March 3, 2016

New iKommunicate Developer’s Guide (SDK)

This week we launched a new iKommunicate Developer’s Guide on GitHub that aims to make it easy for developers to start writing HTML5 Web Apps or mobile Apps that read data from NMEA networks via the new Signal K open data format. iKommunicate is designed to be a powerful and […]
May 7, 2015
Illuminated Silent Switch for AIS Transponder

Illuminated Silent Switch for AIS Transponder

With more and more AIS Transponders being installed on pleasure boats, fitting and using a “Silent Switch” is definitely recommended and we should all do our bit to reduce chart plotter clutter by following the etiquette of only transmitting your position when crossing shipping lanes or in bad weather. When […]
April 29, 2015
Wi-Fi Congestion

Wi-Fi Congestion

The range of 2.4GHz frequencies reserved for Wi-Fi is fairly limited and with so many Wi-Fi devices and networks these days, it is not unusual for wireless networks in the same location to share the same frequencies and this results in lower connection speeds and even connection drop outs in […]
April 27, 2015
Corrupted NMEA Data

Corrupted NMEA Data

Today we had an interesting telephone call from a customer with one of our AIT3000 units that was not providing wireless data to his iPad. The unit had been working perfectly when installed earlier in the year, but on conducting some last minute system checks, prior to leaving for the […]
April 24, 2015

RJ45 Ethernet Connections

  With more and more marine electronics using Ethernet networking onboard boats, being able to assemble RJ45 Connectors is a useful skill to have. This week we were aboard a 50ft yacht on the Hamble that was having problems accessing our WL510 long range Wi-Fi adaptor. The WL510 was connected […]
April 15, 2015
Raymarine a, c and e Series Plotters with AIS over NMEA2000

Raymarine a, c and e Series Plotters with AIS over NMEA2000

This week we have been helping one of our dealers; Marine Electronic Installations (MEI) in Portsmouth, to find a solution to an interesting NMEA2000 problem with the latest range of Raymarine a, c and e Series Multi-Function Displays. Most of these MFDs feature an internal GPS, a SeaTalkNG (NMEA2000) interface […]
April 14, 2015
No GPS on Transponder due to loose FME connector

No GPS on Transponder due to loose FME connector

Our AIT2000 and AIT3000 Class B transponders are supplied with a GPS antenna that has a 10m cable terminated in an FME connector (right hand connector in the above image). These connectors are very slim, not much larger than the coax cable and are much easier to route through the […]
March 26, 2015

Crimping Small Wires

Time and again we see faults in marine electronic installations caused by bad or failed connections. Normally the harsh marine environment is the cause, with corrosion eating away at the electrical contacts. However, poor assembly of wiring connections is also a major culprit. Digital Yacht’s products, like many other modern […]