Connect Miniplex-2USB with GPSNavX/MacENC

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Multiplexer Miniplex-2 USB (¹) by ShipModul company can connect all the instruments on board directly to a USB connector on your Mac. GPSNavX and MacENC software can receive and display NMEA instruments, and if necessary forward to an autopilot, a VHF DSC, chartplotter, a Radar or any other repeater.

A “Miniplex2” utility allows you to configure the input and output channels of the device, choose from several operating modes, and offers advanced options for complex installation.

For a classic configuration the implementation is quite simple, and one Miniplex2 Help in French is integrated into software for detailed explanations of the various options available. Follow your guide… Read more …

iSailor : Transas maps on iPhone and iPad

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iSailorIn France, mariners know little, or not at all, about Transas company of Russian origin. The Transas Group is nevertheless one of the world's leading professional of navigation software . Founded in 1990 in St Petersburgh, it opens its first office in England in Southampton (UK). Application developer for maritime and aeronautical training simulators, leading ECDIS certified designer, AIS network installer, the company has provided its electronic charting systems to prestigious customers, as the Russian space station MIR in 1996. There are countless marine simulator and flight simulators equipped with Transas technology in training centers worldwide. Several major commercial harbours are also equipped with VTS (*) and VTM (*) from Transas.
With 200 million turnover, the now international group, majority run by Russians, has its headquarters in Cork, Ireland.

All this to tell you that, when the very serious Transas company decides to launch a marine charting application on the iPhone and iPad, does not hesitate to rely on a communication, let’s say… particularly impactful. See instead… Read more …

How iPhone knows where you are

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This article was originally published on Macworld.com by Glenn Fleishman. He explains in very precise and didactic way location services of Apple iPhone and iPad and sheds light on the data that Apple gets on our devices. As sometimes a small dose of theoretical knowledge does not affect, I give you here the full translation. Take your time, it's quite long… Read more …

Reading : «La désirante» by Malika Mokeddem

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I snort, install the autopilot, Get into the boat, open the logbook. I have to force myself not to read it again, Once again, your latest annotations. On the virgin page facing them, I write : Friday 5 June 2009. Cast off Port Camargue 5 Morning hours. 15 Anemometer knots. 10 at log. Compass on 114 Degrees. Calm seas. ”

Thus begins a woman's quest to find her love who disappeared at sea somewhere in the Mediterranean, between Italy, Sicily and Tunisia. Read more …

iNavX and SiiTech AIS server

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siitechiNavX allows you to connect, since version 3.1.7 from February the 11 October 2010, to the data server AIS SiiTech which I talked about in a previous post (¹). The interest of this service remained questionable in France because of the poor coverage of our coasts. That could change.

Indeed, the number of SiiTech ground stations is increasing, the Channel coasts are now well covered, and the Atlantic coast should be gradually equipped (²).

In addition, The version 3.2.4 of iNavX comes with an improvement that makes a revival of interest for this feature : it is now available to select the origin point of AIS data from SiiTech server, or the position of the ship (that of the iPhone/iPad used), or a previously created waypoint. The reception radius being about 30 nautical miles around place of origin, this allows for a significant increase in the coverage of AIS data reception.

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iTabNav.fr

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This is an excellent initiative that we owe to Dominique Gauthier : iTabNav.fr is a new French e-commerce website mainly dedicated to iPad (and the iPhone) accessories useful in’marine usage of these devices.

Rather than looking on Google for e-commerce websites overseas, you can now go to a French specialized website. Dominique Gauthier did not hesitate to get my opinion on the technical aspects of his choice of accessories, being himself user and boater.

iTabNav.fr has been open for a few days, its catalog will gradually grow, I salute his initiative and wish him good luck.