Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
posted to rec.boats.electronics
|
|||
|
|||
electronic charts format
I am thinking of writing my own navigation software.
Not to save money, but just for the fun of it, and because I would like it to be an "open system" so that I can easily add features to it from time to time. I have sorted out the hardware but I am having problems with the electronic charts. The charts I would need right now have to cover the Baltic sea. When trying to find documentation about the "S-57" format I only find very "strange" documentation which is not very helpful. It is as if someone has made it obscure on purpose? It is very likely that I just haven't found the right documentation for this, but the ones I have found like: IHO TRANSFER STANDARD for DIGITAL HYDROGRAPHIC DATA Edition 3.1 - November 2000 Special Publication No. 57 are not very intuitive, compared to nearly any Internet RFC, which you just read and then start implementing it ... Are there any commercially available charts that can be used on a PC. And to make it clear, I have no intention of cracking any codes and I am more than happy to pay for these charts and "lock" them to the computer that I install them on. And how do you read these charts? Josce |
#2
posted to rec.boats.electronics
|
|||
|
|||
electronic charts format
Josce wrote:
I am thinking of writing my own navigation software. Not to save money, but just for the fun of it, and because I would like it to be an "open system" so that I can easily add features to it from time to time. I have sorted out the hardware but I am having problems with the electronic charts. The charts I would need right now have to cover the Baltic sea. When trying to find documentation about the "S-57" format I only find very "strange" documentation which is not very helpful. It is as if someone has made it obscure on purpose? It is very likely that I just haven't found the right documentation for this, but the ones I have found like: IHO TRANSFER STANDARD for DIGITAL HYDROGRAPHIC DATA Edition 3.1 - November 2000 Special Publication No. 57 are not very intuitive, compared to nearly any Internet RFC, which you just read and then start implementing it ... Are there any commercially available charts that can be used on a PC. And to make it clear, I have no intention of cracking any codes and I am more than happy to pay for these charts and "lock" them to the computer that I install them on. And how do you read these charts? Josce I imagine you're right about it being made deliberately difficult to find information about the S-57 format. May I suggest looking at some of the GIS packages though; at least a couple include translation utilities. The BSB format (NOAA raster charts) is much easier and additionally a library exists for it already (libbsb.sourceforge.net) No matter what you do you're going to need C/C++ experience and a lot of patience to deal with the marine industry roadblocks. It would be nice to have a viable linux navigation package. And, have a look at my project (pynavigate.googlecode.com), its a working cross-platform GPS display written in python. -- Travis |
#3
posted to rec.boats.electronics
|
|||
|
|||
electronic charts format
Travis Fickett wrote in
: No matter what you do you're going to need C/C++ experience and a lot of patience to deal with the marine industry roadblocks. It would be nice to have a viable linux navigation package. And, have a look at my project (pynavigate.googlecode.com), its a working cross-platform GPS display written in python. Maybe you guys should be introduced to the Maemo (Linux on Nokia Internet Tablets) Mapper crew: https://garage.maemo.org/projects/maemo-mapper/ I think what you're looking for is already open sourced and only needs marine navigation modules and chartography added to what has already been accomplished. It's all GNU and open sourced. The source code is there for your hacking pleasure. It's written in C, as you say. There are no roadblocks, whatsoever, as this is a large group effort for the Maemo OS for tablets with full support of Nokia, the largest cellphone company on the planet. The website is their donation to the open source Maemo community. A little information that may help you understand a little better if you have no tablet experience. OS2006 was for the Nokia N770 first attempt at the tablet. OS2007 was for the much-upgraded N800 tablet. OS2008 is a rewrite of OS2007 incorporating most of the suggestions of the Maemo community and adding more support for Bluetooth devices, the N810 tablet's slide-out keyboard, etc. N800 tablets upgrade to OS2008 for free with a Windows bootloader that simply reflashes the whole tablet's EPROMS through its USB port. If you destroy the OS, you simply reload and start over....not send it back forever to some company. N800 isn't a cellphone (or sellphone). It uses Bluetooth DUN to tether to cellphones for internet...or connects to any wifi it can find with the most sensitive 802.11b/g receiver I have ever seen. N800 uses an external Bluetooth 20-channel WAAS GPS receiver that runs off a cellphone Li-Ion rechargeable. I'm using Nokia's model LD-3W: http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-LD-3W-Wi.../dp/B000QGF8V4 but they have a new LD-4W model out, now. The LD3W is so close your vehicle lane changes on any highway with the unit laying on the dash is plainly visable and very accurately depicted by Maemo Mapper. Go to youtube.com and put Maemo Mapper into its search box to see the videos the various instructional bloggers have added. I'd sure LOVE to have a "Marine Navigation Mode" you could switch to with Maemo Mapper. What a cool device this GPS-sized tablet would be. It already uses Virtual Earth, Google Earth and other data servers to download maps, terrain charts, satellite photos, overlays of maps on top of satellite photos, and tracks very well....about the width of a dock accuracy. When you got to that exotic island, you'd stick the little GPS in your pocket, boot the tablet to pre-downloaded satphoto mosaics of the exotic island and walked down the dock, using it on land as well to find Points of Interest, plan land routes, etc....it already does very well. Contact the team and talk to them about a Marine Mode for this open source system we all love. Thanks! http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-LD-3W-Wi.../dp/B000QGF8V4 http://www.nseries.com/products/n800/#l=products,n810 http://www.nseries.com/products/n800/#l=products,n800 http://www.internettablettalk.com/ No reason Maemo Mapper couldn't be ported to another Linux box...but why??...(c; |
#4
posted to rec.boats.electronics
|
|||
|
|||
electronic charts format
Maybe you guys should be introduced to the Maemo (Linux on Nokia
Internet Tablets) Mapper crew: https://garage.maemo.org/projects/maemo-mapper/ Thanks, I will have a look at this. Might be very usable. Josce |
#5
posted to rec.boats.electronics
|
|||
|
|||
electronic charts format
Josce wrote in :
Maybe you guys should be introduced to the Maemo (Linux on Nokia Internet Tablets) Mapper crew: https://garage.maemo.org/projects/maemo-mapper/ Thanks, I will have a look at this. Might be very usable. Josce Join the team. Sure would be a great addition to the Maemo Mapper to have a Marine Mode.... |
#6
posted to rec.boats.electronics
|
|||
|
|||
electronic charts format
The BSB format (NOAA raster charts) is much easier and additionally a
library exists for it already (libbsb.sourceforge.net) Yes, this is probably what I'll have to start with. Ones I have everything up and running I can switch to the "S-57" charts. (If I can find some documentation that is usable No matter what you do you're going to need C/C++ experience and a lot of patience to deal with the marine industry roadblocks. It would be nice to have a viable linux navigation package. And, have a look at my project (pynavigate.googlecode.com), its a working cross-platform GPS display written in python. I am a computer programmer by trade, so the C/C++ part is no problem. My idea was to make it run on Linux and Windows, but haven't decided yet. I will certainly have a look at your project, but haven't done much in python so there is a small learning curve for me. My end goal with this project would be a very complete "marine system" Some of the things I would like to do with this system is: - Basic navigation - Control the autopilot drive unit directly - Connect a "3d-piezogyro" (?) so that the autopilot can follow and correct the waves - and ignore them when it should - Have an internet browser so you can check weather/harbour info - Connect a radar - Feed all the info to a secondary display below deck so if someone wants to know where we are right now or the speed or the wind conditions ... - etc Right now I am using a standard ITX motherboard (12W) and a daylight readable touchscreen display (12W). If I get the system usable I will have to look for some less power hungry hardware. Josce |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
electronic charts | Cruising | |||
Electronic Charts | Cruising | |||
Electronic Charts SE UK | General | |||
Electronic charts & GPS | Electronics | |||
Electronic Charts | Cruising |