Panbo

The Marine Electronics Hub

Category: Editors’ Blog

11

Editors' Blog / Wireless & Apps / Network & control / Communications

My Island WiFi offers U.S. service – $110 / month for unlimited internet

When Have Another Day visited the Bahamas in 2017 internet connectivity was complex and pricey. In 2018 Island WiFi began renting mobile hotspots with unlimited data; the raves of simplicity and cost-effectiveness from those cruising the Bahamas could be heard all the way back in the states. Many commented that the service was so much better than what they could get in U.S. providers that they wished they could use My Island WiFi’s service in the U.S. Well, now they can, Island WiFi has started offering service in the U.S.

8

Editors' Blog / Panbo & misc. / Safety & SAR / The Trade

Panbo fun at the NMEA/RTCM Conference

It may not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but trying the first dual-color electronic Visual Distress Signal Device (eVDSD) is how a writer trying to cover the present and future of marine electronics gets his kicks. And it happened because the annual and always valuable NMEA Conference is now also the annual RTCM Conference, and also because Panbo covered the event with dual Bens…

4

Editors' Blog / Wireless & Apps / Navigation / Handheld / AIS

Navionics Boating app adds AIS target vectors and ActiveCaptain Community updates

In a recent blog post Navionics announced they’ve added vectors to AIS target displays and the ability to edit rate and review ActiveCaptain Community points of interest (POIs). It looks like Navionics is making good on their promise of rapid improvements to their AIS features.

14

Editors' Blog / Network & control / Communications

T-Mobile Test Drive, try out T-Mobile’s network on them

T-Mobile has been busy building out their network and extending their coverage. For many boaters it may be the best compromise of coverage and cost-effectiveness. But, how do you know if their coverage is good enough where you plan to use it? T-Mobile hopes you will take them up on their offer and try 30gb of data and a hot-spot to find out.

4

Editors' Blog / Weather

Chuck Berry, Ali’s butterfly, and the National Hurricane Center

Dorian is powered up and perilously close, but while the forecasting is better than ever — based almost entirely on massive data collection and modeling by NOAA — the meteorologists are still quite uncertain about the hurricane’s path. I’m thinking a lot about folks in the Abacos and in the vast areas that might be struck next, but, sorry, I’m also remembering how I managed to use Chuck Berry and Muhammad Ali in the opening paragraph of a July 2003 SAIL magazine article about visiting the National Hurricane Center…

Touchscreen throttles on US Navy Destroyer John S McCain 11

Editors' Blog / Network & control / When things go wrong...

U.S. Navy destroyers without physical throttles?

Touchscreens work well for many tasks at a boat helm (and elsewhere), I think, but a touchscreen throttle never even occurred to me until I read about the Navy “reverting to physical throttles” on warships like the USS John S McCain. Holy cow! Why the heck did we deprive destroyer drivers of the excellent (electronic) control interface known as a throttle lever, and why is Wired magazine mispresenting the “reversion”?

0

Editors' Blog / Good Gear (non electronic)

Made in Maine: kayak rack, winter boat frame & more

I’ve gone to the Maine Boat & Home Show in Rockland for all 17 years (so far) and never failed to discover many things of interest. I had no idea, for instance, that a floating kayak and canoe rack even existed though it was designed and built right in my home town. And this entry includes other unique products made by very small companies in Maine that you too might want to know about…

17

Editors' Blog / Navigation / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

Dedicated Depth display, NMEA 2000 the best way?

I enjoyed this Bill Morris article at OceanNavigator.com even though he pokes fun at skippers like me. For one thing, he does it gently and well, as in his elegant second paragraph…I also agree with Bill that a dedicated depth display is a key navigation tool, regardless of what else you’re using. But then again I think that there are better ways to do it than he advocates, and…

2

Editors' Blog / Navigation

Doppler radome testing tease: they’re all good

The picture tells much of the story. In rain and fog, the three 7-inch Garmin, Simrad, and Raymarine multifunction displays are each showing their respective solid-state Doppler-assisted radomes capturing well the complexity of Rockland Harbor moored vessels and shoreline while also automatically highlighting the most significant moving object…