Portable
Affordable
Marine
Navionics...


Monitor your vessel's instrumentation and navigation from ANY location on your ship.






..adding comfort and peace of mind


Download FREE v1.0 HandHelm(tm) Instructions here.


HandHelm(tm) Version 1.0 will be installed on:

1. SHIP NAV COMPUTER: your existing ship's windows based computer (sorry - does not work on a Mac computer)

2. PORTABLE COMPUTER: ANY other windows based laptop, PC or tablet computer that you may have. If you have more than 1 portable computer -- you many install handHelm(tm) on each of these computers.

Requirements:
1. Your computers must be WINDOWS based

2. Your existing marine instrumentation uses NMEA 0183 protocols. NMEA 0183 is generally found on any vessel built before 2005 --- when the NMEA electronic standards were changed. We DO plan to have a HandHelm(tm) version SOON that operates on NMEA 2000 standards.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS and CONFIGURATION STEP BY STEP DETAILS HERE:


Let me repeat. No WIRING is involved. You have the complete freedom to move around your vessel, monitoring instrumentation and controlling your autopilot - from the hand held device of YOUR choosing.

Start saving money on navionics...

I'm going to let you in on a secret, that nobody in the marine industry likes to talk about. And, the reason that they don't want to talk about this - is because they want to make a lot of money - off of you.

When NMEA decided upon a new communication standard in 2005 (called NMEA 2000) - nobody bothered to tell you how much this change would eventually affect your wallet. If your navionics were installed prior to 2005, using NMEA 0183 standards, start crossing your fingers now and hope that none of your instrument displays goes kaput. Because, when they do -- you don't have the option to replace a single display with a newer model (using NMEA 2000). These won't work with the rest of your instrumentation. Why, because the rest of your instrumentation uses NMEA 0183. Get ready to stimulate the marine economy, and replace ALL of your instrumentation and navigation, with newer equipment that uses the NMEA 2000 protocols.

  Sure, you could do some online research. Maybe you could find a used model on eBay? But good luck with this. Older marine instrumentation and navionics are a hot commodity.

Are there any other options? YES. You can replace the instrument display that failed - without having to replace your ENTIRE navionics system. You don't need to buy from a specific manufacturer. You don't need to search the internet for marine parts from an islander in Figi. You don't need to rip out every marine electronics you have in place. You don't need to blow the wad you were saving for your retirement. That's right. Instead, you can use handHELM(tm) - as a replacement for instrumentation displays using NMEA 0183.

Learn how handHELM(tm) keeps you safe while cruising

By making use of your ship's WIFI - you can now monitor depth, changes to apparent or true winds and MORE - at any time you need to step away from the main helm station. Maybe you need to make a cup of Joe, a trip to the head, a break from the sun, or need a moment of shut-eye when solo sailing. You handHELM ( tm ) stays with you at all times. It notifies you when you are in shallow waters. It notifies you when your anchor is dragging. It allows you to make heading changes while under way. All from your favorite portable PC or hand held device.

handHELM ( tm ) keeps you safe when you step away from your main helm station. While challenging weather or sea state conditions demand your full attention and navigation skills at your main helm station - handHELM ( tm ) gives you the added security that your instruments displays and navigation is duplicated. Should your other instruments or navigation system fail, handHELM ( tm )'s got your back.

Often, there is only one true captain on a pleasure boat. This person is all too familiar with the marine instrumentation, navigation, safety, steerage - and every last detail required to be a responsible cruiser. If you are lucky to have a first mate, or crew on board, they may not have the same level of boat handling experience that you might have. There are always exceptions! So, when you need to take a break from being Captain, and a crew member takes your spot at the helm - all members on your vessel can breathe a bit easier. You've got their back, and they know it. If your crew needs to you review apparent wind, depth or more - you can do it from anywhere. No more rushing to the helm station - you can see it all - from handHELM ( tm ).

Discover how handHELMs portable features gives you freedom of movement

If you are like most boat owners, your instrumentation and nav equipment is in the vicinity of your helm station. And, with heavy seas or weather, busy traffic or when challenging navigation issues arise - there is no other place for you to be. At your helm station. As a Captain, you are responsible for the safe passage of your vessel - and you need to be at your helm stations when conditions demand it.

But, what happens the rest of the time? Are you glued to your captain's chair? Does the fact that all of your instrumentation and navigation equipment being located in ONE spot prevent you from moving freely about your vessel?

handHELM ( tm ) give you the freedom to move to a more comfortable spot, take a break from the sun by going below deck, or make a snack in the galley - and still have all of the instrumentation and navigation tools by your side. handHELM ( tm ) is portable. It can be used on your hand held pocket PC, Blackberry's or even larger displays such as a Tough Book , tablet PC or laptop computer. You choose what size and device works best for you.

And once you've made your choice - handHELM ( tm ) displays your instrumentation and navigation. It even lets you control your autopilot! If you are sailing using your autopilot, you can change your heading using handHELM ( tm ) from anywhere on the boat. handHELM ( tm ) goes where you go. It uses your vessel's WIFI . You don't drag around any wires. You don't need to have an internet connection. You can be hundreds of miles off shore, or even cruising along remote areas of the Inter coastal Waterway. It doesn't matter. handHELM ( tm ) is your completely reliable and indispensable sidekick.

When you determine that conditions require that you return back to your helm station, handHELM ( tm ) partners with you as a complete backup to all of your expensive navionics . So, as you look at your depth finder and it shows you are in shallow water, a quick look at the depth information in handHELM ( tm ) confirms this to be true. Time to adjust course.

The software will run on your Ship's Navigation Computer - and on the hand held device of your choice. NMEA 0183 messages received on the Ship's Navigation Computer are re-transmitted via WIFI to all listening hand held devices.

Ship's Navigation Computer

  • Requires Windows XP Pro
  • Accepts NMEA 0183 input on up to to four USB (serial) ports
  • Allows all input NMEA 0183 to be used by your existing Navigation Software without interruption
  • NMEA 0183 message sharing. Maintains a real-time list of all listening handHelm(tm) devices and re-transmits all NMEA 0183 messages to each of the listening devices.
  • GPS failsafe redundancy. Allows the user to identify 2 GPS sources and will automatically switch from a primary GPS source to a secondary GPS source if the primary stream is interrupted.
  • NMEA Multiplexor. Will echo any/all NMEA 0183 input to a single NMEA output effectively combining NMEA inputs into a single NMEA output stream.
Hand Held Device (portable, mobile notebook, tablet PC) in v1.0or Blackberry or Droid in v2.0
  • runs on any device that uses Windows XP Pro or a Blackberry /Droid phone
  • Will transmit Autopilot control messages.
  • Displays instrumentation data such as Apparent Wind, True Wind, Depth, and Log.
  • Alarms include Shallow Depth, Deep Depth, Gybe Zone, and GPS signal loss.

 

 

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Download your FREE copy of HandHelm(tm) v1.0


NO STRINGS ATTACHED. HandHelm(tm) Version 1.0 is REALLY FREE for you to USE. All features are included to operate on your ship computer and any Windows based PC or laptop. Read our standard License Agreement.

Want to review how to setup Handhelm(tm)? Download HandHelm v1.0 Installation & Configuration instructions or the

Ready to get started? DOWNLOAD Complete v1.0 HandHelm(tm) software package PLUS instructions.

Be sure to join our handHelm(tm) user forum to share your feedback and experiences, or questions!

We want to hear from you...

M-S 8AM-7PM Eastern Standard Time
301.520.4954 Sales
301.520.4472 Customer Support
email: info@handhelm.com

Cycon Publishing, Inc.
1006 Somerset Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA

What is NMEA?

NMEA - stands for the National Marine Electronics Association

NMEA Interface Standards are intended facilitate interconnection and interchangeability of equipment digital date, minimizing misunderstanding and confusion between manufacturer's equipment and provide safe and reliable equipment communication for the mariner.

Among other important goals and objectives, NMEA defines electrical signal requirements, data transmission protocol and time, and specific sentence formats- in which your standard instrumentation and navigation manufacturers use.

The GOOD news, is that standards in general, makes is easy for your marine instrumentation and nav equipment to USE information.

The BAD news, is that when standards "change", you may need to "change" with them.

What is a NMEA compliant device?

NMEA is a combined data and electrical spec defining communication between marine electronic devices such as sonars, echo sounder , anemometer (wind speed and direction), gyrocompass , autopilot , GPS receivers and many other types of instrumentation.

So, as you look around your boat, your instrumentation display, sensor sensor and GPS receiver - irregardless of the manufacturer is most likely NMEA compliant. It can share the same "language".

What are some examples of NMEA devices?

  • Depth Sounder
  • Anemometer
  • Speed Log
  • GPS
  • Auto Pilot
  • Engine Instrumentation

What do I need to know about NMEA?

NMEA has provided a standardized protocol to allow communication between marine navigation devices. Be sure to go to the NMEA.org web site for more information. NMEA communication can get technical - but here is what you need to know:

The communication between navigation devices uses NMEA messages -- and these messages contain NMEA sentences. Depending on how your electronics are configured, devices can act as originators or senders of NMEA data. This means that they SEND information OUT. Sometimes, these are called NMEA Talkers . Other devices can act as receivers, or consumers of NMEA data. They are called NMEA Listeners .

Many of your electronic devices (instrumentation) also have options to connect via RS232 or USB with computers. In this case, your computer will act as NMEA Listener. In that role, your computer will have to know how to handle the NMEA data stream.

HandHELM(tm) processes your NMEA messages / sentences. The information from these sentences can be displayed on your laptop, pocket PC, touch screen tablet or Blackberry.

 

 

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