Control Display Brightness with SKipper

If you run SKipper app on Raspberry Pi with display capable changing brightness like official Raspberry PI display you can change brightness when SKipper changes it's own theme. So you can make display dark when theme is Dark and you can make display bright when theme is Light. This post will explain how to configure SKipper to update your backlight for official Pi display. Create new script for updating brightness Let's write simple script tailored for official Raspberry Pi that will […]

https://www.skipperapp.net/2025/10/20/control-display-brightness-with-skipper/

- New templates for Autopilot control Page, anchor alarm Page and solar charging Page.
And many more! Here is full change log: https://docs.skipperapp.net/change-log/#12510

#SignalK #SKipperApp #Boating

Change logs - SKipper documentation

Version 25 features preview

Version 25 is in the works for about one month and will be few more weeks, this post is about what will be coming to SKipper version 25! So let’s dive in.

Sounds were missing in SKipper app for long time, so version 25 will allow users on Linux, Windows, iOS and Android to produce loud sounds when notification state reaches warning, alarm/alert and emergency. Each state has it’s own sound and user can enable or disable sounds and setup sound level.

SKipper does provide nice user […]

https://www.skipperapp.net/2025/07/09/version-25-features-preview/

Fediverse test

Hello #Fediverse!

Do you need digital load switching on your boat? Well, #SKipperApp have you covered! This device is #SensESP #SignalK compatible device that can control your lights from your phone, tablet, or #RaspberryPi. The device connects to #SignalK via WiFi and has a very fast response.
@skipperapp showing graphs on @sunseeker27 built with @avaloniaui and @dotnet 🛥😁 #Boating #SignalK #SKipperApp
We hope you're enjoying your maritime adventures with the #SKipperApp and that you're having a fantastic time on the waters!
Here is sneak peak of new feature that will be available in SKipper v25! Touch gestures were highly requested features and v25 will deliver! We hope you're sailing and boating with #SKipperApp and while at having great time on the water!
Get ready for an exclusive glimpse into an exciting new feature coming with SKipper version 25! The touch gestures, a highly requested addition, will be included in this update. #Boating #SignalK #MFD
Tak už nám včera začala sezóna 2025! Všechno zásadní funguje jak má, jenom potřebuju doladit pár věcí. Jo a po cestě mi uletěl solár :-D @sunseeker27! #Czech #Boating #0DaysUntilSeason #SignalK #SKipperApp

The latest update for version 24 is now available

This release brings improvements and bug resolutions:
INTRODUCING - Date and Time Converter - enables time zone settings (local, UTC, or UTC offset)
INTRODUCING - JSON Template Converter - permits users to extract or generate text templates from JSON objects (now you can finally display templates)

#SKipperApp #SignalK #Boating #MFD

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Version 25 features preview

Version 25 is in the works for about one month and will be few more weeks, this post is about what will be coming to SKipper version 25! So let’s dive in.

Sounds were missing in SKipper app for long time, so version 25 will allow users on Linux, Windows, iOS and Android to produce loud sounds when notification state reaches warning, alarm/alert and emergency. Each state has it’s own sound and user can enable or disable sounds and setup sound level.

SKipper does provide nice user […]

https://www.skipperapp.net/2025/07/09/version-25-features-preview/

@app wow, this is nice progress!
@app this looks cool, data coming in via nmea2000 over tcp/udp? SignalK?
@pjakobs SKipper is using websocket and Signal K for the boat data and supports even controlling things via Signal K PUT request. Check out our documentation for details: https://docs.skipperapp.net/get-started-with-skipper/
Thank you for your interest in SKipper app Peter!
Getting Started with SKipper - SKipper documentation

@app I'm currently putting together a raspberry pi cm4 based Router for 5G/WLAN that will also host SignalK and receive boat data from my esp32 based converter modiles
Sounds like a perfect companion App!
@pjakobs @app Hi Peter, I'm curious about your setup that you're putting together. My system is too cm4 based with 4G and WiFi. I'm running a few SensESP sensors and SignalK. It would be great to share some knowledge if you're interested in it. Thanks!

@jan

Sure, I use github.com/wellenvogel/esp32-nmea2000 to link my nmea0183 to nmea2000 using self designed boards around the Ti ISO1050 as the CAN transciever.
Those two systems bring in data from my nasamarine clipper depth gauge and wind instrument.
The router I am currently putting together is built around a cm4 base board https://www.mytechcatalog.com/CM4-WRT-A-Raspberry-Pi-CM4-Router-Baseboard-With-NVME-Support and will run a few tools in containers (nextcloud, SignalK grafana, influxdb) I think I have finally found a setup to get 5G radio
@app

CM4-WRT-A: Raspberry Pi CM4 Gigabit Router Baseboard with NVME Support | MyTechCatalog

The CM4-WRT-A is a Raspberry Pi CM4 carrier board that can be used to create a gigabit router capable of supporting WiFi 6/6E as well as a 4G/5G backup connection.

@jan @app I am not yet 100% there, but the nextcloud will serve as a multimedia base, but also as a general portal for everything else. I am thinking to pipe boat data into influxdb as well to be able to look back at complete data set (hopefully allowing me to calculate a good sailboat polar)

@jan

oh, and projects I still want to do are including my electrical system into the overal observability. I have a 280Ah house battery that is charged by 300W solar as well as an engine battery that is charged by the alternator. I also have a 2kW inverter, but that is not itself observable, I think. The House battery BMS is, the solar charger is and the battery meter on the engine battery is. So more projects.

@app

@pjakobs @app nice board! I do have Waveshare IOT board (https://www.waveshare.com/product/raspberry-pi/boards-kits/compute-module-4-4s-cat/cm4-io-wireless-base.htm) works great, but pick would be nice upgrade with SSD drive! I'm using InfluxDBv2 on my boat and SKipper is able to show nice graphs from Signal K or InfluxDB (v1 or v2). I do have just LTE but it works fine! I'm using SK BT plugin to monitor my Renogy DC-DC charger and SensESP device to monitor my engine (RPM, temp, oil pressure, etc.).
Industrial IoT Wireless Expansion Module Designed for Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 | CM4-IO-WIRELESS-BASE

Industrial IoT Wireless Expansion Module Designed for Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 | CM4-IO-WIRELESS-BASE

@pjakobs @app I'm using my VPS as a data relay for SignalK and camera snapshots, so I can monitor my boat from my phone. Graphs are from InfluxDB. The camera feed is from the USB Low Light Arducam camera.

@jan

you seem to be just a wee bit ahead of myself here 🙂

I was using a dumb 4G router for the last two years, upgrading to the CM4 should give me a lot more freedom.

However, I have just found that the base board has developed a hardware issue (one of the data drivers to the ETH0 interface has gone up in smoke - not quite sure what device it is yet)

My LiFePO battery has a daly BMS that *can* do bluetooth but at least the app has not been overly reliable so I currently think RS485

@app

@jan

and on the baseboard:

my design requirement was to have two WiFi boards (for on-board network and public wifi) as well as a cellular board (for 4G/5G) - the extra ssd comes hand.

This board has one E-Key (Wifi) and two J-Key m.2 slots, I found a J to E-M-Key adapter with a SIM slot and an M-Key 5G module - have not tested that yet, though.

The nvme allows me to have most things that are actually any sort of write intense on "proper" storage rather than the eMMC

@app

@jan

on the openwrt side, one of the GBit Adapters and one of the wifi are bridged to a LAN bridge that provides internal networking while the other GBit Adapter, the 2nd wifi and, if it works, the cell adapter will be tied together by mwan with the wifi using travelmate to attach to public wifi if possible.

This should give me a stable local network no matter where it comes from.

The free eth port would open the possibility to attach a non neo-fascist alternative to Starlink one day

@app

@pjakobs @app I'm currently happy with my board, but if I would change I would try your board. It looks great and for that price it's very nice board! 🙂 On my boat i do have only Garmin NMEA2000 depth finder, eveything else is WiFi powered. Also I would not use OpenWRT, but maybe headless OpenPlotter.
If you would use SKipper, where on what device would like to use it? It's great to see some boater here in #Fediverse 😉

@jan

The boating hobby needs a lot more makers and hackers. We have this large group of companies that sell overpriced stuff, but really, it doesn't have to be that expensive.

@app

@pjakobs @jan @app like signalk? In a past time I made some sensors and such for it, and I made a sailing dashboard device with e-ink display that’s quite handy.
@pjakobs @jan @app a short press gets a new update for the position (automatically happens every ten minutes), and a long press also shows the last six hours of positions and air pressure.

@doc

Nice, we should start a Boat Hackerspace even if just virtual

@jan @app

@pjakobs @jan @app at the moment I need to do more low-tech repairs on the boat, and removing 25 years of old cruft on the boat (now defunct electronics and wiring). Unfortunately it’s not that easy on mine because many things are hidden away behind beautiful but inaccessible panels.

@doc

ah yes, the life of someone who owns a pre-loved boat with multiple layers of "enhancements" ;-)

(did you get a new one? I think I see the hard dodger of a Rassy or Najad?)

@jan @app

@pjakobs @jan @app

Managed to get this last year (I used to sail on a sailing school boat - an Oceanis 423). it’s a smallish, older Najad, I love the overengineering that went into it, and everything is a heavier built.
The teak deck and the fact that every single bit of hardware is covered by wood paneling makes servicing a bit more difficult sometimes, though.

@doc @pjakobs @app nice eInk dashboard! Is it running on Raspberry Pi, or does it run on low-cost chip like ESP32?
@jan @pjakobs @app it’s got an esp32 underneath. I like the esp and arduinos better than a Pi, because the latter requires maintenance. The former are a little harder to program but once they are, they are stable until they die.
@doc @pjakobs @app Yeah, I do have a few esp32s on board and they are good. One is reading rpm, exhaust temperature for both engines, and the other controlling relays, have 2 reading temperature and humidity and atmospheric pressure. It's fun!

@jan @doc

isn't it crazy, that we use a dual core, 240MHz beast of a controller to do mundane tasks like that?

It's crazy, I have probably 50 ESP32 sitting around here... (not on the boat, mostly dev boards that I hae a habit buying bulk)

@app