Mastodawn

SKipper app Jul 9

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/

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 9

@app this looks cool, data coming in via nmea2000 over tcp/udp? SignalK?

SKipper app Jul 9

@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

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 9

@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!

Jan Dytrych🇨🇿🇺🇦Jul 9

@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!

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 9

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 Dytrych🇨🇿🇺🇦Jul 10

@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

Jan Dytrych🇨🇿🇺🇦Jul 10

@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.

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 10

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

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 10

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

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 10

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

Jan Dytrych🇨🇿🇺🇦Jul 11

@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 😉

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 11

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.

Dr. ir. Brian R. Pauw

@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.

Dr. ir. Brian R. Pauw Jul 11

@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.

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 11

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

Dr. ir. Brian R. Pauw Jul 12

@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.

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 12

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?)

Dr. ir. Brian R. Pauw Jul 13

@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.

Jan Dytrych🇨🇿🇺🇦Jul 11

@doc @pjakobs @app nice eInk dashboard! Is it running on Raspberry Pi, or does it run on low-cost chip like ESP32?

Dr. ir. Brian R. Pauw Jul 12

@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.

Jan Dytrych🇨🇿🇺🇦Jul 12

@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!

Peter Jakobs ⛵Jul 12

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)