Via Active Captain I've found the Signal K marine data exchange program. It's still in development, and looks interesting. Lots of it is above my pay grade, but it looks like it has the potential to be a big step forward. Instruments and electronics could connect wirelessly or with wires, across distances and between vessels (if you choose to share), and maybe across brands. Open source software could allow simplicity and cost savings for users. Looks to me like a replacement, or next step up, for NMEA 0183 and 2000. Any comments from digitally trained members?
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Next generation of NMEA connectivity?
- Thread starter RichardM
- Start date
This is the type of systems exercise I do for work so I instinctively avoid it in my free time and keep things practical and functional first, simple when I can. I do find it all interesting but can't offer any more than what I have also read on sites like PANBO. There is a forum section on this site for electronics and that section would be the best home for such a topic.
Imagine sharing something like downvision sonar data across a line of 12 boats sweeping an area to a single large display to see the bottom for a wide area as if the water wasn't even there.
That kind of thing would be very cool.
Greg
Imagine sharing something like downvision sonar data across a line of 12 boats sweeping an area to a single large display to see the bottom for a wide area as if the water wasn't even there.
That kind of thing would be very cool.
Greg
I am sure that Greg knows far more about this than I do. My concern is that with NMEA the various manufacturers have not been all that successful in communicating between brands. Will this be an issue with Signal K? It sounds very simple--protocol over WiFi. How much information do you want your boat to share with your neighbor's boat?
I can see the argument of anchoring "rights" taking a turn:
"You are anchoring too close, according to my "Signal K"". "Put out more scope--if the wind shifts we will collide." Take it from there....
I can see the argument of anchoring "rights" taking a turn:
"You are anchoring too close, according to my "Signal K"". "Put out more scope--if the wind shifts we will collide." Take it from there....
Good responses, team. Thanks. Sharing (certain) data between boats might be great, say if you were traveling in a group or heading toward uncertain weather. Good internet connectivity on the water would certainly be a plus. If a new system made it easier for different makers' equipment to talk to each other, and eliminated a lot of spaghetti behind the dashboard, that would be a giant improvement. Right now I need to see if the Garmin can talk to the Uniden, not to mention getting the Raymarine, the Furuno or the Suzuki into the conversation -- and none of them seems to even know about the iPhone.... I'd be reluctant to spend big dollars on a multifunction display when it is limited to NMEA physical wiring; at home I just installed a wireless thermostat that talks to the cell phone and it seems clear that is how things should work!