A small device that connects to the boat's NMEA 2000 or NMEA 0183 network and sends its data over WiFi to phones and tablets.
An NMEA gateway is a small box that plugs into the boat's instrument network (NMEA 2000, NMEA 0183 or both) and passes the data on, usually over WiFi. Apps on phones and tablets can then read wind, depth, speed, position and more, without touching the plotter or its settings.
How it works
- Connection to the boat: on NMEA 2000 it's simply another device on the backbone; on 0183 it's wired to the instruments' serial outputs.
- WiFi: the gateway either creates its own network or joins the boat's existing one.
- Data format: it sends the data via TCP or UDP, either as NMEA 0183 sentences or as raw NMEA 2000 messages in a manufacturer format such as Yacht Devices RAW.
Some gateways only listen; others can also send data back onto the network, for example to control an autopilot.
When you need one
If your chartplotter has no WiFi, or shares it only with the manufacturer's own apps, a gateway is the reliable way to get the data onto a phone. Gateways that have proven themselves with Manta are listed under WiFi gateways. More background in the guide NMEA WiFi gateways.
Manta does this for you
Plotter data on your iPhone over WiFi
Connect your plotter or a WiFi gateway, and Manta shows your instruments live and records wind, depth and speed through the water on every trip.
