Routes Upload to Furuno GPS GP-3x

[HappyHour]

Hello to all,

i installed CPN on my laptop some weeks ago and was very impressed how well it looks and works.
Today i connected the laptop to my Furuno GP-31 GPS receiver and i had no problems with it, just selected the comport and, voila, i got my correct position.
But when i create a route and try to send this routedata to my GP-31, i get a sending Ok messages from CPN, but the GP-31 hangs around and doesnt switch to the loaded menu.
I assume the GP-31 just waits for the furuno "End of sentence" message as shown in the furuno manual.

End of sentence:

$PFEC, GPxfr, CTL, E <CR><LF>

I will be very appreciated if someone has a solution for this upload problem.

PS: im able to upload routes with other nav programs and dont suspect a hardware problem.

[gjorgensen]

I've never been able to get OpenCPN to work directly with my old Furuno 1650 either. I've never really dug into it, but there's clearly a Furuno-specific protocol which OpenCPN does not (yet) support. It's something I've been meaning to look into, but haven't found the time.

In the mean time, I've been able to use GPSU (GPSUtility) to communicate to/from the chartplotter. GPSU can import, merge, manage, and export GPX files. I've had no problem exporting a route/waypoint set as GPX from OpenCPN, opening that file with GPSU, and uploading it to the chartplotter. The free version of GPSU works fine, but is limited in the total number of waypoints and routes, with the limit of 5 routes being the big issue. It's $60 for the full version.

Beware that most older Furuno GPS' and chartplotters only allow you to overwrite what's currently on them, not append, so download anything you want to keep from the plotter *first*, merge that with anything new, and upload it all back up.

[HappyHour]

Thanks for your reply, I tried GPSU and it works fine.
Anyway, its just a nasty workaround und it would be nice if CPN supports the furuno protocol.

[PhilipLyra]

I succesfully uploaded a route to Furuno GP31, but OpenCPN will only work if your route has 24 waypoints or less.