Add GPS to laptop

Capt jgw · Apr 18, 2015

I've been using a Garmin Etrex plugged into my old XP machine for years, running a couple different navigation apps. My new machine is 8.1, haven't tried it on the boat yet but it worked in the house. Fiberglass is more or less invisible to RF, so the GPS works just fine on the chart table, no external antenna needed.
The main short coming with the Garmin is it has a serial only connection, and laptops don't have those anymore. I had to buy a serial to USB converter to make it work. There are several USB GPS receivers now available that just plug into the laptop. Best Buy or any other computer place should have them on the shelf.
I found that my old Maptech program won't work on 8.1, but I think Navionics does, I haven't tried it yet.

Joe · Apr 18, 2015

Get a usb gps receiver... most of us use the "puck" style... shop around.. you can find them for under $20 but the shipping almost doubles the price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GlobalSat-B...a&pid=100005&rk=4&rkt=6&sd=231520800557&rt=nc

Anyhow.... for charts .....get free at the NOAA site. http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/NOAAChartViewer.html

Here are two popular and free open source navigation programs for laptops: SeaClearII and OpenCN

http://opencpn.org/ocpn/

http://www.1yachtua.com/nauticalcharts/seaclear_ii.asp

Both these programs use Raster charts, which are scans of actual NOAA paper charts. The software programs will include a tool for helping you select and install the desired maps from the NOAA source.

You can google these products for YouTube instructional videos...

Capt jgw · Apr 18, 2015

I tried the open Cpn app, looks real good. I like the raster charts better than vector, they are the official NOAA paper charts where vectors are hand traced copies. For a while Garmin's vector charts were based on maps from the old Soviet military. Kind of scary that they had maps that good of the US.
I'm more used to the look of the paper charts, and they're a free download from NOAA.

Joe · Apr 18, 2015

Capt jgw said:
I tried the open Cpn app, looks real good. I like the raster charts better than vector, they are the official NOAA paper charts where vectors are hand traced copies. For a while Garmin's vector charts were based on maps from the old Soviet military. Kind of scary that they had maps that good of the US.
I'm more used to the look of the paper charts, and they're a free download from NOAA.

Not sure I agree with you there, cap'n. You can obtain both types.. raster and vector for free from NOAA... they call them RNC(Raster Nautical Charts) and ENC (electronic nautical charts) The RNC is a scan of a paper charts. The ENC is a database with..... oh hell.. just read this: http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/learn_diffRNC_ENC.html.

The federal government authorizes private electronic chart vendors to produce other vector products using NOAA ENC data, and to convert it to their own proprietary format.

The federal government authorizes private firms to scan NOAA paper charts and download NOAA raster files to produce other navigational products. The public is invited to download raster and electronic navigational charts for free.

Capt jgw · Apr 18, 2015

Yes the ENCs are free too, I just like the rasters better. More what I'm used to from the paper charts.

Sumner · Apr 19, 2015

Joe said:
Get a usb gps receiver... most of us use the "puck" style... shop around.. you can find them for under $20 but the shipping almost doubles the price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GlobalSat-B...a&pid=100005&rk=4&rkt=6&sd=231520800557&rt=nc

Anyhow.... for charts .....get free at the NOAA site. http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/NOAAChartViewer.html

Here are two popular and free open source navigation programs for laptops: SeaClearII and OpenCN

http://opencpn.org/ocpn/

http://www.1yachtua.com/nauticalcharts/seaclear_ii.asp

Both these programs use Raster charts, which are scans of actual NOAA paper charts. The software programs will include a tool for helping you select and install the desired maps from the NOAA source.

You can google these products for YouTube instructional videos...

I use the puck that Joe linked to and also have the computer connected to the Garmin Handheld in the cockpit and it gets GPS location from either or both, not sure how OpenCPN decides which to use but you can unplug either and it still has location. I did have a problem on this trip when I only used the puck one morning...

http://1fatgmc.com/boat/mac-1/2015 Bahamas/1-Port Charlotte to Key Largo/PC-to-Bahamas-Page-3.html

... but still not sure what happened there and don't care to repeat it.

The handheld is connected all the time so that I can upload waypoints to it from OpenCPN at any time and do sometimes change them underway and can send the new ones to the handheld with 2 mouse clicks once I delete the old ones from the handheld, which only takes seconds.

I used SeaClear on previous trips and it worked fine but now use OpenCPN and really like it as it has many more add-ons (plug-ins) than SeaClear and more are being added all the time. I really like that I can see AIS targets on the screen since it interfaces with the radio that sees them,

Sumner

=================================

2015 to The Bahamas and back -- I hope

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

rortega46 · Apr 19, 2015

Take a look at the Garmin GLO. Just used one on a 6 day trip on the ICW to connect iPad and iPhone to use their GPS apps. Worked great and had 10-12 hour battery life. Will connect up to 10 devices via Bluetooth. Nice solution for less than $100.

Jackdaw · Apr 20, 2015

Sumner said:
I use the puck that Joe linked to and also have the computer connected to the Garmin Handheld in the cockpit and it gets GPS location from either or both, not sure how OpenCPN decides which to use but you can unplug either and it still has location. I did have a problem on this trip when I only used the puck one morning...

http://1fatgmc.com/boat/mac-1/2015 Bahamas/1-Port Charlotte to Key Largo/PC-to-Bahamas-Page-3.html

... but still not sure what happened there and don't care to repeat it.

The handheld is connected all the time so that I can upload waypoints to it from OpenCPN at any time and do sometimes change them underway and can send the new ones to the handheld with 2 mouse clicks once I delete the old ones from the handheld, which only takes seconds.

I used SeaClear on previous trips and it worked fine but now use OpenCPN and really like it as it has many more add-ons (plug-ins) than SeaClear and more are being added all the time. I really like that I can see AIS targets on the screen since it interfaces with the radio that sees them,

Sumner

Sum,

Glad this ended OK!

This points out the biggest problem I have with PC-based marine navigation. There are about A MILLION points of potential failure on a PC based system, and even techies have a hard time keeping it straight in their minds.

Even the VOR guys/gals, who have to use them to run Expedition, hate them. Device driver failure?? Give me a break! Let not even talk about spilling coffee on the dumb thing.

I'll say it again, the average sailor should never use a PC-based system as their primary EATON solution, let alone for PILOTING.

Sumner · Apr 21, 2015

You need to use what 'you' feel comfortable with and thousands of boaters the world over use PC based systems for navigation and a number of them are circumnavigating with it. If someone had a failure with their Garmin we wouldn't say never use one.

I prefer to use both at the same time myself and didn't that morning and I'm still not certain what happened and the main point of my posting of what happened was to draw attention to the fact that I had screwed up my night vision and shouldn't of been going out that narrow passage regardless of what I was using to navigate. It was just a bad decision on my part and one where things compounded. I'm hoping by sharing some of these situations that a lot of people won't share is that it might help someone else avoid them.

No way you could spill coffee on/in my computer where it is mounted and the monitor is separate and also in the cabin. It isn't a laptop and on my small boat I wouldn't use a laptop in the cockpit. I have a laptop and netbook on board as backups but if I used them they would be below and connected to the monitor and not out in the cockpit, and yes I have a backup monitor.

Also a 'marine chartplotter' is also a computer so a component in it could also fail. For that reason I have a total of 3 Garmin handhelds on board also and yes paper charts from 2 different sources.

If you are going to be sailing familiar ground then all of this redundancy in my opinion is not needed. I have it as I seldom go to the same place twice so usually it is all new water to me.

You can download the OpenCPN software and the NOAA charts free and the dongle is less than $40 so do that and at least familiarize yourself with using it at home and see what you think. I use mine all the time at the house also. When people talk about different places I'll pull the chart up for where they are talking about and take a look and if I think there is a possibility I might be there sometime I drop a mark on the chart and note what it is about in the properties for the mark. I did that for a friend's anchorages throughout the Bahamas before this trip and have used some of them,

Sumner
2015 to The Bahamas and back -- I hope

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

justsomeguy · Apr 21, 2015

jmkinsfbay said:
So where are the failures of which you speak? Is it the loading of the software for the USB-GPS dongle? Is it the downloading and interfacing of the mapping software? Anyway, most recommendations were for the GlobalSat Bu-353 S4, which is Windows 8 compatible. I plan on using NOAA's mapping software. If anybody has used this combo and/or has had trouble with it, please let me know.
Thanks.

Except for Win8 :cussing:, sounds like a fine set-up.

CloudDiver · Apr 21, 2015

One of the things I have noticed with this subject, and other threads about Chart Aps for tablets is that, yes, it has been discussed over many threads for the last 4 to 6 years... but I think that its a good thing. We are all well aware at how quickly software is changed and upgraded... operating systems, drivers, the applications themselves, and of course hardware. So I think its a good thing new threads are started frequently and people share what they are using 'now'. You can pretty much forget about any thread that is more than 6 months old if the same rules of commercial hardware/software advancement apply!

Stu Jackson · Apr 21, 2015

That's very true, and a good post.

There are, however, some basics that seems to get rehashed over and over again, and which a little research by the questioners would answer quite easily.

Things like:

--- is there a built in GPS or do I need a cell tower in my iWhatchamacallit or Androidythingy

--- what charts should I get (This is no different than asking what boat or car should I buy or what girl should I marry?)

--- can you read the screen in daylight?

--- what's the difference between a chartplotter and a tablet?

www.panbo.com has some good material, too.

Sum's system is very good and he's explained it in his website. Other have different systems. I have a simple hh Garmin GPSMap 76Cx. I also have a laptop with a BU-353 and Sea Clear, MapSource and Offshore Navigator. I rarely use the laptop.

Everybody's different, and asking"What do people use?" is like the what girl should I marry? thing.

Figure out what's there, and as Sum said, find out what you like and learn to use it.

mz4wheeler · Apr 21, 2015

I did something quite different. I started out with a 24" LCD TV by Insignia, 12V, which has a built-in DVD player, two HDMI ports, USB, and an audio AUX-out connection:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Insignia-24-Class-23-5-8-Diag-LED-720p-HDTV-DVD-Combo-Black-/321694119725

I picked it because it has an EXTERNAL 12V brick power supply, which I just snipped off and connected it directly to my 12V system on my boat. No inverter needed to watch TV.

I then bought an Android MINI-PC, powered by the USB port on this TV and it plugs into HDMI #1.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quad-Core-R...4-4-Dongle-Stick-Mini-PC-TV-2GB-/271442579316

Guess what? This is an Android 4.x device and *ALL* the goodies that are available on Google-Play are there to download, such as: Netflix, email, tide table apps, anchor watch apps, *NAVIONICS* (my favorite), Chrome, you get the picture. Basically, any app you can get on your Android phone is displayed on a 24" screen, in crisp HDMI.

You also need a mini keyboard with the MINI-PC, so I bought this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4GHz-USB-...mote-for-Android-TV-Box-Mini-PC-/201076262644

Now, unfortunately, all the Android MINI-PCs out there do NOT have built-in GPS chips, which was quite annoying. It took me a while to figure out how to get Navionics to work. I had to buy this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Laptop-GPS-...NetBook-PC-Android-Tablet-USB-E-/260691162382

Which simply plugged into the MINI-PCs built-in USB port. It comes with a 10 foot wire which is helpful if you have difficulty getting GPS from inside your cabin. This particular model comes with variable lengths (up to 15 feet), so you can get a great GPS signal.

To network the MINI-PC, you have two choices:

1) Connect it to your MIFI router, or to your wifi hotspot on your phone.
2) Connect it to a local wifi router (if you have one).

In my case, I decided I wanted a REAL wifi router on my boat. Besides the MINI-PC, I also have an external wifi camera on my boat. So the camera connects to my local wifi, and using an Android app, I can connect to the camera on my boat (see photo).

My wifi setup is kinda geeky, and since I'm an IT guy it falls into my expertise, so beware:

I bought a 12V, openwrt wifi router, which was unusual because it has an USB plug, which allows an EXTERNAL wifi antenna to be plugged into it:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HG255d-300M...0-SSH-32Mbyte-RAM-16Mbyte-Flash-/191033921069

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150Mbps-Wir...16dbi-Antenna-5m-16ft-USB-cable-/121180414099

The two items above work fine together and can pick up wifi signals from the marina.

This particular router (unusual!) can ALSO connect to a local MIFI, or my phones wifi hotspot. My wifi router can connect to either my phone for internet, or use the external antenna to pick up signals from the marina.

In the end, this 24" 12V insignia TV performs the following:

Over the air TV, DVD, Netflix, games for the kids (via Android mini-PC)
Best of all (for me), Navionics works perfectly on a 24" screen! (see photos).

Also, since there is another HDMI port on this TV, you can also plug a media box into it where your own movies and music is stored.

This is all probably too much information [grin]. Sorry for the sideways photos.

Add GPS to laptop

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