OpenCPN General

[transmitterdan]

For android it is available at the google play store. Not available for iOS phones.

Another option is to get a Raspberry PI 3 and download OpenPlotter. But this is a true do it yourself navigation system that's quite a bit less user friendly than the Windows version. But once you have it working it seems to be very stable.

If you have mobile phone service I will be happy to talk to you by phone sometime today and maybe can get it working right away on your PC. Send a personal message if you want to try that.

[Jimske]

That would be great help. If you pick a time I can be ready with the program open and the BU353s4 functioning.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Jimske

Hunkered down in NC for a few days. Going to work on getting the program right. Plus going to try to get it on my cell. Any special instructions for phone?

I think last time I installed, I just got it from the Google Play repository. Installed easily on a Tab 2, my Note 3's, and a Note 4. So I would just open up the Google Play store on your Android, and search OpenCPN. Click, and let it happen.

Adjusting the settings is where you have to actually do some work yourself. You will have to point it to your chart collection on your phone. Try downloading a few NOAA charts to a directory on your phone. If you are like many Android users, this is the hardest part.

A lot of users who have not dug deeply into Android do not realize that an Android phone is actually a computer that just happens to also be able to make phone calls. The thing is, much of the file system is sort of hidden and not readily and obviously accessible. The first thing you have to do is install a good file manager that makes it easy to at least access the storage on your device in a practical manner. I use Root Explorer. There may be better ones, I guess, but this is just the one I have always used. You do not need root to install or use this one, AFAIK but the Google Play store will tell you if it will install on your device.

When you download the charts you want for initial testing of OCPN, you need to first figure out where they are stored. Probably /storage/sdcard0/Download or something like that. You should create a directory for your charts with a descriptive name like /storage/sdcard0/CHARTS/ or something like that. Typically the internal storage of your phone will be sdcard0 which is not removable, and the user installed microSD card will be /storage/sdcard1/ and the Android file system has other path names that will get you to the same places. You may want charts on your removable microSD card due to limited storage on your phone, or you may want them on your internal storage for slightly faster run time.

Once you have charts on your phone and you know where they are, you can open up OCPN and in the Settings/Charts/Chart Files menu select "Add Directory" and a file browser will open. Navigate to your charts and hit "OK". Then you will be back in the Chart Files menu. Click "OK" again and OCPN will build the chart database and then your charts will be loaded and ready to use. There are other settings to fiddle with but I don't want to write a book here and the app has a manual accessed by the question mark button. The crescent wrench is the settings button. Sometimes they disappear for some reason on my Note 3, not sure why, but they are always there when I start the app.

Oh, and in your phone's settings menu, under "Location", you may want to enable "Device Only" so that the actual GPS chip in your phone is providing location information to your phone, and not your cell phone network.

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

I think last time ........

Oh, and in your phone's settings menu, under "Location", you may want to enable "Device Only" so that the actual GPS chip in your phone is providing location information to your phone, and not your cell phone network.

Excellent instructions! This should be captured in a manual somewhere.

Terry

[Jimske]

Originally Posted by yachtvalhalla

Excellent instructions! This should be captured in a manual somewhere.

Terry

First thanks Dan for helping me on the phone and giguring out it was the GPS puck that wasn't allowing me to access the program.

I also downloaded the program on my Android smartphone Moto and it works fine with a few charts that I downloaded on state-to-state basis. Takes a little getting used to but for now being able to see the chart on the phone is very helpful.[emoji4]

[Jimske]

I'm not sure I get this. I have no "device only" option. When I go to location services it shows a bunch of my apps like contacts Cruiser forum, Phone, Etc and then Google location history and Sharing.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Jimske

I'm not sure I get this. I have no "device only" option. When I go to location services it shows a bunch of my apps like contacts Cruiser forum, Phone, Etc and then Google location history and Sharing.

Go back to "Location" in the Settings menu. Above the list of "Recent location requests", you will see a "Mode" setting. Underneath it will probably say "High accuracy" which works nicely sometimes, like when you are near 3 or 4 cell towers with a good bearing split. But if you click on "Mode", you can change it to "Battery saving" or to "Device only". Pick "Device only" for marine use.

[phiggins]

It actually could be different depending on the Android version and phone type. On mine it's under Privacy and safety then election Location and it gives 3 choices:
-Wi-Fi, Mobile data and GPS
- Wi-Fi and Mobile Data
- GPS

[rgleason]

Have started a new page for Android Startup. Thanks Growley!

I need a volunteer editor to make this page shine! Send me a PM please.



https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...lation:android

[bcn]

Originally Posted by phiggins

It actually could be different depending on the Android version and phone type. On mine it's under Privacy and safety then election Location and it gives 3 choices:
-Wi-Fi, Mobile data and GPS
- Wi-Fi and Mobile Data
- GPS

Here the setting is under "Connections|Location" with the same three choices (Samung A3-2017, A 7.0)

[Jimske]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

Go back to "Location" in the Settings menu. Above the list of "Recent location requests", you will see a "Mode" setting. Underneath it will probably say "High accuracy" which works nicely sometimes, like when you are near 3 or 4 cell towers with a good bearing split. But if you click on "Mode", you can change it to "Battery saving" or to "Device only". Pick "Device only" for marine use.

Got it thanks.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Have started a new page for Android Startup. Thanks Growley!

I need a volunteer editor to make this page shine! Send me a PM please.



https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...lation:android

Not me! I can't take on another project right now.

[Jimske]

Not sure how to start a new post on my phone so I just hit quick reply

Having good results with the opencpn on my Android Moto phone. I like it because I can keep it charged easily and it does help me out period last night coming in the Charleston from the Charleston Harbor would have been real tough without it. Or at the very least makes me a lot more comfortable

I'm still learning how to navigate the green buttons. I don't have a lot of time to sit and read all the directions and play around because I'm on the move a lot

One thing that I think it doesn't have is listing of marinas which active captain apparently has. That's a pretty nice feature when it's 2 hours too dark and you want to get in some place.

Looking forward to becoming more of an expert at it.

[rgleason]

Jimske,
You're doing well. Good.
I don't know if the Squiddio Plugin is on the Android version, but that is similar to Active Capt.

Yes, it has Squiddio 0.7 Try to go to Options (Wrench), Arrow over to "Plugins" then pick "Squiddio" and hit the "Enable" button.

You will want to have set up your own account on the squiddio website and get your squiddio ID and API Key so it is available and written down. You'll need internet when using this generally, but you can download points of interest and keep them saved so they show when not on internet.

Then in the program under Options> Plugins> Squiddio > Preferences
where you put your account information, so the plugin will automatically log in.

The manual for squiddio has more. You really should read it.

[rgleason]

Jimske,

Have just enabled Squiddio on my S4 Android, it works nicely. For POI Points of Interest, you do not need an API or ID, those are needed for sharing Logs with Friends.