Yet another NMEA question

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Adethefridge

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Iv just installed a new standard horizon gx2200E VHF and I'm looking to utilise the GPS and AIS output to feed my laptop ( running open CPN ) ideally wirelessly as the VHF is installed at the helm, iv read a few threads about using a Raspberry pi and with the new PI 2 now available was wondering if anyone has successfully achieved this or no of a off-the-shelf module, the laptop will be providing a wifi network feeding a second monitor ( display only ) at the helm. I would be very interested to hear about your views as to which charts you guys think work best with the openCPN covering south Portugal / west Med...
 
Can you wire your radio up to a raspberry pi and have it feed AIS/GPS/DSC information to a laptop wirelessly? Yes absolutely. I have a pi v2 currently hooked up to the serial output of my AIS unit. You could take the diff nmea outputs from the radio and wire them to an rs432 (or even rs232) to usb adapter. The pi itself acts as an access point so the laptop just needs to connect as a station (and so could iPad etc. if I had one), but if you have an existing wireless network or just prefer to use the laptop to create the network, that would work too. Not sure if you're proposing sticking something like that in a helm pod outside: Given that you'd have to run power to it, you'd be better off running the signal wires down below and installing the pi there. Of course if you're going to do that, you could just cut the pi out of the equation entirely, running the wires to the chart table (or wherever you use the laptop) and plugging your serial to usb converter directly into the laptop (as Nigel is suggesting).

Happy to go into more detail about the specifics of how I'm doing what I'm doing. Sorry no experience of Portugal/Med charts with OpenCPN.
 
For a ready built low cost option try one of these nmea to wifi adaptors:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?417332-Cheap-diy-nmea-to-wifi-adaptor-tested-and-working

I've tested one (the ready built £50 version) with gps and fast heading data at 4800baud, but haven't tested it at 38400 with an AIS feed as I am too far inland to pickup any AIS targets.
Its dead easy to configure, and has differential or single ended nmea input capability and a dhcp server + web browser client for configuring it.

Here is the ebay link:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111514368587?clk_rvr_id=792548958624&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true
 
I have a similar setup but with a different SH radio. I have the RAM3 mic at the helm and wired connections. I also have a remote screen at my helm also wired so I am with Nigel here as with your setup you will already have power and antenna cables so 2 extra wires and a RS232 to USB would be a simple and cheap solution

IMHO a wifi solution is only really needed if the display device must be mobile to justify the cost.
 
Rogershaw said:
... IMHO a wifi solution is only really needed if the display device must be mobile to justify the cost.
Click to expand...
Quite so, it is only really necessary on a mobile device with no USB inputs. There is also the issue of tying up the Wi-Fi of the computer, when you might want it for the Internet. That's why my serial to Wi-Fi is going to feed into an existing router, when I get around to it.
 
nigelmercier said:
Quite so, it is only really necessary on a mobile device with no USB inputs. There is also the issue of tying up the Wi-Fi of the computer, when you might want it for the Internet. That's why my serial to Wi-Fi is going to feed into an existing router, when I get around to it.
Click to expand...

Yes, quite so, but having discovered the 'joys of Android & tablets' by an unexpected Ebay win of a superb Sony Xperia Z2 10" 32Gb tablet (claimed to be water & dust proof) we'll see how well it & the nmea wifi interface work together this year.

No internet, so my router has been retired - saves a few watts when sailing, as does not using a laptop or the old plotter (the Xperia has a 10hour battery life, could be charged from a solar panel, and runs the same UKHO & Antares charts thanks to Memory Map, and the Seawi app for display of more nmea data, nmea routing etc takes the place if Navmonpc.
Ian
 
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