Help needed in Guernsey - two bits of computer stuff to get us home safely

TwoHooter

TwoHooter

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We are in Guernsey. Our PC-based plotter is a Vasari PC running OpenCPN - sadly after 7 years excellent service it failed en route. The weather was perfect, we always carry paper charts, and there were 2 sources of GPS position on board, so we carried on safely. But we now have to plan our return passage and I want to have a means of calculating the CPA of the big ships. We have radar but I will really miss the assistance which an electronic CPA display provides.

I have a mini computer which I think I can rig to replace the Ship's PC but it only has 3 USB ports of which 2 will be taken up by the NMEA0183 connections and the third by the Visit My Harbour chartstick. That leaves me with nowhere to plug in the wireless dongle for the keyboard and mouse.

I need either:
1. a 2-way USB splitter, or
2. an adapter from female USB type2 to male USB type C.
I have not been able to find such things - does anyone know where they might be available here?
 
TwoHooter said:
We are in Guernsey. Our PC-based plotter is a Vasari PC running OpenCPN - sadly after 7 years excellent service it failed en route. The weather was perfect, we always carry paper charts, and there were 2 sources of GPS position on board, so we carried on safely. But we now have to plan our return passage and I want to have a means of calculating the CPA of the big ships. We have radar but I will really miss the assistance which an electronic CPA display provides.

I have a mini computer which I think I can rig to replace the Ship's PC but it only has 3 USB ports of which 2 will be taken up by the NMEA0183 connections and the third by the Visit My Harbour chartstick. That leaves me with nowhere to plug in the wireless dongle for the keyboard and mouse.

I need either:
1. a 2-way USB splitter, or
2. an adapter from female USB type2 to male USB type C.
I have not been able to find such things - does anyone know where they might be available here?
Click to expand...
Arcadia Express, South Side, St Sampson

Arcadia Express – Computer Shop
 
They're very helpful and friendly. I use them all the time.

Failing that (and closer if you are in St Peter Port), is Soundtrack, directly in front of the Town Church door. They are more hi-fi and mobile phone oriented.
 
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You should be able to use Amazon next day deliver to get one delivered to the marina too if you don't want to hunt and it can wait until tomorrow to get all the USBs in place?

As a plan B, if the mini computer doesn't pan out, I presume those other two sources of GPS you have on board are probably smart phones? Garmins Boating app (as was Navionics) is excellent and does now provide CPA so long as you have NMEA data being fed to it by WIFI. Something like this will provide you iPad / iPhone with AIS data. Very simple to fit, but appreciate as you are on cruise you probably don't want to start pulling your boat apart.

https://www.force4.co.uk/item/Digit...wo9ZjEhCq9Y50vQ0mswMPK7mD2zYMNMYaAotWEALw_wcB

Boat Beacon is a great app where you have 4G or other forms of internet (4G travelling a surprising distance out to sea).
 
MagicalArmchair said:
You should be able to use Amazon next day deliver to get one delivered to the marina too if you don't want to hunt and it can wait until tomorrow to get all the USBs in place?

As a plan B, if the mini computer doesn't pan out, I presume those other two sources of GPS you have on board are probably smart phones? Garmins Boating app (as was Navionics) is excellent and does now provide CPA so long as you have NMEA data being fed to it by WIFI. Something like this will provide you iPad / iPhone with AIS data. Very simple to fit, but appreciate as you are on cruise you probably don't want to start pulling your boat apart.

Digital Yacht WLN10SM Smart NMEA to WiFi Gateway

Boat Beacon is a great app where you have 4G or other forms of internet (4G travelling a surprising distance out to sea).
Click to expand...
Thanks. I didn't realise Amazon do next day here.

The sources of GPS position which are still displayed are on a Furuno GP-32 (obsolete but works well) and an ICOM VHF - I'm not able to configure either of these to feed GPS data electronically, To get here I just noted positions from the GP-32, transferred them to the paper chart, and logged my progress the old fashioned way. Actual steering continues to be by the autopilot which still works, using AUTO instead of NAV. In good visibility I'd be quite content to continue like that - I navigated for years before GPS existed - but the big ship traffic at the end of the separation zone is so dense that I feel most uncomfortable without knowing CPAs. I found it extremely hard to predict those after the Nav computer failed.

If I buy any new hardware (apart from leads, adapters etc.) I'll probably buy a small self-contained plotter with its own GPS & AIS receivers. Our AIS transmitter is still working OK.
 
TwoHooter said:
Thanks. I didn't realise Amazon do next day here.

The sources of GPS position which are still displayed are on a Furuno GP-32 (obsolete but works well) and an ICOM VHF - I'm not able to configure either of these to feed GPS data electronically, To get here I just noted positions from the GP-32, transferred them to the paper chart, and logged my progress the old fashioned way. Actual steering continues to be by the autopilot which still works, using AUTO instead of NAV. In good visibility I'd be quite content to continue like that - I navigated for years before GPS existed - but the big ship traffic at the end of the separation zone is so dense that I feel most uncomfortable without knowing CPAs. I found it extremely hard to predict those after the Nav computer failed.

If I buy any new hardware (apart from leads, adapters etc.) I'll probably buy a small self-contained plotter with its own GPS & AIS receivers. Our AIS transmitter is still working OK.
Click to expand...
Quite right, they do not do next day where you are (which I find strangely reassuring!) - guess it is back to hunting the high streets! Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
I have used a two port Yakka to provide all of my nmea information by wifi to any WiFi capable equipment on board. This gives me a back up if my main plotter fails. I actually think the Opencpn display for collision avoidance on my tablet is better than on the cp.
TwinYakker
 
Boathook said:
Could use a handbearing compass to monitor the angle between yourself and the ships. If angle doesn't change you are on a collision course !
Click to expand...
I have both a hand bearing compass and a binocular with integral backlit compass. I can also watch the radar and even use my chinagraph pencil to draw a line on the screen. Both I and crew are adept at spotting fixed bearings of possible conflicts. We have done this together for 35 years at sea and in the air. But I don't think that is enough when you cross the end of the TSS because there can be multiple ships changing course as they approach or exit the lanes, some at 20kts or more, or even (in one case) agreeing over the VHF to alter course contrary to Rule 14. The trouble with traditional means of navigation of a small vessel in these circumstances is that one ends up giving everything such a wide berth that one is making constant alterations of heading and speed, contrary to Rule 17, even when one is (at least in theory) the stand on vessel. The Colregs only work if everyone does what they are supposed to do and a motorboat zig-zagging across the paths of multiple merchantmen is a recipe for confusion, not safety. With AIS and a program like OpenCPN the skipper has an excellent source of information and my practice is to maintain my course at all times and adjust my speed if necessary to avoid conflicts unless I am the give way vessel and a change of course is essential..

For what it's worth I have decided that if I cannot provide myself with a source of CPA data we will return to the UK via a route which lets us cross the TSS at right angles, in accordance with rule 10. I think this will be safer than trying to cross at either end as we did on Friday. The screenshot shows what the situation looked like before the PC failed.

https://flic.kr/p/2reYDap
 
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TwoHooter said:
We are in Guernsey. Our PC-based plotter is a Vasari PC running OpenCPN - sadly after 7 years excellent service it failed en route. The weather was perfect, we always carry paper charts, and there were 2 sources of GPS position on board, so we carried on safely. But we now have to plan our return passage and I want to have a means of calculating the CPA of the big ships. We have radar but I will really miss the assistance which an electronic CPA display provides.

I have a mini computer which I think I can rig to replace the Ship's PC but it only has 3 USB ports of which 2 will be taken up by the NMEA0183 connections and the third by the Visit My Harbour chartstick. That leaves me with nowhere to plug in the wireless dongle for the keyboard and mouse.

I need either:
1. a 2-way USB splitter, or
2. an adapter from female USB type2 to male USB type C.
I have not been able to find such things - does anyone know where they might be available here?
Click to expand...
If all you need is additional USB ports, then the gadget you need is a USB hub.

Usually the ones with up to 4 ports can be powered by the PC (especially if you only use a couple of ports), but sometimes they can have external power supply which may not be straightforward so don't go nuts and get one with loads of ports until you understand the power requirements!
 
TwoHooter said:
I have both a hand bearing compass and a binocular with integral backlit compass. I can also watch the radar and even use my chinagraph pencil to draw a line on the screen. Both I and crew are adept at spotting fixed bearings of possible conflicts. We have done this together for 35 years at sea and in the air. But I don't think that is enough
Click to expand...
I'm DOOMED
 
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