There’s been massive interest in Sonar Server which takes NMEA depth data from your boat’s existing electronics (instruments, fish finders, multi function displays etc) and streams the data via its wifi server to mobile devices like iPhones, iPads and tablets that are on board.
It’s designed to work with the popular Navionic’s boating app and the screen shot below shows the depth data being displayed in the top of the display. In addition to the simple digital repeater display of depth information, Navionic’s have added new functionality called Sonar Charts Live.
SonarCharts Live allows users to view sonar recordings in an exciting real-time display on the Navionic’s app. The newly generated personal HD chart is then saved for private use on the device, while recorded depth data is anonymously shared with Navionics to improve SonarCharts for all boaters. All data is cross-checked with other community contributions to ensure accurate daily enhancements. SonarChart Live is truly fascinating to watch – as you move, you’ll see the map expose the underwater surface and the contour details revealed. To see how it works in practice, we took Sonar Server out in Poole. In the screen shot above, you’ll see the dredged channel just appears as an unsurveyed area of water. The next screen shot below reveals how we added to the chart display just by cruising up the channel and in real time the depth information is re-plotted. This was just a single pass and the system will build better and better data the more times you pass over a point. Now here’s the clever part…
The data is saved locally on your iPad/tablet and then the next time you have a live internet connection, this small amount of data is uploaded anonymously to Navionic’s charting server. Here crowd sourced data from any other users is all combined, tidal offsets applied and some specialist algorithms utilised to validate and creat a new Sonar Chart which is then available for all users. It truly is a step change in navigation and in producing better charts.
We’ve a video here showing Sonar Server in action
Make a difference to marine navigation – Check out www.sonarserver.com
