Marine Firmware & Tools
Supporting firmware libraries, desktop utilities, and integration helpers for chartplotter testing, autopilot development, vessel telemetry, and navigation electronics workflows.
Marine Firmware & Tools is an umbrella for the embedded code, helper apps, and test harnesses that sit alongside RayVessel and RayNmeaSimulator. These pieces turn NMEA2000 / NMEA0183 data, custom HAT hardware, and lab fixtures into a repeatable development and validation environment.
The goal is simple: make it easier for marine electronics developers, integrators, and advanced hobbyists to wire up, test, and ship reliable systems without starting from scratch every time.
Components will roll out gradually as they are hardened on Ray’s own vessel and in the RF StateSide lab.
What Is “Marine Firmware & Tools”?
Rather than a single monolithic application, this initiative covers a family of small, focused components:
- Embedded firmware templates for Teensy, ESP32, and similar MCUs.
- Helper libraries for NMEA2000 and NMEA0183 parsing, routing, and testing.
- Desktop-side utilities (Qt / .NET) for logging, visualization, and scenario playback.
- Configuration and calibration tools that pair with RayVessel and RayNmeaSimulator.
Many of these tools started life as “lab helpers” for Ray’s own boat and test bench, then evolved into reusable building blocks that others can adopt.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Chartplotter & MFD Testing
- Generate repeatable NMEA2000 / 0183 traffic patterns from the lab bench.
- Inject simulated engine, tank, GPS, and weather data into OEM displays.
- Validate alarm behavior, annunciators, and custom pages before going on the water.
Autopilot & Navigation Development
- Pair firmware modules with RayNmeaSimulator Game Mode to exercise route-following logic.
- Record and replay tricky conditions for regression testing.
- Prototype new control strategies without touching a live vessel.
Vessel Telemetry & IoT
- Use firmware examples that bridge analog sensors, digital I/O, and NMEA buses.
- Push normalized data into dashboards, loggers, or cloud backends.
- Leverage the same patterns used in RayVessel for your own projects.
Bench & Factory Testing
- Spin up self-contained test fixtures for production or repair benches.
- Automate “go/no-go” checks for sensors, gateways, and bridge devices.
- Standardize scripts so multiple technicians can repeat the same tests.
Example Components on the Roadmap
- NMEA Bridge Firmware – reference sketches that forward, filter, and log NMEA2000 / NMEA0183 traffic between buses and TCP/IP endpoints.
- Sensor HAT Templates – firmware patterns for MacArthur HAT, Waveshare RS485/CAN boards, and custom Pi/MCU carrier designs.
- Desktop Log Viewer – tools to visualize PGNs, sentences, and alarms over time, with export to CSV/JSON for deeper analysis.
- Calibration & Configuration Utilities – helper apps for mapping analog inputs, scaling factors, and channel labels to real vessel systems.
- Example Lab Setups – published wiring + firmware + config bundles for common “mini-lab” layouts (single engine, dual engine, nav + weather, etc.).
Not every item will ship as a polished product—some will be shared as reference designs, GitHub examples, or lab notes for other builders.
Who Is This For?
- Marine electronics developers building bespoke systems for clients.
- OEMs and integrators who need a repeatable lab for regression testing.
- Advanced hobbyists who enjoy instrumenting their own vessels.
- Anyone already using RayVessel or RayNmeaSimulator who wants deeper hooks into firmware and tooling.
Want to Shape Marine Firmware & Tools?
If you have a specific integration, lab setup, or test workflow in mind, Ray would love to hear about it. Early conversations help decide which firmware examples and utilities get packaged first.