Software logger

SeeSea

Jens created a Software-Logger für NMEA-0183-Data.
It runs on a PC or Laptop and has the appearance of a simple chart plotter.

Description at SourceForge.

Download it here.

The Logger is able to:

record NMEA-Data

display NMEA-Data on the PC screen

display your current position on an OpenSeaMap

run on Linux- and Windows-Platforms, since it was written in Java.

GPSD

Using the GPS daemon gpsd is a convienient way to distribute navigation information to many clients. The gpsd package available for Linux systems provides a set of useful tools for test, simulation and even logging of NMEA data.

The following simple navigation setup has proven to work on Ubuntu 12.04. Start the following commands from a shell or a script:

gpsd -G /dev/ttyS0              # start the daemon reading the serial GPS interface. Option -G provides data also to other hosts.
opencpn &                       # start Chartplotter opencpn. In settings, choose data source "Network LIBGPS"
gpspipe -r >> my_nmea_data.log  # attach to gpsd and append NMEA data to your logfile

# you may attach more clients, even on other hosts in your network:
xgps localhost                  # graphically show satellite coverage

OpenCPN

For the Chartplotter-Software OpenCPN there are various plugins available. One of them is a logger application named VDR (Voyage Data Recorder).

Logging on Windows platforms

It is recommendable to install a software com port-splitter, e.g XPort. Then your chartplotter software and your logger software can each access a dedicated virtual serial com port providing nav data.