NMEA & WiFi

[Sea Change]

Calling the geeks...
I believe it's possible to send and receive NMEA days over WiFi. But I'm pretty clueless about what's possible and how it's done.

I've got a bit of a mixture of instruments onboard:
ONWA 7" plotter with AIS (NMEA 0183)
Raymarine ST6002 autopilot (NMEA 0183)
Newer Raymarine depth and wind instruments, both NMEA 2000.
I also have a complete replacement autopilot system which is NMEA 2000, which I will fit at some point in the future.

What I want to achieve is:
- a better screen for chart plotting at the helm (the ONWA is very clunky, and is down below), running Navionics or similar, and ideally with AIS data overlaid.
- ability to view wind data down before, and ideally from mobile devices too
- ability to control the autopilot remotely would be nice

If it's possible/sensible/affordable, I'm thinking about getting a decent quality android tablet to use as a sort of MFD. It would live at the helm most of the time, but could be moved to wherever was convenient (e.g. under the sprayhood, or down below). It could be used as a plotter and also display wind, and control the autopilot.
Individual crew should be able to access data on their phones whilst onboard (so that the skipper can open one eye and glance at the wind data, without having to fully wake up).

I realise that needing to display data from both 0183 and 2000 systems will likely complicate things.

I'm aware that you can buy WiFi gateways,dongles, routers, etc, but have little idea of what these words mean.

Any suggestions or advice appreciated

 

[Refueler]

OK - the limiting factor here is the N2K ... as the Onwa unless a late model does not cater for N2K ...

Your AP can be run direct of the Onwa of course (0183) ...as can any other item that accepts 0183 ...

So how to integrate N2K ? That will be the hard part.

A tablet will not do it - but can be at end of the 'chain' ...

My Setup is :

ONWA outputs via 0183 to my NMEA4WiFi unit .... which then outputs via WiFi ... 0183 .... USB ... and if I want Seatalk (but I have no use for ST). It can accept 4 inputs which are then combined into a single stream ... the receiving units using what sentences they need from the stream.

I am feeding AIS / data to my Garmin 92sv in cockpit via cable .... to my PC running Chart Prog via USB .... to my tablet in my pocket / to anyone on board via my plexors WiFi ...

I cannot advise how to integrate N2K ... as I don't use it ... someone else will have to advise on that ...

 

[fredrussell]

Would one of these do it?

Actisense NGW-1-USB NMEA To N2K Gateway USB (NGW-USB)

 

[Refueler]

Would one of these do it?

Actisense NGW-1-USB NMEA To N2K Gateway USB (NGW-USB)

Interesting ... bit pricey though ?

 

[Sea Change]

Don't worry too much about the ONWA, it's the only 0183 item* and it could just do its own thing.

* The current AP is also 0183 but I have a newer one to swap it out with.

The rough order of priorities goes:
- bigger/better screen to view Navionics
- repeater(s) for wind data

if those were all I could achieve I'd be happy enough. But it would be a bonus if I could also get...

- remote control of the AP
- repeater for depth

In an ideal world the AIS would be overlain on the plotter screen, but I sense that brings complications and I can manage without it.

I think that to achieve the first two things, I will end up with a WiFi network which allows the next two on the list as well. But I'm a bit out of my depth with all this.

 

[Refueler]

IMHO .... the AIS overlay is well worth it ...

 

[Sea Change]

Would one of these be any good?

NMEA 2000 Wi-Fi Gateway YDWG-02

 

[PaulRainbow]

Would one of these do it?

Actisense NGW-1-USB NMEA To N2K Gateway USB (NGW-USB)

No, that's USB to N2K Fred.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Would one of these be any good?

NMEA 2000 Wi-Fi Gateway YDWG-02

It's a bit more money, but i'd prefer an Actisense one. W2K-1

It would be a shame to not have AIS on the tablet though, as Refueler said.

Also, you won't be able to control the autopilot.

 

[Sea Change]

It's a bit more money, but i'd prefer an Actisense one. W2K-1

It would be a shame to not have AIS on the tablet though, as Refueler said.

Also, you won't be able to control the autopilot.

Controlling the AP is a higher priority for me than getting AIS on the tablet.
What do I have to do to be able to control the AP from a remote android device?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Controlling the AP is a higher priority for me than getting AIS on the tablet.
What do I have to do to be able to control the AP from a remote android device?

Buy a Raymarine MFD that can control the autopilot and mirror that to the tablet. I'm not aware of another way. Note that pre-EVO autopilots can't even be controlled from a Raymarine MFD, just change to and from standby and auto.

 

[pandos]

These yokes have two way Seatalk, I often wondered if this means they can control a Seatalk autopilot?

Nmea3Wifi

I have one which I haven't gotten around to fitting. I really only wanted it so I can get AIS onto Navionics on my tablet, I have a wireless remote for the AP.

 

[Pye_End]

Controlling the AP is a higher priority for me than getting AIS on the tablet.
What do I have to do to be able to control the AP from a remote android device?

The Yacht Devices one is supposed to be able to control the AP with a recent software update, though I have not been able to get it to work with my set-up. Doesn't mean to say it won't, might be a simple setting somewhere. However, I already had one of these: AP-WRC4 Boat Autopilot Remote Control | Madman Marine so havn't put too much effort into it.

 

[Sea Change]

Buy a Raymarine MFD that can control the autopilot and mirror that to the tablet. I'm not aware of another way. Note that pre-EVO autopilots can't even be controlled from a Raymarine MFD, just change to and from standby and auto.

I am not ruling out buying an Axiom, which I understand would have WiFi built in?
A good quality tablet with suitable case, plus the WiFi/NMEA device, would likely add up to not far off the cost of an Axiom 7.

I like the idea of a tablet giving the flexibility to use it anywhere on the boat, though.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I am not ruling out buying an Axiom, which I understand would have WiFi built in?
A good quality tablet with suitable case, plus the WiFi/NMEA device, would likely add up to not far off the cost of an Axiom 7.

I like the idea of a tablet giving the flexibility to use it anywhere on the boat, though.

An Axiom at the helm would be better than a tablet, no sunlight or rain issues and no charging to worry about, all of you other devices would be hard wired to it, older Seatalk devices connect using a converter. You'd have full control of an EVO autopilot. You could then have a cheap Android tablet to use anywhere on the boat, either as a stand alone device, or mirroring the Axiom.

 

[Frankklose]

I use the converter from veia-navega.com. Don't see the point of spending a fortune.

 

[Sea Change]

So if I'm understanding this correctly...

Axiom at the helm to function as a plotter. Don't need it to repeat anything because the depth, wind, AP are already there.
That Axiom can then send data over WiFi to other devices.
So I can use my phone to keep an eye on everything when I'm off watch, or even just tucked up under the sprayhood. I can set up a cheap tablet down below as a repeater and will also be able to control the AP from anywhere.
I will won't have the AIS integrated, that would require extra hardware for the 0183-2000 conversion.

Have I got that all right?

 

[RivalRedwing]

like this one ? N2K0183 (replying to Frankklose)

 

[Sea Change]

I should add, our helm is pretty exposed, you only ever spend time there when actively changing course. Once we're on passage and on course, we retreat to the shelter of the sprayhood, and then cannot see any of the instruments (except the clunky AIS enabled plotter down below).
My no 1 priority is to get wind data available somewhere other than the helm. No 2 is to remotely adjust the AP. No 3 is to have a better plotter at the helm, to replace the phones that we are currently using.

 

[PaulRainbow]

So if I'm understanding this correctly...

Axiom at the helm to function as a plotter. Don't need it to repeat anything because the depth, wind, AP are already there.
That Axiom can then send data over WiFi to other devices.
So I can use my phone to keep an eye on everything when I'm off watch, or even just tucked up under the sprayhood. I can set up a cheap tablet down below as a repeater and will also be able to control the AP from anywhere.
I will won't have the AIS integrated, that would require extra hardware for the 0183-2000 conversion.

Have I got that all right?

Yes to all of that. You can also passage plan on the tablet and sync it with the Axiom.