Android Chart Plotter supporting AIS?

[Arida]

Hi,

I think I have investigated all of the Android Chart plotter programs (Navionics, Memory Map, Jeppson, Marine Plotter) and it seems that none of them support plotting of AIS Targets in the Android version.

Does anyone know differently?

Many Thanks,

Rob

 

[ianfr]

The problem is that Android has very little support for USB/Serial devices.
Until that is addressed who would bother I am afraid.

Regards

Ian

 

[Arida]

The problem is that Android has very little support for USB/Serial devices.
Until that is addressed who would bother I am afraid.

Regards

Ian

I guessed someone might say that. But I believe ALL Android devices have WiFi and many (all phones but not some cheap tablets) have Bluetooth.

For Apple devices, Digital Yacht produce a WiFi AIS receiver (iAIS - http://www.digitalyacht.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=11657) - as far as I can work out the only thing stopping this being used on Andriod is lack of application support.

And for those who already have AIS receivers, a Wi-Fi NMEA server is certainly a possibilty - either commercially from Digital Yacht or others, or homebrewed for less than £50.

Regards,

Rob

 

[markdj]

There are a number of apps which require you to have a nmea to wifi converter that support displaying AIS data or NMEA data from wifi.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stentec.easyAIS

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dk.letscreate.droidAIS

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dk.letscreate.aRegatta

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Comar have the most versatile MMEA to wifi device which also acts as a hard wire multiplexer.

 

[Arida]

There are a number of apps which require you to have a nmea to wifi converter that support displaying AIS data or NMEA data from wifi.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stentec.easyAIS

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dk.letscreate.droidAIS

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dk.letscreate.aRegatta

Thanks for this. Driod AIS looks quite good - heading towards being a full GPS chart plotter with AIS functionalty. Only downside from a UK prospective might be the use of OpenSeaMap charts - last time I looked the UK charts did not look too great.

 

[Arida]

Yes, the Comar Multiplexerlooks quite good. Strage limitation that it can only connect to one wireless device at once, at least according to the datasheet, but at least there is a multiplexed 38,400 NMEA output which could go to a laptop via a USB dongle or similar.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Yes, the Comar Multiplexerlooks quite good. Strage limitation that it can only connect to one wireless device at once, at least according to the datasheet, but at least there is a multiplexed 38,400 NMEA output which could go to a laptop via a USB dongle or similar.

Apparently now connects to multiple receive devices but only one device to send back.

 

[Martin_J]

A couple more Android Apps that display AIS data and targets include 'Sail Tracker Polar NMEA' by Iacobus and 'EasyAis' by Stentec and as mentioned earlier iRegatta.
As for transmitting NMEA (4800 GPS sentences and 38400 AIS sentences) onto Wifi.. If you have a laptop connected to the two NMEA feeds (via cable) then it is not too hard to use it to re-transmit that same data over Wifi.. Then multiple devices e.g. iPads, Androids, laptops etc can all connect via Wifi, at the same time and all receive the feed..
Just the cost of that laptop then which you may already have. No other parts needed!
Check out 'Microsoft Virtual Wifi Miniport Adapter'. It is free and is built into windows.