Problems with Navionics APP on iPad2 and AIS?

[lampshuk]

Hi, all. I use Navionics on an iPad 2 as my primary plotting device, and have a Vesper AIS transceiver.
Up to now I have used a second app to display AIS (either the Vesper app or Marine Navigator on Android) but this is a bit of a pain.

So I was excited to see the Navionics app now connects to Vesper and finally justified paid my £35 to update the app.

Sure enough, the new app connected instantly to the Vesper and started plotting AIS targets.
However, after a short pause (less than a minute) the app crashes back to the home screen. This is repeated and predictable.
It doesn't crash if I turn off the Vesper, so the crashes seem to be linked to the AIS painting.

I was wondering if others have experienced the same issues with the Navionics app (not plotters using Navionics charts) and if not, which iPad and OS (or other platform) do you have, which AIS device, and how many AIS targets do you usually have? I was in the Solent on a busy Saturday, so the volume of traffic could have been an issue.

Of course, I will be reporting this to Navionics, but their support is rather slow and I was hoping to do some crowd-sourced fault-finding first.

 

[mickbond]

Hi I have exactly the same problem on my iPad mini. It seems to be traffic related. Other ais apps work fine. Data being provided by Opencpn on laptop. IOS 9.3.5

 

[Daverw]

I’ve been using it for the last few weeks and never seen any problems, with iPad Pro and WiFi data from a Lowrence plotter.

 

[noelex]

No problems with Vesper Watch Mate or Zeus 3 sending the AIS data to Ipad Pro. But I do sympathise. This type of software clash can be frustrating

 

[lampshuk]

So that's 2 successes with iPad Pro and 2 fails on ipad mini and ipad 2. Maybe a case of "size matters".
noelex and daverw, may I ask which IOS version you are running?

For completeness, my ipad 2 has 32GB storage with 6GB free, and I'm also on ios 9.3.5.

 

[noelex]

12.1.3

 

[Daverw]

12.3.1

 

[Andrew_Trayfoot]

Looks like they have released it on Android as well.
Will test it next time I'm on the boat

 

[lampshuk]

Very good. Thanks, Andrew.
I actually received a prompt reply from Navionics support (see below).
Mickbond, if you can submit a case as well, it might help them zero in.

I used the Navionics website to submit the support request.
I have not tried this log file submission mechanism yet.

(Vesper also replied, but naturally enough, not much to go on)

Dear Martin,
We would like to further investigate your issue.
To do so, we would need to analyze the crash logs from your application.

The crashing, which you reported, is not known by our developers so they would ask your collaboration. They need that you send us the crashlog.


For this purpose, you can press on "Settings" -> "Privacy"-> "Analysis" -> "Analysis Data" -> choose the most recent file crashed of the Navionics app
then share it and send it to us by e-mail.

In fact, you can send us crashlog by performing the following simple and fast steps on your iPad:


1. Press on "Settings" of your iPad;

2. Choose "Privacy";

3. Scroll down and select "Analytics”;

4. Choose " Analytics Data";

5. Scroll down and choose the most recent file crashed of the Navionics app;

6. Finally share it with us by sending it to us by e-mail. We would be grateful if you could cite case number which crashing refers to.

We also attached a file where you can see the steps.


Thank you in advance for your precious collaboration.

Best regards,

Elisa
TECHNICAL SUPPORT

 

[mickbond]

Have just sent support request to Navionics via their web site

 

[mickbond]

On ios 9.3.5 the privacy tab in settings does not bring up 'Analytics' as an option but I think 'diagnostics and usage' is similar.

 

[lampshuk]

On ios 9.3.5 the privacy tab in settings does not bring up 'Analytics' as an option but I think 'diagnostics and usage' is similar.

Exactly. Did you find anything that appears to relate to Navionics?

 

[mickbond]

On my iPad there are entries titled 'SingleApp2013-2019' that have Navionics mentioned in the data. I presume these are the crash reports. Each entry has a date in the title.

 

[lampshuk]

On my iPad there are entries titled 'SingleApp2013-2019' that have Navionics mentioned in the data. I presume these are the crash reports. Each entry has a date in the title.

Brilliant! Got it.
The last line is a bit depressing "Error formulating Crash report"

 

[mhsprang]

I'm having the exact same problem. A customer of mine (a MiniPlex-3Wi user) asked me ifour multiplexers were incompatible with the MiniPlex-3Wi. The customer used the Android version and after 30 seconds, it stopped showing AIS targets. So I just purchased the Navionics app for iPhone, installed it and tested. And the app crashes within 30 seconds when receiving 50 targets. Before it crashes, all AIS icons flicker as hell each time an NMEA sentence is received. The app responds sluggish when panning or zooming. At one time when I restarted the app, it immediately reported an internal error, then stopped showing my position but is showed all 50 AIS targets just fine without flickering! So there's definitely something wrong with their NMEA parser. Oh and when I checked the info on an AIS target, the destination ports of class A targets showed only random characters. These seriously need to go "back to the drawing board" at Navionics.

 

[lampshuk]

Hi, mhsprang. Did you report the fault to Navionics? Would be great if you could. The more evidence they have, the better. You should be able to do it via navionics.com
Or the app itself has a "feedback" button, I think.
Interesting that it fails on Android Navionics, too.

 

[mhsprang]

Yes, I reported it to Navionics. I did an additional test this afternoon: even receiving one single AIS target made the icon flicker and crash the app after some 10's of seconds. It seems that Navionics did not test this update properly before releasing it. I feel sorry for customers who purchased this app...

 

[TSB240]

A bit of thread drift from the above technical issues that are informative.
I doubt we get more than 20 targets on our display at any one time in this area so I have not had an issue on android.

HOWEVER
I have recently tried Navionics and Open CPN on an android phone both being fed AIS from a main computer deriving its GPS and AIS info from a cockpit mounted GPS/AIS Transponder with its own display.
Technically it was just as easy to get Navionics or OCPN to display AIS on android.

The only advantage for me is that Navionics provides in hand up to date charts rather than the ancient multi-copied CM 93's that many like myself have obtained.

I have found that Navionics takes a lot longer than OCPN to display new targets and to update their position on my phone. I was tracking a single ribride boat doing 30 knots or half a mile a minute on the cockpit mini display. I only had one other target on screen and that was tied up in dock 200 feet behind me.
The Navionics was updating the rib ride boat position between 10-15 seconds slower than both the main unit and a second android phone running OCPN.
I can't find anything in my connection settings that might cause this delay.
This is not the only thing that persuades me that the Navionics AIS app extension really is not fit for any purpose. (Other than as a means of telling you the name of a boat out of eyeball range)

Why?
1. No anti collision software to help the user other than to virtually blank out a static target. (Not great if you are heading toward an anchored ship in thick fog.)
2. A total lack of a "radar type" display.
3. No filtering or colour coding to differentiate and display non conflict,potential or danger targets.
4. No ability to select and monitor tracks of potential or danger targets.
5. No ability to list all targets in priority and sort by potential danger.(CPA TCPA)
6. The size of the targets bear no resemblance to actuality at different zoom levels.
7. No ability to set CPA or TCPA tolerances and alarms.


It is literally just showing the position of any other AIS transmitter in your area. Given my short trial I have no confidence that even that is accurate other than for static targets.
You can click on a target but it just tells you it's MMSI,call sign,transmitted position course and speed.

I do hope no one is planning to use this in foggy conditions or is planning a blind fold run down the Solent just using this poorly thought out app.

 

[lampshuk]

Those are all fair criticisms if it were your only AIS app.
The Vesper comes with an excellent app doing all the above, but lacking a base map.

So on the whole I welcome Navionics adding even rudimentary AIS display - I am sure additional functionality will follow.

I would, of course, welcome it more if it worked for longer than 10 seconds before crashing

 

[lampshuk]

Just received an email from Navionics saying they have updated their AIS display.
I won't be in a position to test it for a couple of days, but others encountering the same problem might want to update and see if the AIS display is better - or at least, does not crash.