Simrad autopilot says "Nav Data Missing"

[armand.seguin]

Hi,

New user to Opencpn, changing from Coastal Explorer.

Trying to connect O v5.2 to Simrad AP 28. Since I had first imported some GPX routes, and got the same errors, I deleted the navobj.xml file and created a simple route in O However, getting same error.

I right click on a route that is on the chart, and Activate the route but autopilot says Nav Data Missing." Route does turn red and starting point

Next I try Send to GPS/plotter. end of the route flashes but still Nav Data Missing.

Apparently choosing one or any of the 3 com ports in Connections, the NEMA debug window shows more than one Com port. I don't understand this, but perhaps it is OK?

Anyway, here are screen shots of the NEMA windows...as I don't fully understand the data signals, I need help.

Thanks,

Armand

[hoolie]

Do you know which port you have connected the autopilot?
You need to specify which NMEA sentences you want to send to the autopilot - if you're not sure, select all of the available ones in the drop-down list.
Then tick the "send data output to autopilot" box to initiate data transfer.
Check that you're getting blue items in the NMEA debug window that show that data is going out on your selected port.

[Hakan]

Armand..
It seems you've a GPS on COM3 and a AIS on COM4. Correct?
As of Hoolie's Q How did you connect the AP. Pin 3 on COM3 after the USB serial converter? If so, did you set up your OCPN COM3 connection to also output data?
But if the baud rate is 4800 Hoolie's advice may choke the port output buffer. You better filter to output only ECxxx (EXRMB, ECRMC, ECAPB etc)
Pls read more here: https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...e_to_autopilot

[armand.seguin]

Hoolie,

Big thanks, as I've been reading everything I could find and did not hit on it.

I'm not positive but think Com port is 3 or 4, though I received GPAB.... data on both?! But, I'm thinking it is on 3 because after again activating a route and then seeing in Connections that the screen added the Send NEMA data, fine...did that but did NOT see where any dropdown list was to screen or add sentences?? But, this time when I went to AP control head and said (essentially) accept a NAV input...I also got NAV Data Missing. But, after a few seconds, it also BEEPED at me, same Beep as when in previous program, that I should accept change of course (or lost a signal). So, the AP control head seems to think that it SHOULD be getting a signal. Great start.

It seems the "accept NEMA sentences tab should be on the bottom of the Connections screen, when a route in Active. So far, I'm not finding that. I hope I can find more help on this online. Several steps taken, and close to the final one.

But, I'm out of time for just now and must depart my boat.

Thanks,

Armand

[armand.seguin]

Originally Posted by armand.seguin

Hoolie,

Big thanks, as I've been reading everything I could find and did not hit on it.

I'm not positive but think Com port is 3 or 4, though I received GPAB.... data on both?! But, I'm thinking it is on 3 because after again activating a route and then seeing in Connections that the screen added the Send NEMA data, fine...did that but did NOT see where any dropdown list was to screen or add sentences?? But, this time when I went to AP control head and said (essentially) accept a NAV input...I also got NAV Data Missing. But, after a few seconds, it also BEEPED at me, same Beep as when in previous program, that I should accept change of course (or lost a signal). So, the AP control head seems to think that it SHOULD be getting a signal. Great start.

It seems the "accept NEMA sentences tab should be on the bottom of the Connections screen, when a route in Active. So far, I'm not finding that. I hope I can find more help on this online. Several steps taken, and close to the final one.

But, I'm out of time for just now and must depart my boat.

Thanks,

Armand

Hoolie or others,

I forgot to attach a screen shot that may be of help, especially in finding the whereabouts of a dropdown menu that will allow/direct autopilot data from O to the Navico/Simrad....aka Robertson AP28 control unit.

Armand

[Hakan]

Armand..
Again: How is the physical connection to the AP done?
Also read the wiki as linked above. Not less about how to set up an output filter: https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...o_an_autopilot

[hoolie]

Originally Posted by armand.seguin

Hoolie or others,

I forgot to attach a screen shot that may be of help, especially in finding the whereabouts of a dropdown menu that will allow/direct autopilot data from O to the Navico/Simrad....aka Robertson AP28 control unit.

Armand

Scroll down from where your screenshot was and you will get this shot. Click on the red circled box and you'll get all the possible output messages. Clear all, then select ECRMB, ECRMC, ECAPB and XTE to reduce the data traffic on your slow connection. Of course you have to be sure you have the correct port number!

[armand.seguin]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Armand..
It seems you've a GPS on COM3 and a AIS on COM4. Correct?
As of Hoolie's Q How did you connect the AP. Pin 3 on COM3 after the USB serial converter? If so, did you set up your OCPN COM3 connection to also output data?
But if the baud rate is 4800 Hoolie's advice may choke the port output buffer. You better filter to output only ECxxx (EXRMB, ECRMC, ECAPB etc)
Pls read more here: https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...e_to_autopilot

Hakan,
I have 3 Com ports, 3,4,5. AIS is on Com 5 and I have it set for 38.4k. However, when I look at NMEA debug windows for each, Com 5 does not show up! They all seem to show 3 and 4, yet the AIS is working well in O.

Two of my serial to USB converters use the FTDI chipset and were working without issues in the Coastal Explorer program. I'm not positive on the connection to the Simrad/Navico autopilot, which I believe ties to Simnet, but again, was working well.
I will indeed reread the wiki link for clues as I seem to be missing settings. And, while I've tried to send signals to the autopilot, the debug window does NOT include any signals with a Blue color.
I seem to have missed any step by step directions.
However, I do believe that the radar is working (mast down at dock) thanks to a distant kin in Sverige!

Tak,

Armand

[armand.seguin]

Originally Posted by armand.seguin

Hakan,
I have 3 Com ports, 3,4,5. AIS is on Com 5 and I have it set for 38.4k. However, when I look at NMEA debug windows for each, Com 5 does not show up! They all seem to show 3 and 4, yet the AIS is working well in O.

Two of my serial to USB converters use the FTDI chipset and were working without issues in the Coastal Explorer program. I'm not positive on the connection to the Simrad/Navico autopilot, which I believe ties to Simnet, but again, was working well.
I will indeed reread the wiki link for clues as I seem to be missing settings. And, while I've tried to send signals to the autopilot, the debug window does NOT include any signals with a Blue color.
I seem to have missed any step by step directions.
However, I do believe that the radar is working (mast down at dock) thanks to a distant kin in Sverige!

Tak,

Armand

MORE...I have 2 units sending GPS signals. One is a Vesper XB8000, the other a Garmin...that has a GPS but I use the Depth function. Someplace it said that you could have multiple signals.

[SCarns]

It’s imperative you map out your network and be carful with your ins and outs. It’s easy to let OpenCPN load up a network. I usually use separate inputs and outputs, even if they are on the same port... helps me visualize what’s happening. In reality, the only data you usually want going back out are the RMB, RMC, APB and XTR sentences - preferably sent straight to the autopilot. Draw a map and be clear on your connections. Look and relook... it’ll become obvious. When you figure out what you need and what you don’t.

[Hakan]

Armand..
Follow Hoolie's instructive shot how to set the output filter to your, I suppose, COM3 connection. Start a "Navigate to here" (right mouse click on the chart) to see the output in the NMEA Debug window.

Now you're mention "SimNet". Then I suppose you've a AT10 SimNet/NMEA0183 converter to connect to OCPN? Is that the COM3? If proper wired it would work fine.

You can have as many GPS sources you like. In your shot I saw two. COM3 and COM4. (Most AIS also transmit there's GPS data) But to avoid a jumping ship symbol you'll need to prioritize the connections. A higher number for the one you trust most.

[rgleason]

Thanks.

" A higher number for the one you trust most"

Just learned something here. Manual also states:
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...psd_connection

Priority: Higher number equals Higher priority. The priority is set for each NMEA sentence individually. As long as a higher priority stream is available it's used. If this fails the next stream in line, with lower priority, kicks in and is used, until a higher priority stream appears.

[RaymondR]

On my AP16 I get that warning when I need to go into "User Setup" by a quick double press of the INFO/SETUP button then use >1 or <1 button to scroll to "NAVsrc" and choose from the list of devices using the >10 or <10 buttons to scroll through them and select it using the >10 or <10 button.

There is also an "Auto update" choice if you should add new devices.

It took me a lot of messing about to get the autopilot to recognize all the nav info sources then one day I must have pressed all the right buttons and it all happened as in the manual. However I still have to change the selection if I change from one MFD to the other.

[Hakan]

More: Several GNSS(GPS) position sources and prioritization.

Of course I made a simplification to only refer to prioritization to avoid a "jumping" ship symbol. Life and fortune is not that simple when it come to details.
To fine tune we often have to use also the filter function for different connections. My own example herein:

I've a dated GPS and a newer AIS. Both transmit position to OCPN. For several reasons I prefer the AIS and this connection has the highest priority.
But..(There's often a "but" involved in everything.)
A position can be reported by several NMEA messages like GGA, GLL, RMA, RMC, RMB.
Now, my AIS and GPS both transmit RMC and GGA so here is the prioritization doing it's job to sort out the two from the GPS.

But.. the ship symbol is still jumping?
Well, the GPS also transmit a GLL and that is not received from the AIS so no prioritization can catch that. Here I've to use the incoming filter on the GPS connection to sort out GLL.
Håkan

[hoolie]

Thanks for that information. I had always assumed, incorrectly as it turns out, that the priorities went the other way; ie priority 1 is preferred over priority 2.

Your tips on controlling multiple data sources and sentences is very useful.