Autopilot Track Following

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by George64

Just modified the ini-file and added


Checking the nmea sentences using the vdr-plugin, I did not get a --RMC sentence. I also tried by entering the sentence under the Autopilot section. No luck either.

Thanks in advance for your help!

What are you trying to do? Is your GPS outputting RMC?

[George64]

I was trying to achive to get the route info on my autopilot and Clipper GPS repeater.

After going through the logfile, I found out that the comm port for th AP fails to open:

10:59:03: Setting Viewpoint Lat/Lon 51.4994, 1.9496
10:59:03: Setting Ownship Lat/Lon 51.3277, 1.4203
10:59:03: NMEA Data Source is....Serial:AIS Port (Shared)
10:59:03: AIS Data Source is....Serial:COM9
10:59:03: Using WVSChart datafile: C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenCPN\wvsdata\wvs43.dat
10:59:03: NMEA AutoPilot Port is....Serial:COM9
10:59:03: Autopilot output device open failed: COM9

I started a new post on this one.

[Paul_Carroll]

Sorry to resurrect an old post, but I too am struggling with the AP integration on OpenCPN. My autopilot is a NavMan G-Pilot 3100. It is pretty new, only 4-5 years old. I checked the manual and it says under the section on following a GPS course: "XTE (from APA, APB or XTE sentences) is required for the G-PILOT to use GPS mode".

I have tried to contact the current owners of the G-Pilot line and their take is that this is old hardware that they are no longer going to support.

So I'm going to need to provide one of those inputs; APa, APB or XTE. While I am reasonably computer savvy and can probably download the open source code and program it eventually, I am current underway to a big Schooner Race and cant do the work on this tablet!!

Any ideas of how I might get the autopilot and OpenCPN playing nice?

Paul

[alex2035]

no need to compile from source anything, OCPN will provide Autopilot sentence A and B in its RMB and RMC NMEA streams. first please make sure you hardware is correctly connected, most problems occur at this level. if you are not sure, provide an image or capture from the Gpilot 3100 connection manual section, so I can sort it out. also provide data on OS version , and how are you doing the physical link. most raymarine pilots work under this same requirements and I make them work every time I install one.

[redog]

I had the same problem trying to get RMB & RMC to run AP.
Mine (TMQ AP4) also requires APA or APB.
So I sat down and bastardized OPEN2.5.0 to suit my needs. (Windoz XP OS)
I really think this would be better served as a plugin as my less than handywork cannot be used on any upgraded versions of OPEN.(time has not allowed me to pursue this avenue)

The reason for my reply is to let you know that while connected to the RMB/C sentences nothing was happening yet as soon as I rejigered OPEN to output A&B sentences the AP drove the boat perfectly using the very same physical connection.

Whilst I was at it I also allowed BWC GLL VTG to output as well, these all give my radar navigational status, however bearing and distances need leading 0's as 39.0 NM is seen as 390 NM and 27.1 deg is seen as 271deg.(still more time needed)

Hence you can see what I did is far from being reliable enough to put out to the public.
But it works for me.

Thanks to all who have input to this wonderful program, I appreciate everyones time is precious.

[GWB]

Originally Posted by redog

I had the same problem trying to get RMB & RMC to run AP.
Mine (TMQ AP4) also requires APA or APB.
So I sat down and bastardized OPEN2.5.0 to suit my needs. (Windoz XP OS)
I really think this would be better served as a plugin as my less than handywork cannot be used on any upgraded versions of OPEN.(time has not allowed me to pursue this avenue)

The reason for my reply is to let you know that while connected to the RMB/C sentences nothing was happening yet as soon as I rejigered OPEN to output A&B sentences the AP drove the boat perfectly using the very same physical connection.

Whilst I was at it I also allowed BWC GLL VTG to output as well, these all give my radar navigational status, however bearing and distances need leading 0's as 39.0 NM is seen as 390 NM and 27.1 deg is seen as 271deg.(still more time needed)

Hence you can see what I did is far from being reliable enough to put out to the public.
But it works for me.

Thanks to all who have input to this wonderful program, I appreciate everyones time is precious.

Redog, any chance you could post what the procedure was? I have done some machine programming and am reasonably confident that I could do what is needed with some guidance. Thanks for any help!