This project is an approach for an new adapter for the MAIANA AIS by peterantypas (https://github.com/peterantypas/maiana).
The idea is to be able to operate the AIS only with a mobile. Many people use their mobile to navigate and would love to have a integration of the AIS signals into their preffered app.
We use a ESP32 and the "USB-only" adapter by peterantypas. All messages between the serial output and the AIS will be forwarded unchanged, the ESP just listens in the middle and will add some extra messages. The adapter is expanded through a additional button "config mode". If this button is pressed, the ESP enters the configuration mode, in which he provides a unencrypted WiFi. In this WiFi the user can configure the AIS and WiFi settings. The ESP can either connect to a existing WiFi or create its own. After 5 minutes the ESP closes the connection to the configuration page and switch to normal operation mode. In the "normal" mode the ESP provides each message of the AIS over WiFi as NMEA 0183, which can be used with many apps.
This way this adapter mades the AIS a stand alone system if wanted and the user just have to plug it in and it works. If the adapter also gets a step up converter, it could be powered over USB, which makes it even more simple to use. Just grab a USB cable and a USB car plug and it works out of the box. As the configuration is made in the browser, this approach is usable with all devices, smartphones, tablets or a laptop, independent of the brand.
This is the latest version of the GUI
A bit thank you to:
@Yamioni2007
@marcelrv
@muebau