Jump to content

OpenCPN help


Recommended Posts

I am fairly new to sailing and am trying to figure out what I need to connect a radar, and auto pilot and other devices to my laptop and then to connect them to OpenCPN (Cables and other devices needed). I have been playing with it a little on my desktop, but will be digging out the laptop and installing it on there soon.

I have a Garmin GPS 12 and the USB/Serial adaptor needed to connect it, but so far that is the only thing I really have to connect anything.

I have purchased a Used 4kw radar dome and Raymarine RL70CRC Plus and another display device and it should be here in a few days. I have a Raymarine ST6002 autopilot  w/a raymarine X5 smart pilot. I am still looking for a Masthead transponder for wind speed and direction data.

Can OpenCPN use Navionic charts? What are the best charts to use with OpenCPN?

Any help on what I will need at a minimum to connect all this to the laptop would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance..

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Matt,

Firstly welcome to crew.org!

Before I can be of much help, what operating system (Windows/Linux etc) are you using on your PC's? If it is Windows 7 or newer, it's pretty easy to connect the GPS. Plug it in when online, and it should load the drivers required, and add a Com port. Note which Com port number it is and open OCPN, go into setup, connections, and add that com port (serial port, probably 4800,8,N,1 unless the manual says otherwise). Then make sure OCPN can see the incoming NMEA sentences in the debug window. If it cannot, the GPS is not sending, or it's the wrong com port, or port settings.

Sorry, but the Radar is not supported by OCPN - currently it has to be a Garmin HD, or Navico (Lowrance/Simrad/B&G) br24, 3G or 4G.

Charts; No, opencpn cannot use Navionics charts. Navionics is a proprietary format. Where do you want charts for?

Sorry the first reply is so negative - would have been good if you had asked here - or checked the OCPN manual before buying your radar....

Good luck

Link to post
Share on other sites

Currently I have a Windows 7 laptop, but I am considering purchasing a new dedicated laptop for the boat. Nothing special, just something that isn't aged. I used the one I have now while I was driving truck and it's seen it's share of abuse and I don't want to see the hard drive crash.

As for the Radar, It was very reasonably priced and I am getting a display with it, so it really isn't a complete wasted purchase.

I also have an iPad and the iNavx app and I know it can be networked with some devices.

I also downloaded the Navionics iPad and iPhone app ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/developer/navionics/id294013906?mt=8 ) and find the UI very easy to use. However, there is no way to connect it to or use it with any other devices.The charts I have been looking for are for the riverways from The Great Lakes (Lake Michigan) to the Gulf of Mexico (Mobile, AL). I am seriously considering motoring my 35' sailboat down the waterways and setting sail for the Keys and The Caribbean. Trucking it just does not appear to fit into my budget.

The question that is bothering me the most is what do I need to have to connect my radar, autopilot, and other onboard devices to a wifi network or to connect them to a laptop? Is there a central routor or hub that everything connects to?

If I were to trace the connection from the laptop, whether wired or wifi, what would I see and in what order?

I reaally liked the illustration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMEA_2000#/media/File:NMEA2000_Modified_motor_yacht.jpg because it shows the order and all the devices needed to connect everything. However, I do not have a NMEA2000 system or devices. 

It's almost as if trying to connect my devices to the OpenCPN program could end up costing as much as just purchasing a dedicated Raymarine Chartplotter.

Now I see why I am told told it could be several thousand american dollars to set up the electronics on a boat.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Several thousand is an understatement if you are talking about supply/Install/commission. A basic system - instruments, AP, and plotter can easily be 10-20,000 or maore, depending on the level of equipment required. Probably the lower end for your motor-sailor.... If you are just talking about connection, then it can be done for very little.

 

There is no great magic to connect what you have, and opencpn makes it easier, not harder. You will have to connect your systems with NMEA0183. NMEA 0183 is a simple system, consisting normally of 2 wires data + and data -. Devices might be "talkers" (data out) - like a GPS unit, "Listeners" like a plotter, or have two ports (or more) like an AP - listener to receive course info, talker to provide compass heading etc to the system. One talker can provide a split cable to up to three listeners. The PC with opencpn can connect directly to the NMEA cables, with the use of a serial to USB adapter. You can buy multi port adapters. The PC can also combine information from several ports into one, known as a multiplexor. This is good if you want to feed several talkers into a listener with only one port.

 

NMEA 0183 should be cabled with shielded twisted pair. Don't be afraid to try the connections - if you do them backwards, it won't hurt anything, it just wont work! The connection must be cabled correctly, and the device at each end must be properly configured for comms to work. This involves reading the manuals for each device, and setting the output to the correct Baud rate (speed) and comms parameters, normally 4800, 8,n,1, and the right NMEA0183 version - 1 or 2.

 

If you are new to this, then it will take some (possibly considerable) time and effort to get the devices talking, but if you are technically inclined and motivated it can be done for very little cost (just some wires and connectors, plus the usb converters). The info on how to connect NMEA 0183 is readily available online. Mr google is your friend.

 

If all of this sounds to daunting, then you would be better to get a local marine tech to do it for you, but yes, that will cost.

 

Cheers

Matt

Link to post
Share on other sites

Maybe. The WLN10HS has ONE CHANNEL of NMEA 0183 at 38400 Baud. It can, for example, connect an AIS to wifi (AIS data is typically at 38400.

 

It is easy to overload a NMEA0183 single connection. It could not, for example, carry wind data, heading data, AIS and Autopilot data - too much for one channel. So it depends on exactly what you want.

 

IMO it is better to have all your fixed devices hard wired, then transmit what you want to the wireless ones - which you can do from OCPN with a $15 wifi dongle with soft accesspoint software (If your laptop/pc does not have that built in already...

 

This info is available in the WLN10HS manual.

Link to post
Share on other sites

All this technical lingo is confusing. I am somewhat tech savy, but this has got me pulling my hair out.

I guess that I must have misread something because I was under the impression that this is a multiplexer and would connect multiple devices.

If that will not work, what will work?

What's the dongle for? my laptop has wifi.

Would I be able to hard wire everything and connect the laptop to the multiplexer with an adaptor then mirror it to the tablet on the helm?

I have been seriously considering a macbook and getting the http://macenc.com/?ref=inavx.com

and using it in conjunction the iNavx on the iPad and play with OpenCPN until I get the hang of it all.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a GlobalSat usb gps on a MacBook, the gps utility program can see the gps but opencpn does not seem to see it even though I have setup a connection

 

Serial /dev/cu.usbserial  4800

opencpn see's the serialusb option there just nothting inside the app... any ideas from those using macs?

 

Also is there an AIS TCP feed address for NZ shipping I could link to?

 

this is cool but would like the data inside opencpn

 

http://www.kerikeriweather.co.nz/wxais.php

Link to post
Share on other sites

There is no free IP based AIS access in NZ that I'm aware of. There are several apps that let you see NZ and world-wide traffic though - like marinetraffic.com

 

For Mac support on OCPN try the official support forum - sorry I'm crap at remote support for Macs - Just don't use them enough!

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f134/help-faq-30943-67.html is the official page.

Link to post
Share on other sites

ok sorted, found out that the usb port does not release from use, I was getting the GPS Utility app to tell me position then trying Opencpn and no joy, if you reboot box and just open Opencpn it grabs the port ok, have position etc now,

 

now starting to add the plugins to OpenCPN,  Pretty cools software ...

 

 

might get one of those little AIS recievers ....

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest waikiore2

Am I the only one who finds this post totally foreign? he says sitting on crate of beer steering with tiller looking at compass full of gin and listening to matinee idol on transistor.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The less you rely on technology the easier the cruise for sure......  OpenCPN is worth a look if you have PC on a boat though, just got the Grib file thingy working and if I had the PC version (have mac) then you can use the wind routing stuff, all free....

 

its 90% of the multi thousand dollar commercial software.....     still looking for a tcp/udp based AIS feed .. anyone ?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...