RTLSDR AIS openCPN 4.2.0 pluggin

[pcmm]

I've installed the plugin for the AIS dongle in OpenCPN and gone through the instructions in the manual, but I don't see where the preferences option is to configure the dongle. It's not listed in the plugins anywhere. where do you configure the RTLSDR ais so that it "knows" where the dongle is? I also tried configuring it directly using the rtl_fm application and when I launch it, it just flashes a dos window but doesn't do anything useful. its this plugin no longer supported?

running on windows 10

[seandepagnier]

I have limited feedback for the plugin in windows. Not sure if it works.

You should be able to run rtl_fm from a console with the right parameters and record fm audio for example.

[rgleason]

pcmm, we'll be very interested in your experience, and hope you succeed!
Please keep us posted with all the details. Thanks.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

I have limited feedback for the plugin in windows. Not sure if it works.

You should be able to run rtl_fm from a console with the right parameters and record fm audio for example.

RTL_FM works from the console, I can "tune" into the frequency and it shows alot of noise on the DOS screen. weird thing is the plugin just doesn't show up at all in OPEN CPN. is there an additional step to get this plugin installed in OpenCPN?

[pcmm]

I figured it out! the plugin wasn't installing into the correct location ( my fault) now I just need to get out where there are AIS signals to check its operation.

[seandepagnier]

Please let us know of success. The newer version of the plugin supports rtl_ais which samples both A and B channels. It also can link directly to rtl_ais to avoid invoking an external process. This is surely not tested on windows.

I am also supporting rtlsdr in the weatherfax plugin for hf fax reception. Normally this won't conflict as a separate rtl device can be used for ais vs hffax, but otherwise, ais can be stopped via a plugin message during fax reception.

[P_Walkabout]

I have no success running the plugin. I have OpenCPN 4.4 with the corresponding plugins (RTL-SDR and AIS) on a Windows 7 64bits machine.

When I start OpenCPN I get the following message after a couple of seconds: "rtl_ais.exe has stopped working". The device, a RTL-SDR USB dongle, is not detected.

The error message has these lines:
Fault Module Name: msvcrt.dll
Fault Module Version: 7.0.7601.17744
Fault Module Timestamp: 4eeaf722
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 0000ce2a


I reinstalled .NEt (v4.6 I believe) because msvcrt.dll depends on it, without results. Furthermore, there are so many versions of msvcrt.dll to be found on Internet!


The dongle is working as I am able to use it with SDRSharp v1.0.0.1491 (which version, by the way, uses the msvcr100.dll).

[seandepagnier]

can you get rtl_fm to work from the console? Did you install libusb? I think you need some special dummy driver for windows or something.

[ewzachmann]

Hi...also having issues...Windows 10
can't run rtl_fm from command prompt

C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenCPN\plugins\rtlsdr_pi\bin>rtl_fm -M wbfm -f 91.7M
Found 1 device(s):
0: ÿåÖ, ï■ ¬
¿
, SN:

Using device 0: Generic RTL2832U
usb_open error -3
Please fix the device permissions, e.g. by installing the udev rules file rtl-sdr.rules
Failed to open rtlsdr device #0.

SDRSharp works...so not sure what the deal is here

[seandepagnier]

I can only suggest to windows users:

1) use sdrsharp for ais, and don't use the plugin
2) modify the plugin to launch sdrsharp automatically and submit a pull request
3) debug the rtl_ais.exe to work in windows
4) use linux instead of windows

Maybe the plugin should not be made available to windows users to avoid confusion?

[ewzachmann]

Ha, I was getting the usb error because there was another application using the usb port when I tried running rtl_fm. That is fixed and it runs without complaining. I have no idea if the plugin is working or not as I don't live close enough to marine traffic to test it. I wanted to try ads-b or fm radio or wx just to see if any of those work...but I can't enable them. The buttons are greyed out.

I suppose I'd like to test it from the command line. rtl_fm | aisdecoder would I just pipe it? What are the params? Thanks

[rgleason]

EwZachmann Suggest you Get on Sean's github repos
In the readme doc.

https://github.com/seandepagnier/rtl.../master/README

If you can get it going and tell Sean (and the other Win users) how you did it you'll be doing us all a favor, and be succeeding 100% over my trials.

Thanks.