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Wireless 802.11 NMEA server
Larry and Todd:
It's not quite so simple -- take a look at http://www.mvfintry.com/pix/portland800.jpg. There are two w/t compartments on the main deck and six below, all possibly with data, as well as tanks. The wheelhouse can also be separated by a w/t door. (Remember that in The Perfect Storm movie, Andrea Gail flooded from the wheelhouse. What really happened, we'll never know.) Maybe you guys are right -- that wireless would work fine -- certainly there are a lot of openings in the bulkheads, although they're all small (2" tops) and sealed with intumescent caulk to keep fire and flood in one place if they happen -- AC, DC, H&C potable water, sal****er fire main, black and gray water, compressed air, diesel, and all the information wires. Question then, given that running wire is really easy, because we'll have the conduit for phone, burglar, fire alarm, audio, etc. anyway (sure, maybe all of these can be wireless also, but there are some security issues, etc.), am I better off with wired or wireless? If Larry's right and 802.11 will really reject everything that it might meet, is it a more robust installation to go wireless? This assumes that all of the primary stuff on the bridge is wired -- we're talking about personal computers (in the broader sense of the words) and a couple of non-critical remote readouts here. None of this will go in until we get her on this side of the pond next summer (God willing). I'd be delighted to try it sometime after then.... -- Jim Woodward www.mvFintry.com .. .. "Todd" wrote in message m... "Jim Woodward" jameslwoodward at attbi dot com wrote in message ... Certainly if I were adding a network to an existing boat that wasn't well set for easy access everywhere (that's another topic), I'd certainly take a shot at using wireless and test the hell out of it at the dock. -- Jim Woodward www.mvFintry.com Jim, I think you make a good point that testing is definitely the key before leaving the dock. Metal boats do present a problem for wireless networks and my take on doing wireless on a metal boat (assuming you want to and certainly not everyone does) is to mount the external antenna in the salon area so that any cabins (with non-metal or open doors) can access it and the signal can get up the companionway stairs to the cockpit. Would that give you a signal on the foredeck? As you say you'd just have to test it since it will vary with each boat. As an aside I would never recommend anyone use wireless as their sole means of electronic navigation. When we designed our wireless navigation server it was always as an addition to a set of fixed mounted instruments and even more importantly as an addition to having a paper chart and being able to navigate when you lose all form of power aboard. We also require an external NMEA multiplexer to combine the NMEA signals (or convert Seatalk) which allows you to unplug our wireless navigation server and plug the serial connection directly into a laptop were our hardware to fail. Best, Todd -- Marine Wireless http://www.marinewireless.us |
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