ChannelPilot Operator’s Manual
4.3 Laptop Connection
The ChannelPilot connects to the laptop by either a WiFi or Bluetooth connection.
.
The suffix designators W or B in the serial number on the bottom of the ChannelPilot dictate
which model it is.
For Bluetooth connections please refer to your laptop and operating system manual on how to
setup a Bluetooth connection. The baud rate is 38400
For WiFi connections, the IP address of the ChannelPilot is 192.168.2.X :Port 5003 where X are
the digits after the zeros in the serial number of the unit.
Example: Serial Number = CP20032-WS = IP 192.168.2.32
CP20009-WD = IP 192.168.2.9
4.4 Start-Up and MMSI Synchronisation protocol
The ChannelPilot needs to be initialised from the ship's AIS heading to calibrate its internal gyro.
To do this, it needs to be told the MMSI of the ship in question. The order of events in as follows:
1. When you switch on the ChannelPilot unit, initially it will transmit its GPS position (once GPS
lock has been established by its internal GPS receiver) and any received AIS messages. For
Heading and Rate-of-Turn, it is waiting for an MMSI number.
2. Once a MMSI has been received (either via the MMSI programming software, or via the
charting software), the ChannelPilot goes into a (minimum) 2 minute calibration routine.
During this time, no Heading or Rate-of-Turn is transmitted.
3. After 2 minutes of AIS messages, but only if it has received a minimum of 2 of these from
the ship in question, the CP unit is calibrated and it starts transmitting heading and rate-of-
turn.
4. Re-sending the same MMSI number at any time, including during calibration, will be ignored
– it does not either speed up or re-start the process other than if the ChannelPilot is
switched off and on again. If you find you have sent an incorrect MMSI number (for example
if you accidentally clicked on the wrong vessel), then sending a new or different MMSI
number will restart the calibration process and no Heading or Rate-of Turn will be
transmitted until the new calibration is completed.
5. If you are on a stationary vessel (ship’s AIS in alongside mode), during which AIS messages
are only transmitted at 3 minute intervals, the calibration will take at least 6 minutes as it
needs at least two valid AIS messages to complete the calibration.
6. If you send the MMSI message (using the MMSI programmer) before the CP has ‘seen’ an
AIS message from that ship, (for example - before it shows up in the charting software), then
calibration will fail and it will need to be restarted once it has seen it, (eg the software has
shown the vessel).
ChannelPilot will not transmit heading or ROT until it has
been initialised, either through the charting software or via
the MMSI programming software
CPMk2 Manual. V3.0, July 2013 5
