Autopilot (route follower) circuit progress

**Cane Pole** · 12-06-2012, 05:40 PM

Worked a little on my autopilot today. Making progress. I am 'cipering the right data from NMEA 0183 out from the HDS. Notice I was sitting still and my motor tried to steer me somewhere. I put in a Humminbird donut fix. ha. I had to intercept the SOG (speed over ground) data from the NMEA sentence data and disable the steering motor below .5mph.

My neighbor came over to see what I was doing and was amazed. ha.
It was/is sprinkling rain here, so I couldn't move around to see anything happening.

What you see on the tablet screen scroll is waypoint heading relative to north , "boat" heading relative to north, the difference between the waypoint heading and "boat" heading, SOG and setting the dc level (pwm) to the steering motor.

These are the minimum autopilot requirements of my circuit.

**Shellback** · 12-08-2012, 07:41 AM

Okay Tom, Edjumakate me. Ya got your HD unit, steering motor, batteries, a control board and the computer. Did you build that control board, or is it a MinnKota board? Will the computer be required on water for operation, or will the set up just need an SD card in the HD unit that you have plotted your course on.
How about the I-Pilot track record feature. Does it basically keep recording waypoints with the track record feature to follow a course? If so, would you be able to develop a program that would tell your HD unit to record waypoints at X amount of second intervals to record your own tracks? Lastly, how's that auto pilot set up working that steers your main motor on Brenda's boat?

**Don G** · 12-08-2012, 08:10 AM

Tom, I'll give you odds that your device is following Billbob around this morning

**Cane Pole** · 12-08-2012, 08:25 AM

I built the board. It is a blank board you can buy and add the components. No computer will not be required. I am using the computer to "debug" my program.

This circuit does not record. I make a waypoint route using any mapping program and convert it to the HDS format (usr) or I can also use the HDS and make a route.

I will be able to set in my lazyboy and make me a route, save it to sd, load the sd into HDS and then (when I get on the lake) and get within .1 mile of the route selected, I can engage the autopilot. Works like the big cruise ships. ha

Brenda's boat works fine, but occasionally the MK autopilot will wrap around. I just use the output of the MK autopilot to steer the trolling motor or my kicker (thru a current amplifier). I am waiting on summer pool so I can put the boat in with my Rhino. I will be pulling the boat in and out a lot and won't interfere with the local public ramps.

Got tired of waiting on MK to do this type circuit.

**Cane Pole** · 12-08-2012, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Don G

Tom, I'll give you odds that your device is following Billbob around this morning

He is sitting over on the couch in his drawers right now. ha

**Don G** · 12-08-2012, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

He is sitting over on the couch in his drawers right now. ha

Empty Bud Light cans?????????????????

**Cane Pole** · 12-08-2012, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Don G

Empty Bud Light cans?????????????????

couple dozen in fact.

**Shellback** · 12-08-2012, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

He is sitting over on the couch in his drawers right now. ha

Too much information!

**CarolinaJim** · 12-17-2012, 11:39 AM

CanePole, any updates on this project?

**Gindog** · 12-17-2012, 12:54 PM

Will the i pilot work with any fish finder? I have been looking and have not came up with witch ones it work with.

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