While Navionics uses transparency to de-emphasize vessels that aren’t moving - nice, I think - the four underway AIS boats plotted in Camden Harbor at this time don’t seem sufficiently obvious in this presentation. But please do click the screenshot larger to better see the display of AIS target info, which seemed to be delivered consistently.
Navionics app review install#
Nevermind that Boating identifies it as an “em-track” (another issue with auto-discovery) and nevermind that I seem to be on a dock instead of Gizmo’s nearby float (the cause may be my install of Si-Tex’s external GPS antenna, not fidgety data reception).
In this example, Boating v14.1 is connected directly to the WiFi access point created by a Si-Tex MDA-5 AIS transceiver (a SOTMA type Class B+ that I’m finding to be quite able and fairly priced). AIS data display Navionics Boating v14.1 with Si-Tex MDA-5 data I’ll illustrate what that means below, but first let’s look at how Navionics Boating v14.1 displays AIS targets and where that’s headed. Hurray then that “in the next few releases” of the Navionics Boating app there will eventually appear a “Custom device configuration”… whereby “There will be a way within the App to enter IP address and Port Number to connect to virtually any device streaming AIS, GPS, Sonar data via WiFi and NMEA 0183.” So while trying to make the data connections automatic is a worthy goal - and is working for some boaters as reported in this recent Panbo discussion - I began hoping that Navionics would also let us set up the connection the way other developers do. Moreover, even with an easier single-source situation like a direct connection to a new Actisense W2K-1 WiFi gateway (I’m testing) Boating v14.1 failed to even find the AIS, GPS, and depth data that other apps can display fidget free. It’s not surprising that the Navionics app chokes up while trying to digest multiple sources, but it’s discouraging when I can use other apps running on the same iPad to successfully choose whichever of those same data sources I want to use. In reality, there were about twice the AIS targets you can see (faintly) overlaid on the chart and meanwhile the Sonar and External GPS data feeds were fidgeting on and off, which is why they seem conflicted in the screenshot.
Yes, the source identified as a “Digital Yacht WLN10” (though I don’t have that device installed) did deliver some AIS info as well as the Sonar (depth) and GPS that the app can also use, but not well. While WiFi connected to Gizmo’s boat router, version 14.1 of the Boating app running on my iPad automatically connected to three AIS data sources but couldn’t reliably receive data from any. This is an extreme example but it illustrates at least part of the problem. Navionics Boating app v14.1 auto connected to three AIS sources, not working right with any
Navionics app review plus#
Plus the Navionics app tries to make the connection automatically, which sounded great until it hardly worked with any of Gizmo’s many WiFi AIS sources.
Navionics app review pdf#
Moreover, while the Navionics AIS feature announcement only mentions AIS receivers with WiFi built-in, their PDF list of compatible devices also includes many Navico multifunction displays (possible because of GoFree Tier One 0183) and numerous NMEA-boat-data-to-WiFi gateways. AIS data via WiFiįirst of all, congratulations to Navionics for deciding to support AIS data coming from a boat’s own receiver instead of using possibly spotty and/or delayed AIS info from the internet (even though the latter is easier to do on a mobile device that’s likely online much of the time, and is also desirable as a secondary source). In the meantime, however, let’s discuss how boat data over WiFi can and should work, and also what makes AIS target display actually useful when you’re underway. So, if you too are having trouble making the WiFi connection work - or if you too are disappointed with the resulting target display - don’t worry apparently, we just have to wait for future versions. Well, dang, I was steeled up to write an unusually negative entry about the AIS feature that Navionics recently added to its Boating app, but then I learned that they’re already planning virtually all the improvements that I intended to vigorously champion.
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