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bbalan · 05-01-2022, 19:33

Hi All,
I'm helping a friend setup OpenCPN on his laptop running Windows 10. Seems like there are less options for USB or Bluetooth GPSs with Win10 then with earlier versions of Windows. Has anyone had a good (read 'easy') experience with a GPS product and Windows 10 with OpenCPN?

Thanks much.
Bruce

CarCode · 06-01-2022, 01:05

Although it is well known Windows has always driver problems since the beginning of Windows it might be also a problem with the GPS Rollover. See here:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3549821

Hakan · 06-01-2022, 01:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbalan

Hi All,
Seems like there are less options for USB or Bluetooth GPSs with Win10 then with earlier versions of Windows.
Bruce

I've several W10 and can't say I've the same experience although there are some old serial to USB converters that works on Linux but not on W10. What device are you trying to connect?

bbalan · 06-01-2022, 10:15

Hi Hakan,
Not trying to connect a device yet... trying to find one that works before I buy it.
Thanks,
Bruce

Hakan · 06-01-2022, 10:29

Whatever "GPS(GNSS)-USB-puck" or other USB receiver you can find will work. A GNSS receiver using a wireless IP protocol will also work.

If you happens to have an old serial, NMEA0183, GPS receiver it will also work with a serial to USB converter.

A Bluetooth device may seem simple without wires but then you've to feed it with power since the battery will not last long enough for a reliable position over a day.

wingssail · 06-01-2022, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbalan

Hi All,
I'm helping a friend setup OpenCPN on his laptop running Windows 10. Seems like there are less options for USB or Bluetooth GPSs with Win10 then with earlier versions of Windows. Has anyone had a good (read 'easy') experience with a GPS product and Windows 10 with OpenCPN?

Thanks much.
Bruce

I have used two GPS sources on my Windows 10 laptop for about 9 years. Both are NMEA0183 serial devices going through Serial to USB converters left over from a previous generation windows7 laptop. One is 4800baud, the other is 38400 baud. They plug into a USB 6 port hub and then into one USB-2 port on the laptop. The Dell Windows 10 system passed the information to OpenCPN .

Last week I installed a new Dell laptop with Windows 11. I plugged my existing Hub into a USB port on the new machine and it was plug and play, Worked perfectly. Even the com port numbers remained the same.

SeanPatrick · 06-01-2022, 18:37

I've had no problems using OpenCPN on a Win10 laptop (Dell Inspiron) with a Bluetooth connection to two Samsung phones (J7 & S20, at different times) for the GPS data. I had read that some people were having problems with Win10 in this area, but that has not been my experience.

I'm currently on OCPN version 5.0.0. I'm usually late to upgrade because of bad experiences in the past with backwards-incompatibility and bugs. YMMV.

bbalan · 06-01-2022, 19:15

Thanks, Sean. Do you use an app for the BT connection from the phone? This would be a really good solution since my friend's installation is for a secondary system in case his primary chartplotter goes down.
Cheers,
Bruce

SeanPatrick · 06-01-2022, 20:41

Yes, I do ... and mentioning that totally slipped my mind, I'm sorry. I use Bluetooth GPS Output by Meowsbox. I've been using this setup for years and it has survived the transition between Inspiron models, Windows versions, Android versions and Samsung phones. Rare as rocking horse crap.

Cheers!

rgleason · 07-01-2022, 06:39

I agree with SeanPatrick about the Bluetooth Meowsbox software. It is excellent. I haven't used it for a couple of years because I found my cell phone battery ran down pretty fast and got a good GPS puck.

Midnight Son · 07-01-2022, 06:56

Like rgleason, I use a puck, Search for the one below on Amazon. I have two, one for Raspberry Pi and one for laptop.

VANWEI VK-162 Notebook USB GPS Navigation Module Support Google Earth

Hakan · 07-01-2022, 07:28

An (old) Android phone with a GNSS receiver will, as rgleason said, do all the job instead of other gadgets.

- Install OCPN
- Connect the inbound GNSS.
- Make a UDP output connection to localhost port 10110 in OCPN. No input.

- Start the phone's hotspot. (Set it to paid connection to avoid massive downloads if you've a SIM card installed. (Not necessary))
- Connect a power cable to the phone and hang it high.

- Connect the OCPN PC/tablet(s) to the hotspot wifi network.
- In OCPN make a network UDP input connection to port 10110 and you're done.

PS1: In the case the PC is drowned or else failure the phone's OCPN is still working.
PS2: The phone can act as power cheap anchor watch instead of the PC.
PS3: Get a cheap GNSS puck/mouse for more redundancy. (Every electronic device in a boat may soon or later fail.)

bbalan · 07-01-2022, 08:52

Thanks Rick and SeanPatrick and everyone for the info. I downloaded the Meowsbox app and had it working in 2 minutes. So that's a great backup solution... for me! Unfortunately my friend as an Apple phone and the only GPS sharing I found for that is GPS2IP. So I'll keep looking for him. Or maybe find an old android phone. Thanks again.
Cheers,
Bruce

Midnight Son · 07-01-2022, 08:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbalan

Thanks Rick and SeanPatrick and everyone for the info. I downloaded the Meowsbox app and had it working in 2 minutes. So that's a great backup solution... for me! Unfortunately my friend as an Apple phone and the only GPS sharing I found for that is GPS2IP. So I'll keep looking for him. Or maybe find an old android phone. Thanks again.
Cheers,
Bruce

Don't forget the ~$15 GPS puck!
Cheaper than a used cell phone.