Matsutec AIS output to Wi-Fi

[Truce]

I have a Matsutec HP-33a, purchased direct from the factory in China. Great price, service, delivery and it works well.
On my windows surface laptop I run Open CPN and would like to use the GPS and AIS information from the Matsutec over Wi-Fi.

Does anyone have experience in connecting the Matsutec to a Wi-Fi router to send GPS and AIS signals to a laptop.

[Kahala]

It appears the HP33A does not have a TCPIP compatible output, however it does have an RS232 Port. So to connect this to your laptop buy a RS232 to USB adapter and connect the cable to a USB port on your laptop. You may need a compatible Driver on the laptop to interpret the NEMA data string.

[Truce]

Hi,

Thanks for the information.
I am trying to get away from being connected by wires. The idea is that I can run Open CPN on my laptop both inside and in the cockpit.
Maybe I need to consider an AIS / GPS receiver with Wi-Fi instead, but sure the cost will be higher.

[Kahala]

Anything is possible. The challenge is to transmit NEMA 0183/2000 strings over wifi, maintain data security, client isolation, and create a VPN tunnel. Then you can share data however needed.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Truce

Hi,

Thanks for the information.
I am trying to get away from being connected by wires. The idea is that I can run Open CPN on my laptop both inside and in the cockpit.
Maybe I need to consider an AIS / GPS receiver with Wi-Fi instead, but sure the cost will be higher.

A raspberry pi computer running openplotter can do take the serial feed from the ais transponder and repeat it over wifi and much, much more . Pulls about 0.3A. Easy to set up without a monitor but you'll need a USB power supply and a case.

[Redline452]

You could try connecting the NMEA-0183 output of the AIS to a serial-to-WiFi adapter such as

Serial to WiFi Adapter for connecting RS232 to networks

(no recommendation of that particular model; just to give an idea of what I'm talking about. I have something similar but don't recall the mfg just now.)

[Truce]

Many thanks for the ideas and advice. I am a simple sailor who is not tech savvy and likes to keep things simple and easily maintainable. I dont have the ability to get into complex (for me) hook ups.

It seems there is no easy plug n play solution so I will continue to use Open CPN without the little green AIS boats on the screen.

[Gypsy23]

Originally Posted by Truce

Many thanks for the ideas and advice. I am a simple sailor who is not tech savvy and likes to keep things simple and easily maintainable. I dont have the ability to get into complex (for me) hook ups.

It seems there is no easy plug n play solution so I will continue to use Open CPN without the little green AIS boats on the screen.

Take a look at this gadget, the Yakker.
NMEA 0183 to WiFi BRIDGE | eBay

I use one to take AIS NMEA 0183 data from an AIS Rx to send it over wifi to OpenCPN on a Samsung Android tablet and also a laptop PC.

I was an early customer and helped the developer de-bug the units to work with a wider range of devices than he had originally had access to during development, so I know it works.

I have no commercial interest in the product or relationship with the developer.

[barnakiel]

Yes. Normal wifi routers with USB port do this. You will swap the router's software to OpenWRT for this.

Here is a a list of the routers that you can use:

https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/start

The actual module that does the serial to wifi job is written by stripydog and is called kplex. It is free to download.

I use s/h adsl modems from local thrift stores, they are USD 3 here now. I also need a serial to USB cable (10 USD and upwards at Amazon).

Or else you can buy a serial to wifi box that does just that and simply connect the serial out cables et voila!

Cheers,
b.

[smac999]

this unit will do what you want off the shelf, just need to change the port speed for AIS

ShipModul Marine Electronics

[Truce]

Many thanks, I think I am starting to see a way of achieving sending AIDS and gps data from the Matsutec.

I will be back on my boat in March and then need to figure out which wires from the Matsutec I need to use as output. Yakker looks interesting and I found the advice at http://www.shipmodul.com/downloads/m...iPlex-2_EN.pdf helpful.

[muammer]

Originally Posted by conachair

A raspberry pi computer running openplotter can do take the serial feed from the ais transponder and repeat it over wifi and much, much more . Pulls about 0.3A. Easy to set up without a monitor but you'll need a USB power supply and a case.

That is exactly what I am trying to do.

I could not figure out how to connect Tx, Rx and Gnd cables from HP33A to Raspberry Pi. Directly? Or do I need some kind of converter?

[conachair]

Originally Posted by muammer;22680t09

That is exactly what I am trying to do.

I could not figure out how to connect Tx, Rx and Gnd cables from HP33A to Raspberry Pi. Directly? Or do I need some kind of converter?

Serial usb converters are available on eBay

USB to Serial Converter | eBay

[muammer]

Originally Posted by conachair

Serial usb converters are available on eBay

USB to Serial Converter | eBay

Thank you. I know these converters.
Problem is I don't have a RS232 socket to connect these converter. I have plain cable ends.
Do these converters convert only mechanically?
I am trying to figure out if I can connect these three cables into GPIO terminals of R. Pi?

[conachair]

Originally Posted by muammer

Thank you. I know these converters.
Problem is I don't have a RS232 socket to connect these converter. I have plain cable ends.
Do these converters convert only mechanically?
I am trying to figure out if I can connect these three cables into GPIO terminals of R. Pi?

You can connect one serial input into a Pi, but you still need a level converter to take the signal down to 3.3v. Probably easier to get a serial lead and cut it then join to your device. It isn't as simple as just swapping pins to usb, needs electronics inside the converter to do the change from serial to USB.