live depth readings onto you plotter

[gjgm]

Edit Your plotter..sorry...

now this is cool...
The Navionic’s iOS and Android app has proved incredibly popular with boaters throughout the world and it’s now just introduced some game changing features.

The Miami Boatshow 2015 saw Navionics pick up the Innovation Award for their new Sonar Chart Live platform and the best news is that it’s designed for and compatible with our wireless NMEA devices – like AquaWear, WLN10 and NavLink.

The new version allows NMEA depth and GPS data to be integrated into the app allowing iOS devices (like iPads without the GPS feature) to utilise boat data when connected through a Digital Yacht NMEA-Wireless server. Even if your iPad has GPS (the 3G/4G models), you’ll benefit from enhanced accuracies from your boat’s systems, better battery life and reception below decks – so your iPad really will be an integrated part of the boat navigation network.

But here’s the real plus….

Navionics can now record depth information from your NMEA connected instruments, depth sounder or fish-finder allowing a real time depth contour to be built onto your chart. When connected to a WLN10 (details HERE), depth data is streamed to the app and shows an updated depth contour onto the detailed chart.

Watch the depth contours updated on you chart as you cruise. Installation is easy – just like this via a simple 2 wire NMEA 0183 connection:

 

[Bandit]

Is this actual depth of water under your boat or is tide taken into affect and worked back to datum?

 

[prv]

Is this actual depth of water under your boat or is tide taken into affect and worked back to datum?

You'd hope the latter, otherwise it'd be completely useless. Though it would presumably be using predictions, and they can still be out by a foot or two...

Pete

 

[mlines]

Its live data.....this is from the 2014 press release...its now for sale on Android in the UK and the SonarPhone sender is around $149 dollars (which will be £150!)

"Any Navionics Boating, Marine, or Marine & Lakes
app currently on the market can be updated with
SonarPhone functionality, scheduled for mid-August
release on the iTunes App Store for use on iPhone and
iPad. This enables the app to display data received from
a SonarPhone T-BOX WiFi transmitter, which is a device
that must be purchased separately."

http://www.navionics.com/en/sonarphone

 

[gjgm]

You'd hope the latter, otherwise it'd be completely useless. Though it would presumably be using predictions, and they can still be out by a foot or two...

Pete

I had thought the idea was to update the contours to live depths as it were, but I am now reading it again and wondering if it just "creates" a new contour line where you have just been with your live depth readings- which would seem pointless....
Edit.. just seen the next reply.. I just reloaded navionics onto a tablet yesterday and I did see here was a new sonar app, but didn't know what it did apart from empty my wallet.

 

[prv]

I had thought the idea was to update the contours to live depths as it were, but I am now reading it again and wondering if it just "creates" a new contour line where you have just been with your live depth readings- which would seem pointless....

They've been banging on about their "sonar charts" for some time. Collected log readings from lots of boats, processed by Navionics and then added to future charts as an additional layer which can be turned on or off as preferred. I guess this latest announcement is just doing it real-time so you can see your own data straight away.

Irrelevant to me as neither of my Navionics-using plotters can handle any of these snazzy features

Pete

 

[Alpha22]

A WiFi AIS overlay would be higher on my wish list.......

 

[kcrane]

They've been banging on about their "sonar charts" for some time. Collected log readings from lots of boats, processed by Navionics and then added to future charts as an additional layer which can be turned on or off as preferred. I guess this latest announcement is just doing it real-time so you can see your own data straight away.

Irrelevant to me as neither of my Navionics-using plotters can handle any of these snazzy features

Pete

The sonar charts (more detailed depth info) are available on the Android app and on A series (and I presume other current Raymarine plotters). I switch to them as I leave the marina, they are useful for fishing and appear noticeably more accurate than the regular charts. However when you switch to them on the A series you get a "Do not navigate with these charts" warning, and indeed, some buoys and marks are missing (e.g. some marks that indicate the Bridge in Plymouth Sound for example). You can update Navionics charts daily now if you want to (if coastal erosion in your area is quicker than SW UK).

 

[kcrane]

A WiFi AIS overlay would be higher on my wish list.......

Interesting point... so long as it had an internet connection (as many tablets will have on coastal passages) then they could access and overlay the same info you get on the web-based AIS monitoring apps.

 

[gjgm]

The sonar charts (more detailed depth info) are available on the Android app

I haven't used the app since last summer..I did not know that.

 

[Hurricane]

The other day, I did reload the Navionics app on my Android and I did click the Sonar button.
All it seemed to do was to create more contour lines over the existing chart thus making it difficult to see exactly where you are.

So, I will continue to "plod on" like a dinosaur - scanning and geo-referencing my own charts and use OpenCPN to run them.
That way, I have complete control over the software and am not reliant on any external input.
But, then again, I'm never completely up to date with the latest technology.

 

[prv]

The sonar charts (more detailed depth info) are available on the Android app and on A series (and I presume other current Raymarine plotters).

Yes - the trouble is that my main plotter is a classic C series, still using the great big Compact Flash cards. I can put current Navionics charts on it, but it ignores any data additional to the standard chart.

The second plotter is more modern, but it's the most basic Lowrance model (intended for small American angling boats) and again it doesn't do anything except basic charts.

I have an old version of the iPhone app, which mostly gets used in the pub, or occasionally from my bunk or the heads if I want to check up on my crew . I don't use it for navigation as such, so I haven't bothered with getting a current version. I don't want to try updating it as it will probably disappear! It only cost 99p on a deal they were doing at the time...

You can update Navionics charts daily now if you want to (if coastal erosion in your area is quicker than SW UK).

I don't quite go as far as daily, but I do keep a "Freshest Data" sub and update the plotter cards a couple of times during the season when I remember.

Pete

 

[kcrane]

Yes - the trouble is that my main plotter is a classic C series, still using the great big Compact Flash cards. I can put current Navionics charts on it, but it ignores any data additional to the standard chart.

I don't quite go as far as daily, but I do keep a "Freshest Data" sub and update the plotter cards a couple of times during the season when I remember.

Pete

Yep, I have a C80 too, big CF card, slow and clunky <G>

I too have the Freshest Data, but have only updated once, plan is same as you, update a few times through season, probably on a rainy windy afternoon!

 

[kcrane]

All it seemed to do was to create more contour lines over the existing chart thus making it difficult to see exactly where you are.

That's true on a normal zoom factor, but fishing (or ditch crawling, or looking for an anchoring spot) it looks fine.

 

[gjgm]

That's true on a normal zoom factor, but fishing (or ditch crawling, or looking for an anchoring spot) it looks fine.

Agree with both you and Hurricane.. I think cruising along, the formal charts would be my preference, but there are times-maybe up towards the cliffs, the chart has virtually nothing and a bit more detail would be a bonus. Anyone know how Navionics validate these readings or how they deal with peoples' (keel) offset?
It is quite a clever idea- as Mr Navionics says in the promo..all that data is just thrown away, when it could be used.

 

[kcrane]

Agree with both you and Hurricane.. I think cruising along, the formal charts would be my preference, but there are times-maybe up towards the cliffs, the chart has virtually nothing and a bit more detail would be a bonus. Anyone know how Navionics validate these readings or how they deal with peoples' (keel) offset?
It is quite a clever idea- as Mr Navionics says in the promo..all that data is just thrown away, when it could be used.

I wondered how they deal with the tide as well as the offset

 

[Hurricane]

Agree with both you and Hurricane.. I think cruising along, the formal charts would be my preference, but there are times-maybe up towards the cliffs, the chart has virtually nothing and a bit more detail would be a bonus. Anyone know how Navionics validate these readings or how they deal with peoples' (keel) offset?
It is quite a clever idea- as Mr Navionics says in the promo..all that data is just thrown away, when it could be used.

I haven't got a lot of trust in Navionics.
When we took the boat to the Med, I bought a new Navionics card to go in my already (at that time) state of the art G Series plotters.
I specifically bought the extra charts because the salesperson said quote "We have flown the coast" and this is the latest data.
When we arrived in Gijon, this obviously had been a complete lie.
There was a whole new port incorporating land reclaimed from the sea.
It definitely din't pop up overnight.
When I complained, they took all my details and offered an upgrade!!!
OK - I know that you shouldn't rely 100% on charts but after asking the question and being told that it was the latest data when it obviously wasn't really put me off Navionics completely.
I now make sure that I have several different sources of chart data - Navionics is on the Raymarine systems but I trust it the least.

 

[gjgm]

I haven't got a lot of trust in Navionics.
When we took the boat to the Med, I bought a new Navionics card to go in my already (at that time) state of the art G Series plotters.
I specifically bought the extra charts because the salesperson said quote "We have flown the coast" and this is the latest data.
When we arrived in Gijon, this obviously had been a complete lie.
There was a whole new port incorporating land reclaimed from the sea.
It definitely din't pop up overnight.
QUOTE]
Yea, but now they sonar readings from INSIDE that new marina !

 

[Nick_H]

I'd be surprised if the software automatically references tidal data for a given location and time, so I imagine it's up to the user to put in a tide height as well as a transducer offset. If the user gets it wrong then the depth data is wrong. Also, will the user allow for any unusual weather pushes that aren't shown on his tide tables?

I'd prefer to work from carefully charted depths taken by trained surveyors. I imagine it may be more aimed at fishermen, so that they can map a particular area of sea bed to know exactly where the gulleys etc. are located.

 

[kcrane]

I'd be surprised if the software automatically references tidal data for a given location and time, so I imagine it's up to the user to put in a tide height as well as a transducer offset. If the user gets it wrong then the depth data is wrong. Also, will the user allow for any unusual weather pushes that aren't shown on his tide tables?

I'd prefer to work from carefully charted depths taken by trained surveyors. I imagine it may be more aimed at fishermen, so that they can map a particular area of sea bed to know exactly where the gulleys etc. are located.

Yes to the aimed at fisherman point, I think that is largely true.

As far as I could work out users tell the plotter to log the sonar record, and presumably it is stored on the card. When you log in to the Navionics site, at same time as downloading updates, it uploads the log. That is how I think it works. The log must have position, time and sonar reading. A bit of clever manipulation and you could make a stab at the tide at that location at that time, but you wouldn't know (unless even cleverer working out) what the air pressure was plus you don't know how far below the surface the transponder is. E.g. mine tells me the water is 5m deep, when it is actually 5.6m deep which I think of as a small margin of error. So no transponder offset for them to work from.