Navico radar plugin v3.0 released

[Hakan]

Andreas..
No, it's not possible to upgrade firmware using BR24radar_pi and I don't know any other method than to use a MFD.
I can't say if it's useful to add such a feature to the plugin. But since the developers do not have access to a service/programmers hand book it may be a risky and a not advisable operation. Net less to debug?
Håkan

[Andreas29]

Hi,

@merrimac: and @Hakan:

Sorry, no I don´t know how to make it.
Yes, youre right, the risk to brick the device is very high.
Such a Radar device is not a mobil phone where millions of devices are used and easy to root and then install an other firmware.

I´m also not player enough to risk a bricked radar dome.

Regards

Andreas

[rgleason]

Its probably an involved process, but rafting with a B&G friend and performing the upgrade would be easiest and safest.

[Tupaia]

In response to the new version. EXCELLENT and the new 4.8.0 too.

A few points, Recent complete meltdown with 4.6.1 & 4.8.0. In an attempt to recreate the mess I uninstalled OPCN and reinstalled 4.4.0 worked, BR24 Ver 1.32, upgraded to 4.6.1 BR24 Ver 1.32 OK installed BR24 Ver 2.1 Failed, Reinstalled BR24 Ver 1.32 all OK Upgraded 4.8.0 Locked up.

It would seem that BR24 Ver 2.1 and any non compatible plugins (logbook ver 1.2) leave an entry in the "Installed progs" list, Blank with OCPN and version numbers 2.1, 1.2. Subsequent "upgrading" of OCPN has a problem. You need to uninstall any non descript OCPN items using the windows Control Panel. Also when uninstalling OCPN it leaves folders with a message that if cannot delete folders. You have to delete these manually. Fair enough it does warn you.

The most effective method was to unistall all OCPN and Plugins and any other components and delete the OCPN folder.

A clean install of OCPN Ver 4.8.0 followed by BR24 Ver 3 followed by extracting the patch file and replacing the .exe works perfectly.

The result is stable and the radar works superbly.

Hope this might help anyone else that is locking up with version upgrades.

Peter

[Andreas29]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Its probably an involved process, but rafting with a B&G friend and performing the upgrade would be easiest and safest.

Hi,

I agree with you.

Andreas

[Andreas29]

Hi,

so now (got the new radar today) I can confirm, that this plugin works great with oc 4.8, a raspberry pi 2 B and a simrad 3g (so also with the other navico broadband systems)radar. With oesenc vektor charts the cpu load was ca. 25 to 30%. I tested the radar here at home in the garden. Have 200 nm to coast so I couldn´t test the AIS and ARPA function. But the rest works great together. Thanks guys for this helpful tool

Regards

Andreas

[Hakan]

Andreas..
Nice to hear. And how did you fix a compass/fluxgate?
Håkan

[Andreas29]

Hi,

Håkan, I just made a "first light" in my garden. I got a fast and stable ppi window in oc but of course no chart overlay yet.
I tested the emulator mode on my boat a few weeks ago and all seems to work, ppi window, chart overlay, AIS informations....
Now with a really radar-dome at the pi the ppi window shows that, what I expected to see on a ppi-Window, so I´m shure that the rest will work too.

I have to work for my life so I worked on the heading compass not a long time only some half hours.
In the moment I build the hardware (housings, circuit).
To build the arduino sketch comes next.
When I´m ready I will let you know

Regards

Andreas

[hasse_A]

I have been looking at running OpenCPN and the radar plugin on a Raspberry Pi B. It runs on 5V and you would need a step down 12 -> 5 V regulator to use it on the boats supply.
What regulators are you using? This would surely be a switched regulator with RFI issues. I have a HF transceiver on board and so I am very sensitive to interference from switching devices.
It is possible to make these regulators with low RFI, but it's difficult to find out in advance if the regulator you aim to buy is going to give you a problem. One should probably not look at the cheapest.
Every new electronic device I take on board I test with respect o RFI.
At the moment my boat is relatively clean from RFI.

This one seem to be a disaster if you read the reviews. It even blocks the stereo radio.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Waterproof-...d=142407861263

It would be nice if someone knows of a regulator that is quiet. Then I would not have to do the research myself. The research most likely would be a trial and error approach buying several regulators.

[Andreas29]

Hi,

@Hasse: Yes, you´re right. Nearly all theese 12V to 5 V USB-Converters are switched Regulators. I use two of them too. On board I didn´t have problems with them. The NASA Clipper Navtex will block the ch 20 from my handheld vhf when standing near of it (not the main vhf unit). But the two 5v regulators seemd to do nothing to the vhf frequencies.

Regards

Andreas

[merrimac]

Originally Posted by hasse_A

question on regulators

You're likely to get more feedback if you do not post this as a reply to a release of a radar plugin....

[hasse_A]

Originally Posted by merrimac

You're likely to get more feedback if you do not post this as a reply to a release of a radar plugin....

I will stick it into a screened box with appropriate filtering on the input and output and grounding.
That should do it.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by hasse_A

It would be nice if someone knows of a regulator that is quiet. Then I would not have to do the research myself. The research most likely would be a trial and error approach buying several regulators.

Beware trial and error we blew up Sean's pi using a regulated supply. Nothing to do with noise.

PM Sean D'Epagnier and he maybe able to explain.

[Douwe Fokkema]

I would kindly ask you to only use this thread for issues related to Navico radar plugin v3.0 released. You better start a new thread for power supply of Rpi.

[Andreas29]

Hi,

a question for the (m)arpa function:

Does the plugin calculate the (m)arpa informations or does it use the (m)arpa functions from the radar dome?

AIS works with SOG and COG and GPS. What does the plugin use? The heading and speed t. water and the bearing information? Or what are the basic information for the (m)arpa calculations?

What are the results of the (m)arpa calculations? Course and speed as relative speed and course or true speed and course from the target?

What is better when using a navico dome headless (without a mfd). Put a heading source at the radar via the Interface box or just connect it directly with the oc-computer to feed it with the heading?

Can´t test the (m)arpa function here in the garden at home cause here´s no marine traffic . Have just tested the normal radar functions.

Thanks.

Regards

Andreas