OpenCPN Connecting vessel's instruments

[Captkenkaye]

I have B&G instruments (NMEA 2000), Windows 10 PC, and Actisence NGT-1. The dashboard has wind, depth, etc. I cannot get the Open CPN to display the instruments. The Actisence is working because I can see the results using the Actisence NMEA Reader. I have also downloaded the most recent drivers. I have a hockey puck GPS with a USB and that does give me our position. When trying to connect the instruments I do not connect the GPS.

[stevead]

Sorry to say this but the Actisense NGT-1 is not going to work with OpenCPN. OpenCPN does not support the NGT-1. Or perhaps more correct to say that the NGT-1 does not convert NMEA 2000 messages into a format that OpenCPN can understand.

Alternatives are:

1. You didn't mention what instruments you have. If you have a recent B&G chartplotter with WiFi, you can configure it as a Wifi hotspot and send NMEA 183 data to OpenCPN. The B&G chartplotter acts as a NMEA 2000 to NMEA 183 gateway.

2. If you recently purchased the Actisense NGT-1 see if you can exchange it for an Actisense NGW-1 (USB) or W2K-1 (WiFi). Both convert NMEA 2000 to NMEA 183.

3. If you cannot exchange it, investigate Signal-K Server which does support the NGT-1, and can convert NMEA 2000 data to either Signal-K or NMEA 183, both of which OpenCPN supports. I cannot offer any advice on how to configure Signal K server on Windows.

4. Consider the TwoCan plugin for OpenCPN, which supports a number of CAN Bus adapters on Windows and converts NMEA 2000 to NMEA 183. This would require you to purchase one of the inexpensive CAN Bus adapters that TwoCan supports.

[rgleason]

SteveAd has good advice, also please see


https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...e:seatalk_nmea

[rgleason]

I've added a section "Connect Instruments" to "Getting Started"
It is a little rough, but is a start for a page that has been missing.
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...ed:instruments


Thanks Steve.