I have a dual helm trawler, 40', and plan to add electronic charting with a
good GPS with an external arial. I want to view this on a lap top
independent of input wiring so I can go to either helm whenever so ....... I
want to install a Local Area Network (all new to me but sounds reasonable).

Has anyone tried to do this? Sounds so practical. I have yet to buy
anything yet so any advice would be a help! Guess I need a GPS, laptop
with plotting software and LAN module, and the where-with-all to get the
data out to the LAN from the GPS.

Thanks all!

On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 16:22:07 -0400, "peter"
wrote:

I have a dual helm trawler, 40', and plan to add electronic charting with a
good GPS with an external arial. I want to view this on a lap top
independent of input wiring so I can go to either helm whenever so ....... I
want to install a Local Area Network (all new to me but sounds reasonable).

Has anyone tried to do this? Sounds so practical. I have yet to buy
anything yet so any advice would be a help! Guess I need a GPS, laptop
with plotting software and LAN module, and the where-with-all to get the
data out to the LAN from the GPS.

Thanks all!



I have some experience in this area. I personally doubt that you'll
be happy schlepping a laptop between helm stations. It will always be
in the wrong place when you need it. I will start raining just as you
decide to switch. A big wave will arrive as you are moving and you
will toss the laptop to the fishes. Further, laptops with daylight
visible displays are pretty expensive.

On the technical side, you could do it, but it's trickier than you
seem to think. If the GPS supplies NMEA 0183 data, you're looking at
a RS232 (standard PC serial port, more or less) or RS-422 (similar to
RS232 in concept, but different in implementation) connection. You
need to get the data onto the network. You could use a serial to
ethernet convertor that supports RS232 or RS422. They're available,
but not at typical computer stores. Since no charting software that I
am aware of accepts network data,you have to convert back to RS232 for
the PC. You may have the option to convert the network data to a
virtual serial port via software. Don't forget that you need to set
up an ethernet hub to connect all the pieces of the network. Also, as
long as you're doing it, might as well go wireless. It's much the
same problem, technically.

It would be easier and probably more useful to use one PC to acquire
the GPS data and display charts at the lower station, another to
display on the flybridge. You'd still need to set up the network and
the hub, but that's gotten pretty easy.

__________________________________________________ __________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/

Solutions if you want to spend some money.

Transas 3000. You input all your sensors (ie GPS, Depth, Log, wind etc) to one
main CPU. Then network a second station like a laptop on fly bridge. You then
have 2 stations. This is not a cheap option but it works great. Plus they
are separate programs sharing the NMEA data over a network. You can XFer routes
and waypoints between CPU's.

Option 2 - (Cheaper) - purchase a high brite water proof monitor for the FB.
Keep laptop below decks and hook everthing up and interfaced below. Use a
wireless mouse with a water proof high brite monitor. You now have one cpu
running but can bring the wireless mouse anywhere and control your system.
Only expensive part is the monitor. Now if you dont want to run a vga cable
then use a KVM extender and run 1 cat-5 cable (NOT 5e or 6e - has to be cat-5)
They work great and allow you to run VGA, PS2 mouse and keyboard over 1 cat 5
cable.

Option 3 - Real cheap - run 1ea 20/4 shielded from FB - GPS location. Install
a DB9 serial connection on FB then plug your laptop in there. Run the NMEA
(GPS in and Out to autopilot) on 1 cable. This is a cheap way to do it but
like previusly stated be preparied to donate a laptop or 2 to the sea/ weather.


Good luck

Brian
Remove NOJUNK from Email for responses via email.

On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 16:22:07 -0400, "peter"
wrote:

I have a dual helm trawler, 40', and plan to add electronic charting with a
good GPS with an external arial. I want to view this on a lap top
independent of input wiring so I can go to either helm whenever so ....... I
want to install a Local Area Network (all new to me but sounds reasonable).

Has anyone tried to do this? Sounds so practical. I have yet to buy
anything yet so any advice would be a help! Guess I need a GPS, laptop
with plotting software and LAN module, and the where-with-all to get the
data out to the LAN from the GPS.

Thanks all!





I don't think you need to deal with a LAN for this - see
http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter/seaspray_nmea.pdf for the
GPS/NMEA/autpoilot/computer wiring on my boat. I actually have two
connection points for the computer - one at the lower helm, and one on
the flybridge.

I have to make some changes to what is shown on that drawing, I think
- I bought Garmin Mapsource, and a 240 Blue sounder this year - I
think I'll use the 168 with MapSource as a plotter at the upper helm,
and leave the computer below, with the 240 sounder, but getting NMEA
data from the 168 at all times (therefore, retiring the 12XL or saving
it for backup.) At present, I have to take the 168 to the lower helm
to update the Mapsource maps in it.


--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

In article ,
"Glen \"Wiley\" Wilson" wrote:

Since no charting software that I
am aware of accepts network data,you have to convert back to RS232 for
the PC.

Most of the charting software that I use accepts my Garmin/Garmin
Protocol connected GPS that feeds a serial port on my laptop which then
serves it out on the LAN foar any other LAN connected CPU to use as
input. I have GPSy, MaxSea, MacGPS, Street Atlas, Topo, and a few others
that all take data from the network connected Garmin GPS3+. No big
deal, here, been running this stuff this way for 5 years.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

"peter" wrote in message
...
I have a dual helm trawler, 40', and plan to add electronic charting with
a
good GPS with an external arial. I want to view this on a lap top
independent of input wiring so I can go to either helm whenever so .......
I
want to install a Local Area Network (all new to me but sounds
reasonable).

Has anyone tried to do this? Sounds so practical. I have yet to buy
anything yet so any advice would be a help! Guess I need a GPS, laptop
with plotting software and LAN module, and the where-with-all to get the
data out to the LAN from the GPS.

You could install the GPS and other instruments you wish to connect, inside
the boat and connect them to a Bluetooth enabled NMEA multiplexer. You can
then put your Bluetooth enabled laptop or ruggedized tabled PC or whatever
(even a PDA could do it) anywhere on the boat and receive all your
instruments over the BT connection. The advantage of using Bluetooth is it's
moderate power consumption.

See www.shipmodul.com for more info.
Meindert (owner of ShipModul)

I use an ATEN "CAT-5 KVM Extender" on our boat and it's really great!
The computer stays nice and dry in the pilothouse and has two
keyboards, two mice, and two monitors connected to it. I only had to
run one thin CAT-5 (network) cable to the upper helm since power was
already there. The really great thing is that I don't have to flip any
switches when I change stations. The only problem is that waterproof
sunlight visible monitors are really expensive...

I'm writing an article about my setup and you can preview it at:
http://coastalexplorer.net/Boats/Urania/default.htm

I considered and/or tried lots of other options, including two
computers on a network, wireless keyboards and mice, and even a
wireless monitor (a "Smart Display"). None of these other options
works anywhere near as well as the simple KVM Extender.

Good luck with whatever you end up doing!

Brad Christian
Rose Point Navigation Systems, LLC
http://rosepointnav.com/

Peter,

Set up system number one with all of your nav and charting software adding
your GPS and/or radar and/or autopilot to that system. Get that system
totally debugged and running as it should.

Install a wired 10/100 base-t or wireless 802.11b/g Ethernet so the two
systems can communicate over your newly created network.

Now install PCAnywhere or Timbuktu for Windows
http://www.netopia.com/software/products/tb2/ on both systems.

From your FB (or any where else if you go wireless) you will be able to view
and control your other pc as if you were sitting at the system it is
installed in.


Hope this helps,
David Moore

"peter" wrote in message
...
I have a dual helm trawler, 40', and plan to add electronic charting with
a
good GPS with an external arial. I want to view this on a lap top
independent of input wiring so I can go to either helm whenever so .......
I
want to install a Local Area Network (all new to me but sounds
reasonable).

Has anyone tried to do this? Sounds so practical. I have yet to buy
anything yet so any advice would be a help! Guess I need a GPS, laptop
with plotting software and LAN module, and the where-with-all to get the
data out to the LAN from the GPS.

Thanks all!