"nimbusgb" wrote in news:1137448005.526917.226780
@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Thats where I have started. Already have the Seatalk stuff working.
HTML by the weekend!


Aboard S/V "Lionheart", it's all wireless to the computer.

Seatalk Equipment
RL70CRC color display/chart plotter with 2KW Radar at 25'
Raymarine GPS with Seatalk output
Raymarine Gyro sensor/compass
This all connects to the RL70CRC which handles Seatalk to NMEA0183
conversion and outputs NMEA to a Roland NMEA multiplexer.

NMEA suite
B&G sailing instruments (Wind, Speed, Data repeater at Nav station,
Depth)
B&G Pilot electro-hydraulic autopilot directly connected to rudder post
bellcrank
All B&G units are "Network", not the latest and greatest and proprietary.
"Network" instruments use NMEA0183 data through each so just pull in/out
to the multiplexer, without extra boxes.

Garmin 185 GPS/Chart plotter (backup GPS/plotter at helm) also does
backup depth duty. Output is switched from Seatalk network on
emergencies. Normally only listener for waypoint data.

Yeoman paper chart electronic plotter on nav table top.

Computer network....
Serial port output of NMEA multiplexer fed directly to RS-232 to
Ethernet-TCP/IP converter with DHCP-enabled network port. Network port
of converter feeds Netgear wireless router LAN port 1 hardwired.
Wireless network talks to Dell Latitude notebook's 802.11g transceiver,
also DHCP enabled for automatic configuration. Dell runs The Cap'n nav
software which expects to be connected to a serial port, so a "virtual
serial port" (VSP) background dll handles data from the network to its
imaginary COM3 serial port The Cap'n connects to, seamlessly. The VSP
software came with the converter we bought, called a WebFoot. The VSP is
configured to attach through the LAN to the Webfoot's IP to swap data in
and out of the NMEA multiplexer, just as if the computer were hard
connected to it. The multiplexer, Webfoot and Netgear are in the cabinet
over the galley that houses Amel's steering gear and helm connections,
all running off my independently switched "electronic suite" 12V power
supply. (One push-pull switch with big red light shuts down all the
electronics in the boat except for the emergency VHF Icom M59 which is
independently wired to the starting battery for house failures.)

The Cap'n doesn't know about the LAN as it has nothing to do with it.
Humans have nothing to do except boot up and it's all ready to go. You
can lay in a beanbag, leaned up against the mainmast under the genoa and
navigate the boat while enjoying your libation. Haven't seen one
neater...(c;