Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

On 27 fev, 10:00, "Pascal" wrote:
On 26 fev, 23:44, "Flemming Torp" fletopkanelbolle2rp.danmark wrote:





"Pascal" skrev i en meddelelsenews:1172535312..637404.34540@j27g2000cw j.googlegroups.com...

... Today, I use the only seriel port on
the PC to get the NMEA stream of data from the GPSvia RS232 ... The
C-map chart reader is using a USB interface,

... I will then have to figure out how also to get the
seriel input from the AIS engine into the PC ... May be via USB? Or a
multiplexor? If I'm not mistaken, Meindert will have an answer to
that
...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61

Flemming,

If you buy the SR161 (I have one of these) it alows you to connect the
serial output cable (DB9 end) of your Gps (my gps is a Garmin and the
serial cable is standard) to the "serial input/output" DB9 on the AIS
receiver SR 161, so, the SR161 act as a Multiplexor, joinining the Gps
NMEA outputed at 4800 bps from the gps with his own generated AIS
NMEA data and sending to the serial port of the PC (DB9) a "correctly
combined Gps/Ais mixed NMEA Messages" at 38400 bps ... In this way, I
do not need another serial port on the laptop/Pc.

The Milltech Marine site where I have buy my AIS unit sell a already
made special cable, (I have buy one, becase I do not like to made this
type of work too) but they have an diagram in PDF of the cable so tht
you can made one yourself.

Pascal

Hello Pascal,

I have just finished reading some of the last updates John has
implemented in Sarah ... impressive and fascinating report, I must say.
I have learned more in the last five hours about problems in integrating
navigational instruments from different manufacturers and the way to
tackle these issues, than I ever dreamed/dreamt(?) of ...

As to your comment about cabling: Thank you for pointing this out to me.
I had not seen that, but I have so far not studied the SR161/162 in
detail, but this piece of information is certainly of great importance
to me. Now, there should hopefully be no more obstacles for me? ... So,
what I understand is, that now I just need an "AIS engine" i.e. SR161 or
SR162 (?), an antenna splitter and the special cable you mention, that
I - also - would rather purchase ready made than make myself ... ;o) ...
and then I should be ready to test the system on my PC running SOB and
the C-Map card reader connected to an USB port. As I live a few miles
from Øresund - the water between Sweden and Denmark with pretty heavy
trafic, I hope, I can do the testing from here ... I'll give it a try
...

When it gets warmer, I will go to the boat and see, if the SOB
application is able to "read" the C-maps from the Raymarine chartplotter
when the hsb2 is activated between the chartplotter and the PC ... In
that way, I will get the best of two worlds ... You know: One wants the
cake *and* eat it ...

Thank you again for your helpful and useful comments ... I'm an
"enthusiastic amateur in this game" ...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61- Ocultar texto entire aspas -

- Mostrar texto entre aspas -

Flemming,

If you wish to test AIS at Home, the antenna splitter will be
useless... for now, just buy a small portable antenna (like the
antennas of portable vhf radios) with BNC adapter which would give you
a good reception up to 5 nm or if you decide to have a separate
antenna instead of a antenna splitter, to mount on your arch or over
the bimini top, them buy a standard VHF antenna which at this level
is good to about 10 nm. Off course, if your house is near the sea at
high level, the reception would be much better. Here at my home wich
is in water front at about 3 or 4 meters high I can get ships up to 15
nm using my small portable antenna.

By the way, for use at home I prefer to use AIS with the ShipPlotter
software, wich costs very little, about 25 euros, and it is very
good, it has many interesting features, like a data base of ships
wich you build along the use, internet connection, so you can share
the AIS info with others users in your area, access to IMO ships data
base to get more ships info and access to Google to get the ships
picture etc... At home you not need to use a gps, since you are at a
fixed location ... But it uses only Raster charts.. You can scn a
local map/chart and uses it, since there is no need to more than
one ...- Ocultar texto entre aspas -

- Mostrar texto entre aspas -

Here are others very usefull links I recomend:

http://www.milltechmarine.com/products.htm
http://www.sping.com/seaclear/
http://www.shipplotter.com/

Pascal

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

"Pascal" wrote in message
ps.com...
On 27 fev, 04:47, "Meindert Sprang"
Pascal, does the SR161 pass all the incoming GPS sentences or just the
RMC
sentence? I haven't tried that myself yet....

Meindert

Hi Meindert,

It pass all messages, see a sample below..

Thanks!

Meindert

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

"Meindert Sprang" skrev i en meddelelse
ll.nl...
"Pascal" wrote in message
ps.com...
On 27 fev, 04:47, "Meindert Sprang"
Pascal, does the SR161 pass all the incoming GPS sentences or just
the
RMC
sentence? I haven't tried that myself yet....

Meindert

Hi Meindert,

It pass all messages, see a sample below..

Thanks!

Meindert

Hi again,

I'm not able to read these GPS sentences, but does Pascals answer to
your question mean, that I can just use my actual VHF antenna, a
"splitter" and let the AIS engine receive AIS-messages at 38400B and
GPS-messages at 4800B, and it will somehow be readable and applicable
when transferred to my PC application (for example SOB og Seaclear or
Winchart) via a single ordinary cable to the serial port on my
notebook? - Or do you have other concerns about this solution? If you -
with your background and expertise ... say: Go ahead, I will do it ...
TIA!
Sorry if I don't need a 'mux' this time ... but my installation will
most certainly grow ... so ... who knows ...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

Hi Pascal,

Thank you again, I will just add a few comments to your message ...

"Pascal" skrev i en meddelelse
oups.com...

Flemming,

If you wish to test AIS at Home, the antenna splitter will be
useless... for now, just buy a small portable antenna (like the
antennas of portable vhf radios) ...

SNIP

That is exactly, what I intend to do in the first phase ... I could also
go to the boat, even if it is on land, and play with SOB, the GPS a new
AIS engine, and the PC with a primitive antenna ... but it is pretty
cold these days ...

Thank yuo also for your links. I will take the time to take a closer
look ...

By the way, for use at home I prefer to use AIS with the ShipPlotter
software, wich costs very little, about 25 euros, and it is very
good, it has many interesting features, like a data base of ships
wich you build along the use, internet connection, so you can share
the AIS info with others users in your area, access to IMO ships data
base to get more ships info and access to Google to get the ships
picture etc... At home you not need to use a gps, since you are at a
fixed location ... But it uses only Raster charts.. You can scn a
local map/chart and uses it, since there is no need to more than
one ...

Good advice. I do have quite a few digital BSB charts from Maptech on a
CD and the HDD - also one covering the area, in which, I'm living.

As far as I understand (I have just had a quick view at the
ShipPlotter - 'very yellow' - homepage), I should be able to use
Maptechs charts in ShipPlotter - right? ... Do you think, I could use
SOB without the GPS attached, or must the GPS be connected and active in
order for SOB/ShipPlotter to work on my PC?

It seems that all my "worries are solved now" ... thank you for your
"education" and help, Pascal ... As you can see in my comment to
Meindert, I am not in a position to read and understand all the
different messages - it's chinese for me. Until a few years back, my
sailing took place in a boat with one compas, a set of paper sea charts,
a log, the binoculars, my watch, foot pump etc. The major worry was
whether our battery could "survive" two nights with the (one bulb)
toplantern put on ... and then we bought one of the early AP navigators
.... then an early Garmin ... In my new (to me boat) there is a lot of
modern electronic devices, and I must admit, that I find the new
technology on board most fascinating ... but so far, I'm on the very
early part of the learning curve ... thank you again ...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

"Flemming Torp" fletopkanelbolle2rp.danmark wrote in message
. ..
I'm not able to read these GPS sentences, but does Pascals answer to
your question mean, that I can just use my actual VHF antenna, a
"splitter" and let the AIS engine receive AIS-messages at 38400B and
GPS-messages at 4800B, and it will somehow be readable and applicable
when transferred to my PC application (for example SOB og Seaclear or
Winchart) via a single ordinary cable to the serial port on my
notebook?

Precisely. The AIS receiver merges the GPS sentences coming in on its serial
port with the AIS sentences. No multiplexer needed for this.

- Or do you have other concerns about this solution? If you -
with your background and expertise ... say: Go ahead, I will do it ...
TIA!

Go ahead!

Sorry if I don't need a 'mux' this time ... but my installation will
most certainly grow ... so ... who knows ...

No problem at all ;-) I don't want to sell someone something he doesn't
need. And if you eventually do need, I suppose you know where and how to
find me :-)

Regards,
Meindert

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

"Meindert Sprang" skrev i en meddelelse
ll.nl...
SNIP

Go ahead!

Sorry if I don't need a 'mux' this time ... but my installation will
most certainly grow ... so ... who knows ...

No problem at all ;-) I don't want to sell someone something he
doesn't
need. And if you eventually do need, I suppose you know where and how
to
find me :-)

Based on several years of being a daily reader of (and very modest
contributor to) this news group, you do learn, who you can trust and
rely on ... "The guy" running www.shipmodul.com is definitely one of
them! Thank you for your constructive way of handling "electronic
novices" like me, within the fascinating world of marine electronics ...
I certainly know whom to turn to, if the "complexity of the future
number of cables and interfaces exceeds my ability" or my "wishes/hunger
for new tech" on the boat exceeds my know how ...

Best regards

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:37:18 +0100, "Meindert Sprang"
wrote:

"Flemming Torp" fletopkanelbolle2rp.danmark wrote in message
...
I'm not able to read these GPS sentences, but does Pascals answer to
your question mean, that I can just use my actual VHF antenna, a
"splitter" and let the AIS engine receive AIS-messages at 38400B and
GPS-messages at 4800B, and it will somehow be readable and applicable
when transferred to my PC application (for example SOB og Seaclear or
Winchart) via a single ordinary cable to the serial port on my
notebook?

Precisely. The AIS receiver merges the GPS sentences coming in on its serial
port with the AIS sentences. No multiplexer needed for this.


Just to clarify: The AIS receiver receives the GPS NMEA data at 4800
baud, and sends it, mixed with the AIS data, at 38,400 baud. That is,
all data output by the AIS receiver is sent at 38,400, regardless of
its source.

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI Vancouver BC, Canada
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

"Pascal" skrev i en meddelelse
ps.com...
On 27 fev, 04:47, "Meindert Sprang"
wrote:
"Pascal" wrote in message

ups.com...

If you buy the SR161 (I have one of these) it alows you to connect
the
serial output cable (DB9 end) of your Gps (my gps is a Garmin and
the
serial cable is standard) to the "serial input/output" DB9 on the
AIS
receiver SR 161, so, the SR161 act as a Multiplexor, joinining the
Gps
NMEA outputed at 4800 bps from the gps with his own generated AIS
NMEA data and sending to the serial port of the PC (DB9) a
"correctly
combined Gps/Ais mixed NMEA Messages" at 38400 bps ... In this
way, I
do not need another serial port on the laptop/Pc.

Pascal, does the SR161 pass all the incoming GPS sentences or just
the RMC
sentence? I haven't tried that myself yet....

Meindert

Hi Meindert,

It pass all messages, see a sample below.. If anybody wish I can send
offline by e-mail the Milltech Marine Pdf file wih the combined Gps/
Ais cable diagram for the SR161/162


Best regards

Pascal


Hello Pascal and Meindert,

Thank you again for your advice and assistance.
For your information, I have today ordered a SR161 AIS receiver with
antenna-splitter, the special AIS-GPS cable and a small antenna from
MillTechMarine ... Without your support, I would still be surfing the
Internet for a solution ...
As I will need more battery capacity in the future, I have today
installed an extra generator on my Volvo Penta ... preparing for the
"electronics in sailing future" ... i.e.: Doubling the output to some
110A ... it's not a big boat ... but the "ampere appetite" is increasing
.... year after year ...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

On 28 fev, 14:52, "Flemming Torp" fletopkanelbolle2rp.danmark wrote:
"Pascal" skrev i en meddelelsenews:1172578317.338242.247410@8g2000cwh. googlegroups.com...





On 27 fev, 04:47, "Meindert Sprang"
wrote:
"Pascal" wrote in message

roups.com...

If you buy the SR161 (I have one of these) it alows you to connect
the
serial output cable (DB9 end) of your Gps (my gps is a Garmin and
the
serial cable is standard) to the "serial input/output" DB9 on the
AIS
receiver SR 161, so, the SR161 act as a Multiplexor, joinining the
Gps
NMEA outputed at 4800 bps from the gps with his own generated AIS
NMEA data and sending to the serial port of the PC (DB9) a
"correctly
combined Gps/Ais mixed NMEA Messages" at 38400 bps ... In this
way, I
do not need another serial port on the laptop/Pc.

Pascal, does the SR161 pass all the incoming GPS sentences or just
the RMC
sentence? I haven't tried that myself yet....

Meindert

Hi Meindert,

It pass all messages, see a sample below.. If anybody wish I can send
offline by e-mail the Milltech Marine Pdf file wih the combined Gps/
Ais cable diagram for the SR161/162

Best regards

Pascal

Hello Pascal and Meindert,

Thank you again for your advice and assistance.
For your information, I have today ordered a SR161 AIS receiver with
antenna-splitter, the special AIS-GPS cable and a small antenna from
MillTechMarine ... Without your support, I would still be surfing the
Internet for a solution ...
As I will need more battery capacity in the future, I have today
installed an extra generator on my Volvo Penta ... preparing for the
"electronics in sailing future" ... i.e.: Doubling the output to some
110A ... it's not a big boat ... but the "ampere appetite" is increasing
... year after year ...

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61- Ocultar texto entre aspas -

- Mostrar texto entre aspas -

Congratulations amd good luck

Pascal

Portable Gps/Plotter with AIS-Receiver Support
 

"Pascal" skrev i en meddelelse
oups.com...
SNIP

Congratulations amd good luck

Pascal

Thank you - I'm afraid I will need it ... Then I will come back with
more questions ...

What does: "- Mostrar texto entre aspas -" mean ...

best regards

--
Flemming Torp
Gimle/DEN-61