Getting started with an iPad / iPhone

For all browsers who are new to using an iPad, and who do not yet know the basics of manipulation. For everyone who asks me :

  • How to load an app ?
  • How to sideload a purchased app on a second device ?
  • How to delete an app and reload it without paying ?
  • How to update apps ?
  • How to know there are updates ?
  • How to download a book in iBooks ?
  • How to know when a book is updated ?
  • Etc, etc,…

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Calypso Ultrasonic : the latest generation wireless wind sensor

Ultrasonic anemometers-weathervanes for yachting came up just over 15 years old. Among the best known we can cite those of the American Airmar and French LCJ Sensors. Equipped with sophisticated electronics, these sensors without moving mechanical parts have the double advantage of being much more robust than traditional sensors, and provide much more precise data. They can also integrate other sensors as a barometer, gyroscope, electronic compass and sometimes even GPS.

The first ultrasonic sensors were equipped with a cable for power and data transfer. The manufacturer LCJ Sensors, building on the success of its CV3F sensor marketed since 2001, designed the CV7SF range, wireless models whose data is transmitted over a radio frequency to a receiver which converts it to NMEA (0183 or 2000). Power is supplied by solar cells on the sensor cap, and different output connection interfaces are offered depending on the models.

A new actor, Spanish Calypso Instruments, has just designed a completely new concept wireless sensor, the Calypso Ultrasonic Portable, whose characteristic is to be featured with a Bluetooth Low Energy Transmission Protocol (Bluetooth 4.1), which offers many advantages.

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Nomad test – stand-alone AIS transceiver by Digital Yacht

I introduced last May The Nomad, a portable AIS transceiver designed by Digital Yacht. I had to wait until the end of the summer to have the opportunity to test in real situation this device that had been entrusted to me by the manufacturer. I can already say that I was conquered.

I conducted the test in two phases. The first in my home port of St-Vaast-La-Hougue in my own boat, to the pontoon, and at low tide, the port doors closed - the context is important - for the commissioning of the reception only. The second at sea, in Roussillon, with setting the transmission service. Read more …

Apple finally brings GALILEO on board [Update]

Good news, a year after its appearance on the first smartphones (¹), Apple finally integrates a GNSS receiver chipset compatible GALILEO. The iPhone 8/8+ and soon iPhone X are now equipped with the Snapdragon X16 LTE modem MDM9655 from Qualcomm, which includes a multi-GNSS receiver : GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia), GALILEO (Europe) and QZSS (Japan) (²).

[Update 15/12/2017] The iPhone 6S and 7 are now compatible with Galileo signals.

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Iridium Mail & Web app : GRIB weather files on iPhone and iPad in open sea [Update-2]

[Update 15 February 2019] The recent update of the application Iridium Mail & Web app gives me the opportunity to refresh this post originally written in December 2011.

The Wi-Fi Gateway Optimizer from RedPort allows owners of a mobile satellite phone to make requests and receive GRIB weather files from an iPad or iPhone on the high seas, into the wild, anywhere on the world.

After implementing and testing this solution On a long journey, It proved to be perfectly operational. However, it is limited to the receipt of the forecasts of the GFS weather model worldwide, and the wave pattern WW3, obtained by the American server's autoresponder Saildocs.

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Nomad, an AIS Classe B mobile transponder

The company Digital Yacht propose Nomad, the first AIS transponder class B mobile with Wi-Fi interface.

The Nomad is supplied with a portable VHF antenna of 25 cm equipped with a sucker and a 4 metres cable, and with a built-in GPS antenna. USB and Wi-Fi interfaces will allow the use of the device with many navigation and charting application for iOS devices, Android, PC and Mac.

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BeiDou-3 China rushes its Global GPS

To date, the constellation of Chinese GPS satellites BeiDou-2 covers only part of East Asia and the Western Pacific. With the commissioning of GALILEO European GPS late 2016, the replacement scheduled of U.S. 2nd generation GPSII by the 3rd generation GPSIII, the launch into orbit of the 3rd generation of Russian GLONASS-M satellites, China intends to catch up with global coverage forced march. Read more …

Christmas shopping at the Nautic Paris

For the first time since 5 years I'm not moving to the Paris Nautic boat show. And for the first time I am not "glued" ten hours a day to a 9 m². And so for the first time I take the time to be interested - remotely, without jostling, without air conditioning, without pollution in Paris – to various products related to my field of investigation and which have caught my attention.

Some concern security, others useful accessories, all of them have to do with mobile devices, smartphones or tablets, and some are really innovative.

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