Is there a software package for NMEA displays on laptop?

[geoid96]

You could try this one:
http://www.navtec.de/english/nmea_mon.htm

 

[FullCircle]

I would like to repeat my Log/Depth/Wind/GPS info into a laptop display.

Does anyone know of a software package that has a nice front end to show this information?

Obviously will bring the NMEA in via an RS232 or a USB port as required.

Thanks

 

[geoid96]

Another free one:
http://www.polarnavy.com/main/prod2

 

[syfuga]

NMEA display

NavMonPC.

http://www.navmonpc.com

Developed by Paul Elliott as a bit of a hobby, and available as a free download.

Excellent AIS functionality, anchor watch, and alarms.

 

[exfinnsailor]

Hmmmmmm ..

So hows that work ..

Answer then Question ..

Is there any software for a MAC ..

 

[geoid96]

Is there any software for a MAC ..

http://www.polarnavy.com/main/prod2 comes in versions for both MAC and Windows.

 

[FullCircle]

Excellent replies so far. Any more?

 

[tillergirl]

There is this

http://www.aggsoft.com/nmea-data-logger.htm

but it costs a little. Doesn't do the pretty pictures but can automatically dump selected data into a spreadsheet

 

[BruceDanforth]

Or http://javanmea.sourceforge.net/ provides low level java routines that you could roll your own solution with.

 

[FullCircle]

Or http://javanmea.sourceforge.net/ provides low level java routines that you could roll your own solution with.

If only I were that clever.....

 

[dunedin]

Dumb user test

So just tried to install 3 of these on a netbook running XP to display data from a USB dongle.

Results so far

1) NavMonPC - very easy installation, simple easy to use interface, looks promising - BUT in spite of easy to understand comms settings not manged to get to speak to GPS - just shows "fault" and not found any diagnostics. Will persevere

2) Navtec.de / NMEA Mon - over complex installation, lots of zip files, and when started gave a comms connection page unlike anything I have seen before and no help available. Unless you have a joint degree in German and Computing, or better luck than me (not an IT expert, only worked in the trade for 20+ years) then avoid

3) PolarCom - link didn't directly work but that will be at their site. Quickly found the download which was simple. But starting programme does nothing - no screen appears

So not able to display naything yet, but so far would recommend starting with NavMonPC as other than my GPS settings the rest seems OK

 

[brak]

So just tried to install 3 of these on a netbook running XP to display data from a USB dongle.



3) PolarCom - link didn't directly work but that will be at their site. Quickly found the download which was simple. But starting programme does nothing - no screen appears

So not able to display naything yet, but so far would recommend starting with NavMonPC as other than my GPS settings the rest seems OK

As a software simian behind PolarView/PolarCOM/PolarIS I'd like to chime in.

- PolarCOM is not the entire product, rather it is a GPS instrumentation and NMEA communication application. To get chart/live GPS/ship view you need both PolarCOM and PolarView, as well as "Core Navigation License" - all together they comprise real time navigation application (known as PolarIS).

- PolarCOM is a "kind of" a service. As such, when you run it - it starts in "system tray", where you should see a small "blue globe" icon. You can reach PolarCOM options by right-clicking on that icon. Presumably user would launch PolarCOM once and just keep it there, in tray, for as long as computer is up - while the chart/ship viewer can be started and shut down as convenient, to save battery and free up CPU for other things.

- Quick start guide (here is the link to Windows version) has a bit more detail, in particular on configuring serial ports and adding instrument dials: http://www.polarnavy.com/files/help/pvhelp_w.html
In addition, there is a short write-up on PolarIS installation on my blog here: http://polarnavy.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/polaris-installation/


P.S. I'd be very interested in any feedback you may have on using PolarView & Co on a netbook.

 

[Neil]

I found that PolarCOM didn't recognise the bluetooth RS-232 serial input on the Mac as a serial port. It works fine with GPSNavX's GPS utility

 

[brak]

Neil,

PolarCOM should work with any serial device on MacOS. If you are interested in debugging this issue, please contact me directly by email (use http://www.polarnavy.com/feedback or address link on the same page) and I will be glad to try and resolve the issue.

I found that PolarCOM didn't recognise the bluetooth RS-232 serial input on the Mac as a serial port. It works fine with GPSNavX's GPS utility

 

[whipper_snapper]

I found that PolarCOM didn't recognise the bluetooth RS-232 serial input on the Mac as a serial port. It works fine with GPSNavX's GPS utility

I have recently realised that, in general mac/unix/linux hardware interface is orders of magnitude easier and more stable than windows equivalents. BUT the downside of the much simpler system, is that you sometimes need a little poking around to see what the device is called and point the program at it.

open a terminal window and type ls /dev/tty*

This lists all the devices, look for the sometimes weird and wonderful name the device has been assigned, and point the program to it.
eg /dev/tty.SerialPort-3

 

[dunedin]

Brac - thanks for the information about the PolarCom suite

Don't have time to investigate further now but will do so in due course and feedback if anything useful to add

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

NavMonPC.


http://www.navmonpc.com

Developed by Paul Elliott as a bit of a hobby, and available as a free download.

Excellent AIS functionality, anchor watch, and alarms.

Why are the dial displays all backwards in this display?

 

[syfuga]

NavMon

Not sure what you mean, Clyde Wanderer, dials backwards? They are clock wise on mine!

Not sure why serial port configuration should be a problem. If you have a terminal emulator (XP Hyperterm, for example), you could try looking at the data first that way. Or on an off chance download the program again, as Paul has been playing with the serial interface a bit. I downloaded and got the program going literally in a few minutes at anchor - I needed an anchor watch!

 

[brak]

Though quoting oneself is not in particularly good taste, I'd like to mention that a new version of PolarCOM is out and should solve a number of serial port connectivity issues (including the one for which my message was in reply to).

Neil,

PolarCOM should work with any serial device on MacOS. If you are interested in debugging this issue, please contact me directly by email (use http://www.polarnavy.com/feedback or address link on the same page) and I will be glad to try and resolve the issue.

 

[idpnd]

https://sourceforge.net/projects/capcode/ - free software with NMEA dials, grib file display, 3D view, etc

Even calculates speed for the various points of sail (polars).