Category : Material

IsatPhone Pro versus Iridium (continue)

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As promised in my post on 15 July, here are the results of the comparative test conducted aboard "Prince d'Oc" for our trip from Port Leucate to Dubrovnik.

Thanks to the loan of a complete IsatPhone Pro, with docking station and outdoor antenna (a big thank you to PYG @voilier_xhosa, who sent me all this from Belgium), and the presence of a similar facility Iridium on board Olivier's boat : Iridium 9575 with Sailor outdoor fixed antenna, We were able to carry out tests in real use situations.

Prince d'Oc vers la Croatie

Prince d'Oc on his way to Croatia

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IsatPhone Pro versus Iridium, which one to choose ?

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I just read, in the latest issue of Voiles et Voiliers dated May 2012, A comparison Inmarsat-Iridium that leaves me unsatisfied. Quite interesting in form, it presents a lot of approximations in substance, and does not allow the reader to form an opinion on precise and quantified elements of comparison. On the other hand, with all due respect to François-Xavier Ricardou, Mac software solutions have been around for a long time and are perfectly proven : just to see the number of participants provided with Mac or iPad at ARC 2011. I will try to contribute complementary, I hope so, enlighten potential buyers. Read more …

iNAVConnect links iPhone or iPad to Raymarine chartplotters

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inavconnectThe company Digital Yacht continues to offer new products for yachting (¹). One of them, iNAVConnect, allows to connect by WiFi iPad or iPhone, featured iNavX, Navionics Marine, or any other compatible application, to Raymarine MFDs C and E series. This allows waypoints and routes to be transferred from Raymarine systems to apps on iPad or iPhone, and vice versa.

It's a start, Digital Yacht hopes other manufacturers implement these transfer functions in the future. Read more …

Simple and original mount for iPad

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Serge Rousseau, A Canadian navigator, sent me some pictures of the installation of his iPad on his sailboat. He wrote me :

"I'm sending you some photos of the support. I fixed an industrial Velcro on the stainless steel tube and I maintain waterproof case (+or- 50 €) with reusable fasteners (Tie Wrap). You can also use a waterproof envelope used to protect the maps in kayaks and secure it with velcro and reustable ties. ”

For a particularly economical solution, I find it simple, clever and aesthetic enough for my own opinion. It's up to you to judge…

NMEA 2000, a network standard of the future

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nmea2000NMEA 2000® (¹) is a standard for electronic communication network specifically designed for pleasure boats, according to an industry standard published by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). It aims to meet many needs, arising from the considerable increase of electronic devices onboard, the widespread use of computers and MFDs (²) with control and navigation application more sophisticated. It also aims to interconnect equipment provided by various manufacturers and brands, allowing boat builders and users great freedom in the choice of their navigation instruments. Read more …

Seasmart WiFi connects NMEA network 2000 to your iPad

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SeaSmart WiFiMarch, the SeaSmart WiFi, presented by iTabNav.fr at the Nautic de Paris last week, allows a WiFi connection to iPad , iPhone or other computer over WiFi to a NMEA network 2000.

Designed by Chetco Digital Instruments, Brookings, Oregon (USA), SeaSmart is a wireless transmitter NMEA2000 and NMEA0183 compatible consists of an USB/serial gateway, a WiFi transmitter 802.11 b/g and an embedded CGI/AJAX web server. Compatible with web browsers on most smartphones, like iPhone, iPad or Android, SeaSmart.Net translates NMEA 2000 (PGNs) messages through an open protocol in HTML pages updated in real time and sent streaming to web server. The transfer is bi-directional. In addition, NMEA 0183 connector allows to interface instruments that use this protocol, like an AIS, their data being multiplexed and added to the flow of data powered by SeaSmart.net. Read more …

Navigation with iPad trainings : a complete solution

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With Weather4D PRO and Iridium Mail, associated with a satellite phone Iridium, we now have a complete solution, reliable and low cost to receive, display and manage GRIB files in open seas with iPad.
iNavX and Navionics cartography also provide a complete navigation solution, supporting files transfers with Weather4D PRO : GRIB, routes, tracks, that allows simultaneous display in both applications.

These solutions, perfectly complementary and consistent with each other, have been tested on more than 2800 NM in the automn during a crossing from Canaria to the Caribbean, on board Catana 47 "Burst", token place in ARC rally 2011. In addition, Olivier Bouyssou was able to improve his Weather4D Pro application "over time", correcting, adding and optimizing daily development onboard. Read more …

Galileo, here we go !

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Barely published, the 20 October, my previous post about iPhone 4S new GPS chipset – allowing you to receive signals from the Russian GLONASS system – in which I inserted a skeptical comment about the future of Galileo, that I see myself caught up in the news.

Not only did the first two satellites of Galileo were launched the next day 21 October with success from Kourou, but also by the Russian Soyuz launcher ! I hope you enjoy the comic of the situation… Read more …