I relay here, in French, an article published in the British magazine Yachting Monthly (¹) the 30 th. The subject deals with the debate between paper charts and electronic navigation, by stating many truths, but also sometimes one or two untruths. The remarks have the merit of presenting contrasting arguments, and to obtain the opinion of recognized UK's professional boaters. Since the confinement imposes time constraints on us, let's take this opportunity to enjoy this instructive reading.… Read more …
Receive facsimile weather maps with an iPad [Update]
An SSB receiver for leasure boating
HF Weather Fax to Black Cat Systems is an application allowing you to decode facsimile weather maps on an iPad, an iPhone or Android device. The analysis and forecast maps are provided by radio stations around the World. Broadcast on shortwave, they can easily be received by BLU receivers as found in boating catalogs.
Read more …
Receive graphic weather maps on iPad [Update]
Weather analysis and forecasting maps developed by the NOAA (USA) and the Met Office (UK) cover vast areas over the Wold. They can be obtained sending a request by email to the weather server of british company MailaSail. With the latter, many maps are available in a listing (¹) in which it suffices to click on the links to load the request in a message ready to send. Read more …
Iridium GO! app change de look [brief]
The app Iridium GO!®, used on our smartphones (iOS/Android) to connect to the Iridium network via the device of the same name, just undergone an happy facelift. Nothing really fundamental, if not the user interface, but a stylish graphics help for first-time users. Read more …
Navigation Mac tutorials on your iPad [Update]
A growing number of boaters now uses an iPad at sea. But offshore, when no network connection is available, and therefore no more internet access, how to access the various help or technical instructions concerning the tools used ?
The answer lies in building a library of files in PDF format that can be easily stored in the application Apple Books, for free, very fortunately. Read more …
Iridium GO! Positive feedback [Update]
Iridium GO! cruising
Since it was introduced to the market in September 2014 (Eh, yes, 5 years already !) this device, with its indisputable ergonomics and excellent quality/price ratio, has become a must-have for offshore sailors. Easy to implement, without the need for an external antenna (except metal build) it can be used inside the boat.
A test run of several weeks, carried out in October and November 2016 during a transatlantic delivery, had already demonstrated its ability to download GRIB weather files and weather maps despite the low rate (environ 10 KB / mn). With the new Iridium NEXT constellation (¹) we notice since 2019 a real improvement in the global coverage without satellite disconnection.
Integrate tablets with onboard instruments : Wi-Fi gateways
For several years it is possible to integrate iPads and other mobile devices using Wi-Fi to onboard instruments. This allows navigation apps to, not only to receive all the data from the sensors : speedometer, anemometer, sounder, AIS, etc,, but also to send their own navigation data to the instruments, as, in example, to control an autopilot.
This integration takes place through devices called "gateways" or "routers" that connect to the instruments' networks, receive the data circulating through these networks, and transceive in Wi-Fi to tablets and smartphones. Some navigation applications are being developed to process this data and transform mobile devices into real navigation centers. Read more …
Navigation Mac is 10 years old !
Launched at the same time as the iPhone 3GS and iNavX app, and a few months before the first iPad, This blog follows since 10 n the continued growth of mobile devices used in marine navigation.
Through more than 350 Articles, I tried to guide users through the evolution of Apple mobile navigation hardware and applications. Read more …
APP4NAV discontinues the Android version of Weather4D
Weather4D had been ported to Android from fall 2013. One year later, in December 2014, Weather4D integrated charting navigation, NMEA data support via TCP-IP protocol, Autopilot control. Routing was only missing, already developed on iOS for Apple devices.
Alas, the following years, the time-consuming increase in iOS development had not allowed the developer to keep up with the Android version at the same level of features. Finally, two years ago, Google has announced that apps using native code should include a version 64 Bits (in addition to the 32 Bits). Read more …
Heat wave ? How to refrigerate your iPad
My friends Christiane and Jochen Lührs are the proud owners of a superb classic ketch German building, Socorro, with which they regularly cross the west European coasts. Fully built of solid woodin 1951, they maintain her with meticulous care, after many navigations from Norway to Scotland, and from Europe to the Antilles.
In stopover a few days ago in Vannes, I had the great pleasure to visit them. I knew Jochen when he was the German translator of iNavX, now a fan of Weather4D. I was finally able to visit their magnificent boat, which attracted more than one glance along the quay, with its perfect varnishes, its gleaming stainless steel, its masts Spruce, and impressive wheelhouse. I also discovered an amazing invention there… Read more …