Until October 2022 the Carp Pilot Pro could only be used if your bait boat had a built in autopilot. Many have asked me for adding support for boats without an autopilot. And let's be honest: Most anglers out there will find the challenge to build in a pixhawk and then install and configure ArduRover to be a bit demanding.
But now, as of version 4.2 in October 2022, you can use the Carp Pilot Pro even without an autopilot. But you do need a GPS inside the boat, and a way to broadcast the GPS sentences to your tablet. If you already have a Deeper that provides NMEA (Chirp+, Chirp+ 2.0 or Pro+ 2.0), a Simrad (verified with the GoXSE series), Lowrance (verified with several models) then you are good to go. Select connection option GPS and "use configured WiFi echosounder". Please note that using echo sounders is only available for premium subscribers. If you have no echo sounder providing NMEA (like the Raymarine models most anglers use), or maybe no echo sounder at all, then you still need a GPS.
This video will show you a proven way to build your own wifi GPS. Please select a GPS of decent quality that is able to provide NMEA output (most are). A ublox M8n should be the minimum. Also make sure you put it in a spot inside the boat away from electromagnetic disturbances. In this video I use a Mateksys M10s. A fairly new GPS from mid 2022. It is tiny and easily placed. I do find it may have a too small antenna though, I can wait like forever inside my hobby room. Outside it however gets GPS fix in around 30 seconds (cold start). And hot start takes just a few seconds. It is fairly accurate as well.
To get it wireless we will use an ESP8266. Model here is a D1 mini. It is cheap, I bought a pack of 10 for €30 on Amazon. And it seems very reliable. It also has a microUSB connetor making the programming very convenient. I can highly recommend it. I have had no issues the months I have used it: the mini D1 seems totaly reliable. And last but not least: The firmware image provided below fits this ESP perfectly.
The physical part of the job is straight forward. Both the ESP and the GPS need 5V input. And to get the GPS data flowing from GPS to ESP you only need to connect the GPS TX wire to the D6 port of the ESP. Done! I recommend putting some shrink wrap around the GPS and the ESP as well for protection. I also urge you to test the GPS before putting it into your boat. One of my first builds got a wire disconnected when I shrink wrapped it (bad soldering job, can only blame myself). And please test outdoors!
I use the softwar "NodeMCU" to flash the firmware image (the "bin" file) onto the ESP. And as firmware image you do not have to build your own. I have provided you a ready configured version of the NMEA to wifi multiplexer. Just use that, it works.
Once the ESP is flashed and wired up, the remaining job is super convenient:
1. Power on your boat (to enable its wifi, typically wifi echo sounder)
2. And power on your newly built wifi GPS
3. Use a phone or tablet, connect its wifi to "esp8266ap". Password 12345678
4. Once connected, tap that "esp8266ap" once more, and a web interface starts
5. Select "new AP", then find and select your wifi echosounder
6. Enter the password and click to connect. Wait a few seconds. Done.
Please unplug an plug the power to the ESP wifi GPS and you are done with everything
Once built you are probably desperate to know if it works. Do this:
- Connect the tablet to the same wifi as the ESP (most likely the echo sounder's wifi)
- Start the Pro app, go to settings, select connection and chose GPS + wifi GPS
- Return to the map and watch the GPS info above in the top telemetry line
And the GPS telemetry you check like this:
- Red icon + "no data": No connection made. If it stays like that for 30 sec it does not work
- Red icon + "no fix": Everything works (it is the GPS that tells the Pro app it has no position)
- Yellow (2D fix) and white (3D fix) icon and the boat icon will appear in yellow (2D) or red (3D)
So: "No data" is litteraly no data, everything else is a success (even though GPS-fix is not great)!
Software to be used:
1. Download this file:
1drv.ms/u/s!BGtsJVaE5T-sjOV3L...
2. Extract the archived files
3. You will find both the NodeMCU flasher and the firmware image inside.
Hardware used in this video with sample links:
ESP8266 D1 mini
www.makershop.de/plattformen/...
www.aliexpress.com/item/10050...
GPS, Mateksys M10s
www.mateksys.com/?portfolio=m1...
www.aliexpress.com/item/10050...
Enjoy!
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