Cannot Upload Waypoints to GPS Furuno GP32

[Jolie Julie]

I am using WIN XP SP3 on my boat and have tried several versions of openCPN, including the latest one (Version 3.0.2 Build 2012-07-07).

I have an old Furuno GPS GP32, which is very popular I think, but I cannot upload waypoints from openCPN into it. I get the message from OpenCPN saying the upload was OK, but in the GPS, if existing waypoints were erased (which is normal when uploading), no new waypoints were actually transferred.
Also the GPS does not acknowledge the transfer (keeps on waiting for it, although declared OK on openCPN side).

I am using real RS232, I know how to configure the GPS for transfers, and I know my hardware configuration is OK, as I can do transfers without any problems using Maxsea.
I can read informations from GPS to openCPN.

I suspect this could be either a RS232 configuration problem (GP32 is using XON/XOFF, and cannot be reconfigured I think), or a special protocol used by Furuno when uploading data to GPS, maybe not supported by openCPN.

I have seen several people reporting a similar problem on Internet, and I did not find a working bug report system on openCPN official site, so I hope this is the right place to do it.

Thanks for your help.

[bdbcat]

jolie julie

This function was implemented in 3.0.2, and at least minimally tested.

Do you have any way to set up another computer in place of the GPS, and monitor the output data from OpenCPN? There is no handshake protocol, so you should be able to capture the simple NMEA messages that OpenCPN sends to upload to the GPS. Use hyperterminal, or something like it.

Dave

[Jolie Julie]

Hello Dave,

thanks for your help. Unfortunately I could not find a null modem cable (I did not use this for years), and my notebook does not have RS232, so I could not make this test today. I will let you know if I can find all necessary hardware to do it later.

However, if uploading is working with other GPS, this could be a RS232 protocol problem.
The Furuno GP32 is set to use Xon/Xoff (this setting cannot be changed as far as I know), but many devices don't use this wire. I configured my port for Xon/Xoff using windows, and communication with Maxsea is OK.

I am wondering if OpenCPN would not force another protocol removing Xon/Xoff use (when sending the command for setting the data rate for instance), in this case the transfer could not be effective.

I will try to check tomorrow when I am back onboard if I can detect a change on COM port settings after OpenCPN use (may be using the "mode" command, but I am not sure this will work as may be settings are reset by the OS when exiting OpenCPN)

Is it possible to check in OpenCPN code if the command for setting the COM port data rate has no side effects on other COM port settings?

Thanks
Bernard

[bdbcat]

Bernard....

I don't think we use XON/XOFF in the serial port setup for NMEA output.

This could be the problem, although other GPS32 users have gotten it to work OK.
It would be useful first to confirm that OpenCPN sends the right protocol to a dumb terminal, without need of XON/XOFF.

Dave

[DMacS]

I'm having the same problem.

It looks like the Furuno format is not simply NMEA waypoint & route sentences it also expects an end sentence to terminate the upload. As it sits waiting for this the only option is to cancel and then there is no route or waypoint data in the GP32. There is an alternative upload option in the GP32 which does not expect an end sentence. A user key press tells it that the upload is complete. However this accepts only waypoints, not routes, but it does work as expected so proves the physical RS232 connection between my PC and the GP32.

I have successfully uploaded waypoints and routes by exporting to a GPX file and then uploading this to the GP32 using GPSUtility, further proving the physical connection.

Is there some setting that I have missed to allow OpenCPN to talk directly to the GP32, e.g. something in the .ini file?

Donald

[bdbcat]

Donald...

What Version of OpenCPN, please?

Dave

[DMacS]

Hi Dave,

Initially 3.0.0 but updated to 3.0.2 a couple of days ago and this made no difference.

Donald

PS. Just been trying again as I had a problem with the direction not showing on OpenCPN but that was a GP32 thing, it was only sending a magnetic heading, true was blank. Changing the bearing reference in the plotter menu on the GP32 to TRUE sorted this.

When trying to upload a route I am doing it from the Route Manager, selecting a route and then "Send to GPS" button. Is this what you expect and is there any way to select more than one route to send. The GP32 erases all stored routes and waypoints when you upload so cannot send them one by one as it would only hold the last (that is if I could send any!).

[alex2035]

some furuno models (MLR that I have tested) use a different header for waypoints and require their software for upload. I had this problem in fact with a MLR model with Opencpn on an install and used a program from an independent developer to solve the problem.
$PFECGPWPL******. this is a format furuno likes, P for propietary and FEC for furuno.

Dont know if GP32 falls under this.

[yachtvalhalla]

A convenient and assured way of uploading waypoints to the Furuno GP-32 is to use the GPS Utility program (GPS Utility - Download).

Create the route in OpenCPN or any other program then open it in GPSU. You can now change waypoint names to unique, non-conflicting ones prior to saving and uploading. Also, if you didn't create the route in OpenCPN but use a route from, for example MaxSea, you can convert the route to .gpx format. In this case, uncheck the 'Waypoint' box before saving in the .gpx format otherwise when opened in OpenCPN the waypoints will also be saved in the Route Manager. A small glitch in OpenCPN.

When uploading from GPSU to the Furuno GP-32 you will only get a satisfactory upload of the waypoints, not routes. It is then necessary to create the route using the GP-32 but this is a good quality control check along the way.

I've been doing this successfully for years.

HTH, Terry

[bdbcat]

DMacS...

Just a thought. Have you set the gps type in the config file? At present, this is a manual edit operation, and the default is "generic". If generic, the Furuno gps protocol is not honored.

[Settings]
GPSIdent=FurunoGP3X

Dave

[HappyHour]

Hi Dave,

after upgrading to 3.02 and setting the GPSIdent=FurunoGP3X parameter, i created a simple route with 2 waypoints. My GP31 acked the transfer but i couldnt find the route on my GPS.
Here some outputs:
(without GPSIdent=FurunoGP3X)
$ECWPL,5334.134,N,00940.819,E,001*61
$ECWPL,5334.194,N,00939.780,E,002*69
$ECRTE,1,1,c,1,001,002*14

(with GPSIdent=FurunoGP3X)
$PFEC,GPwpl,5334.134,N,00940.819,E,001,,,A,,,,
$PFEC,GPwpl,5334.194,N,00939.780,E,002,,,A,,,,
$GPRTE,1,1,c,1, 001, 002*05
$PFEC,GPxfr,CTL,E

(a working transfer with GPSUtil)
$PFEC,GPwpl,5334.135,N,00940.819,E,001 ,Y,@q ,A,,,,*48
$PFEC,GPwpl,5334.195,N,00939.781,E,002 ,Y,@q ,A,,,,*41
$GPRTE,1,1,C,001, 001 , 002 *25
$PFEC,GPrtc,001,*7F
$PFEC,GPxfr,CTL,E*59

In the $GPRTE string i see that we have only 1 digit for the routenumber (4.th parameter) but the manual says it has to be 2 digits.
"4: Route No. (01 to 51 (51 is LOG route, 2 digits required)"
Is parameter 3 case sensitve ?
"3: Message mode (Always set to C)"

[yachtvalhalla]

FWIW, I have used GPSUtility to upload routes to my Furuno GP-32.

In all cases only the waypoints in the route are successfully uploaded. For multiple routes, I use the GPSUtility program to create one file containing all the waypoints for the routes I want uploaded. Must be careful to have unique waypoint names!

After the waypoints are uploaded I then create the routes manually in the GP-32.

I have the feeling there is a limitation in the GP-32 in this regard.

Terry

[bdbcat]

HappyHour....

Thanks for the info.

It may be a problem with the route number field.
You could test that. Upload Route number 10, for instance.

I'll make this change in the next Beta version, and the upper case C also.
We'll see how it goes with this finicky device.

Thanks
Dave

[HappyHour]

Dave,

i dont know how to upload a route number 10 to my furuno. Its no problem to create multiple routes, but as far as i know i can only select 1 route for a direct GPS upload and this route is always no.1 for the GPS. We know that the furuno clears all waypoints and routes with every new upload.
How can i upload a route no.10 ??

HH

[bdbcat]

HH...

Ooops, just looked at the code. You are right. Route number 1 is hard coded.

We will have a new Beta shortly. I'll do this: If the OpenCPN route name is exactly numeric, then I will use that number for the Furuno route name upload. Otherwise, default to "1".

I don't understand this line in the GPSUtils log snip:

$PFEC,GPrtc,001,*7F

I never saw that in any spec. Have you?

Any ideas?
Thanks for your patience.
Dave