Please do not repost this url or any links from this page on a public-facing post or website. These are unlisted links meant only for USCG or Auxiliary personnel.
- AV Assistant One Pager
- Tips and Tricks (read me!)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Videos
- User Manual
- Scroll down for additional topics, including hardware needed
Status
13 Aug 2023 – AV Assistant has been updated to 2.7.5 (81) on the Apple App Store.
USCG / Auxiliary
This is an unlinked page that you cannot reach from the atons.us website or its drop-down menus. Bookmark it so you can find it easily next time. You can also easily reach this page from AVA at any time – Settings/Tap here for Information.
- atons.us/avaforios
App Privacy Policy
AV Assistant (AVA) requests and retains your organization details and contact information internally within the app, including your email address. Your location and your test location are used to provide you with a localized map and location-based data (aids to navigation) from the U.S. Coast Guard Light List and Local Notice to Mariners. Your photos are used to document observations of aids to navigation. This information is compiled into a report consisting of an email with several attachments. All emails from the app (reports, settings, light sets) are sent only to the email address you provide in Settings. No data is transmitted to the developer other than what Apple provides in crash data reports and app services.
Current Version
v2.7.5 build 81 – download from the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
- 7054 Color of Aid has changed to Aid Characteristic (light color)
- PT circle now has a dotted outline to distinguish it from the PF circle
- UA reports are now visible on the map (add User Reports in Light Sets)
- The aid name is now part of the file name
- The camera angle readout is now to the side of the photo
- “Check” data sources instead of “Reload” in Settings
- Requires iOS 15 or later
Tips and Tricks
- Unable to change settings? Tap Edit at the bottom left corner in Settings to unlock editing. Settings are locked to prevent accidental changes while onboard a vessel.
- Test Location indicates your geographical position in Test Mode. If you want to set or change a test location, simply tap and hold on the desired spot on the map. If you want your test location to follow your GPS, clear the test latitude and longitude in Settings to read 0,0.
- When to reload new data? AVA checks for new data constantly and usually lets you know new data is available on the Status bar. If you see this or you are going on patrol or a survey run, go to Settings, turn on Check Data Sources (under Data Sources), and go back to AVA, which will check all data sources and download any new ones. After that and while you are on the water, if you are asked to Proceed or Cancel for any new updates, choose Cancel, or you may not be able to continue if there are download issues.
- Does your status bar say “update available” but there is no Reload dialog (prompt) to get it? This can happen if you canceled a reload dialog. If you did not previously cancel a reload, wait a minute to allow AVA to catch up. Otherwise, go to Settings, turn on Check Data Sources (under Data Sources), and go back to AVA, which will check all data sources and download any new ones.
- To force a full reload of all data sources, go to Settings, District (under Data Sources), edit the District, and go back to AV Assistant. Tapping in the text field is sufficient, no changes need to be made.
- When entering data, the keyboard slides up and blocks part of the screen. This may obscure part of the field you are entering data into, particularly in the Comments field on the Report page. Try dismissing the keyboard (by simply swiping up or down above it) and move the field up a bit before tapping in it again.
- Cellular data usage. If you have a low-data plan, you may not want to use cellular data to transmit your AVA reports. There are two ways to do this – one is to turn on Airplane mode – which also means you cannot text, call, or receive notifications. A better way is to go to your phone settings, scroll down the list until you find AV Assistant, and then turn off Cellular Data. Your AVA report emails will then queue up in your phone until you reach a working WiFi connection. When a connection is established, queued emails will then be sent. You can also check here that Location is set to While Using and Camera is turned on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does AVA look like the public version?
The public version does not have member information or relevant 7054 details in Settings, nor will it produce a 7054 form. To get the Auxiliary version, enter ANSC-7054B (exactly as shown, all caps, hyphen, no spaces) in the CGForms field in Settings. This is shown on page 5 in the user manual further down this page.
What is Test Mode?
Test Mode allows you to place your location somewhere other than where you are presently, and marks all your reports with a Test Mode header so they will not be mistaken for real reports. It’s used for practice, training, checking out a patrol area in advance, and general armchair navigation. Live mode is used for creating real reports on the water. Remember to turn Test Mode off when going on patrol or a survey run, and to turn it back on when home.
What is AOI and why is it so small?
AOI – Area of Interest – is a rectangular area around your location, 10 NM in each direction (default setting). AVA shows all Lights (Aids) within this area and excludes those without. This balances the amount of information AVA must handle with keeping AVA responsive. In Live Mode (or Test Mode with lat/lon 0,0), as you pass out of your current AOI, AVA updates the AOI with your current location and corresponding aids. If you want to look at another location outside your AOI, use Test Mode and set a test location in the desired area specifically, rather than expanding your AOI.
Why does my screen appear to flash every second when the map is shown?
There is a known Apple bug with iOS on older devices. Go to Settings, scroll to the GPS Information section, and turn off Show Position Fix Circle.
Why am I getting a memory warning? I have plenty available.
Apps use RAM, which is different from the storage memory on your device (phone or tablet). AVA accumulates a lot of information in RAM, and charts add to that. While data sources are downloading, AVA uses even more RAM. When iOS deems it too much, it issues a memory warning to the app. On the first warning, AVA reduces the AOI setting to 5 NM. On the second warning, AVA reduces this again to 3 NM. On the third warning, AVA resets the Map Style to “Standard”. You can usually change the Map Style back to “Chart” after downloads have finished, but be cautious about expanding your AOI.
Why am I getting a No Lights Found message?
AVA has looked for Lights in your area of interest and found none. There are several reasons for this message, depending on whether you are in Test Mode or not. If you have just changed your district or reloaded your data sources, this message can sometimes appear too soon before AVA has completed loading the new data. Otherwise, you may be outside your district, or your test location (or real location) is too far away from the nearest Lights and you will have to move your test location (or yourself) nearer to the water.
What happens if I don’t have a connection while on the water?
You should always update your data sources BEFORE you set off.
- in AVA, go to Settings
- scroll to Data Sources
- turn on Check Data Sources
- return to AVA (map)
- wait for updates to complete
All emails generated by AVA are stored on your device until a connection is reestablished, and then they are all sent. See Tips and Tricks if you have a low data usage cellular plan.
Where is the Android version?
The Android version is on the Google Play Store – however, it is currently a very basic version that merely captures the Light data and your location to email to yourself, to fill in a 7054 on your computer at home. It does not have the capabilities of the Apple version yet. It is a work in progress.
Videos
- Setting up AV Assistant for Auxiliary Use (Apple Version) – transcript
- Live discrepancy report with AVA (transcript)
User Manual
One Pager
Use this one-pager description of AV Assistant (AVA) for handouts in class or to Coast Guard personnel or Auxiliary members.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to recognize the following persons who were influential in AVA development through their enthusiastic support, influence, ongoing feedback, or frequent beta testing:
- James Spilsbury, USCG RDC
- Dave Lewald, USCG CG-NAV
- Bruce Buckley, AUX-RDC AUC, USCGAUX Flotilla 25-03, District 1SR
- Edwin Martin, USCGAUX Flotilla 23-1, District 5SR
- Bob Cooke, USCGAUX Flotilla 49, District 5NR
- COMO Vincent Pica, USCGAUX Flotilla 18-6, District 1SR
- Tom Bamford, USCGAUX Flotilla 91, District 7
- Tony Hooper, USCGAUX Flotilla 72, District 7
- Dan Meigs (in memoriam), USCGAUX Flotilla 10-6, District 5
- Eugene Stratton, formerly USCG Chief, Marine Planning & Information Section, District 7 Waterways, Miami
- Rene de Miranda, USCGAUX Flotilla 11-1, District 7
Notifications
Bugs & Suggestions
iOS 13 has an issue with fields showing up blank and checkboxes not checked in Acrobat and Acrobat Reader. Please upgrade to iOS 14 or later to resolve this issue.
If you have suggestions or find other issues with AV Assistant, please let me know. Please provide the version number and describe the issue as best as you can. I may contact you for more information.
Districts
If you are unsure of your district, refer to your FSO-NS or use this map. District 8 Western Rivers is a special district entered as D8WR.
Hardware
- An iPhone or iPad running iOS 12 or later is required to run AV Assistant.
- To use AVA for USCG Auxiliary aids verification, you must have GPS. WiFi-only iPads lack GPS hardware, so you must add this capability through a Bluetooth GPS module.
- If you do not have an iPhone or iPad:
- The cheapest recommended option is an iPad Standard (10.2″) with 32GB and WiFi for $329, and the Garmin GLO 2 Bluetooth GPS module for $99. This is the most flexible option, particularly for bigger boats, since the iPad can be kept under cover, while the GPS can be placed in a baggie and tie-wrapped to a boat hook for contact with the aid. The GLO 2 has an accuracy of 3m relative to the phone GPS accuracy of 5m.
- Another recommended option is an iPad Standard (10.2″) with 32GB and WiFi+cellular for $459 (no cell activation or contract required unless wanted). The GPS is built-in with the cellular hardware, and no extra software or hardware is needed to run AVA. An external GPS can still be used when desired.
- Compatible models (but newer models are better and faster – see post on Compatibility)
- iPhone 5S, 6, 6+, 6S, 6S+, SE, 7, 7+, 8, 8+, X,11,12
- iPad Air, Air 2
- iPad 2017, 2018, 2019
- iPad Mini 2, 3, 4, 5
- iPad Pro (9.7″, 10.5″, 12.9″)
- Incompatible models (WILL NOT WORK)
GPS
If you have a WiFi-only iPad, or if you want to be able to touch the aid using a pole from the boat, you can add a Bluetooth GPS module. The following are known to work:
- Garmin GLO 2 – generally about $99
- This unit works out of the box without needing another app. Pair it to the iPad, and AV Assistant is in business. There is no display on the device, so it cannot be used without a phone or tablet.
- GPS/GLONASS/WAAS, 3m accuracy, 13 hours on battery
- Bad Elf Pro/Pro+ – generally about $149 – $299
- This unit works with AVA and has its own display so it can be used as a stand-alone GPS, as well. Both the Pro and Pro+ offer 2.5m accuracy.
- Pro: GPS/WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS, 2.5m accuracy, 16 hours on battery
- Pro+: GPS/WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS, 2.5m accuracy, 24 hours on battery
- Dual Electronics XGPS150A – generally about $99
- There is no display on the device, so it cannot be used without a phone or tablet.
- The Dual unit works, but I do not have information about whether it works out of the box. My unit requires the Dual app to work, but it is years out of date. If you have this unit, please let me know if it works out of the box or if you need the app for AVA to pick up the GPS data.
- GPS/WAAS/EGNOS, 2.5m accuracy, 8.5 hours on battery
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