Remote Anchor Watch

[statgar]

I need a system that I can use to overlay my Android tab with Navionics instead of my Ray E120, which is too power hungry, it would also be nice if I could monitor the system from a the shore via 4G. Also I am probably going to source an AIS-B system and wonder if this could also be used to overlay the chart although I accept that the targets need to have their AIS to be of any value.

 

[Hurricane]

Not sure about the AIS idea but sounds fun.

For anchoring, I don't think you need charts so no need to connect it to Navionics.
Incidentally, OpenCPN runs on the Android and that has an anchor watch - with chart capability.

But IMO keep it simple (KISS)

I use an Android App called Anchor Alert.
You set it after you have anchored - it lets you "point it" to the anchor's actual position.
It works well for me.
The great thing about using a phone is that it is low power.
Running an E120 all night would have a large load on the batteries especially if the other instruments were on the same circuit breaker.
Our boat has a centre mid master cabin so I put my phone on the shelf under the window/port hole with a power lead to a USB power outlet under the bed.
The Anchor Alert is really too accurate so I use the settings to set up the accuracy that I want.
It also has exclusion zones that I use. The idea is that when the boat swings round at night, it will alert you.

I'm sure that this app used to have a mode where you could get it to call another GSM phone with an SMS but I've just looked and I can't see it.
That feature may have been removed or I'm thinking of another app.
Whatever, I did use something with a feature like that but it was a PIA.
I set my alarm too tight when we went to a beach bar.
The result was that the boat was sending alarms all the time and we could see that there was nothing wrong.

For me, though it is night time that I'm really interested in and the Anchor Alert does the job well.
Sometimes I will use it during the day as well.
It enabled us to stay this close to the Santa Ponsa reef for about 5 days.

 

[statgar]

Thanks Hurricane, I've checked out Anchor Alert looks good so I'll give it a go when I'm allowed out of my burrow and then back in without being incarcerated! The AIS link was really to avoid a potential collision if other boats anchored too close assuming they had AIS and it was switched on, maybe a step too far!