having trouble connecting to my Garmin GPS on a Mac

[nickseeger]

I'm trying to run OpenCPN on my MacBook Pro with El Capitan OSX. I'm having trouble hooking up with my Garmin GPSMap 162. I use the correct USB-serial connector, I've got the correct driver installed, in System Preferences, the Network shows my USB-Serial Controller D connection but when I try to connect,the connection to my serial GPS input fails to hook up. Perhaps my Garmin is to old.

in my opencpn.log I can see the following msg: GPS Watchdog timeout at Lat:44:4216 Lon: -68.9883 which is my correct location, but I don't understand why it times out.
in my Mac log the message is: LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests, connection terminated, CCLExit: 0, Serial link disconnected


If anyone uses a Mac & OpenCPN, could you tell me what GPS unit you use to receive your nav data, and any special instructions you needed to follow to create a connection to your GPS signal.

Thanks

[a64pilot]

I know that as far as WiFi is concerned, an Apple product has its own language if you will, you have to have a GPS with a switch, that you can switch to Apple.
Not sure about wired, but maybe?

[CarCode]

If you use the Garmin USB to RS232 Converter Calble (Garmin Part Number 010-10310-00) note that the driver for this converter does not work for 64bit Mac. See the Garmin information at https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/pn/010-10310-00


Try to use the Keyspan USA-19HS converter which is the best converter for Macs.


Gerhard

[nickseeger]

So I wanted to post what my solution for activating GPS on a MacBookPro for OpenCPN turnout to be. I tried a Maptech USB GPS Receiver. It comes with a CD for Windows, Mac & Linux. The Prolific driver needed to be updated, but was easy to download the internet. Do a google query and you'll be home free. Same name as on the CD. The Maptech GPS receiver comes with a great utility program that can show you that you're indeed connected. But even after I could see it worked OpenCPN still didn't see the GPS signal. But in my opencpn log I did see that a program called Watchdog timed out after getting a set of GPS co-ordinates. So I added the Watchdog plugin from the OpenCPN website plugin selections. Then my problems were solved! OpenCPN now runs great and I'm moving to sea trials to get used to this setup, however the maps (vector) work just fine and are the same maps I (had) in Nobeltec.

[rgleason]

But in my opencpn log I did see that a program called Watchdog timed out after getting a set of GPS co-ordinates. So I added the Watchdog plugin from the OpenCPN website plugin selections.

This does not make sense to me.
What are your Options > Connections settings for port for GPS?
I was going to add a Mac GPS help description to the manual, but your solution is not detailed/Mac knowing enough to provide help to others. Sorry. But thank you for posting.

[wiekeith]

I had similar problems with my Macbook pro last year. Rather than take you through the whole scenario here it might be easier if you take a look at the thread here, which might be helpful.