Panbo

The Marine Electronics Hub

Category: Wireless & Apps

Jeppesen C-Maps, Coastal Explorer 2011 & Plan2Nav 0

Wireless & Apps / Navigation / Charts

Jeppesen C-Maps, Coastal Explorer 2011 & Plan2Nav

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If you don’t cruise outside the U.S. it may not matter, but Coastal Explorer users who do seem quite excited that the PC charting program will soon support the worldwide portfolio of Jeppesen C-Map Max charts and maybe even NT+ cards. You can hear the enthusiasm, and learn a lot of detail about how support will work, by checking out this CE Beta testing forum entry. Better yet, if you already run CE 2011, you can download the Beta from the same page and then use its rich chart management features to download some of C-Map’s generous demo cartography…

Open N2K to WiFi, Chetco SeaSmart & DMK Yacht Instruments 43

Wireless & Apps / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

Open N2K to WiFi, Chetco SeaSmart & DMK Yacht Instruments

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It took me less than an hour to cable a sample Chetco SeaSmart E-Net to Gizmo’s NMEA 2000 network and WiFi router and use the boat’s PC to scan for its IP address, which then yielded screens like the “Weather Info” browser page above on both my iPad and Android Incredible phone. Cool!  And if I was actually proficient at the sort of IT stuff represented in that SeaSmart “Network Setup” screen, it probably would have been quicker. Admittedly there are some issues with that data — Gizmo was not pitched 30 degrees, for instance! — and I’ve got a lot more testing to do, but I am excited about the growing number of devices designed to gateway NMEA 2000 (and other boat sensor data) out to Ethernet and WiFi in forms that can be easily displayed, or, better yet, easily used by any software developer…

DeLorme inReach hand’s-on #2, text me! 16

Wireless & Apps / Communications / Safety & SAR

DeLorme inReach hand’s-on #2, text me!

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Following up on inReach hands-on #1 — which attempted to be both an overview and a close look at its associated Android app Earthmate — let’s check out the Internet side of the system. The screen above is the user’s web portal at explore.delorme.com, which DeLorme developed in partnership with GeoPro. Given that GeoPro builds its own pro-level Iridium handhelds, like its new $1,200 SHOUT Nano, it’s no surprise that the portal let’s you thoroughly view and manage inReach communications. It could even be used by, say, a fleet manager to keep an eye on multiple inReach units…

DeLorme inReach, hand’s on #1 10

Wireless & Apps / Communications / Safety & SAR

DeLorme inReach, hand’s on #1

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Click on this photo for a close look at the new age of satellite messaging, tracking, and distress handhelds, or at least three of the early contenders. I was cautiously keen on the DeLorme inReach when it first surfaced, but then I had to bite my tongue. Though I was experiencing its reasonably fast and affordable two-way global messaging back in August, I couldn’t discuss it because of the beta testing NDA. Fair enough, as the inReach system evolved substantially during the beta process. Plus I’ve now had a chance to compare it with the less expensive Spot Connect, whose one-way custom messaging via Globalstar was discussed here in January. Not to mention the pro-oriented BriarTek Cerberus system, which also appeared here last January and uses the same Iridium 9602 data modem as the inReach. The news is pretty much all good for anyone who boats (or hikes, or whatever) beyond cell service, but it’s going to take several entries just to lay out what I’ve learned so far…

EarthNC: routing, NEXRAD, & Baron XMWX 11

Wireless & Apps / Navigation

EarthNC: routing, NEXRAD, & Baron XMWX

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I use the iPad version of EarthNC fairly often because I still like how it can overlay and detail NOAA weather buoy and forecast info, a feature it had when I first tried it. I also like how the quilted NOAA raster charts look on a pad (but then again I’m an old guy). Now EarthNC has added a pretty full featured route-making routine to its iOS version, as I tried to illustrate above by laying out the San Diego America’s Cup course I’ll be seeing up close later this week (I’m so excited). Note how I was able to easily type in waypoint names, and what you can’t see is how easy it is to move one, or delete it, or add a new one along a track line…

Scanstrut waterproof iPad case, & adjustable mount 11

Wireless & Apps / Cabin & deck gear

Scanstrut waterproof iPad case, & adjustable mount

Scanstrut_Waterproof_iPad_Case.jpg

It may be a bit early to discuss this Scanstrut iPad case because it’s not scheduled to ship until February, but I know a lot of boaters are wondering what’s possible in this realm, and besides it goes with yesterday’s iPads-on-yachts-of-the-future entry. Plus, as noted in this Scanstrut blog, the case is “short listed” for a DAME award in two weeks. And I got Scanstrut to share some information on the optional mount that can go with it…

From Tallon, smart iPad & electronics mounts 12

Wireless & Apps / Cabin & deck gear

From Tallon, smart iPad & electronics mounts

The Lowrance Elite press release is here and indicates that this product is a conscious colloboration between Tallon, RAM, and Lowrance. Smart!  Which is also what I thought when I learned about Tallon’s Ultimate iPad Mount a few months ago. Why design and manufacture your own iPad holder when RAM has it covered? But do develop a socket system that makes the RAM gear easier to use and nicer to look at on a boat.
   Incidentally, I asked Tallon about what’s on the other side of the Elite USB Socket. I was hoping for a single 12v lead that would power both the USB and lighter-style outlets, but in fact they’re separate male USB and 12v leads. So installing one of these requires a 5v USB supply, and a 2 amp one if you want to charge an iPad (mind you that most any RAM device holder will work with the socket). At any rate, I’m looking forward to seeing this gear in the flesh at IBEX next week (though I have a lot to do beforehand).

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NMEA 2011 Expo, neat new stuff #1 5

Wireless & Apps / Navigation

NMEA 2011 Expo, neat new stuff #1

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I spent a fair amount of NMEA Conference & Expo time reviewing products that are already shipping — more on that Technology Award tomorrow — but I still got a fair chance to see the new, new stuff (like the Fusion Marine Stereo wow). Check out that Green Marine Bridge Command Display System demo above, for instance, and don’t miss the video. I don’t think there’s ever been a monitor like that STAR at upper right, and I wondered how an owner or installer would set up the unusual STretched Aspect Ratio on the PC driving it. No problem: The monitor itself splits off the top third of a standard screen resolution, so that Maretron N2KView gauge display was simply set up on a regular monitor with that in mind. Slick. And of course there was much more…

Fusion Marine Stereo 700 series, holy mackerel! 88

Wireless & Apps / Entertainment / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

Fusion Marine Stereo 700 series, holy mackerel!

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Pardon the lousy show booth photography, but you’ve got to see what Fusion Audio debuted at NMEA, and it’s not fully online yet. The new MS-IP700 at upper right obviously has a color screen, but it also has both NMEA 2000 and Ethernet ports on its backside. Which means that it will be easy to install that new MS-NRX200 wired remote and it will even be able to display instrument info on its 2.7-inch monochrome screen (which is the same size as the 700 screen, because the collaged images are not to scale). And, yes, the Ethernet port is connected to a WiFi router which is being used by a Fusion app on that iPad at left to choose tunes, adjust volume levels on four possible zones, etc. But that is not all!…