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Old 12-04-2011, 10:57   #46
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

kiwiradical,

first, I am not the OpenCPN programmer, I am a user as you are.
Second, Bluetooth works fine with OpenCPN if configured correct.
Third and final statement: Any Bluetooth GPS device needs to provide a virtual com port for any software using the nmea data stream. There is no Bluetooth port in no way!

I admit that OpenCPN might use an old fashion way to handle com ports. The reason might be because OpenCPN has one source code for Windows, Linux and Mac. Other nmea software uses perhaps a better way streamlined for Windows only, I don't know.

When you ever have worked with something else than Windows, you will never touch Windows again. That is my own experience.

Gerhard
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Old 21-06-2011, 12:25   #47
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Just tried to use Open CPN on my Net-book Ubuntu and I have a problem to get the data from the blue-tooth gps holux. In the same time it worked very well on th windows xp professional. The GPS address is visible (sudo hcitool scan) so I assume that data is coming trough the blue-tooth, command sudo rfcomm bind /dev/rfcomm0 was accomplished, but /dev/rfcomm0 does not show any data available....
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Old 26-10-2011, 20:09   #48
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Oh dear. I have just bought a ShipModul MiniPlex 2USB/BT NMEA Multiplexor. I just spent hours rewiring my NMEA configuration, hoping to have Bluetooth access on my laptop of all my GPS, AIS and Instrument data. Alas no, OpenCPN does not even list the Virtual COM port provided by the CSR Bluetooth stack! I see that the bug is listed in Flyspray as High priority but Deferred. Can I add my vote to the importance of this issue. Thanks! Meanwhile, back to a USB cable...
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Old 26-10-2011, 20:25   #49
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

What is the COM port that it emulates? If it's above 32, there is an easy fix listed above.
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Old 26-10-2011, 23:35   #50
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

WORKAROUND(S) FOUND!

There seem to be two issues here: One is that if you allow Bluetooth to enumerate your COM port, it is likely to use too larger number for OpenCPN. No problems; I was able to set the COM port manually to a lower number, and hence it appears in the dropdown list in OpenCPN. However, I still didn't get any NMEA data coming through.

I already have a copy of the superb utility GPSgate, which I use for duplicating the GPS port and for putting my position on GoogleEarth. Highly recommended software. When I told this to find the Bluetooth GPS and replicate it as a Virtual COM port, OpenCPN found it easily and IT WORKS!

So thanks to all, I have my nirvana. Wireless wind, position, routes, charts and AIS in the cockpit.

(If anyone wants full instructions for this, let me know.)
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Old 27-10-2011, 08:23   #51
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Andy....

Congratulations on getting the BT workaround set up.

I'd like to know more, to possibly eliminate the workaround for the next version.

1. What COM port number was automatically assigned for the BT stack? Above 32, I guess?

Then, after you arranged for the COM number to be recognized.....
2. Still wonder why OCPN could not receive data directly. What was the COM number in this case? Same as 1?

3. And after the GPSgate virtual port was set up, what COM port did you use for OCPN?

Thanks
Dave
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Old 27-10-2011, 21:16   #52
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Dave,

I don't think it is a number problem - I now have the MiniPlex 2USB/BT configured as COM8. This is being read by GPSgate (as a Bluetooth GPS) and repeated out as COM1 and COM10 (as Virtual COM ports.) I have paid for GPSgate, so I think this allows me extra ports than the free version. So all the COM ports are small numbers.

I now have it working well, and performed a seatrial yesterday. I currently have OpenCPN reading AIS from COM1, GPS from AIS Port (Shared) And have controlled the AutoPilot through COM10. I have also transferred Waypoints to my Raymarine C80 using COM10. It doesn't work if I try COM1 for output. Perhaps there is a better configuration, but this is working!

Before I used GPSgate, the MiniPlex was still coming through on COM8, and no other software had this port open. If I asked OpenCPN to use this port as GPS, it would allow the port to open, but no GPS data would appear in the GPS/NMEA Data Stream Window. Even if I closed and re-opened the application. The port opening and closing was working though, as if I used a different port, e.g. COM9, I would get an error message saying the port could not be opened.

I hope this information helps. OpenCPN is a superb project, and I send my massive appreciation to all the developers.

Andy
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Old 25-11-2011, 00:37   #53
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Hi all, I am a new user, testing if opencpn is suitable for me.

I have a bt-308 receiver and have the same problem. Vitual com port detected and active (com6). This is working perfect on other software, bur OpenCPN does not show any comports in the dropdown list. Only the Garmin, Network and ais option apear in the list. I can type com6, but when I click OK, its gone again.

I am running win7 64bit on a asusn53sv notebook.
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Old 27-11-2011, 02:21   #54
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Tried installing the gpsgate client. It creates a list of com ports, and they all apear in opencpn.

After choosing com7 it reads nmea data and fixes posisition !!!

For me: problem solved.

Thanks !
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Old 30-03-2012, 08:26   #55
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

I have had openCPN in my Fedora computers before. I read the manual (as we all should before installing things). I have the GPS running (outside openCpn) and what puzzles me is that I am suppost to "simply connect through drop down menu to /dev/rfcomm0".

No such thing in roll down meny. It is not there. It is not in the program

How do I any of the other devices which are available, /dev/ttyS0, /dev/ttyUSB and so on?

I have a Holux bluetooth GPS.

Sarah
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Old 30-03-2012, 08:40   #56
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariette99 View Post
I have had openCPN in my Fedora computers before. I read the manual (as we all should before installing things). I have the GPS running (outside openCpn) and what puzzles me is that I am suppost to "simply connect through drop down menu to /dev/rfcomm0".

No such thing in roll down meny. It is not there. It is not in the program

How do I any of the other devices which are available, /dev/ttyS0, /dev/ttyUSB and so on?

I have a Holux bluetooth GPS.

Sarah
The Toolbox->GPS->NMEA data source field is editable. From the
wiki
Quote:
NMEA Data Source: Set the source for your GPS connection. Note that you can write in this field. For example to get "Gippy" to work with OpenCPN, this is where you write the path to the virtual GPS created by Gippy. Similar, if you know that the GPS is on COM3, but this port does not show up in the list, just write "COM3" in the field.
Just test to write "/dev/rfcomm0".

Thomas
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Old 30-03-2012, 10:16   #57
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

NMEA data flows beautifuly in terminal on cat /dev/rfcomm0. Nothing in OpenCPN though.
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Old 31-03-2012, 01:34   #58
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariette99 View Post
NMEA data flows beautifuly in terminal on cat /dev/rfcomm0. Nothing in OpenCPN though.
I suppose you were talking about this page when you mentioned the manual?

Make sure gpsd is not running in the background. It's often installed as autorun, without asking the user.
Code:
$ps aux | grep gpsd
will tell,and
Code:
#killall gpsd
will get rid of the gpsd process if it's there.

You can use Bluetooth and GPSD together, but then the data source must be "Network LIBGPS".

Any hints in your opencpn.log?

I have never fiddled with a bluetooth gps myself, so I can't give you any more specifics.

Thomas
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:42   #59
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Re: OpenCPN Fails to Receive Bluetooth Data Feed

Thomas
Yes, we talk about the same manual. I have now reinstalled everything from scratch. I followed the instructions in Bluetooth and GPSD. I get good NMEA sentences when coding "/dev/frcomm0". But when I try to config open CPN to get it no signal gets through. Message "Unable to load libgps" and nothing happens when i try /dev/rfcomm0 in the program. Are you sure about the ports? Seem to remember using a symbolic link to ttyS0 at some time when openCPN worked for me. Unable to do it again.

Nothing in the log excect message NO NMEA
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Old 02-04-2012, 14:40   #60
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Another vote for Franson GPSgate

Another vote here for GPSgate.

I've been running this setup for about 12 months now. It is absolutely rock solid on both XP and Win 7 machines, with cheap bluetooth dongles and a $50 bluetooth serial adapter.

An added benefit is that it multiplexes the data feed to allow me to run OpenCPN and/or NavMonPC, and even memory map navigator as required without any reconfiguring.

Prior to discovering GPSgate I was suffering horribly with the M$oft bluetooth stack - lost COM ports, disappearing connection configs. Totally unreliable. I was going to have to revert to linux, but GPSgate saved the day. Brilliant.

Not so much of an issue now though, as the price of wireless serial gateways is coming down quite quickly, so I'd probably recommend those as a better way of getting the NMEA data into the ether... no problem for PCs or Android tablets, but I don't think iPad/iPhone Apps do Bluetooth Serial Port profile generally, so wifi is a better way to go now.
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