Helmsman Display

The Helmsman Display window is accessed through the Manage windows on the View drop-down menu or by selecting it from the Frames button.

This window is valid for all instruments.

A line may have several waypoints and the DTK, XTE, CMG and DST deviation indicators all show their values to the next waypoint or to the current line segment. The scale changes automatically. Red and green arrows indicate that the helmsman should steer port or starboard to relocate. Before the ship reaches the start of the line, the indicator will form an arrow pointing downwards.

When you reach the end of the line (or before you come to the line) the Helmsman Display will continue to display the ship's position relative to the continuation of the last line segment of the planned line.

Toolbar buttons

The toolbar holds the following buttons (from left to right):

Show/hide

Annotation colours

Show / Hide button

Active: Activate or deactivate the display. Deactivating the display will minimize the CPU usage of the display.

Position: Show or hide the position text fields (latitude and longitude).

DD.DD: Display position as decimal degrees.

DD MM.MM: Display position as degrees and decimal minutes.

DD MM SS.SS: Display position as degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds.

Projection: Display position as projection coordinates.

DPT: Show or hide the water depth text field.

SOG: Show or hide the speed over ground text field.

m/s: Display speed over ground in units of meters per second.

Knots: Display speed over ground in units of knots.

COG: Show or hide the course over ground text field.

DTK: Show or hide the desired track text field. This is the heading of the current line segment.

BRG: Show or hide the course to waypoint text field. This is the heading from the current position to the next waypoint.

XTE: Show or hide the cross track error text field. This is the shortest distance to the current line segment.

RNG: Show or hide the range to waypoint text field. This is the distance from the current position to the next waypoint.

ETW: Show or hide the estimated time to the next waypoint text field. This is the estimated time of arrival at the next waypoint.

ETA: Show or hide the estimated time of arrival text field. This is the estimated time of arrival at the last point in the current planned line.

XTE Plot: Show or hide the cross track error plot.

APB Output: Enable or disable output of the NMEA APB message to the autopilot.

Note NMEA APB datagrams contain information regarding the vessel's position with regard to the active survey line. The correctness of this information is critically dependent on positioning system input, correct setup of the system and user definition of the survey. Using the APB datagrams as autopilot input is possible as a help in steering the vessel during the survey, but it cannot in any way relieve the vessel crew from the responsibility in safe handling of the vessel. The APB output is only available when the Helmsman Display window is open.

Annotation colours button

Display Colors: You can change the colours for Foreground, Background and XTE Plot.

This is done by double-clicking in the checkbox(es). The Color Dialog window will appear. New colours can be selected in a number of different ways (using the eye dropper tool, entering the RGB colour code, using predefined colours etc.).

Select the new colour and click Accept to apply. Cancel if you do not want to change the colour.