[SteveInMD]

I have an e95 at the helm but I'd like to have a laptop or something at the nav station so I can do planning, and keep an eye on things while below deck. I have Raymarine radar and AIS. In addition to a chart, I'd at least like the AIS, and possibly the radar to show up there too. I have an iPad with the RayControl software which works pretty well, but I want a larger screen at the nav station. Are there options besides the Raymarine RayTech software for this that will accept the input from the USB cable coming off the AIS unit? Has anyone tried the RayTech software?

 

[PBzeer]

Check out the Fugawi Marine 5 software. I know it has AIS input available, but not sure from what source or what type of connection is needed. It uses a hockey puck GPS receiver w/USB connection (you'd need a driver for it). (I used their 4 version while actively cruising, which I prefer over the 5, but that's probably just because I'm more used to it)

I found it to be a quality product, with plenty of planning and logging tools at a more affordable price than other brands.

 

[Gladrags1]

I myself am not enamored with the Fugawi software and find it extremely non user friendly and clunky. They were the makers of Raymarine's Voyage Planner which is what I have and I totally dislike. The techs were pleasant and tried to be helpful in resolving issues but nothing worked. I would use that software on my laptop for route planning off the boat, saving it on a SD card for loading into my e7 plotter. I would find that the routes would be altered on the plotter, sometimes traveling across land because a waypoint or 2 got deleted. It was unreliable and untrustworthy to say the least. Now that Raymarine has made lighthouse so it reads GPX files, I can use Garmins Blue Chart program to do my chart work and then transfer it to the plotter via SD card. Don't mean to hijack the thread but wish to warn you off from Fugawi.

Tod

 

[jsaronson]

OpenCPN is free and receives AIS via usb.

 

[SteveInMD]

Thanks for the helpful comments.

While I probably will check out other packages, I setup OpenCPN last night and loaded the vector charts from the NOAA website. I have the Raymarine 650 AIS, which I know has the USB connection mention by jsaronson. Will the USB connection to the 650 give me GPS position too, or do I need an input from another GPS (perhaps the Furuno at the nav station that is connected to my VHF). If I need the Furuno GPS input can someone recommend a serial to USB solution that might work?