OpenCPN Version 5.7 Alpha Test

[bdbcat]

OpenCPN Version 5.7 Alpha Test
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello all,

As mentioned elsewhere, the next Production release of OpenCPN will include native NMEA2000 support. We are now ready to begin a limited Alpha test of this version.
Here are some Release Notes.

1. NMEA2000 (N2K) native support is available as a standard OpenCPN "Connection", configured in Settings->Connections.
2. The following N2K interfaces/gateways are supported:
a) Actisense NGT-1 serial USB gateway
b) Yacht Devices YDNU-02 serial USB gateway
c) Generic socketCAN interfaces, linux only.
3. All N2K interfaces are only supported in fully native mode by OCPN core.
4. OCPN does not convert native N2K data into NMEA0183 or SignalK protocals, neither for internal use nor for re-transmission.
5. In this Alpha test, OCPN does not transmit anything onto the N2K bus. We use a "listen-only" mode. N2K transmit mode is planned for the Release, however.


Please re-read and digest items 3 and 4.

All N2K interfaces are supported in fully native mode. This has some important implications. For the serial gateways, there are two general use-cases.
a) You are currently using either Actisense or Yacht Devices gateways in NMEA0183 or SignalK translation mode to feed data from N2K sensors into OCPN. In this case, best performance will be obtained if you revert to native N2K mode for these devices. This will allow OCPN core to utilize the full capability and accuracy of N2K.
.or.
b) You are currently using an N2K gateway in translation mode in order to feed data from N2K sensors into OCPN, AND you need to retransmit corresponding converted NMEA0183 sentences to another device or port by OCPN multiplexer. In this case the new N2K connections in OpenCPN will not be used at all. You need make no changes to your configuration.

Details on N2K Gateways:
The Actisense NGT-1 and YachtDevices YDNU-02 are both essentially serial devices when interfaced to OCPN. They may be configured as other serial devices are, viz: Settings->Connections->Add Connection->Serial. Of course the proper com port must be specified. Also, the protocol must be specified as NMEA2000. Further, the device baud rate must also be set. Here the two devices are slightly different. The NGT-1 device expects 115 KBaud, while the YDNU device requires 9600 Baud.

An additional note:
Many parts of OpenCPN source code have been "refactored", to improve maintainability and encourage more developer involvement. As a result, some features may have been unintentionally broken in the process. Regression errors happen, inevitably...
If you notice that some feature in OCPN, apart from N2K support, fails or works differently than on OCPN 5.6.2, please note that for further review.

The goal of this limited Alpha test is twofold:
1) To verify correct integration of OCPN with a wide variety of installed N2K networks. This will help us to surface faults that have not been detected on our lab bench tests with limited device availability.
2) To begin to craft the key points of our N2K user documentation, using feedback from this test series.

Get the pre-Alpha Release.
All binary packages identify primarily as OpenCPN Version 5.7.1. The numerical suffix on the version number indicates the git commit used to create each package, and is important for tracking bug reports.

Windows
https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/davi...654a_setup.exe

Mac
https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/davi....ed8975acb.dmg


linux
linux install packages are available at the OpenCPN Beta repository.
https://launchpad.net/~bdbcat/+archive/ubuntu/opencpn



Thanks in advance for your help
Dave

[P_Dub]

Many thanks, in Windows 10 pro, one must uncheck the use accelerated graphic (open GL); otherwise the soundings figures are dot square black.
Have good day.

[LeaseOnLife]

Since I build from source is github branch comm the correct one?
if so:

• basics work on first look. including AIS A and B ships. No ATONs around here
• my own ship now shows as a AIS target. I would have to set to ignore it, which is not an option here since handheld VHFs are used as MOB devices, with the same MMSI as the mothership. On N183 stream I had selected to ignore VDO
  On edit: VHF DSC (like for MOB) is coming via N183 from VHF to O. ignoring an MMSI for AIS, also ignores it when coming via DSC
• Radar_pi overlay works too, so heading source is good from N2K and gets to radar_pi
• dashboard_pi shows AWA and AWS from N2K.
• but I use tactics_pi for graphing wind trends, and that doesn't seem to get ANY wind data

I will keep poking it..
Dirk

[bdbcat]

Dirk...
Thanks for the report. Branch "comm" is correct.
What is your N2K interface hardware?



1. ownship AIS report: Understood. We are considering the best way to accomplish this. In N2K, the AIS report contains no flag to indicate the this report is ownship. So user will need to enter ownship MMSI "somewhere", undecided...
2. Tactics _pi not yet adapted to N2k.


Thanks
Dave

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

Dirk...
What is your N2K interface hardware?

For testing this, I use a PEAK USB-CAN dongle with socketcan, Linux Debian Bookworm on a Intel CPU laptop.



I also have a PI4 with Can-hat, but that one is mission critical ...

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

1. ownship AIS report: Understood. We are considering the best way to accomplish this. In N2K, the AIS report contains no flag to indicate the this report is ownship. So user will need to enter ownship MMSI "somewhere", undecided...

I have no qualms to enter my MMSI in O to identify it as "own ship". if that would be added to the current "Ignore/MOB/VDM-VDO/Follower" options, it would help quite a few users, at least what I can tell by posts on CF:

When MMSI is marked as "own ship" it should be suppressed as AIS target, but allow DSC position reports / distress position to be reported.


just my $0.02

[wholybee]

Are there plans to add N2k over IP interfaces?

[bdbcat]

wholybee..
As far as we can tell, there are no "standard" definitions for this function. There are some proprietary product out there, with various functions.


Someday, there will be NMEA OneNET, which seems to be something like N2K over ipv6 network. We do not plan to implement this in O58


But maybe we are missing something. Do you have any more info? Any particular hardware solution interests you?



Thanks
Dave

[bcn]

Dave..


I understand that there is no forwarding or relaying of the N2K stream nor of the data objects from the stream.
That does imply that each instance of OpenCPN will need its own N2K gateway and Android devices will not be able to use the N2K data?


We do forward AIS data to Aishub - external UDP. This would not be possible neither then. Correct?


Btw.: 5.7. does run on our W11 system with the o-charts plug-in without issues at this moment.



Hubert

[Gilletarom]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

OpenCPN Version 5.7 Alpha Test
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello all,

As mentioned elsewhere, the next Production release of OpenCPN will include native NMEA2000 support. We are now ready to begin a limited Alpha test of this version.
......
Thanks in advance for your help
Dave

I don't have NMEA 200 hardware on my boat, but I'm going to follow these tests carefully. Hence the usefulness of an inscription on this thread.

Gilletarom.

[stevead]

A cursory glance using socketCAN.

1. Drop down list of available socketCAN interfaces appears to be hardcoded. Should only display available interfaces.
2. When adding a socketCAN connection, appears to also display the NMEA 183 sentence filter dialog ??
3. AIS Base Stations (AIS Date/Time report) are not displayed. PGN 129793
4. AIS own-ship, there is a flag, one of the bits in the Transceiver Information field indicates an own-ship transmission.
5. Incorrect Speed PGN being parsed in Dashboard plugin. Should use PGN 128259.

You've made rapid progress! Basic stuff seems to be working OK.

I feel a case of infanticide coming along, or perhaps how Netscape felt when Microsoft released Internet Explorer!

[bdbcat]

bcn...
Retransmission of N2K data:
This is perhaps where Twocan (modified) could be useful. That is, Twocan could translate PGN->N0183, making that stream available for re-transmission.


We should also consider direct re-transmission by TCP, though this is non-standard, as far as I can make out.


Dave

[bdbcat]

stevead....
Thanks for the report, and the N2K info.
Don't condemn Twocan just yet. There are some valid use-cases....


Dave

[Hakan]

stevead..
re: 5. Incorrect Speed PGN being parsed in Dashboard plugin. Should use PGN 128259.
Since I was slightly involved..
I suppose you're referring to speed trough water (N0183: STW)
Dashboard now uses: 130577(......, COG, SOG, Heading,SpeedThroughWater, Set, Drift)

You mentioned: 128259 - Speed
Category: Propulsion
The purpose of this PGN is to provide a single transmission that describes the motion of a vessel. (Ref NMEA.org)


Do you think it's more likely a boat sensor will use 128259 instead of 130577 or would we use both? ( I found Garmin uses 128259)

Many thanks for the observation.
Håkan

[LennartG]

Steven & Håkan, regarding the speed PGN's

Just checked the docs on my Garmin GPS24xd and it does not transmit any of 130577 nor 128259 (STW) but 129026 for COG and SOG.
The autopilot (also Garmin) reads and transmits 129026 as well as 128259 but not 130577.

Don't have access to the system right now so I can't verify.