Onboard computing and communications
The big departure is approaching and there is a technical imperative: it is essential to keep contact with the land! For the weather reception of course. Depending on your technological choice, you will download minimalist files, or you will be able to scan large portions of the oceans to better manage the trajectories of low pressure systems. It is an essential safety element.
Contact with the family is also crucial, and you will have to choose between communicating by basic email or allowing the sending of heavier media content. Your computer system will have to manage the satellite modem, communicate with your navigation and routing software and retrieve all the navigation data from your central station, using wired or wireless connections.
Often, this equipment is installed and set up on board by a professional but, unfortunately, no system is indefinitely stable. Your security depends on your ability to reinstall the system or a backup machine already preloaded with your favorite softwares.
DAY 1 – 9 AM – 12.30 AM
- Choosing the right embedded PC. Fixed or portable, fanless or ventilated, classic hard disk or SSD.
- Which ports are suitable for navigation instruments and which performances are necessary for software programs?
- What to do if you are addicted to the Apple environment? The constraints of software compatibility.
- How to make the computer chosen for a marine use more reliable. Reducing the consumption of the computer and its screen.
DAY 2 – 2 PM – 5.30 PM
- Understand the standard interfacing between navigation instruments and a fixed computer or a tablet, wired or wifi.
- Know how to differentiate NMEA 0183, 2000 (CAN bus) and proprietary language protocols that require an exchange interface. (Ex: from the NKE topline to a cockpit repeater NMEA 0183)
- Create access routines in your PC to control data input/output. Load the necessary programs to repair the transmissions.
DAY 2 – 9 AM – 12.30 AM
- Choose a communication tool on board. Check the global cost of use (purchase / accessories / data), test the registration process, the parameterization of specialized messaging and the installation of the device.
(Starlink, Iridium, Inmarsat, Globalstar, Thuraya, SSB, Weather fax, Navtex, 3G/4G)
- Proper installation of the device on board. The classic mistakes to avoid.
DAY 2 – 2 PM – 5 AM
- Choose a navigation software, connect it to the instruments and the weather modem. Customize data displays.
- Load a weather software (weather 4D/Squid/Predictwind). Visualize the data received and launch a routing. Insert the boat's polars.
- The strengths and weaknesses of each equipment. Their adjustment to your program.
