OPENCPN for Smartphones

[larsed]

Hi!

I was active in this forum, together with a friend a couple of years between 2013/14 - 2017, perhaps once later since then. Then mostly about help in using OpenCPN in Linux PC's and mac, contributing to building instructions for OPENSuse and Slackware. The latter still up I can see. It was also about building AIS-recievers from a TV-USBdongle and also using it for ADS-B for flight identification and positioning.

A couple of years I bought my first so-called Smartphone (a thing I really din't like, think they "call home" to much in an uncontrollable way, never knowing what "home"/developer it called). -Now my first was an Xperia with Android 9. Found it was very easy to find OpenCPN in google play, under that name. Installed it and got the BSB charts I'd bought from the swedish agent Soltek and downloaded those I used most from my Linux-computer. Also managed to download the waypoints, routes et c-Worked all right.

Now, A couple a days ago I bought my first new IPhone SE from 2020, built on Iphone 8. Now looking for OpenCPN in AppStore was harder. I got a few other suggestions, "SEAig"(?), "VNC Viewer by RealVNC"... Nothing I quite recognized or wanted to try. VNC-computing I know what it is and have used configuring my server, but is nothing for me here. When I use OpenCPN in my iPhone I won't have a computer onboard.
-Can You help me out here? I know some of You are very skilled with smartphones.

And while I'm still on this skilled forum, does anyone have an idea of where I could find the Gallileo systems apps "GallileoPVT" and "GNSS Compare"?
The first for connecting to the European(?) Gallileo satellites, the second for comparing the accurateness of the American military GPS and European publicly financed Gallileo GPS. The app names I mention are the ones used in Android.

My best regards
Lars

[CarCode]

There is no OpenCPN version for the iOS operating system available. iPhone and iPad uses this OS. Other smartphones usually uses Android as OS and this you have with your Xperia. I don't know which smartphones are able to use multiple GNSS.

[bcn]

From https://www.gsa.europa.eu/sites/defa...crosta_esa.pdf it looks that GallileoPVT is an Android App only.


A list of Gallileo enabled devices one will find here:
https://www.usegalileo.eu/EN/inner.html#data=smartphone
574 models listed.

[250224]

Hi Lars,

I can't help with the iPhone Galileo/OpenCPN question but maybe this "creative three-step-solution" is something for you:

1. sell the iPhone
2. get again an Xperia 10 or XA2
3. as you are [Swedish] you can buy a [SailfishX] license from Jolla and put it on an Xperia XA2/10. Sailfish comes with an up-to-date Android (9) emulator where, I strongly suppose, you can install OpenCPN.

Nothing against iPhones (nice devices) but considering your remarks I suppose a smartphone which is neither closed down nor calls home might be your sweet spot. There are quite severe disadvantages with app availability but with the Android emulator it is perfectly ok (the Play Store is not supported (by choice) but some companies, e.g. [Threema], provide/sell the .apk files directly).

--
[Swedish]: SailfishX is (currently) only available in Europe. I suppose it is because Jolla is a small company and cannot or does not want to afford the certification costs for US etc.
[SailfishX]: https://jolla.com/sailfishX/
[Jolla]: https://jolla.com/
[Threema]: https://shop.threema.ch/

[CarCode]

I do not recommend a smartphone for navigation because usually the screen is too small. Minimum get a tablet or even better a laptop. Professionels use a 21" screen for ECDIS.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by CarCode

I do not recommend a smartphone for navigation because usually the screen is too small. Minimum get a tablet or even better a laptop. Professionels use a 21" screen for ECDIS.

From your past posts, you seem not a fan of OpenCPN on Android.

In contrast, we are fans of both PC and Android OpenCPN.

Indeed, a smartphones' screen is pretty small (but they're getting larger) for major navigation. We normally use our tablet.

BUT: (i) we find OpenCPN on smartphone in our dinghy to be very handy, and (ii) on the big boat, in more familiar waters, while we rely primarily on our Furuno chartplotter with CMAP, we keep our android smartphone at binnacle for quick/double checks. Again, very handy.

I could see a small-boat sailor/cruiser using a smartphone.

[Hakan]

Lars..
Just for info:
I recently bought a Android OnePlus Nord N100 and to my surprise and satisfaction the inbound GNSS receiver does use all available satellite system. The position fix is calculated from the "the best" in view so the choice of system is nothing you have to care about.
The NMEA GSV message can be used if you would like to see what's in view. One example at the picture here: https://github.com/OpenCPN/OpenCPN/pull/2159

[larsed]

Thank You all for all Your nice and friendly suggestions and comments! Assure You they are not out of line! Yes, I sail and live in Sweden. Yusually navigate with an 19 eeePC and Garmin GPS. And my decision to switch from Android -> iOS is defintive. I've run Android for 4 years now and I'm quite tired of it's special ways of behaviour.
On the 19" eeePC of course I run Open OpenCPN in a Windows and Debian OS respectively. The Debian for being able to run the AIS-connection through GnuRadio.


The problem with the eeePC is that I sail a 110 year old 6mR yacht, and my sailing is sometimes quite wet.



My best regards
Lars