I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us

Anyhow, thanks again for all the feedback and help in turning this
idea into reality. Now we'll just have to see if there is any real
market demand for wireless navigation ;-)

-Todd

On 6 Nov 2003 11:20:57 -0800, (Todd) tempted fate
with:


Anyhow, thanks again for all the feedback and help in turning this
idea into reality. Now we'll just have to see if there is any real
market demand for wireless navigation ;-)

-Todd
Interesting. I just installed Net Stumbler on my laptop. It picked
up a network in the marina with an SSID "Albin 42", so I guess it's
not exactly unknown.
__________________________________________________ __________
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/

Todd, I'm using the B&B Electronics serial direct to network box
between our NMEA network and a $39 Netgear wireless router. The box
is $149, not $700 West Marine pricing. Are you using their Virtual
Serial Port software? It works great with The Cap'n, totally
transparent. The Cap'n thinks it's talking to the serial port, not
the TCP/IP of the Linksys PCMCIA card in the side of the Dell
Latitude.

Pretty cool to sit on the bow and waypoint the B&G Network
Pilot....(c;

I can also simultaneously logon to Ashley Marina's WiFi open network
near the docks very nicely. Too bad noone has a better WiFi network
out in the harbor....dammit.

The RS-232 I/O works very nicely with our Noland Multiplexer's RX/TX
port. The Cap'n gets the data and waypoints her around great!

B&B Electronics specializes in remote instrumentation......



On 6 Nov 2003 11:20:57 -0800, (Todd) wrote:

I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us

Anyhow, thanks again for all the feedback and help in turning this
idea into reality. Now we'll just have to see if there is any real
market demand for wireless navigation ;-)

-Todd


Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"

"Todd" wrote in message
...
I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us


Nice piece of marketing. Take an off-the-shelf product (Soekris Engineering
net4521 , ~ $200 including case), put your own label on it, load it with
linux and sell it for 4 times the price of the off-the-shelf product...

Pity though that this NMEA navigation server has no real NMEA
inputs/outputs. :-)

Meindert

Is it just me or is rec.boats.electronics becoming a playground for
the SPAMMERS?



On Fri, 7 Nov 2003 08:29:33 +0100, "Meindert Sprang"
wrote:

"Todd" wrote in message
m...
I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us


Nice piece of marketing. Take an off-the-shelf product (Soekris Engineering
net4521 , ~ $200 including case), put your own label on it, load it with
linux and sell it for 4 times the price of the off-the-shelf product...

Pity though that this NMEA navigation server has no real NMEA
inputs/outputs. :-)

Meindert




Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"

"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...
Is it just me or is rec.boats.electronics becoming a playground for
the SPAMMERS?

Who gave you that idea?? :-))

Meindert

"Meindert Sprang" wrote in message
Nice piece of marketing. Take an off-the-shelf product (Soekris Engineering
net4521 , ~ $200 including case), put your own label on it, load it with
linux and sell it for 4 times the price of the off-the-shelf product...

Pity though that this NMEA navigation server has no real NMEA
inputs/outputs. :-)

Meindert

Meindart,

Indeed, the soekris is a great unit and embedded linux was a natural
choice.

Our thinking regarding no real NMEA inputs/outputs was that we want to
support seatalk networks, seatalk/nmea networks, and straight nmea so
going with an external multiplexer (e.g. Noland, Brookhouse, Raymarine
NMEA bride, etc...) makes a lot more sense and quite frankly is a lot
easier at this early stage.

I would eventually like to integrate something like the Brookhouse
unit which does both NMEA and Seatalk and ultimately get the cost down
more but that only happens when you can start buying in some
significant volume.

I think you're oversimplifying regarding $200 for the soekris since
that's only a part of the equation. There's also 200mW senoa wireless
card, external antenna, internal storage, 12 volt connection wiring,
virtual serial port software, nmea navigation embedded server
software, a web based administration interface, etc... We're making
nowhere near the 4 times profit you suggest on this unit so it's not
as nice a piece of marketing as you give me credit for, although I
wish it were ;-)

Thanks for your feedback, it really is a big help to see which areas
folks are critical of so I can work on sorting those out for when we
begin actually selling the product to end users!

Cheers,
Todd

--
Marine Wireless
http://www.marinewireless.us

Larry,

I didn't know about the B&B unit, thanks for pointing it out! I'm glad
to see other folks are doing wireless navigation on their boats.

Does the B&B unit support multiple clients (e.g. multiple laptops and
handhelds) getting the NMEA data at the same time?

Do you have the netgear and B&B running through the inverter or were
you able to wire them both into the 12V power?

It sounds like a good and inexpensive solution! That's the downside of
making a product specific for the marine industry... low volume =
higher pricing.

Cheers,
Todd

--
Marine Wireless
http://www.marinewireless.us

(Larry W4CSC) wrote in message ...
Todd, I'm using the B&B Electronics serial direct to network box
between our NMEA network and a $39 Netgear wireless router. The box
is $149, not $700 West Marine pricing. Are you using their Virtual
Serial Port software? It works great with The Cap'n, totally
transparent. The Cap'n thinks it's talking to the serial port, not
the TCP/IP of the Linksys PCMCIA card in the side of the Dell
Latitude.

Pretty cool to sit on the bow and waypoint the B&G Network
Pilot....(c;

I can also simultaneously logon to Ashley Marina's WiFi open network
near the docks very nicely. Too bad noone has a better WiFi network
out in the harbor....dammit.

The RS-232 I/O works very nicely with our Noland Multiplexer's RX/TX
port. The Cap'n gets the data and waypoints her around great!

B&B Electronics specializes in remote instrumentation......



On 6 Nov 2003 11:20:57 -0800, (Todd) wrote:

I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us

Anyhow, thanks again for all the feedback and help in turning this
idea into reality. Now we'll just have to see if there is any real
market demand for wireless navigation ;-)

-Todd


Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"

"Todd" wrote in message Meindart,

Indeed, the soekris is a great unit and embedded linux was a natural
choice.

And a good one too! Glad you didn't opt for a M$ product ;-)

Our thinking regarding no real NMEA inputs/outputs was that we want to
support seatalk networks, seatalk/nmea networks, and straight nmea so
going with an external multiplexer (e.g. Noland, Brookhouse, Raymarine
NMEA bride, etc...) makes a lot more sense and quite frankly is a lot
easier at this early stage.

I would eventually like to integrate something like the Brookhouse
unit which does both NMEA and Seatalk and ultimately get the cost down
more but that only happens when you can start buying in some
significant volume.

Mmm, might want to discuss this with you directly.

I think you're oversimplifying regarding $200 for the soekris since
that's only a part of the equation. There's also 200mW senoa wireless
card, external antenna, internal storage, 12 volt connection wiring,
virtual serial port software, nmea navigation embedded server
software, a web based administration interface, etc... We're making
nowhere near the 4 times profit you suggest on this unit so it's not
as nice a piece of marketing as you give me credit for, although I
wish it were ;-)

Ok, I was a bit overreacting :-) Indeed it takes a lot of effort to make it
a complete product. I remember when I had the first prototype of my
multiplexers ready and how long it took before it was a sellable product.
that took longer than to develop the first proto.

Thanks for your feedback, it really is a big help to see which areas
folks are critical of so I can work on sorting those out for when we
begin actually selling the product to end users!

You're welcome :-)

Cheer,
Meindert

On 7 Nov 2003 10:14:29 -0800, (Todd) wrote:

Larry,

I didn't know about the B&B unit, thanks for pointing it out! I'm glad
to see other folks are doing wireless navigation on their boats.

Does the B&B unit support multiple clients (e.g. multiple laptops and
handhelds) getting the NMEA data at the same time?

You'll have to ask B&B that. We only have one computer aboard. It
does have its own IP address, and is fully TCP/IP compatible like any
internet connection, so I don't see why it would only connect to one
at a time unless there's a parameter to prevent it you can set up.

Do you have the netgear and B&B running through the inverter or were
you able to wire them both into the 12V power?

They're plugged into the Tripplite 300W inverter with the computer
charger at the nav station. Hardly draw any current when the computer
isn't loading it up, charging its cranking battery and running its
mainframe. I bought the Netgear because the RP114 buried behind my
desk, here, has been running flawlessly in the maze of wires and dirt
behind my desk for years, 24/7/365....unlike the Linksys routers that
died 3 times and required constant firmware upgrading to correct
mistakes.

It sounds like a good and inexpensive solution! That's the downside of
making a product specific for the marine industry... low volume =
higher pricing.

Are you actually making this, or are you relabeling off-the-shelf
stuff as someone says?

Are you using this "Virtual Serial Port" software B&B is selling?



Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"