Radar plugin v5.0.0 released

[jlsail]

Hi
Have been running Radar with a B&G 4g for sometime now.
Just upgraded my Linuxmint to 20 (focal). With opencpn 5.0 I couldnt install radar so I upgraded opencpn with the beta ppa to 5.1.708. Now I could use the managed plugin manager to install radar. Everything works as before except when the radar window is docked. With window docked everything with the radar get slow (3 seconds per zoom step 10 seconds to spin up) Before and when it is not docked it is instant! Opencpn still behaves as it should even when radar is slow.
Dont know if it is a opencpn or radar plugin problem.

Regards
Johan

[merrimac]

Originally Posted by jlsail

Hi
Have been running Radar with a B&G 4g for sometime now.
Just upgraded my Linuxmint to 20 (focal). With opencpn 5.0 I couldnt install radar so I upgraded opencpn with the beta ppa to 5.1.708. Now I could use the managed plugin manager to install radar. Everything works as before except when the radar window is docked. With window docked everything with the radar get slow (3 seconds per zoom step 10 seconds to spin up) Before and when it is not docked it is instant! Opencpn still behaves as it should even when radar is slow.
Dont know if it is a opencpn or radar plugin problem.

Regards
Johan

Hi Johan, I noticed exactly the same thing on Focal. It does not reproduce on Windows. It is probably related to GTK3 + wxWidgets + AUI (the docking/undocking library).

[jlsail]

Originally Posted by merrimac

Hi Johan, I noticed exactly the same thing on Focal. It does not reproduce on Windows. It is probably related to GTK3 + wxWidgets + AUI (the docking/undocking library).

Done some more testing
If the whole outer "ring" including the small spokes on the outer ring are visible it works!
If undocked and centerview it doesnt matter if the whole circle are visible or not it works,but if using forward or rear view it is as slow as when docked.

So at the moment if using docked window as long as the docked window are wide enough it works. And if undocked using centerview works.

Thanks
Johan

[merrimac]

Originally Posted by jlsail

Done some more testing
If the whole outer "ring" including the small spokes on the outer ring are visible it works!
If undocked and centerview it doesnt matter if the whole circle are visible or not it works,but if using forward or rear view it is as slow as when docked.

So at the moment if using docked window as long as the docked window are wide enough it works. And if undocked using centerview works.

Thanks
Johan

Johan, this doesn't make any difference in my testing. I did test with Ubuntu 18.04 / GTK 2 and there it is fine. Also macOS is fine.


My thoughts are that it is something with an "optimization" made by GTK3 that decides it doesn't need to draw the entire screen.


Can you check what happens for you with the radar overlayed on the chart?

[merrimac]

Johan, for me the docked PPI window starts updating with GTK3 when it has 50% or more of the width of the OpenCPN window. When I dock 2 radars it needs even more conditions, maybe related to what you were suggesting.

[jlsail]

Hi
So my condition with full circle and your observation of more than 50% of screen happens at the same timeon my system.....but with two docked windows it is your 50% fill observation that is important so that is probably the case. Once 50% is filled it works as long centerview is on, if aft or foward is choosen it gets slow again (docked window still the same size)

Radar overlay works as before so no problem.

This is on a celeron N4100 with intel UHD Graphics 605. Using a B&G Zeus3 glasshelm 19" screen.

Johan

[sylinea]

Originally Posted by sylinea

I have just installed a B&G/Navico 3G, with a RI10 interface box. Red & yellow power cables are combined and connected to fused +, black to battery -.
I had to cut the RI10 end of the connection cable and crimp a new RJ45 following the pin out in the manual . The crimp looks good but i can't use my tester to check as the dome end of the cable isn't RJ45.
Foolishly i didn't spot the pin out info in the Navico Plugin manual do spent E50 on the Navico ethernet adapter cable which connects to the ethernet port on my laptops, one running windows 7, the other Win10 with open CPN 5 and Radar_Pi v5.0.4 I have firewall disabled on both.
All i get when i run Radar in Open CPN is a radar dialog box saying "Intializing".
I have increased the level of logging and found the following in the log files "5:06:24 PM: radar_pi: messagebox radar window needs not met: SHOW_NO_NMEA".
Anybody got any pointers as to how i should proceed?

To close off my problem for future info; my installation is now working, thanks for the suggestions. The problem was the RJ45 connector, all crimps were good but i had assumed the Pinout shown on pg13 of the installation manual was looking at the RJ45 plug with the clip facing downwards, it isn't. With the clip facing downwards pin 1 is on the left.

[Hakan]

sylinea..
Very good you found it!
That upside down mistake no one else have ever made??
Joke! I've made it myself.
Thanks for the report.
Håkan

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

Now it's execution time; probably installing the goods tomorrow, I hope I won't need to ask further questions after initialization; I know there's a vast amount of info on the OpenCPN wiki & Radar Pi manual; most of which I have already read.

All the best.

Well, I did the installation yesterday as advised here and in the installation manual; but sadly couldn't make it work. I went Radar to RI10 to Router to PC.

First of all, as much as we tried, we couldn't perfectly align the radar to face straight front; seems like there was a 1 or 2 degrees of shift to the portside. Will that impact my results Please, please say no.

Per the non-connectivity:

1 - The RJ45 port on the router to which the RI10 is connected isn't live, it doesn't recognize a live connection. No green light.
2 - There is 12V at the RI10 for sure.
3 - The 192.168.1.245 on which OpenCPN is scanning happens to be the IP of the PC on which OpenCPN is running - that doesn't sound right to me, no? Shouldn't that be the IP of the radome?

Consequently, here's what I have in mind: I'll get an RJ45 extender to test the direct from the scanner cable to the PC route and from the RI10 direct to the PC route; in order to isolate which node may be problematic.

Furthermore, there might be a problem with 12V feed from the RI10 or the scanner cable (hopefully not with the radome). Does the radome make an audible noise when it's working, can you feel it when you touch it?

My apologies if these questions sound rudimentary.

[Douwe Fokkema]

Why does everyone put an RI10 in between scanner and router (or PC)? It is only needed if you want to supply the scanner with a fast heading on NMEA2000. Using the RI10 requires a custom made connection cable, Ethernet Navico to RJ45, and that is where the errors are made. Better plug in the scanner directly in a router or computer. If needed you can later add the RI10.

[Hakan]

Odessues7..
Try first..
Connect the scanner direct to the PC Internet port with the RJ45.
Power the scanner with +12V on the red and yellow and black to minus.
Now you should see your PC network connection after a while. A "Unknown network" - "No Internet". This is the first think to do. If that is not working radar_pi will never work. Don't care about IP addresses, that will be solved automatically. If the scanner is not connecting check the RJ45 wiring.
The scanner is not yet transmitting so nothing will be heard so far.
When the network connection to the PC is established proceed to step two.

Step 2.
Start OpenCPN and be sure radar_pi is activated. If needed right click on the screen and select "Show radar" or "Control 4G".
If the radar control window appears click the "Start/Stop radar" button to transmit.
If the Info windows appears read the info and act accordingly. If forced to select a radar type select "Navico 4A"


Note:
The radar orientation can be adjusted in the radar control "Advanced"->Installation"


Håkan

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Odessues7..
Try first..
Connect the scanner direct to the PC Internet port with the RJ45.


Håkan

Sadly; I only got some intermittent response; and I don't know if that's good or bad news. Checked all wiring, tried isolating the problem node using an ethernet extender. Initially I thought the RI10 was the problem, but after putting everything apart and back together Radar Pi scanned just fine; going scanner to RI10 to router to PC. However; I did some physical alteration on the mount; and I have no scanner connection ever since, including direct from the scanner to the PC, which sounds scary to me.

Checked to see if there's 12V at the scanner end of the cable; and yes there is. (13.2 on red and 12.3 on yellow).

Googled "Simrad 4G radar intermittent response" with fear (of thinking if I bought a lemon); but couldn't see a common malaise to sympathize with.

The message I get on Opencpn is "Navico 4G A - No Radar , Scanning interface..."

Previously it had captured a serial number but that also seems to have disappeared from the screen...

Now out of ideas as to what to do...

[Moo]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

Now out of ideas as to what to do...

90% that this a dodgy cable or connector. Double check. Connect directly between the radar and pc. etc..

Post a diagram here with details of what you have done, photos even

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

Previously it had captured a serial number but that also seems to have disappeared from the screen...

Now out of ideas as to what to do...

If you've occasional response it may be a loose connection?

Check the cable carefully.
Attache the RJ45 to a PC or router. Read the the diodes at the port. One stable and one blinking at traffic use to be a common set up.

- If not check the cable for breaks: Measure between the RJ45 pins and the scanner connection. See your manual for "Scanner Interconnection cable pin out" and measure in both ends with a Ohm meter or similar.

- If OK check that no PC firewall is active and the PC IPv4 network is set to "Achieve IP-address automatically - DHCP"

[Odysseus7]

QUOTE=Moo;3189201]90% that this a dodgy cable or connector. Double check. Connect directly between the radar and pc. etc..



Post a diagram here with details of what you have done, photos even [/QUOTE]

Thank you Moo. Hope it's just a dodgy cable, but 99% seems like either the scanner cable or the scanner itself. The reason I think so is that the PC cannot capture even an undefined network going scanner direct to PC.

Step by step:

1. Disassembled and visually inspected everything. All seem fine ; just one minor point, the gray color connection on the plug from the scanner to the RI10 is frayed of its coating in the last 3cm; but not loose or broken.

2. Put everything together, it worked! Beaming with joy, I settled into doing the last physical adjustment to the radar mount, and when that was finished the connection was lost again. Cannot even recognise the undefined network from the scanner cable direct to pc.

3. Then I decided to measure voltages at RI10 and the scanner end of the cable. There's 13.2 on red and 12.3 on yellow.

Originally Posted by Hakan

If you've occasional response it may be a loose connection?

Check the cable carefully.
Attache the RJ45 to a PC or router. Read the the diodes at the port. One stable and one blinking at traffic use to be a common set up.

- If not check the cable for breaks: Measure between the RJ45 pins and the scanner connection. See your manual for "Scanner Interconnection cable pin out" and measure in both ends with a Ohm meter or similar.

- If OK check that no PC firewall is active and the PC IPv4 network is set to "Achieve IP-address automatically - DHCP"

Thanks a lot Hakan. The ohm measurement is tough as routing the cable through the tiny crevices of the boat was a torture in itself, to pull everything apart is unthinkable. But what I can do is use a single cable as an extension to where the cable sits and measure one pin at a time. Not the most healthy check, but will show if a certain cable is broken I guess.

I believe the firewall is not an issue as the pc scanned alright once; but will check.

The router is set on DHCP already.

Best