AngusMcDoon
Well-Known Member
Here's the new Seatalk Anchor Watcher. It has the same basic functionality as the previous USB one, but this one comes with a LCD screen and 2 button user interface. The basic idea is you connect this device to your Seatalk network when at anchor and it watches for changes in incoming boat data that will indicate something's wrong, and if so it sets off an audible alarm.
The data watched are depth, windspeed, drift from set position, speed over ground and change in heading. All alarm types can be switched on and off and their set points changed. Settings are changed through the user interface and are stored in the device even when powered off. There's also a loss of data alarm. The next question will be..."my chartplotter has an anchor watch feature...". Yes, so does mine. But my chart plotter consumes 600 mA minimum. This device consumes 10 mA. Also, this device can be attached at the end of a wire and you can sleep with it right next to your head rather than relying on hearing an alarm go off up in the cockpit. This device also monitors SOG and heading change which instruments do not.
Here's the assembled circuit board of the Crew Watcher, and this device is basically the same but without that small radio module and its co-ax cable coming out of it...
Here are some dull videos of it in action. The words on the right side of the screen indicate what the button next to it does.
When it comes up it says that there's no data until it has received the first data for the values it's watching. This takes a second or two. When the data are available it goes into standby mode from which watching can be started. Also available from the waiting and standby modes is the option to go into settings mode. When watching is started it then cycles round the actual values being received showing them on the lower line.
If data stops being received for 10 seconds then an alarm goes off. This alarm has an intermittent beep whereas a normal alarm has a continuous beep. The loss of data alarm self-cancels if the alarm situation goes away. The other alarm types do not self-cancel.
For each watched value the watching can be switched on and off and if on then the alarm limit can be changed. The values can only be increased until the maximum is reached after which it cycles by to zero which is a bit annoying but there are only 2 buttons. The right digit can be changed with a short press and the left digit with a long press. The backlight level can also be changed.
An alarm will no repeat until after a timeout. This can be switched off or changed to a user value via the settings.
This device can come in a box with a 3D printed lid that says "YAPP" at the top and <cough> "CREW WATCHER" at the bottom. Well, one of the words is right.
This device uses the same circuit board (and lid) as the crew watcher. There is no software support for NMEA-0183 as the data source at the moment, but it could be added if there's any interest.
If anyone would like one they can buy it in various stages of completion...
Bare PCB if you want to make one yourself, postage included £4
or...
Assembled programmed circuit board, attached display and buttons, put in your own box £28
Enclosure with its lid, all fasteners, make the holes and do the mounting yourself £3
3D printed and painted lid as shown in videos that fits the enclosure above £8
On/off power switch £2
P&P UK address (elsewhere at cost) £3
This project is all open sauce when I get the details on the YAPP website. All sauce code, schematic, layout and component list will be available so you can make one yourself. To preempt the inevitable complaints I get about YAPPs...
1) This device is not CE marked nor EMC tested. See this post...
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?359650-YAPPs-in-production-and-CE-marking&highlight=yapp
2) The forum moderators have given approval for YAPPs. I do not make these as a business and make no money from this activity. Last year I lost money.
Seatalk is a trademark of Raymarine.
The data watched are depth, windspeed, drift from set position, speed over ground and change in heading. All alarm types can be switched on and off and their set points changed. Settings are changed through the user interface and are stored in the device even when powered off. There's also a loss of data alarm. The next question will be..."my chartplotter has an anchor watch feature...". Yes, so does mine. But my chart plotter consumes 600 mA minimum. This device consumes 10 mA. Also, this device can be attached at the end of a wire and you can sleep with it right next to your head rather than relying on hearing an alarm go off up in the cockpit. This device also monitors SOG and heading change which instruments do not.
Here's the assembled circuit board of the Crew Watcher, and this device is basically the same but without that small radio module and its co-ax cable coming out of it...
Here are some dull videos of it in action. The words on the right side of the screen indicate what the button next to it does.
When it comes up it says that there's no data until it has received the first data for the values it's watching. This takes a second or two. When the data are available it goes into standby mode from which watching can be started. Also available from the waiting and standby modes is the option to go into settings mode. When watching is started it then cycles round the actual values being received showing them on the lower line.
If data stops being received for 10 seconds then an alarm goes off. This alarm has an intermittent beep whereas a normal alarm has a continuous beep. The loss of data alarm self-cancels if the alarm situation goes away. The other alarm types do not self-cancel.
For each watched value the watching can be switched on and off and if on then the alarm limit can be changed. The values can only be increased until the maximum is reached after which it cycles by to zero which is a bit annoying but there are only 2 buttons. The right digit can be changed with a short press and the left digit with a long press. The backlight level can also be changed.
An alarm will no repeat until after a timeout. This can be switched off or changed to a user value via the settings.
This device can come in a box with a 3D printed lid that says "YAPP" at the top and <cough> "CREW WATCHER" at the bottom. Well, one of the words is right.
This device uses the same circuit board (and lid) as the crew watcher. There is no software support for NMEA-0183 as the data source at the moment, but it could be added if there's any interest.
If anyone would like one they can buy it in various stages of completion...
Bare PCB if you want to make one yourself, postage included £4
or...
Assembled programmed circuit board, attached display and buttons, put in your own box £28
Enclosure with its lid, all fasteners, make the holes and do the mounting yourself £3
3D printed and painted lid as shown in videos that fits the enclosure above £8
On/off power switch £2
P&P UK address (elsewhere at cost) £3
This project is all open sauce when I get the details on the YAPP website. All sauce code, schematic, layout and component list will be available so you can make one yourself. To preempt the inevitable complaints I get about YAPPs...
1) This device is not CE marked nor EMC tested. See this post...
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?359650-YAPPs-in-production-and-CE-marking&highlight=yapp
2) The forum moderators have given approval for YAPPs. I do not make these as a business and make no money from this activity. Last year I lost money.
Seatalk is a trademark of Raymarine.
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