For Jack, and the others,

I am Jacquelin .( I am a "he")

What is the application being used for navigation? And are you using more=
than one application?

The applications are somethings that I wrote in Visual Basic 6. One is
for navigation (piloting) with GPS, the other is to be used with an AIS
receiver. I am using one application at the time right now.

Is the GPS 10 configured to transmit both NMEA standard sentences? Or Gar=
min protocol sentences? Or Both?
The Garmin GPS10 Bluetooth is transmitting NMEA sentences, no Garmin
protocol.

What is the make or model of the AIS receiver?
The AIS receiver is supplied by the commercial ships that I pilot. On
each commercial ship, there is an AIS transponder , fitted with a
standard pilot plug. It outputs all AIS sentences, in RS-422 protocol.
We use a Rs-422 ro RS-232 converter and a cable that runs from the
pilot plug to the serial port of a laptop.

And does it have a NMEA output? As Bluetooth? Or Serial?
The AIS sentences are in a strange format, encapsulated 6 bits. One
example he

'!AIVDO,1,1,,,13:r`R5P1orpG60JeHgRSj4l0000,0*56
' 0 1 2 34 5 6
'1 Total number of sentences needed to transfer the message, 1 to 9
'2 Message sentence number, 1 to 9
'3 Sequential message identifier, 0 to 9
'4 AIS channel number
'5 Encapsulateled 6-bit radio message
'6 Number of fill-bits, 0 to 5

'14eG=3Dch021rp4FTJdTGRRR0605q4

'VDO.Identifier : 1 000001
'Repeat indicator : 0 00
'MMSI : 316001711 010010110101011100110110101111
'VDO1.NavStatus : 0 0000
'VDO1.ROT : 0 00000000
'VDO1.SOG : 12.9 kns 0010000001
'VDO1.PosAcc : 1 1
'VDO1.Latitude : 46=BA 39.3182'N 1101011100000010001011010010
'VDO1.Longitude : 71=BA 38.2703'W
0011010101100100100010111100010100010100
'VDO1.COG : 065=BA 010000000000
'VDO1.Heading : 064=BA 110000000
'VDO1.TimeStamp : 3 sec. 000101
'VDO1.NavStatus : 0 1
'VDO1.CommStatus : 15:17 h 11001000100

I'm trying to visualize this. You have your navigation track going, is a =
track also kept for each AIS vessel? Or are they location markers?

Each ship within Vhf range is showed on the vector as a short triangle
at small scale. By pointing it, you can read her speed, course, gyro
heading, plus static info like her dimensions, etc..

The transmissions are at 38400 bauds, sent thru VHF. Each ship emits
its message, more or less frequently, depending on her speed, and
change of course rate. It is a serial communication. And since the ship
that we pilot emits her position thru the pilot plug, we can use that
signal for navigation. A message tells us whether it is DGPS or GPS
only.
I can put a Bluetooth to serial device on the AIS transmission and I
could go without a long cable.



What software? And will it handle multiple serial inputs?
My GPS software is already used by 25% of my collegues here on the
Saint-Lawrence River. I use S-57 data charts. The software does what a
pilot want: course overe the ground, speed over the ground, HDOP,
number of sat's used, Cross track error, etc.. It would be easy for me
to combine both softwares, and therfore to have 2 different sources for
positioning, one from the ship equipment, her AIS and GPS (DGPS), and
the other one from my G10 bluetooth.


And since Meindert Sprang seems to be well knowledgeable, I guess it
won't work, unless some of you guys come up with an idea.


I hope I answered your questions.

Regards

Jacquelin Hardy