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Getting a Wireless signal from B & G Instruments


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I have B & G  Triton instruments on my boat. Am researching if I can get a wireless signal from them so I can use some of the fancy apps available for my iPad.

 

 I have been told about the iMux multiplexer from Brookhouse in Howick. (http://brookhouseonline.com)

 

Has any forum members used one successfully with B & G kit?

 

a.f.u

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There are multiple devices available. If you are considering Ais, the vesper marine xb8000 will do this as well as being an Ais transponder. Good value if that's what you want. You can use a raspberry pi and an Actisense, total cost around $450, or a digital yacht device, amoung others. I'm out sailing this week, but if you want to talk about this, let me know and I'll call you next week when I have the prices and options in front of me.

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Not quite the same as yours Josh. He wants the raw nmea2000 data to be sent to his ipad, not just control of the plotter etc. Easy enough, but not a standard function. I've also asked navico if they can do it or add it to the next software update. Awaiting an answer.

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Ok, just got the response from Navico. Cheapest and best solution is to add a gofree WiFi module to the system. From memory under $400. I did not realise that this will allow streaming of the raw nmea data to any WiFi device, but Navico's technology support say it will.:-)

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I have a Brookhouse Mux setup on Urban Cowboy, took the NMEA feed direct from the H3000 processor - very quick and easy to do. Have also written some quick and dirty code so that my PC at home can pretend its a mux so that I can test stuff and have built a data collector so I can play with Polars. Happy to help if you go that way.

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When I T mentioned the GoFree I thought it was the answer and surprisingly simple too. But it seems to be the way of the world, things are not as simple as I hoped.

 

I checked with the B & G people here and they told me  the same, I need a B & G  Plotter or Vulcan or similar for the GO Free to work. 

 

My boat has two  B & G  Tritons plus wind gear on top of mast and transducer for depth and speed. One Triton is set to show speed and depth, the other wind information. I have been told the GoFree will not work with this set up.

 

I think the best answer maybe to go and talk directly with the Navico technical people.

 

The aim is to get a WiFi signal from the system somehow so I can run some of the fancy apps available on my iPad.

 

a.f.u

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I have asked Navicos top tech guy that question via email this morning.

 

Should have an answer today.

 

If you call them, ask for Craig McMillan, I would not rely on what the base level guys say. Craig is the one who told me the go-free would do this, and I had told him you had only Triton instruments. I have now made it clear to him (if it wasn't) in this morning's email that you have no MFD.

 

As far as I can see there should be no issue with the go-free, once programmed (which is normally done from the plotter/ MFD),

so perhaps if I programmed one for you, then it would go. However, lets wait and see what Craig says.....

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I have a similar question. Have a b and g hydra setup from the 90s.

Wondering if I can use a go free to send data to an iPad to run Iregatta?

The hydra system provides output in nmea 0183

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Nope, not directly. But yes, you can, you need an NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 converter. I do the Actisense ones - $380.00.

Then we need Craig's answer to confirm if we do actually require a later B&G MFD...I'll post that info as soon as I receive it.

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IT, the go free only has an Ethernet port, not N2k. Triton has n2k, not Ethernet. MFD's have Ethernet..... How would you connect them? I think the reason they don't want to wifi straight n2k is so you have to buy a MFD.

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Quite right! For some reason I had it in my head that the 2nd port on the GoFree was nmea2k, but it's not, it's a 2nd network port. Doh! Sorry.

So back to the vesper xb8000 $1200 odd, the digital yacht converter $757 nzd, or a raspberry Pi and actisense, with wifi dongle - say $500 plus stuffing around with config, as that last one is not straight forward. The cheapest B&G mfd is the Vulcan 5 with Nz charts at around $1k. Then the GoFree will definitely work!

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Interesting that something like this that appears to be simple can be sooo complicated and any solution available has lots of $$$ attached to it. The Digital Yacht Navlink wireless MNEA2000 server looks as though it will do the job, but by the time it gets from the USA to NZ it is very costly. ( $700++).

So i will keep on researching the question.

 

a.f.u

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I do the Digital yacht range - but honestly not much of it due to the costs!

 

See here - http://www.neptunes-gear.com/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=zdig and change the currency in the top right to NZD. Online prices exclude delivery and GST.

 

The only cheap way I know of to do this is with a PC/Laptop and opencpn. If your PC/laptop has wifi, you can do this for free on an old laptop, even a very low spec one. This is how I have my own boat set up, as it all runs from a PC anyway.... BUT you still need a NMEA2000 to USB converter for the PC - $380.00 Incl...

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