PC Plotter has been able to use AIS receivers for some time but this latest release (V4.10) can now also support AIS Transponders. PC Plotter can be used to setup and configure the AIS transponder directly, without having to keep changing between the software package that is supplied with the AIS transponder and PC Plotter.
With the COMAR CSB200, the PC Plotter can also setup your MMSI number as well.
Making life easier for the PC Plotter user is one of our aims and this addition certainly makes setting up an AIS transponder much simpler.
Monday, 23 June 2008
Monday, 9 June 2008
Plotter for £45! (about 56 Euros or 90 US Dollars)
Plotter hardware for £45, surely not!
The entrepreneurial sailor Charles Thompson has built the hardware to run PC Plotter for just £45! The system is running on a Dell Latitude CPi 233 computer bought from the web for £10 with no screen. The system runs Microsoft Windows 98, Mobile Intel Pentium II 233, only 48Meg of Ram and a CD drive. The system is run without the battery (to reduce power consumption). Also visible in the picture is the 12v to 19v DC to Dc converter.
The screen shot shows the splash proof screen which cost 35.00 from eBay with the PC plotter software running on it. The system is using a Rikaline GPS which has proved to be very reliable over 5 seasons. This last weekend the new setup was tested with great success on their trip across the Solway from Whitehaven to Little Ross Island out side Kirkcudbright.
Charles Thompson says "We have no objections to you adding this to the web site. It may encourage other users of your excellent software to have a go and that the only solution to chart plotting dose not have to be an expensive single use/operation plotter. With free WiFi in most places the computer is now an essential part of any sailor's kit especially for the weather, email AIS, radar, etc,. We now sail with two so there is always a backup with spare independent battery power something which my friends have difficulty with when using their chart plotters."
He went on to say "All we need now is to be able to interface the AIS with the plotting software for a full integrated system."
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