OpenCPN on Microsoft SURFACE

[ChristophVE]

Good morning,

sorry, but I could not find the Right Answer in the forum, so I would like to explain my Question.

QUESTION A.

I bought a new MICRSOFT SURFACE with WIN10 (I love it) an installed OpenCPN. Importing o-CHarts also worked fine.

Now just the GPS Signal is missing :-). After reading in the forum, I think I have 3 Options:

1. Buying a bluetooth GPS device.
2. Connecting the SURFACE device with my smartphone.
3. Connecting the SURFACE with my old GARMIN GPS60.

The solution 2. seems to me not the best solution, but I found a youtube instruction.

Solution 3. needs a usb cable an seems also not very comfortable.

So I think, solution 1. is good. But I was not able to find out which BLUETOOH device is really good (good signals, good battery...) and works fine with WIN10.

Can you share you experiences and help me to find the best solution?

QUESTION B.

Is it possible to show OpenCPN on a 2. Device? My idea was, to use the MICROSOFT SURFACE in my Navigation corner and send/share this to a device at the steering outside. I know there are apps for sharing a Screen, so I could use a smartphone to get the course, XTR... . I probable could also export waypoints from OpenCPN to my Garmin GPS60 and use this outside.

Does anyone use this kind of "2. Screen", which gets the Information from OpenCPN?
(AIS Solutions are not possible, because it is not my sailing boat...)

THANKS A LOT
Chris

[rgleason]

Chris I use a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with OpenCPN.

The Bluetooth GPS might work fine. The location device in the Surface Pro is not a GPS.

I purchased an Intek USB hub to augment the single USB port. This also has a hardwired Ethernet connection which is useful sometimes. The hub acts like a multiplexer where I plug in my USB GPS and dAISy AIS and the boat instruments Seatalk Converter (to Nmea0183). Thus OpenCPN gets all instrument data, gps and ais signals.


Yes it is possible to have a connection to show the OpenCPN screen on another device. The software needed depends on the device, android or iphone. Do a search on the OpenCPN Manual or Supplementary Hardware or Software where that is explained.


I suggest you disable automatic downloads and I have found that "Presentation Mode" is useful so the computer does not shut itself off. However if you are interested in saving power that might not be what you want. I had got tired of restarting OpenCPN after shutdown, it took some time. Using sleep mode might work.

[Ray-Dianna]

Hi, I use a “Bad Elf” bluetooth GPS receiver. Easily connects to 4 devices. Has great battery life. I have used it with iPads for 5 years.

[GwalarnYacht]

I have been trying to do the same. Surface 3 Pro, Windows 10 with OPEN CPN. Installation of the software no problem, but I just can't get my USB GPS Puck to show up in OPEN CPN.

I did all kind of trials with GPS Direct and GPS Reverse and I eventually managed to get some coordinates showing up in a small software called GEOLocation. However, when adding the (Virtual) Port in OPEN CPN still no coordinates?

Has anyone a step-by-step guide on how to reliably install a USB GPS device on Windows 10 so it also shows up in OPEN CPN?

Originally Posted by rgleason

Chris I use a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with OpenCPN.

The Bluetooth GPS might work fine. The location device in the Surface Pro is not a GPS.

I purchased an Intek USB hub to augment the single USB port. This also has a hardwired Ethernet connection which is useful sometimes. The hub acts like a multiplexer where I plug in my USB GPS and dAISy AIS and the boat instruments Seatalk Converter (to Nmea0183). Thus OpenCPN gets all instrument data, gps and ais signals.


Yes it is possible to have a connection to show the OpenCPN screen on another device. The software needed depends on the device, android or iphone. Do a search on the OpenCPN Manual or Supplementary Hardware or Software where that is explained.


I suggest you disable automatic downloads and I have found that "Presentation Mode" is useful so the computer does not shut itself off. However if you are interested in saving power that might not be what you want. I had got tired of restarting OpenCPN after shutdown, it took some time. Using sleep mode might work.

[rgleason]

This is a serial port. If you already have software running using the gps, the second software will not be able to use it.

Read the Wiki, getting started, getting gps working, very extensive examples.

[rgleason]

PS For my surf pro 3 I purchased a USB hub with 3 pots, and a puck gps and daisy ais, plus seatalk converter for instruments, all plugged into hub. Labeled the connections. It's all written up in a thread here. Do a search.