NMEA Network with OCPN

[Toubab]

I'm putting together my new navigation equipment and I'm gunna set up a NMEA 2000 network. I've made a few other posts to clear up some other stuff I wasn't clear on but I have one more thing I want to clear up.

If I have a NMEA 2000 network connected to my computer running OCPN, will OCPN be able to get the information from whatever instruments are on the network? Like GPS, depth, wind, etc? What about a secondary display to show things like bearing? Will it be able to get bearing to the next waypoint from OCPN and display it?


Thanks!

[Littlechay]

Your proposed network is similar to mine I think.

No problem at all with the inputs, OCPN displays just about everything. The only instrument that I can't get to work is, annoyingly, the wind history dashboard but I am sure that is just because that particular instrument doesn't parse the sentences that I have available.

What are you referring to as a secondary display? I use a couple of Furuno RD33 displays (one in the cockpit and one below, to show what is on my N2K network. You can configure the autopilot output to send data onto the network. I do this with TimeZero normally and the RD33 picks it up and displays the highway with all the correct bearings, time to go etc.. If that is what you want to achieve just confirm it with me and I'll have a tinker tomorrow and let you know.

[Toubab]

Yea I think that's pretty much what I'm talking about. The way I have my set-up planned, you won't be able to see the computer screen from the helm, so I'd like to have another small display in the cockpit that will display just a bit of critical data. Like, go down below, plan out route and hit go, then come up and just be able to look up from the helm and check what bearing I'm supposed to be on and steer to it. Plus then I can turn the monitor off down below and save some power. I'll probably eventually add some other stuff like wind that I might want to be able to show in the cockpit too, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

[Littlechay]

OK that's more or less what I have. But do you have a particular display in mind? Just so that we can check that it uses the same sentences as mine.. otherwise what I test might be misleading

[Neptune's Gear]

OK guys, which NMEA 2000 - NMEA 0183 converter are you using to talk to OCPN, and how have you found it works???

[Littlechay]

Originally Posted by Neptune's Gear

OK guys, which NMEA 2000 - NMEA 0183 converter are you using to talk to OCPN, and how have you found it works???

See the conversation NMEA 2000

We are talking about using the Actisense NGW-1 converter. I have done quite a few miles with one now so I know it works..

[colemj]

Both the Actisense NGW-1 and Maretron USB100 work well with OPCN.

Mark

[Toubab]

Originally Posted by Littlechay

OK that's more or less what I have. But do you have a particular display in mind? Just so that we can check that it uses the same sentences as mine.. otherwise what I test might be misleading

I don't really know right now. I'm just planning to get a basic system set up right now. Once I get that done and I see exactly how much it's all cost me I'll start looking at adding on. Isn't the whole point of N2K that the info it passes back and forth should be standard no matter what?

[FlyingCloud1937]

Does OCPN play with DMK Yacht Instruments: wireless access to your vessel's instruments ?

Lloyd

[mub]

Originally Posted by FlyingCloud1937

Does OCPN play with DMK Yacht Instruments: wireless access to your vessel's instruments ?

Lloyd

I believe the DMK just takes the NMEA2000 PGNs and throws them in a UDP stream.
It does the same for the 0183 as well.

I am not sure if it assembles the N2K packets into a sentence or leaves them as words.

It appears to me that what is needed is an input of both NMEA0183 AND NMEA2000 too the OpenCPN system. I have not looked at the 'input' code so I don't know how difficult or easy it would be to add a 'multi lingual' front end.

I know of the CANboat, openskipper and NMEA2000 nach NMEA0183 Converter - Mikrocontroller.net - that all read N2k messages. I have only explores the openskipper's approach, and I like the XML parser definition files that allow for easy development and I think would be the way to go - mainly because I really like the idea of a system that allows the crowd sourcing of the decoding effort.
I have a large soapbox regarding the development of N2K as a closed system.

HOWEVER both require a hardware CAN interface box.
The CAN interface box is more expensive than the CAN -> 0183 translator.

So other than the pure intellectual challenge and extension of OCN there is not a good reason for performing the work.
Lastly the work may be goes beyond Open CPN as it really starts to make the open chart plotter into a multifunction display. I know that with logs and celestial navigation, AIS and radar we are sort of already there. But this possibly needs to be a clear decision on direction that people other than me make.
I am but a simple user... who really loves the software.

[bcn]

Originally Posted by mub

So other than the pure intellectual challenge and extension of OCN there is not a good reason for performing the work.
Lastly the work may be goes beyond Open CPN as it really starts to make the open chart plotter into a multifunction display. I know that with logs and celestial navigation, AIS and radar we are sort of already there. But this possibly needs to be a clear decision on direction that people other than me make.
I am but a simple user... who really loves the software.

And if you add data from the engine or other sensors you are going into a "glass bridge" direction. For me a clear candidate for a plug-in or an add-on.
Not a "core-function - but really nice to have.

Hubert

[Littlechay]

Originally Posted by Toubab

I don't really know right now. I'm just planning to get a basic system set up right now. Once I get that done and I see exactly how much it's all cost me I'll start looking at adding on. Isn't the whole point of N2K that the info it passes back and forth should be standard no matter what?

I had a little play with the NGW-1 today and OCPN passes the APB sentence for autopilot output. That was passed onto the N2K network and picked up by my RD33 multi-display showing Range and Bearing to the waypoint etc.. Cross track didn't show up but that might have been because there was none as I was not underway. OCPN was not generating a XTE sentence that I could see in the NMEA stream.

So in a nutshell, and if you find it comforting, what you are trying to do works on my setup.

Chris

[mub]

Originally Posted by bcn

And if you add data from the engine or other sensors you are going into a "glass bridge" direction. For me a clear candidate for a plug-in or an add-on.
Not a "core-function - but really nice to have.

Hubert

I was sitting around waiting for the traffic lights to change so I pulled the src...
Nice... though in an hour I have only looked at how it processes inputs streams.

A little history..... In times gone by when the internet was young - yes before Amazon and Google - there were many different email systems. And they didn't talk to one another. A protocol was developed called Postman Pat Protocol - the principal was simple - all emails contain the same information - to, from, time, date, body, attachments etc.
The same is true here... all the 'standards' contain the same information. The issue is just a field parsing issue.

The question is should this be an app that presents a 0183 virtual comm port for OCPN to chat too.. or integrate it into OCPN. Parsing is relatively light weight so the system effects might be not significant. But all additional load is abhorrent.
So may be I had better stop grovelling in assembly and see if I can remember how to write some high level code.

[mub]

PPP.. Oh Julian Onion.. nostalgia..

but.. canboat allows the messages to be parsed and passed to a 0183 layer..

The OpenCPN parser has a lot of 0183 misformed message nonsense to make it play nice with real systems.