Anchor watch external alarm trigger

[barcoMeCasa]

I use openplotter on a raspberry pi. The anchor alarm works well but it's a bit quiet, is there any way of somehow getting signalk/node-red/javascript to know that the alarm has been triggered?
Then signalk can then trigger a really loud alarm or email or whatever you want.


Also I use the alarm signalk app which uses lat/long in decimal degrees but I use degrees-decimal minutes & yet to find an easy way to get decimal degrees to paste into the signalk anchor alarm. (looks like watchdog uses decimal degrees as well)

Thanks!!!

[markxengineerin]

A software solution is definitely better in your case, but for "making alarms louder", I use these: https://www.mpja.com/Analog-Sound-Se...info/35077+MP/

Mounted close to the "too quiet" alarm, this adjustable module triggers a relay to control anything else (loud alarms, lights, etc.). It has an adjustable threshold and works great for me. None of the 5 or 6 standard alarms on my boat were loud enough to be heard over wind+engine, especially when I'm in a deep sleep, so I consider some kind of upgrade essential for long distance single-handing.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by markxengineerin

A software solution is definitely better in your case, but for "making alarms louder", I use these: https://www.mpja.com/Analog-Sound-Se...info/35077+MP/

Mounted close to the "too quiet" alarm, this adjustable module triggers a relay to control anything else (loud alarms, lights, etc.). It has an adjustable threshold and works great for me. None of the 5 or 6 standard alarms on my boat were loud enough to be heard over wind+engine, especially when I'm in a deep sleep, so I consider some kind of upgrade essential for long distance single-handing.

Signalk can do anything 😎😊
My hard working Pi3 as well as being a data logger & running opencpn is also the boat music system with a hifiberry hat.
So when a signalk anchor alarm message type gets sent out node-red sees that, turns off the music, turns the volume to full & plays an audio file. Then sets the volume back to what it was.
Works really well & pretty much essential for life on the hook imho. Gusting 35 this morning 🌬

Just need some sort of trigger somehow out of opencpn to do the same with the program anchor alarm. If that's actually possible...

[markxengineerin]

So when a signalk anchor alarm message type gets sent out node-red sees that, turns off the music, turns the volume to full & plays an audio file.

That's very cool!

I know OpenCPN can send NMEA sentences out to the network, such as GPS waypoints for autopilot, but if more "custom" outputs like the one you're suggesting are also possible, I'm interested in hearing about more examples.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by markxengineerin

That's very cool!

I know OpenCPN can send NMEA sentences out to the network, such as GPS waypoints for autopilot, but if more "custom" outputs like the one you're suggesting are also possible, I'm interested in hearing about more examples.

Just checked in the Opencpn NMEA debug window but doesn't look like any 0183 sentences get sent out when the alarm goes off. That would be too easy 😂

[nohal]

Watchdog plugin can do various things when an alarm is triggered, including running a script, which can do absolutely anything you want. And one of the alarms it supports is anchor.

[markxengineerin]

It would be great if someone pasted an example of this, step by step, for the less software skilled of us!

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by nohal

Watchdog plugin can do various things when an alarm is triggered, including running a script, which can do absolutely anything you want. And one of the alarms it supports is anchor.

Thnx, played with that alarm already. Great plugin, been using it for years!

Downside is it's decimal degrees to input the anchor position. The anchor watch is so quick & easy with a rightclick.

I've actually got some python which reads the lat/long of the anchor alarm waypoint from opencpn navobj then writes it straight into the signalk anchor alarm app config file. Bit of a runaround though, means closing opencpn to save the waypoint then running some jupyter notebook python.

The signalk anchor alarm app is also nice to have as it means an ancient mobile phone just missed getting thrown out & is now velcroed next to the companionway & shows where the anchor is compared to the boat which is sooo handy to have instantly to hand. And completely free using a few milliamps 😎



I want it all!! And quick n easy!!

[rgleason]

For Watchdog, we have had this RFE request to improve the Anchor Alarm.
What other enhancement/feature would be good?
Thanks.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by rgleason

For Watchdog, we have had this RFE request to improve the Anchor Alarm.
What other enhancement/feature would be good?
Thanks.

Busy boy, Sean!

For me it would become much more useable day to day if the waypoint onscreen was draggable. Or at least have an offset from boat distance & bearing input boxes when editing.
Given up trying to record where the anchor was dropped, just never works very well so now take a guess based on track ( remember to add the distance from bow to gps receiver to the chain length to set the waypoint ring radius) then tweak it as the track shows the arc of the boat.

Which can actually change quite often which still comes as a surprise , reckon the chain caught on a rock or something last night, gusting 40 and holding well so other than letting out a bit more chain let it be around 2am Yellow track was yesterday, red from midnight, easiest way to get the waypoint ring to match the boat swinging arc is drag it until it looks right. If it is stuck then clears the alarm will trigger so I know *something* has happened.



Another great addition would be an option to right click, paste lat & long which had just been copied from a waypoint, digital degrees are a pain when you work in degrees, digital minutes.
Sending a signalk delta message if it triggers would be a cool feature as well, though not too hard to write a little script to do that.

[Antipole]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

I use the alarm signalk app which uses lat/long in decimal degrees but I use degrees-decimal minutes & yet to find an easy way to get decimal degrees to paste into the signalk anchor alarm. (looks like watchdog uses decimal degrees as well)

Forthcoming JavaScript plugin v3 (beta available here) has the ability to copy text to the clipboard, so the following script allows you to paste the cursor lat/long formatted into a log or other app:

Position = require("Position");
OCPNonContextMenu(doIt, "Copy position");
function doIt(where){
	toClipboard(new Position(where).formatted);
	OCPNonContextMenu(doIt, "Copy position");
	}

or this variant copies the current ship's position

Position = require("Position");
OCPNonContextMenu(doIt, "Copy position");
function doIt(){
	navData = OCPNgetNavigation();
	Shipos = new Position(navData.position);
	toClipboard(Shipos.formatted);
	OCPNonContextMenu(doIt, "Copy position");
	}

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by Antipole

Forthcoming JavaScript plugin v3 (beta available here) has the ability to copy text to the clipboard, ]

WOW!!!! That is so powerful, like having a node red function node for Opencpn, that will be sooo useful, thanks so much

[barcoMeCasa]

That was quick!!


So would javascript be able to somehow catch a waypoint anchor alarm being triggered?

[Antipole]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

That was quick!!

I cannot see the rest of your script so not sure what you are doing. Looks like you want the position unformatted. That's already in the navData. Use the following line to see what is in there:

print(JSON.stringify(navData, null, "\t"), "\n");

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

So would javascript be able to somehow catch a waypoint anchor alarm being triggered?

Here is an anchor alarm script I have just knocked up for you. NB I have not tried this at sea - use at your own risk!

checkSeconds = 30;	// how often to check in seconds
drag = 0.001; 		// drag limit in nm 

OCPNonContextMenu(setAnchor, "Set Anchor");
var anchorPos;

function setAnchor(){
	navData = OCPNgetNavigation();
	anchorPos = navData.position;
	OCPNonContextMenu(unsetAnchor, "Unset anchor");
	onSeconds(checkAnchor, checkSeconds);
	alert("Anchor alarm set for ", drag, "nm");
	}

function checkAnchor(){
	nowPos = OCPNgetNavigation();
	if (OCPNgetVectorPP(anchorPos, newPos.position).distance > drag)
		OCPNsoundAlarm();
	onSeconds(checkAnchor, checkSeconds);
	}

function unsetAnchor(){
	onSeconds();	// cancel timer
	alert(false);
	}

This should work with the current plugin release v2.2.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by Antipole

I cannot see the rest of your script so not sure what you are doing.

Just little baby steps to get started, that documentation is fantastic, so often it's like 3 lines

So far can get DD lat & long of the mouse,

Position = require("Position");
OCPNonContextMenu(doIt, "Copy position");
function doIt(where){
	var pos = new Position(where)
	print(pos, "\n");
	OCPNonContextMenu(doIt, "Copy position");
	}

End result is to set an anchor alarm which can be dragged with the mouse on the Pi really easily with a loud alarm, the anchor alarm app is very useful in a number of ways so will start with that.
Looks like should be easy enough to have a right click menu which will write a DD lat/long to the signalk anchor alarm config. That's more than enough to be getting on with

This is such a opencpn gamechanger for me, can I wash your car? Mow your lawn?

Edit Even easier...

var pos = OCPNgetCursorPosition()
print(pos, "\n")