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http://www.macworld.com/appguide/article...c=rss_main

Among many other enhancements, iNavX 3.0.1 for iPhone/iPod/iPad (pending at Apple) has new graphics for the "Instruments" display. Some screen shots..

Tap any of the wind values, and get an analog display. The graphic wind instrument can display both apparent and true wind speed and angles at the same time. This example shows only apparent:

iPad..
http://www.inavx.com/images/screenshots/...rtwind.png

iPhone..
http://www.inavx.com/images/screenshots/...rtwind.png


iPad large instrument display..
http://www.inavx.com/images/screenshots/...ntsNew.png

I'm wondering if there is a generic NMEA data logger that can log all available NMEA data for later analysis. I'm thinking it would be interesting to log wind data, boat speed, GPS track to be able to do something with the data later.

Preferably it would be a standalone box with enough memory to capture a lot of data on its own, and later be connected to move the data to a Mac.

Also, what software could be used to do something with the data?

It would be really cool if it as possible to use the data to feed virtual instruments that can be overlaid on video footage from a cockpit camera.

We here at WATERWAY GUIDE recognize boaters are depending more and more on their mobile devices for on-the-water information. What better resource than to have all of the information available in our Guides, literally at your fingertips, while underway, for pre-trip planning or just to fill in some down-time at the office. Our Mobile Guides will be divided into smaller regions, with each app giving boaters the ability to customize the amount of information needed for specific boating areas. Many features available only on mobile devices include the ability to instantly dial or email marinas, restaurants, service facilities, access web sites and much more, make these Mobile Guides the perfect boater's companion.

In the WATERWAY GUIDE MOBILE Editions

* Mile -by-mile navigational information and advice
* "Goin Ashore" features for your favorite towns, cities and ports
* "Skippers Handbook” of cruising essentials
* Updated and comprehensive information on Marinas, Bridges, and favorite anchorages
* Annually updated and with additional updates available daily on our companion website
* A guide to navigable inlets for offshore use

WATERWAY GUIDE is dedicated to providing our users with the up-to-date, detailed information they require to make their boating experience as pleasant and safe as possible. The integration of our print guides, Waterway Guide Mobile, and our extensive web site is one more step in providing that service, making Waterway Guide Mobile your indispensable cruising companion.

See the available apps Here .

Navimatics Chart&Tides+ for iPhone and iPad was approved by Apple and is now available in the App Store. It provides regions of seamless, quilted NOAA vector charts along with full offline support for ActiveCaptain's data. This is the first mobile software to include the full offline ActiveCaptain integration joining Coastal Explorer, MaxSea Time Zero, Furuno, and Nobeltec. These partnerships along with the people accessing the free ActiveCaptain web site bring the number of boaters viewing this data to over 100,000.

When used on an iPhone or iPad, it provides an incredible guidebook with marinas, anchorages, bridges, boat ramps, inlets, towing facilities, West Marine locations - thousands of boating-related points of interest. All of the items reside locally on the iPhone/iPad. No internet connection is required once the data is downloaded. When an internet connection is available, one tap of the Update button will synchronize the offline data with the ActiveCaptain servers providing the latest information and reviews for all of the items that changed.

Since the release of the Hazard marker some 6 months ago, up-to-the-minute reports on shoaling, wrecks, obstructions, and other dangerous areas along with many Local Notice to Mariners items are immediately visible in the location where care should be taken. Having all of the hazards instantly accessible like this is reason enough for every boater to carry this product with them.

A single Charts&Tides+ license will run on both an iPhone and iPad at the same time. When run on the iPad, full HD resolution is used to create a very nice sized chartplotter. The internal GPS is used to plot your position in a moving map display, optionally rotating the chart as your boat turns so you can always see the next set of markers coming your way.

The Apple App Store has Charts&Tides+ available for $19.99 in three versions - East Coast, Gulf Coast, and West Coast. Each region has large overlap areas. The East Coast covers from Maine to the Keys and the entire west coast of Florida. The Gulf Coast covers the entire state of Florida to Texas. The West Coast covers the entire west coast, Alaska, and Hawaii. A Great Lakes region is under development and awaiting approval.

So for about half the price of a single guidebook covering a smaller area, why would anyone purchase a guidebook any longer? Why get a paper document that is out of date the moment it's printed? Why not have fuel, slip, electric, and other prices available and current with the tap of an Update button? Access many thousands of anchorages not listed in any guidebook along with reviews from people who have dropped the hook there. And of course, reviews of marinas - tens of thousands - both positive and negative from people with the real experience who were there.

And this is just the beginning. There is so much more coming that will greatly enhance the enjoyment and safety of using a boat by taking advantage of these capabilities. Check out Navimatics Charts&Tides+ in the App Store. You'll see that there is just no reason to waste money on paper guidebooks any longer.

Full Navimatics press release available here:
http://navimatics.com/Documents/PR-20100518.pdf

I am preparing to do an offshore coastal race along the Pacific Coast, from SF to Santa Barbara. I see an AIS transciever from Icom, an MXA 5000, that connects between the VHF antenna and the VHF radio, receives both varieties of AIS signals, acts as an antenna splitter, and outputs received AIS information to a computer (MacBook Pro laptop). This sounds like a good solution to the AIS problem for a 35' sailboat. Anybody have any experience with these components or have a better solution?
Thanks for your input...

from another topic...

ActiveCaptain Wrote:<snip> We're working with the Coast Guard now on automating the process and those are the numbers they tell me about their readership.

bobetter Wrote:.....just so I understand you, are you saying that the USCG is considering some form of integration with Active Captain?

ActiveCaptain Wrote:Absolutely. We have much integrated already and are working on a fully automated, cron-based back-end server to process LNTM as they are produced. Many of our hazard markers show some of this initial integration already.

Tom Hilton has posted some screen shots using Hilton's fishing charts on iNavX on iPad here ..

http://www.thehulltruth.com/2976098-post33.html

I bought a GPS Travel Recorder to Geotag my photos. The Qstarz BT-Q1000X has a MTK-II chipset and this thing works inside buildings and boats. It auto-connects at any serial port speed. No extra software needed. I find it impressive for $100. It runs for 48 hours on a rechargeable battery.

It works great with MacENC and it's highly sensitive. MacENC shows it picking up 11 out of 12 satellites inside my home with roof/floors to block the signal.

Here's a link Amazon

Would love to see a GRIB viewer for iPad similar to uGrib, viewfax or Theyr. Ability to use files downloaded / requested by email.

(OSX / Windows)
https://www.theyr.com/grib/index.asp

(Windows)
http://www.grib.us/
http://www.siriuscyber.net/wxfax/