Which is the right transducer ?

[scooterx]

Hi folks,

I want to connect a transducer to my Openplotter PI.
I read several posts in this forums; a NMEA transducer would be necessary to do this job.
Currently my boat is equipped with an Lowrance X23 192kHz transducer and I was wondering if there is a converter or something similar to connect the transducer to a NMEA bus so that I can read it out with the Raspberry PI ?

[Littlechay]

Originally Posted by scooterx

Hi folks,

I want to connect a transducer to my Openplotter PI.
I read several posts in this forums; a NMEA transducer would be necessary to do this job.
Currently my boat is equipped with an Lowrance X23 192kHz transducer and I was wondering if there is a converter or something similar to connect the transducer to a NMEA bus so that I can read it out with the Raspberry PI ?

Your talking about a depth transducer I guess?

Whilst the openplotter documentation is incomplete (to say the least) this page should give you a start .

basically you need a serial to USB converter but if you don't have any electronics interfacing experience or only want to do this project you'll save yourself a lot of trouble by looking at one of the purpose designed products out there from shipmodul, actisense, brookhouse etc..

[scooterx]

Right, I am looking for a depth transducer.

Using an NMEA transducer would have basically two cons:
1. I would have to pull a new cable through the hull
2. A NMEA compatible transducer with Raspberry PI+GPS+AIS cost nearly as much as a second hand chart plotter with all the functions build in.

[petter5]

Nope. There is few, if any commercial plotters that is even close to Opencpn in possibilities and functionality, It is absolutely possible to use your old analog transducer. with opencpn, but might require some extra efffort.

Originally Posted by scooterx

Right, I am looking for a depth transducer.

Using an NMEA transducer would have basically two cons:
1. I would have to pull a new cable through the hull
2. A NMEA compatible transducer with Raspberry PI+GPS+AIS cost nearly as much as a second hand chart plotter with all the functions build in.

[Littlechay]

Originally Posted by scooterx

Right, I am looking for a depth transducer.

Using an NMEA transducer would have basically two cons:
1. I would have to pull a new cable through the hull
2. A NMEA compatible transducer with Raspberry PI+GPS+AIS cost nearly as much as a second hand chart plotter with all the functions build in.

It's not so much the transducer that puts out NMEA as what it is connected to. Check with Lawrance and maybe you can upgrade your head unit to one that outputs NMEA and then it's just a simple matter, but you still need the NMEA to USB converter.

[scooterx]

There are some Airmare transducers with direct NMEA output.

Incase I would upgrade the Lowrance plotter, I would have two devices

[Littlechay]

Originally Posted by scooterx

There are some Airmare transducers with direct NMEA output.

Incase I would upgrade the Lowrance plotter, I would have two devices

Yes your choice you can have NMEA 0183 transducers ( kind of old school but still perfect for simple installations ) or NMEA 2000 N2K transducers or old style conventional that connect to a head unit that will not talk directly to OCPN without yet another hardware interface.

If you change your head unit you will still only have one transducer but get data on your head unit and on OCPN via a simple NMEA 0183 cable .. or you can put in a new and dedicated NMEA transducer which will not talk to your existing head unit. Better one hole in your boat than two.

Either way you will be better off buying something because if you have to ask this question here you really don't want to get into building something.

[captainjim47]

Anyone here find a product that will connect to an existing transducer in the hull to a PC running OCPN? Need something to work till next haul out.

[Hakan]

captain......
Not the cheapest but a reliable maker

Actisense - Features
https://www.navstore.com/actisense-d...e-200-khz.html

[captainjim47]

thanks hakan, yes, I have their CAN bus device. I have a development circuit board from AIRMAR from another project looks like I'll have to design my own interface to something like the analog input to a USB port. J

[Hakan]

Capt.Jim
Without having tried myself the OpenPlotter seems to have a lot similar features. Sailing with free hardware | Sailoog
Håkan