YAPP ideas

[PembrokeshirePromise]

Definitely 1)
And interested in 4 & 5

 

[jdc]

Back to the MOB project, would a simpler device be possible?

A button, which when pressed, emits on Seatalk the MOB sentence. I hope, although the manual is not exactly explicit, that the Raymarine GPS I have (Raynav 300) will accept the sentences and treat them as if I had activated the MOB alarm directly on the front panel.

My idea is to put the MOB button somewhere in the cockpit so, when sailing 2-up as I do, I can press it while sailing without having to go below where the GPS is and so lose sight of the MOB. I'd make the enclosure and button myself, so it only needs a contact closure as an input.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Back to the MOB project, would a simpler device be possible?

A button, which when pressed, emits on Seatalk the MOB sentence. I hope, although the manual is not exactly explicit, that the Raymarine GPS I have (Raynav 300) will accept the sentences and treat them as if I had activated the MOB alarm directly on the front panel.

My idea is to put the MOB button somewhere in the cockpit so, when sailing 2-up as I do, I can press it while sailing without having to go below where the GPS is and so lose sight of the MOB. I'd make the enclosure and button myself, so it only needs a contact closure as an input.

A 2 line code change in the wired Seatalk autopilot remote would do that. It would take me 5 minutes to implement. I can do that if you like. I use NC buttons as they are cheaper for some reason, but it's an easy change to NO type if you let me know which you prefer. The autopilot remote has 2 buttons so you could also have 2 buttons where either sends the MOB message.

 

[jdc]

A 2 line code change in the wired Seatalk autopilot remote would do that. It would take me 5 minutes to implement. I can do that if you like. I use NC buttons as they are cheaper for some reason, but it's an easy change to NO type if you let me know which you prefer. The autopilot remote has 2 buttons so you could also have 2 buttons where either sends the MOB message.

Gosh, that would be great! I don't think that NC vs NO switches is that important to me, I presume I can find either type. You know my email (and failing that a pm) so please do get in touch re payment etc.

Btw, I used your Seatalk to USB Com port device quite a bit to log depths and positions to file when exploring some uncharted fjords this summer. I do have problems (as does almost everyone) with COM ports numbered greater than 8 on a PC and failed to get my C++ program opening the port on the PC, despite using the appropriate usoft classes and code fragments. I then switched to a MAC and it sprang to life in 2 mins. Why am I not surprised...

 

[rogerthebodger]

My Simrad plotter has the ability to have any number of N/O buttons in parallel around my boat so I can signal my plotter to record the position from any one of the buttons. If you have N/C the buttons would need to be in series possible making wiring less easy.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

My Simrad plotter has the ability to have any number of N/O buttons in parallel around my boat so I can signal my plotter to record the position from any one of the buttons. If you have N/C the buttons would need to be in series possible making wiring less easy.

That's a good point, but I was thinking of 2 buttons because there are 2 inputs on the circuit board for the autopilot remote: one for + and the other for -. It's quite easy to change the sense in the code though. I used NC because they are a few pence cheaper.

 

[nimbusgb]

I would be willing to buy the one you have completed but postage to my location mat make it to costly but fi you are willing to let me have the source code and designs that would be great.

If you have any of the PCB's they may go in letter post so could be a help also.

Great projects just wish I could help with the hardware (boxes etc) but too far away to be effective.

My mom is on a plane to Jo'burg and on to Durbs on the 27th november, i'm sure she could fit something that small in her baggage for you Roger.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

My mom is on a plane to Jo'burg and on to Durbs on the 27th november, i'm sure she could fit something that small in her baggage for you Roger.

It's an extra £10 to send to SA so not ridiculous.

 

[rogerthebodger]

My mom is on a plane to Jo'burg and on to Durbs on the 27th november, i'm sure she could fit something that small in her baggage for you Roger.

That is very kind of you, In fact I will be in Durban on my boat from about 20th November to mid December 2014.

If it can be arranged I could meet up and even buy lunch at My Yacht club just next to Durban Marina.

PM E-Mail Address so as to make arrangments.

http://durbanmarina.co.za.

 

[rogerthebodger]

It's an extra £10 to send to SA so not ridiculous.

It not the cost it's more that we have had a post office strike for 3 months so far and it would be much better and quicker if some one was kind enough to hand carry a small package and being as nimbusgb's mon and I will be in the same city at the same time is even mush better it is can work.

 

[lw395]

A nother idea.
There are some sensibly priced solid statecompass sensors around.
Honeywell?
Anyway, digi compass, with user editable deviation table.
NMEA output and lcd display?

 

[Chris_Burns]

Hello Angus,

Firstly let me say that I'm impressed with your range of YAPP's and whole approach!

I have my GPS, DSC and AIS running on NMEA but log/speed/depth uses Seatalk. The tillerpilot takes NMEA in but may (?) provide compass based heading info (as well as other details) on Seatalk.

I would find your anchor watch (with display) very useful but obviously being Seatalk based it would not be compatible with key data sources on my boat.

I would therefore be interested in the possibility of:
i) a version of your NMEA multiplexor/rate changer which could accept one channel as Seatalk and then output to NMEA.
ii) a version of your Anchor Watch using NMEA input data

or other approach to get the same result!

Thanks

Chris

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Hello Angus,

Firstly let me say that I'm impressed with your range of YAPP's and whole approach!

I have my GPS, DSC and AIS running on NMEA but log/speed/depth uses Seatalk. The tillerpilot takes NMEA in but may (?) provide compass based heading info (as well as other details) on Seatalk.

I would find your anchor watch (with display) very useful but obviously being Seatalk based it would not be compatible with key data sources on my boat.

I would therefore be interested in the possibility of:
i) a version of your NMEA multiplexor/rate changer which could accept one channel as Seatalk and then output to NMEA.
ii) a version of your Anchor Watch using NMEA input data

Raymarine tillerpilots output compass heading to Seatalk unless they are ancient. The anchor watcher could take GPS information via NMEA-0183 - the PCB has the space to add the components for this interface, but the software has not been written for that yet. Not too hard - need to copy it across from the Crew Watcher project which uses the same hardware and processor. Do you have a wind source?

 

[ZigZaging]

Hi Angus
I would also be most interested in a version of your Seatalk Anchor Watcher - with user interface using NMEA input data as our gps antenna output is nmea.

I normally use a phone app which is works quite well until my battery dies or it loses gps signal hence my interest, but it does have a great feature of being able to set the anchor position from a bearing and distance away (nearly always forget to set the anchor watch when we actually drop the anchor) is this something that could be included?

Re the loss or data alarm - could it be loss of NMEA rather than Seatalk network?

Thanks

Leighton

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Hi Angus
I would also be most interested in a version of your Seatalk Anchor Watcher - with user interface using NMEA input data as our gps antenna output is nmea.

I normally use a phone app which is works quite well until my battery dies or it loses gps signal hence my interest, but it does have a great feature of being able to set the anchor position from a bearing and distance away (nearly always forget to set the anchor watch when we actually drop the anchor) is this something that could be included?

Re the loss or data alarm - could it be loss of NMEA rather than Seatalk network?

I'll add NMEA-0183 capability this weekend if I have time and there's space in the flash to fit it in. If I add the capability then I'll add loss of NMEA-0183 data alarm as well.

There's no facility for setting a range and a bearing. It would make the menu interface too complicated with only 2 lines of display and 2 buttons. I set my anchor and press the button where I end up with the scope out rather than pressing it when I drop the anchor. Boats wander around at anchor and the GPS position accuracy is only 20m or so over time so I set my distance limit to twice scope plus a bit to stop false alarms when the tide turns or the wind drops and the boat wanders off a bit.

 

[ZigZaging]

Brilliant Angus

RE - All alarm thresholds are configurable, and 1 to 5 can be individually switched on or off. 6 is always active. As 6 is the loss of data alarm - could it be loss of NMEA rather than Seatalk network?

My thinking here and please correct me if I've not grasped it correctly - is if I wanted to be really frugal with the juice I could power just the gps antenna and the anchor watch which would give me a position (no5) and loss of NMEA alarm (no6), then have the option of turning on any seatalk instrument required when I have the spare amps/need.

Currently all my instruments are on one switch which includes AIS/GPS antenna/Autopilot/Chartplotter and all the seatalk gang, so I may need to change that a bit.

Thanks again

Leighton

 

[AngusMcDoon]

As 6 is the loss of data alarm - could it be loss of NMEA rather than Seatalk network?

My thinking here and please correct me if I've not grasped it correctly - is if I wanted to be really frugal with the juice I could power just the gps antenna and the anchor watch which would give me a position (no5) and loss of NMEA alarm (no6), then have the option of turning on any seatalk instrument required when I have the spare amps/need.

Yes to all of that. However, the NMEA-0183 code won't fit in the flash space I have just discovered. The next processor size up is another £2. Also there needs to be a few takers to make doing the software worthwhile.

 

[Hoolie]

I had an idea while contemplating turnip stew for dinner. The crew watcher uses an 18F25K22 processor with 32K of flash. For another £1 it's possible to get the 18F26K22 with double that. My proposed anchor watcher will use the same circuit board, display, box and buttons as the crew watcher but with some components left off. Perhaps I could combine the 2 so if you power it up with no buttons pressed it comes up as a crew watcher, power up with the top button pressed it comes up as an anchor watcher, and power up with the bottom button pressed it comes up as a simple 2 line configurable Seatalk repeater.

Sounds like a bit of a monster software writing faff though.

I would certainly go for the turnip stew option. Crew watch and anchor watch are not needed together.

 

[Roberto]

Yes to all of that. However, the NMEA-0183 code won't fit in the flash space I have just discovered. The next processor size up is another £2. Also there needs to be a few takers to make doing the software worthwhile.

Hello Angus,

re our email messages (you may remember, from France), count me in in this new version "+nmea" at this new price.

regards
roberto

 

[Chris_Burns]

Hi Angus,

No wind source on my boat at the moment - unless speed is derived from wind gen output!

As far as I'm concerned no problem with additional cost of using larger PIC to accomodate NMEA.


Chris.