Arguably electronics can be made as reliable as anything else these
days, EXCEPT FOR LIGHTNING STRIKES. Reports here and on private lists
suggest that any "near" strike takes out about 90% of all electronics
around it. There are exceptions, but they are not consistent and most
people report all electronics on board get totaled, often right down to
and including the batteries.

For this reason, you may want to factor the possible loss of _all_
electronics into your systems planning. Hi-tec requires trade offs for
most of us: Eg. between time spent learning morse code or signal flags
and that needed for assembling hi-tech electronics; the money spent on
flares, fog horn, bells, and really good ground tackle as opposed to
that spent for digital equipment. Time sailing and learning boat
handling vs. time drawing up flow charts.

I would suggest that it's a mistake, from the standpoint of
seaworthiness, to put too many resources into hi-tec stuff if you short
change the equally expensive but less toy-like basics. And once you
acquire the basics, the hi-tec gizmos seem much less relavent or
important. Learning _and practicing_ good coastal navigation is not
trivial - but once you can do it, a GPS is optional. If you want hi-tec,
get radar - _then learn how to use it properly_. The latter is time
consuming and seriously non-trivial.

Rufus


Paul wrote:
I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was on a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can point me
in a direction ...

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 13:06:46 GMT, "Paul" wrote:

I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

For software see:

http://www.cruzpro.com/seaviz.html

and for hardware see the rest of the Cruzpro site as well. This
solution involves gauges that send NMEA sentences.

These are available from www.downwindmarine.com and (at better prices)
from www.discount-marine.co.nz

Best,

Steve

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 13:06:46 GMT, "Paul" wrote:

I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

For software see:

http://www.cruzpro.com/seaviz.html

and for hardware see the rest of the Cruzpro site as well. This
solution involves gauges that send NMEA sentences.

These are available from www.downwindmarine.com and (at better prices)
from www.discount-marine.co.nz

Best,

Steve

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 13:06:46 GMT, "Paul" wrote:

I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was on a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can point me
in a direction ...


I'm not sure if you are talking about buying a solution or building
one. If it's the former, someone already mentioned CruzPro. Their
stuff looks nice, but I don't know anyone with personal experience
using it. If ibuilding a solution interests you...

I've talked to some engineer friends about designing the data capture
hardware and they say it could be done rather cheaply with off the
shelf parts. Serial and etherner driver chipsets are cheap, as are
analog to digital convertors. Something like a PIC processor should
handle assembling the data sentences easily. It's outside my current
area of expertise, though

The computer part is definitely doable, as you can see from my sig.
The software is hard to build form the ground up, but if architected
correctly, easy to extend to new instruments. For example, I can
generally turn around a request to support a new NMEA sentence in less
time than you'd believe. Adding a whole new guage takes a bit more
time, but is still not a big deal.

For engine instruments, I'd want to add more alarm functionality.
Using built in sound functionality in Windows would be easy, but I
think you'd really like an external alarm circuit with an annoying
piezo.

I already have the logging function, which to me would be the real
value of using a computer in this application. You could track
changes in things like oil pressure, fuel consumption at a given rpm,
water temp, and alternator output over time.

Of course, you could accomplish the same thing with mechanical
instruments and a logbook. Logbooks are known to be highly resistant
to lightning strikes and consume almost no power. :-)

__________________________________________________ __________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/

Hi Glen,

Actually I wasn't thinking of doing it at all, I was just noodling the
idea -- wondering about the "how". However if I were to do it I would build
it myself, and they would be in addition to standard gauges. The info I got
here is plenty to keep me going for a while now.

I also agree with the logbook preference, it's similar to a line I often
used in the office when everyone had PDAs. I used a notebook and a daytimer
and referred to them as analog assistants (PAAs?). They could survive a drop
from quite a height, never ran out of batteries and you could access any
data directly without having to deal with menus.

I'm not sure if you are talking about buying a solution or building
one. If it's the former, someone already mentioned CruzPro. Their
stuff looks nice, but I don't know anyone with personal experience
using it. If ibuilding a solution interests you...

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 21:01:29 GMT, "Paul" wrote:

Hi Glen,

Actually I wasn't thinking of doing it at all, I was just noodling the
idea -- wondering about the "how".

Better watch that. First, you have a random thought. Then you get
interested enough to look into it a bit. Next thing you know, it's an
obsession and you're spending all your free time making it happen.

Don't ask me how I know this. ;-)


__________________________________________________ __________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/

I will not do this project. I will not do this project. I will not do this
project. I will not do this project.

Well, at least not this week. :-)

Better watch that. First, you have a random thought. Then you get
interested enough to look into it a bit. Next thing you know, it's an
obsession and you're spending all your free time making it happen.

Don't ask me how I know this. ;-)

I will not do this project. I will not do this project. I will not do this
project. I will not do this project.

Well, at least not this week. :-)

Better watch that. First, you have a random thought. Then you get
interested enough to look into it a bit. Next thing you know, it's an
obsession and you're spending all your free time making it happen.

Don't ask me how I know this. ;-)

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 21:01:29 GMT, "Paul" wrote:

Hi Glen,

Actually I wasn't thinking of doing it at all, I was just noodling the
idea -- wondering about the "how".

Better watch that. First, you have a random thought. Then you get
interested enough to look into it a bit. Next thing you know, it's an
obsession and you're spending all your free time making it happen.

Don't ask me how I know this. ;-)


__________________________________________________ __________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/

Hi Glen,

Actually I wasn't thinking of doing it at all, I was just noodling the
idea -- wondering about the "how". However if I were to do it I would build
it myself, and they would be in addition to standard gauges. The info I got
here is plenty to keep me going for a while now.

I also agree with the logbook preference, it's similar to a line I often
used in the office when everyone had PDAs. I used a notebook and a daytimer
and referred to them as analog assistants (PAAs?). They could survive a drop
from quite a height, never ran out of batteries and you could access any
data directly without having to deal with menus.

I'm not sure if you are talking about buying a solution or building
one. If it's the former, someone already mentioned CruzPro. Their
stuff looks nice, but I don't know anyone with personal experience
using it. If ibuilding a solution interests you...