SOB Features  
 



SOB includes all the standard features, displays and tools found in similar products, plus advanced navigation tools and many unique and original features - all designed to be extremely easy to use, even in the typically difficult computing environment found onboard!

Designed for full function via a touchscreen, additional ease of use is experienced with a mouse (or other pointing device) or the many keyboard shortcuts built-into SOB. A cordless mouse with a middle-wheel is highly recommended to streamline your interactions with SOB.
 

  
     
   

General features

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  • Real-time tracking of ship's position and velocity directly on the chart

  • Easy chart panning, zooming and level changing

  • Designed for Touch-Screen use (additional functionality for mouse users)
  • Compatible with all NMEA navigation instruments (directly with 0183 instruments, via Actisense converter for NMEA2000 instruments)
  • Most number of NMEA sentences, AIS message types and DSC messages and GRIB Data-types decoded of any Navigation Software
  • Print the displayed chart to any Windows™ printing device
  • User selectable Data Folders location
  • Simple "Drag-and-Drop" support for most of SOB's file types
  • Super-size mode for clear viewing from a distance (ship's symbol, PastTracks, targets etc)
  • Grey/Red/Black Night mode settings + 10 settings for chart shading
  • Keep Ship's Target auto-centred on display (don't allow Ship's Target to "sail" off the display)
  • Two-clicks to manually re-position the Ship's Target
  • Dozens of Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Zoom to a Window (create a sizeable "zoom-window" with a middle-mouse button drag)
  • Look-ahead lines for either, both or none of, ship's heading* and course-over-ground
  • Drawn to-scale ship's symbol
  • Flexible Lat/Lng input (use DD.ddd, or DD°MM.mm or DD°MM'SS">
  • GPS Satellite acquisition display
  • Synchronise internal PC clock to GPS time
  • Alarms for many conditions
 Night Mode form

GPS Satellites in view

Own Ship display
   
   

Standard Navigation features

 
 

 

 

 

Common Tools

  • One-touch range and bearing lines (RBL) allow up to 5 extensions
  • Dead-reckoning mode
  • Voyage replay function
  • Full NMEA logging, for voyage logfiles or voyage replay

Waypoints

  • Easy creation of waypoint by mouse-clicking or direct entry of lat/lng values
  • Fully configurable waypoint appearance (size, icon, colour, label etc)
  • Enhanced Waypoint file management
  • Reposition a waypoint with the mouse 
  • Unlimited Waypoints (limited only by RAM and hard disk size)
  • Anchor Zone and Arrival Zone Alarms
  • Load/Unload and Manage SOB Waypoint files. (".wpt")
  • Import ".TXT" or ".CSV" or ".XML" or ".GPX" files
  • Export Wpts files to text and XML files
  • Capture Wpts sent from the GPS to a .WPT file
  • Send SOB Wpts (individual, multiple, or entire SOB ".wpt" file to GPS memory)
  • Upload/Download Waypoints to the C-MAP User Card via the USB Card Reader
  • Nominate individual or groups of Waypoints to be automatically loaded when SOB starts
  • Convert waypoint list to route

PastTrack and Logfiles

  • Selectively display or hide the Ship’s past track
  • Clear track, reload any past track, auto-reload last track
  • Colour past track by depth, boat speed, or wind speed
  • Optionally display True-Wind vectors for each track point
  • Convert PastTracks to Routes
  • Automatic Logfile of PastTrack for importing into Excel etc
  • Select logfile size (daily, or by hours)
  • Advanced PastTrack reload filtering options

Interface with C-Map user card

Waypoint symbol selection form

PastTrack of Berrimilla around Cape Horn (coloured to wind strength)

PastTrack with wind vectors - "Hedgehog View"

PastTrack storm section exported to Excel for analysis (note 80+ knots!)
   
   

Advanced features

  
 

 

 

 

Misc Advanced Tools

  • Configurable Anti-Grounding function
  • Dampening/Calibrating feature for all incoming data
  • Multiplex mode and NMEA data-relay mode
  • RADAR* cursor, VRM/EBL marks and range-rings repeated on SOB chart
  • Set & Drift calculations, optional vector drawn with OwnShip

Routes

  • Simple and quick route creation using "one-click" interface for making, deleting, inserting or moving turn marks
  • Unlimited Routes and unlimited TurnMarks per Route (limited only by available disk space/RAM)
  • Convert a Route leg to a Great Circle, or back to a Rhumb Line
  • Routes can be "Reversed"
  • TurnMarks can be individually named and labels displayed on chart
  • Comprehensive route planning and tracking
  • Extensive "Active" route details (current leg and whole route data)
  • Convert Waypoint lists or PastTracks to a route
  • Individual Legs can have their own estimated speed for route planning
  • Auto Search Route creation (grid or circular)
  • Import/Export routes from any drive, folder, file, GPS or C-MAP User Card
  • Autopilot* control when tracking a route

Man-Over-Board

  • Comprehensive Man-Over-Board feature
  • Compatible with "Raymarine Lifetag" personal MOB Device

"Talking Pilot" feature

  • Unique and fully configurable Text-To-Speech (TTS) feature which can narrate through the computer speakers or remote audio device (ie Bluetooth earpiece) such data as Speed; Heading; Depth; Potential Collisions; Route tracking info etc
 Sample display from RADAR

Dampening and Calibrating interface

Sample active Route screenshot

"Talking Pilot" interface
   
   

Targets and Vessel Tracking

  
 

 

SOB includes very advanced target acquisition, display and calculation features - all designed to make transiting busy seaways safe and easy.

These features are ideal for use by base stations (for Vessel Monitoring); fleet managers; commercial vessels or leisure boaters.

Target Acquisition methods

  • Tracking of AIS* targets
  • Tracking of DSC* targets
  • Tracking of ARPA (or MARPA) Radar* targets
  • Tracking via Internet with direct interface to GpsGate Online
  • Manually enter a target and use DR to track it

Target features

  • Full target info display using three different methods
  • Advanced collision avoidance features
  • Comprehensive configuration settings for all target options (display options and collision threats etc)
  • Target acquisition logging 
  • OwnShip from a Target
  • Direct configuring of the NASA AIS Engine parameters
  • Target "Friends" list for grouping and tracking known targets

 SOB in use at Base Station in Tasmania

 AIS sample screen

A busy English Channel, tracking the ship Aegean Glory

AIS target inquiry screen

Interesting acquisition - tender is also transponding!
   
   

Chart features

  
 

 

 

  • Supports NT, NT+, MAX charts from C-Map (Jeppesen Marine)
  • Supports both cartridge and disk file charts
  • Compatible with C-Map FP & NT+ & MAX Chart Cartridges & C-Map Card Readers
  • North-Up, Magnetic North-Up, Course-Up and Destination-Up chart orientations
  • Show chart boundaries to quickly identify licensed charts and/or areas with greater chart coverage
  • Selectable depth area shading and highlighting
  • Read/write C-Map User Cards (transfer routes, marks, events, tracks between SOB and a C-Map Plotter)
  • Declutter mode
  • Perspective view, with adjustable viewing height and direction
  • Animated nav-lights display
  • Search for Chart Objects
  • Extensive detail on all chart objects (depths, lights, ports, facilities etc)
  • Location specific tide predictions with daily Sinusoidal graphs and text display and easy date picker
  • Tidal Stream predictions. Polar graphs and on-screen arrows and text lists

 Sample embedded chart details

Example of embedded photo in charts

Example Tide graph

On-chart tidal stream display example

Example polar graph for tidal streams

Perspective View example
   
   

Sail/Racing/Wind features

  
 

 

 

Race Start feature

  • "Race Start" is a dedicated feature to help get the best start in a yacht race.
  • Set the time-to-go-to-start and select whether to start (1) perpendicular to the line; (2) on your current heading; or (3) on optimum port/starboard tack angle.
  • Now, at a glance, you will see if you are fast or slow to the line, and much other data to help you achieve the perfect start

Wind Display on chart

  • Powerful optimum upwind sailing guides are drawn around your ship's symbol and the upwind mark. Use these for fastest upwind sailing and know precisely where to tack for the layline to the mark.

Wind Polars

  • Valuable analysis of your sailing performance based on real-time data compared against your yacht's polar data (which is your measured optimum sailing ability)
  • Auto-create wind polar data from PastTracks; or import Maxsea format (.POL) polar files; or manually create polar data from simple table-formatted data from the yacht's published characteristics
  • SOB uniquely uses separate data for port & starboard tacks. Other polar programs use a single set of data for either tack - thereby presuming that yachts perform identically on both tacks!
Race Start form

Wind guides for upwind sailing

Polar diagram of yacht's sailing capabilities
   
   

Weather Overlays

 
 

 

SOB is compatible with the worldwide GRIB weather data. This data is supplied freely by numerous weather agencies around the world by using a simple exchange of emails. SOB will seamlessly interface with most Email programs making the GRIB data requests simple and painless.

When received, the emailed data is decoded and overlayed onto the chart in a simple manner to enhance your voyages - providing predictions and current-state information right on the chart - where you need it.

The following data types can be decoded and displayed by SOB:

Msg #    Description

002

 MSL Pressure

007

 Geo-potential Height

011

 Surface Air Temperature

033

 u-Wind surface

034

 v-Wind surface

049

 u- Currents / Tidal Flow

050

 v- Currents / Tidal Flow

059

 Precipitation Rate (kg/m˛/s)

061

 Total Precipitation (kg/m˛)

080

 Sea Temperature

082

 Water Deviation from Mean Height

091

 Ice Cover (Proportion)

100

 Wave Height

101

 Wave Direction

103

 Wave Period

238

 Snow/Ice Cover percentage

 

 GRIB example for North Atlantic

Currents in the English Channel

English Channel currents, zoomed

Sample display of Wind arrows
   
   

Misc Tools and Features

  
 

 

Ship's Bells

  • Traditional Ship's Bells chimes played on the half-hours via Windows™ sound system

Isomagnetic Graph

  • Uniquely, SOB can show an isochrone overlay which displays lines of equal magnetic variation. This can even be animated showing change over the last ten years.

Port/Device Identification Application

  • List all available COM ports (including Serial, USB, Bluetooth) and auto-identify any attached NMEA device, and other standard Navigation equipment such as Iridium phones, CAPSAT modems, INMARSAT etc
  • SOB can use 4 simultaneous COM ports for NMEA input, and 2 ports for NMEA output
  • Any COM port from COM1 to COM255 can be configured

Easy Conversion Form

  • Angles: find latitudes or longitudes for decimal-degrees (DD.DDD°); degrees-decimal-minutes ( DD° MM.mm' ); or degrees-minutes-seconds ( DD° MM' SS" )
  • Lengths: convert metres, kilometres, feet, fathoms, miles and nautical miles
  • Magnetic variations

Calculators

  • Distance to horizon
  • Predicted boat speed
  • Wind chill factor
Isomagnetic graph of World

USBMM C-Map Card Reader

Basic GPS information display

Screen showing 2-5m depth zone highlighted
   
   

Networking features

  
 

 

SOB contains full Network abilities and can act as either (or both simultaneously) a Client and/or Host computer.

As a Host, SOB will forward all received NMEA data to a remote (client) computer over a network (local, wide, or Internet).

As a Client, SOB will receive NMEA data over a network and operate as if the data devices were directly connected.

The other computer connected with SOB Client or Host does not need to be running SOB. For example, remote NMEA data sources exist, such as AIS receiving base stations which send a NMEA stream over the Internet. SOB can connect to such streams and display the AIS targets.

Some ideas for using SOB networking:

  • Connecting onboard NMEA instruments that are a long way from the nav computer (Cat-5 or wireless connections are possible)
     
  • Connecting onboard instruments to multiple onboard computers
     
  • Use a wireless tablet computer onboard to navigate your boat
     
  • Monitor your boat, or fleet of boats, from your desk or home in real-time
     
  • Track a yacht race in real-time from anywhere in the World
     
  • Combine the AIS/DSC data from multiple VTS stations into SOB at a a central "head quarters" and display all remote targets on one screen
     
  • Track your boat anywhere in the World using an onboard Serial-to-GPRS device and GpsGate Online, or directly into your Internet connected laptop and local copy of SOB
 Example SOB-Client interface

Example SOB-Server interface

Schematic for setting up your boat for remote tracking

Schematic for using LAN in complex onboard installations

Schematic for using SOB simultaneously as Client and Host
 

 

  

* Appropriate hardware devices required

Refer to the SOB User Manual for complete feature information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PO Box 400  Rose Bay  NSW  2029  AUSTRALIA