NMEA 2000 quandry

[Down2TheC]

I just completed a new setup, all new B&G instruments, NMEA 2000 , NGW-1-USB for conversion. But I'm just discovering that the NGW-1 doesn't convert waypoint info. Anyone back me up on that? The conversion list doesn't mention route or waypoint info, and my new Triton T41's don't pick up a thing from OpenCPN. It sees the NGW as a device, but not as a navigation device.

Thankfully for now my wheel pilot is still on 0183 and OpenCPN is still connected to it via RS232. But if there's nothing that converts WPT and RTE info (Bearing, distance, TTG, etc), am I right in thinking that I can't upgrade to a new autohelm until OpenCPN gets full NMEA2000 capability? (I got the NGT as well for future use and trouble shooting.)

That makes the NGW-1-USB a one way solution. Pull data in but nothing much to say back. Looking at the docs, I only see XTE as something OpenCPN might send that can be converted.

... Unless I'm missing something.

[Mystic38]

not an answer, just a suggestion..have you checked out other 0183>2000 converters?.. there seems to be a few around

[bcn]

And you might contact Actisense. They are quite responsive. Please come back with the result.

[Down2TheC]

Just got confirmation from Actisense. They are working on it. Presently that device is best used to get 0183 transducers on the 2000 network. Useless as a plotter. so now it is a race between actisense converting 0183 and OpenCpn getting a 2000 plugin.

For now at least the PC gets wind speed and depth data and can repeat that to the 0183 autohelm.

[bdbcat]

Down2theC...

There are no active plans for NMEA2000 support in OpenCPN. This could change if we get the demand, and access to some minimal NMEA2000 hardware....

There may be a third party working on NMEA2000 support for O, but I am not aware of any.

Please let me know if I am underestimating the demand for this feature.

Dave

[Down2TheC]

No, you're right. But desire will grow as folks move to NMEA 2000 gear. Most sailors don't like replacing things that are working which is why I'm just now replacing 32 year old Data Marine gear which was NMEA nothin' compliant. So I've skipped ahead one standard and I imagine that's a common thing to do for sailors who don't race. As folks get autopilots that are only NMEA 2000, that's what will drive OpenCPN desire for advancement. Also if ActiSense says "We do intend to add waypoint conversions, but this is not a simple task. The differences between NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 regarding waypoints is significant." then I'm guessing it would be a huge effort to do full 2000 for all that OpenCPN takes in. For now I'll dig into the documentation and see if I can create maybe a conversion service that can read waypoint B&R/VMG/TTG from an TCPIP or com port and and output NMEA 2000 to another TCPIP or COM port. Then at least I could take input from the NGW and output to the NGT and complete the loop so I can upgrade the autohelm and see the nav info on my T41's. Thanks for the note and the always great work on OpenCPN.

[DotDun]

Missing a host of details to provide a quality answer.

1) I'm not 100% familiar with the Triton line of gear, but it appears the T41 is a display unit. What are you expecting it to do with dtw/btw/xte data?

2) Do you have a N2k connected autopilot course computer?

more questions to come based on answers to the above....

[Down2TheC]

^^^ Thanks, but I got confirmation from ActiSense already. I'll update the thread name.

But if you're interested, the T41 MFD's will show nav data and steering info. Bearing/Range to waypoint, TTG, XTE, VMG, etc. Great display.

[edit] can't edit old post [/edit]

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Down2TheC

^^^ Thanks, but I got confirmation from ActiSense already. I'll update the thread name.

But if you're interested, the T41 MFD's will show nav data and steering info. Bearing/Range to waypoint, TTG, XTE, VMG, etc. Great display.

[edit] can't edit old post [/edit]

I don't know what Actisense told you, but ......

The NGW already converts RMB and APB to N2k to 129283 & 129284. Read the conversion doc at:
NGW-1: Downloads - NGW-1

Do you have OPCN set up to output on both ports?

Do you have the PGNs turned on in the NGW?

[Tugwit]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

Down2theC...

There are no active plans for NMEA2000 support in OpenCPN. This could change if we get the demand, and access to some minimal NMEA2000 hardware....

There may be a third party working on NMEA2000 support for O, but I am not aware of any.

Please let me know if I am underestimating the demand for this feature.

Dave

I, for one, would strongly encourage the development of NMEA2000 support in OpenCPN. I'm currently deploying the third generation of instruments on my boat and find N2K to be superior in all respects to the previous generation(s) of products: "plug-and-play" ease of installation and use, reliability, and feature set.

Granted, NMEA2000 is more complex than 0183, and vendor adoption has been uneven. There are many proprietary features that can make multi-vendor installations problematic, but its advantages are compelling, and I agree that more and more vessels will adopt its use.

[colemj]

Our 2011 NGW-1 non-usb model converts those sentences just fine and our Tritons have no problem connecting and using those data.

Mark

[muttnik]

Not having N2K on my boat I haven't looked too hard, but how much of the structure of N2K (the protocol structure rather than simply the pgn lists) can be considered to be "in the public domain"? I've done a little searching but not found anything that looks plausibly "public" enough to base open source code on.

Links (to code or documentation: I don't have an N2K network to run a packet logger on) appreciated if anyone has them

[bcn]

There is a good bunch of work already done:
https://github.com/canboat/canboat/wiki

What is missing is to integrate this into OpenCPN.

And in the case of N2K or any other CAN-bus you will need some additional piece of hardware to access to the bus. For instance the Actisense stuff.

[Down2TheC]

Originally Posted by DotDun

I don't know what Actisense told you, but ......

The NGW already converts RMB and APB to N2k to 129283 & 129284. Read the conversion doc at:
NGW-1: Downloads - NGW-1

Do you have OPCN set up to output on both ports?

Do you have the PGNs turned on in the NGW?

Of course I read the manuals and looked at the conversions, XTE works fine (129283) and 129284 has some, but BTW, RTW, etc isn't in the APB translation. The T41 can display that info when it's finding it.

They say they're working on it. Waypoint data won't display on the T41 with the conversions they have at present.

From ActiSense:
"We do intend to add waypoint conversions, but this is not a simple task.
The differences between NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 regarding waypoints is significant.
We cannot simply link between the two, it needs some serious consideration to ensure correct operation.
This has unfortunately delayed our implementation of this feature."

After a season without it, I've just wiped that page from the T41's and will live with waypoint info only being on the one 0183 display for the autohelm.

[Down2TheC]

Originally Posted by colemj

Our 2011 NGW-1 non-usb model converts those sentences just fine and our Tritons have no problem connecting and using those data.

Mark

If you're saying you can make a waypoint in OpenCPN and your T41 shows the name, bearing, and range of that waypoint... then you're one up on me. (And perhaps ActiSense.)