OpenCPN to Autopilot

[Zeilzwerver]

I use a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot on a NMEA 2000 network with Furuno GPS 30 with a converter to transfer the NMEA 183 output of the Furuno to NMEA 2000.
This works great for directing the boat to a waypoint taken from OpenCPN and manually entered into the GPS. With the Track feature of the autopilot the boat steers perfectly to the waypoint set in the Furuno.
However a better way would be to send the waypoint in OpenCPN directly to the Evolution Autopilot. The new Two Can plug-in from OpenCPN promises to make this possible but an extra box such as the TouCAN Marine USB to CAN bus adapter is required to connect the laptop to the NMEA bus.
With a set-up like this, will it be possible to simply instruct the Evolution Autopilot to steer to a waypoint directly from OpenCPN?

[RaymondR]

Does the Evolution autopilot have it's own GPS?

[Zeilzwerver]

The Evolution system does not have its dedicated GPS. I select the Furuno via converter as GPS

[stevead]

Control of NMEA 2000 autopilots; Raymarine, Garmin, Navionics (B&G/Simrad) is planned for the next release of TwoCan.

The aim is to switch the autopilot to On/Off/Standby, Heading, Wind, GPS modes, alter heading and convert the OpenCPN XTE & APB sentences to the appropriate NMEA PGN’s to control the autopilot.

I can’t provide any dates as yet, my major limitation is access to NMEA 2000 autopilots on which to test. A simple UI has been implemented, it is the back-end plumbing that needs completion.

[pa391as]

Hello, I have a Raymarine Evolution AP also, and am able to control it with OpenCPN via Wifi. Works well. Here are the details in this thread:

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3637100

[pa391as]

Originally Posted by stevead

Control of NMEA 2000 autopilots; Raymarine, Garmin, Navionics (B&G/Simrad) is planned for the next release of TwoCan.

The aim is to switch the autopilot to On/Off/Standby, Heading, Wind, GPS modes, alter heading and convert the OpenCPN XTE & APB sentences to the appropriate NMEA PGN’s to control the autopilot.

I can’t provide any dates as yet, my major limitation is access to NMEA 2000 autopilots on which to test. A simple UI has been implemented, it is the back-end plumbing that needs completion.

Hi Steve, I have a Raymarine NMEA2000 AP (ACU-200 with linear drive, EV-1, RS130, etc.) and have the TouCAN adapter with TwoCan plug-in. I can capture NMEA2000 data stream at will. let me know what you need, and what format to capture it (normally I output to CANBOAT)

[pa391as]

Originally Posted by Zeilzwerver

I use a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot on a NMEA 2000 network with Furuno GPS 30 with a converter to transfer the NMEA 183 output of the Furuno to NMEA 2000.
This works great for directing the boat to a waypoint taken from OpenCPN and manually entered into the GPS. With the Track feature of the autopilot the boat steers perfectly to the waypoint set in the Furuno.
However a better way would be to send the waypoint in OpenCPN directly to the Evolution Autopilot. The new Two Can plug-in from OpenCPN promises to make this possible but an extra box such as the TouCAN Marine USB to CAN bus adapter is required to connect the laptop to the NMEA bus.
With a set-up like this, will it be possible to simply instruct the Evolution Autopilot to steer to a waypoint directly from OpenCPN?

Hello, I have a Raymarine Evolution AP also, and am able to control it with OpenCPN via Wifi. Works well. Here are the details in this thread:

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3637100

[smac999]

10 years ago you would just plug a nmea 183 wire directly from the computer serial port to the autopilot.., cost $5 for a serial cable.

If your pc still has a serial port. You can just send it to a nmea 183 to nmea 2000 converter. Otherwise you can use a usb to serial converter first then nmea2000 converter

[pa391as]

Originally Posted by smac999

10 years ago you would just plug a nmea 183 wire directly from the computer serial port to the autopilot.., cost $5 for a serial cable.

If your pc still has a serial port. You can just send it to a nmea 183 to nmea 2000 converter. Otherwise you can use a usb to serial converter first then nmea2000 converter

agreed. serial via USB works, but I prefer wireless with the ShipModul Miniplex. Easy to use, great support and the freedom of Wifi is awesome. best part is that the Miniplex can be connected to an existing Mifi on board which can be configured with a VPN for remote access to your boat via internet

[Douwe Fokkema]

Originally Posted by Zeilzwerver

I use a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot on a NMEA 2000 network However a better way would be to send the waypoint in OpenCPN directly to the Evolution Autopilot.
With a set-up like this, will it be possible to simply instruct the Evolution Autopilot to steer to a waypoint directly from OpenCPN?

This is exactly the situation I made the AutotrackRaymarine plugin for. You make the route in OpenCPN, activate it, click the "Track" button of the plugin window, and the EV1 autopilot takes over, following the route along all the waypoints from your current position to the end of the route without any further intervention. The plugin will change heading at the waypoints (no pressing of OK), correct for currents and compass errors. Normally within a few meters from the defined route. Perfect for complex routes with hundreds of waypoints. You can use these routes with unlit buoys in dark nights without ever looking at the chart (Waddenzee). I myself am using the plugin all the time. The plugin can also be fully controlled from the P90 control head, press Auto and the pilot as usual switches to auto. Press Auto again and the plugin takes over and starts tracking along the route. Standby sets all to standby again.
Disadvantage: the plugin requires a dedicated Actisense NGT-1 for communication with the autopilot through the NMEA2000 network. Just because OpenCPN does not support NMEA2000. If the Twocan plugin would pass raw NMEA2000 messages to other plugins, then I could adapt the AutoTrackRaymarine to use that data. Not yet.
Limitation: this plugin only works on MS Windows.



Douwe Fokkema

[Zeilzwerver]

Thanks all contributors!
It appears a seemingly simple question generates alot of complicated answers. The solution from Douwe to use the Actisence converter sounds good, except I do not want to spend the money for it. At half the price the Toucan would be worth the added user convenience for me. For the time being I can live with manually transferring a waypoint to my GPS to make the Evolution track. In time a solution will evolve. Thanks all!

[stevead]

Originally Posted by pa391as

Hi Steve, I have a Raymarine NMEA2000 AP (ACU-200 with linear drive, EV-1, RS130, etc.) and have the TouCAN adapter with TwoCan plug-in. I can capture NMEA2000 data stream at will. let me know what you need, and what format to capture it (normally I output to CANBOAT)

Thanks very much for the offer.

It would be great if you could capture the NMEA 2000 traffic for when you turn the AP on/off (pressing the standby button), change the mode: Auto (Heading), Track (GPS Waypoint), Wind Vane and alter heading (+/- 1, +/- 10) and when in Track Mode and following a course to a waypoint.

At this point I'm not concerned about Pattern or Power Steer modes.

Re Log File format, the candump format would appeal to many other users/developers besides myself.

Fantastic, greatly appreciated.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by smac999

10 years ago you would just plug a nmea 183 wire directly from the computer serial port to the autopilot.., cost $5 for a serial cable.

If your pc still has a serial port. You can just send it to a nmea 183 to nmea 2000 converter. Otherwise you can use a usb to serial converter first then nmea2000 converter

Explain how ten years ago via 0183 you could even switch the pilot into “ Auto” mode ???

The nmea2000 interface offers total AP control but some of the sentences are proprietary and have to be reverse engineered

[stevead]

If the Twocan plugin would pass raw NMEA2000 messages to other plugins, then I could adapt the AutoTrackRaymarine to use that data.

It's just software, we can make it do whatever we want !

On a serious note, what PGN's do you need ?

My fear would be that on a typical NMEA 2000 network, with GPS, Depth, Speed, Wind transducers, Rudder feedback, AIS plus the usual overhead of NMEA 2000 (address claims, heartbeats, product info), we may be overloading the OpenCPN plugin messaging framework.

Alternatively, if it is possible to understand all of the PGNS that different brands of autopilots transmit, then TwoCan could parse these and it could either generate an appropriate response or forward an "Autopilot Response" message to be handled by your (or any other plugin) which would generate an "Autopilot Request" to then be encoded and transmitted by TwoCan onto the network.

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by Douwe Fokkema

This is exactly the situation I made the AutotrackRaymarine plugin for.

..Disadvantage: the plugin requires a dedicated Actisense NGT-1 for communication with the autopilot through the NMEA2000 network. Just because OpenCPN does not support NMEA2000.

..If the Twocan plugin would pass raw NMEA2000 messages to other plugins, then I could adapt the AutoTrackRaymarine to use that data. Not yet.

..Limitation: this plugin only works on MS Windows.
Douwe Fokkema

Douwe, what can we do to get this plugin working on multiple OS? If I were to try building it for multiple OS to get the specific errors, would you be able to help fix those?