rogier wrote:

I;m thinking to create a waterproof keypad to allow serval expedition function to be trigger from buttons mounted on deck, especially for the short/dualhanded sailors. For instance pings of the line, serveral Gun functions but also MOB events or mark skipping etc.. basically using the Expedition protocol triggerd by button presses. 

An option is to create a small program which converts button presses into ascii strings. This would for instance be running on a Adruino and afterward outputting a text string on either serial or TCP/IP to expedition. 

An alternative could be to use NMEA2000 buttons so for instance the keypad of Maretron 12 button version or the yachtdevice version for 4 buttons usung the binary status in the PGN created by the button presses. 

My question is; are the buttons supported in the expedition PGN or would this be something which can be developed as feature to connect NMEA2000 Buttons to Expedition protocol which afterward could be easily configured in Expedition itself connecting a button to a function ?

 

Hi, please visit https://www.fieldyachting.com/racedata2 - these apps will let you send commands to Expedition.

rogier wrote:

Thank for the reply, i've tested the app , works great and I will be using this especially for the bowteam, reduces the amount of questions.  THe app/watch/table still requires a phone or other IOS/Andriod device which used batteries/or requires a Waterproof casing and power, other device, wifi connections or the device is in somebody pockets etcc... to many things to monitor beside this a touchscreen is hard to operate in a "Wet & Wild" environment. 

Therefore the option to have buttons would be the preferred way, fast, wired, always in position and powered once you have the instruments on. @nick or @campbell would this something to develop, as the PGN is a NMEA2000 standard means your not bias towards 1 supplier and works on multiple platforms and you can can have 2 or more set of buttons around the vessel ?

There is the option to hardwire buttons to perform these commands via a contact closure switch - see "Expedition Events" in a comm port in instruments, or in the Help File, search "serial port to send events" or "Expedition event protocol"