard devices that need internet - Victron cerbo, B&G mfds, smart TV, iPads, etc. nice to have these all set to connect to the datahub for WiFi. Nice to have these WiFi setting ‘fixed’.

I then have a dedicated iPhone tethered to the datahub that provides internet service (or I can connect the datahub to local WiFi if available).

I use it for tracking online to share with family/friends through PredictWind tracking page - note it stores and sends tracking updates from nmea data (or built in gps) but it only sends updates when it has an internet connection. So if you are offshore without internet and want to give real time updates to tracking, need to use iridium go or other satellite tracker.

It transmits ais for use by WiFi - eg Navionics app can use.

It has a function to gather boat data (wind, speed, etc) and develop boat polar data but I haven’t played with this yet.

So far I like it for ‘relatively’ low ish cost.

[SV Coronado]

This thread is now a year old. Does anyone using the PredictWind Datahub have an updated review?

I'm primarily interested in using it with Starlink.

[TopherTO]

Originally Posted by SV Coronado

This thread is now a year old. Does anyone using the PredictWind Datahub have an updated review?

I'm primarily interested in using it with Starlink.

I was the original poster asking about this. I purchased it a year ago.

IMO, it's OKAY, at best. And I wouldn't recommend it to most people.

My main reason for purchasing it was so that I could share my phone's SIM card data via a wifi network. Doing this was an absolute pain in the arse. I had to fight with it for 15 minutes every time just to get the network going. I absolutely hated it.

Then I bought Starlink and all those pains went away.

After getting Starlink, I tried using Starlink through the DataHub, but found that the speed was slower compared to just using Starlink on its own. So now I still use the DataHub as a separate network which is somewhat useful for accessing my NMEA network data on apps like NMEAremote.

For boat tracking, it worked fairly well, but I've had to stop doing it because it requires the ridiculously expensive PredictWind Standard Subscription which I couldn't justify continuing to use. So that's out the window.

The hardware quality is absolute garbage. It's cheap and fragile. The status lights are completely useless. You can never tell what it's trying to tell you. The light colours bleed through the cheap plastic and you can't tell what light is what. It's just awful.

So the net of it is that I only ever use it just to broadcast my NMEA data wirelessly. That's it.

[SV Coronado]

Originally Posted by TopherTO

For boat tracking, it worked fairly well, but I've had to stop doing it because it requires the ridiculously expensive PredictWind Standard Subscription which I couldn't justify continuing to use. So that's out the window.

I'm interested in using it primarily for PredictWind tracking. What do you use for tracking instead of the DataHub?

[TopherTO]

Originally Posted by SV Coronado

I'm interested in using it primarily for PredictWind tracking. What do you use for tracking instead of the DataHub?

Yeah, good question. I use Garmin Inreach. It's unfortunate, because I really like the PredictWind tracking... if only PW's prices were manageable. 🤷*♂️

[Cheyne]

I like ours. We use it for tracking and I have the AIS turned on also.

Cheyne

[Windpilot]

I use the PW data hub, broadcast with the go exec wifi. It works. have starlink also but the exec power draw is so minimal so its on 24/7 just for the data hub.
But, I cannot get it to broadcast my wind speed and wind direction. It's hooked up though.

[Mogle]

Originally Posted by TopherTO

I was the original poster asking about this. I purchased it a year ago.

IMO, it's OKAY, at best. And I wouldn't recommend it to most people.

The hardware quality is absolute garbage. It's cheap and fragile. The status lights are completely useless. You can never tell what it's trying to tell you. The light colours bleed through the cheap plastic and you can't tell what light is what. It's just awful.

So the net of it is that I only ever use it just to broadcast my NMEA data wirelessly. That's it.

I just purchased it and got it delivered before the weekend. Now trying to set it up at home. If I had seen your post before purchase - I would have continued looking for alternatives. I agree with you about the flashing lights - it is just awful.

I should be careful criticising the product. It has not impressed me. First description in the manual is not correct. The print screen and the steps given in the manual is not what I got on my screen. I expected a better quality from PredicWind, a company and service I have used and admired for many years.

[Cheyne]

I haven’t notice the lights, but ours is mounted inside a wall where can’t see it.

What problem are you having with the manual? I don’t get what you are saying. The first actual page is about powering up the unit. We hard wired ours up to 12v.

My only problem that I have had was setting the wired Ethernet to a static IP. I needed the Super Admin account, but didn’t know that one existed. PW Support was great and got me the info I needed. Our only interaction with the unit is through our tracking page now doing updates for family/friends who we have given the link to.

Cheyne

[Mogle]

Originally Posted by Cheyne

What problem are you having with the manual?

Cheyne

The manual itself is ok. The problem comes when you compare the manual with the actual product. It does not match. Print screens and menu selections are incorrect.

One example is page 34 - "Changing the WiFi SSID and Securing with a Password". Reading the manual, simply enough.

Following the manual, select Service, Settings, and WiFi. It stops there. The print screen is incorrect. The next step is an EDIT button. It does not exist. There is nothing called WiFi Access Point Hotspot, General or ESSID when playing around with the product.

This is just one example. I don't mind minor differences. As new software releases develop, things will change. The difference here is beyond that.