OpenCPN for Dummies

[fogmachine]

Your electronics are old enough that they're probably NMEA 0183 so the least expensive solution is a serial<->USB converter + GPS.

A more expensive (~$750) but more flexible solution is something like a Vesper XB 8000 combination AIS/NMEA Bridge/WiFi base station/router. This gives you AIS + GPS as well as allowing you to have a laptop, tablet, or phone on deck (or both - up to five devices simultaneously), etc.

[RaymondR]

You can use any usb to RS 422/485 converter for a connection between your computer and autopilot. RS 422 for nmea0183 and RS 485 for nmea2000.

[Brown7477]

Ok, I've taken a few snapshots of what I know I have. I still haven't found the radar dome yet that I thought came with the boat. Yes I bought a little project. Lol.




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[fogmachine]

The AIS gizmo is receive-only and does not appear to have output. It takes NMEA-0183 spliced into its utility cable (should be the black one) to get ownship GPS position (via the NMEA RMC sentence).

AIS: NASA Marine Instruments
http://www.nasamarine.com/images/AIS%20Plotter.pdf

The Magellan 3000 XL has NMEA-0183 output and is probably GPS source for the AIS gizmo. The manual is at https://magellan.cachefly.net/manuals/gps_3000_en.pdf

The Garmin GPS 12 also produces NMEA-0183 output - is that for the laptop? It's manual is at http://static.garmin.com/pumac/GPS12_OwnersManual.pdf.

Manuals for retired Raymarine gear are at Raymarine Retired Manuals

The Raymarine SmartPilot (is that an S1?) has NMEA output but it might not be wired up since the ST6002 is on the SeaTalk bus.

So minimally you need a cable to go from the Garmin data output to USB - you might already have the Garmin-to-serial cable; just add a serial-to-USB as Neptune's Gear suggested. This will give you position, course and speed over ground on a chart with OpenCPN. Really easy.

You can add the SmartPilot if you want waypoint and heading info, too. This wiring the NMEA output of the SmartPilot to a USB cable and maybe a USB hub.

[Brown7477]

If your talking about the box on the wall, it's a Raymarine X5. He had the Garmin connected to laptop via the correct cables. The ST6002 is ran to the X5 and it believe the little round thing is also connected to the X5.
Like said before, I may be starting from scratch (except fort the autopilot system) because everything is pretty aged. I wish there was someone in the Milwaukee,WI area that could come take a look and give me some advise on a good way to move forward.


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[travellerw]

Originally Posted by Brown7477

If your talking about the box on the wall, it's a Raymarine X5. He had the Garmin connected to laptop via the correct cables. The ST6002 is ran to the X5 and it believe the little round thing is also connected to the X5.
Like said before, I may be starting from scratch (except fort the autopilot system) because everything is pretty aged. I wish there was someone in the Milwaukee,WI area that could come take a look and give me some advise on a good way to move forward.


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The little round thing is a fluxgate compass. You require those 3 parts (X5, ST6002, Fluxgate compass) to have the brains of the autopilot. You then have another part that controls the wheel.

If that system is functioning correctly I would definitely keep it.. but like I said, it has limited connection to OpenCPN (or a chart plotter for that matter). Many people prefer their APs to be independent and NOT connected to any other systems.

The real question we need to start with, is what are your plans. Where do you plan to sail the boat? It will help us make suggestions on the gear!

[Neptune's Gear]

Originally Posted by Brown7477

If your talking about the box on the wall, it's a Raymarine X5. He had the Garmin connected to laptop via the correct cables. The ST6002 is ran to the X5 and it believe the little round thing is also connected to the X5.
Like said before, I may be starting from scratch (except fort the autopilot system) because everything is pretty aged. I wish there was someone in the Milwaukee,WI area that could come take a look and give me some advise on a good way to move forward.


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If you are really going to ditch the system, and are looking for new hardware, you might like to consider a marine PC from Navassist - 4 NMEA 0183 ports standard, 12 v direct (no voltage adapter or inverter required), only 10w of power consumption (less than most laptops), built in GPS, built in WIFI (for connection of mobile devices), opencpn loaded with all the US charts as standard. See here PC Based Yacht Systems Boating Gear fit for the King
Matt

[Brown7477]

My plans are to spend as much time on Lake Michigan as I can then motor down the river ways to Mobile, AL. Get her stepped back up then sail along the coast to the Keys and then Bahamas, and possibly Puerto Rico and wherever else I decide to visit.
As for equipment, I didn't say I was gonna ditch what I have, but trying to piece this puzzle together that he had is tiresome. He was a very frugal man and kept everything. I just want a decent system that works well and I really like some of the OpenCPN features.


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[travellerw]

I don't know what your budget is... This is what I did in a very similar situation.

1. Ditch everything but the AP
2. Buy a 7" Zeus2 ($1300 with Carib and NA charts)
3. Buy a Triton Wind/Depth/Speed pack ($1500)
4. Buy a Vesper XB8000 ($700) (I actually bought a Vison, but that was overkill)

This gave me a robust NMEA2000 system that output data over WIFI (for use with OpenCPN) for about $3600. In my case, I had an existing Radar that was still functioning so I kept that. I connected the Zeus2 and the old Raymarine AP via NMEA0183 so the Zeus2 can send waypoint data. Everything else shares data on the NMEA2000 network and is easily expandable. In fact, I just added fuel senders to the system so I can see my fuel levels on the Zeus2, the Tritons or OpenCPN (job took 1/2 hour).

Of course, everyone has different opinions and you will get lots of opinions. For me, I wanted a robust system that I could count on. I feel it was money well spent.

[fogmachine]

Well, you started by asking if there's a guide for getting OCPN working - yes, there's a manual and it's pretty good. With the existing Garmin GPS and the price of a 12V laptop power supply you have charts for sailing Lake Michigan, the Mississippi (including the Atchafalaya and Mobile systems), the Gulf Coast, and Florida including the keys.

After that it's all budget and the sky's the limit.

[yachtvalhalla]

[QUOTE=fogmachine;1889764]Well, you started by asking if there's a guide for getting OCPN working - yes, there's a manual and it's pretty good./QUOTE]


My briefing on Exploring OpenCPN can be downloaded from this link.

HTH, Terry

[rgleason]

Brown7477

As for equipment, I didn't say I was gonna ditch what I have, but trying to piece this puzzle together that he had is tiresome. He was a very frugal man and kept everything. I just want a decent system that works well and I really like some of the OpenCPN features.

I think you owe it to yourself to read the manuals and see if they work. If they don't work, you'll have gained knowledge for selection of new equipment which will inevitably be a learning experience too..

[Brown7477]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

You can use any usb to RS 422/485 converter for a connection between your computer and autopilot. RS 422 for nmea0183 and RS 485 for nmea2000.

This is what I found out about the X5.
NMEA 0183 input / output (x1)
SeaTalk (x2)
SeaTalkNG (x1)

What will I need to connect that to the OpenCPN? (Besides a laptop w/OpenCPN)
I will have to work on a radar system later, but for now I just want to connect these 2 together and have some way to connect a radar, wind/speed, depth at a later time.
I am also exploring the possibility of the Navionics iPad app but I have numerous world charts on cd rom that might be able to be used with OpenCPN
The files are .KAP and .BSB files.

[RaymondR]

What will I need to connect that to the OpenCPN? (Besides a laptop w/OpenCPN)

The Digitech converter I use has two terminals which are marked "D+" and "D-" which connect with a twisted pair wire to the two terminals marked "NMEA0183 input/output" on the Raymarine autopilot computer. There is a USB socket on the converter which connects to one of the USB sockets on the computer.

After connecting it up I went to device manager, then ports and this told me which port the Digitech converter used, which I then entered into the connections drop down under the spanner button on OpenCPN. Worked first go which surprised the hell out of me.