Poor mans Ipilot

**Blacklandlure** · 01-01-2012, 10:59 AM

Trust me guys, if there's any genius here, its gonna be canepole. This little project shouldve been easy but it took 2 weeks just to get where I am now, with no promise of the accuracy of the unit. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love a challenge and technology, but I'm much better with my hands than with my brain. Heck 2 weeks ago I didnt know what optocoupler isolated inputs, Quartz crystal oscillators, or PIC/ICSP connectors were! Oh and Mr. Canepole, I only wrote in C but I used a compiler so the actual program is loaded in Hex. At one time I was very good in Visual Basic so it was fairly easy to figure out the program in C, and actually I cheated some, I dissected other programs and used the parts I needed, but I do agree with you, a few small changes and retrofits can be made to make a very wicked trolling unit, I noticed that while looking into what made the Ipilot and the old electric steer motors work. Oh, and Jimmy, trust me...the big boys in the trolling motor game know all about this stuff, but they really need to save something back for next years models.

I dont have the time or money to wait for them to unveil all the newest/old technology, Example: look at the 2012 Lowrance units with the 3-D and real-time StructureScan overlay, the ability to do that and more has been out for years.

**Billbob** · 01-01-2012, 12:27 PM

you could just take the 1 off JW boat he wont miss it for a few yeras by then he would have had a brain fart and just thought he had 1

**Cane Pole** · 01-01-2012, 01:26 PM

I don't remember the sentence outs from GPS, except the $ sign...ha. You will probably need a compass input to keep from zigzaging too much when enroute. I don't know if the gps sentences have compass headings or not. Brain dead from old age.

**Blacklandlure** · 01-01-2012, 02:20 PM

The GPS must output the "GPRMB" sentence, which contains the "cross-track error" info. Luckily the HB also gives the APB (auto Pilot B) sentence which contains the $GPAPB,A,A,0.10,R,N,V,V,011,M,DEST,011,M,011,M*3C. The first 011 is the magnetic bearing, origin to destination, the second is the magnetic bearing, present position to destination and the last is magnetic heading to steer. I'm truely hoping I have all those programmed to communicate accurately with each other, if not theres gonna be a few more sleepless nights and a few more times having Jeff (my boss) walk by laughing at me while I run endless amounts of code through a GPS simulator on my laptop. Not to mention me calling everyone I've ever known who knows anything about coding, LOL! Brain dead from birth!!

**Cane Pole** · 01-01-2012, 03:43 PM

Don't forget to add a data logger so you can log tracks so to backtrack and retrack. haha

**rockmike** · 01-01-2012, 04:22 PM

Sounds like Geek to me.

**Blacklandlure** · 01-01-2012, 04:26 PM

The HB already has that covered, I've also got a few more little toys I've been playing with that I've only let a few other guys in on that really covers that, in unbelievable detail. I've been a busy boy, trying to gain a edge every way possible.

**Cane Pole** · 01-01-2012, 10:53 PM

I knew the HB had a data logger, but I didn't know you could save multiple tracks and play back an active log on demand or a later date. I know you can log data and save to a separate file on the HDS. I ain't fooled with any of the newer HBs. So, I am antiquated in HB architect.

**Ron** · 01-01-2012, 11:08 PM

COME ON GUYS....ITS JUST FISHING !!! WE AINT BUILDING A ROCKET TO THE MOON !

Lol.....just kidding......that is a neat thing ya come up with there !! ........and I got room to talk after first posting this I see this pic thats with my post......banghead

**Shellback** · 01-02-2012, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by rockmike

Sounds like Geek to me.

I hear ya, we need to make crappie.com an English language only site. LOL. Is there an Electronics Building For Dummy's Book so we could understand what these fellows are talking about?
I know it wouldn't be a Poor Man's I-pilot for me. I'd have 2 or 3 trash cans filled with my mistakes trying to build something.

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