About the AutoTrackRaymarine Plugin

[dwynalda]

curious in reading this... I don't use a YD device. I have an ngt1 that works fine with the autopilot. that said I have aignalk put nmea2000 stuff out on tcpip already, do I not? I use it on a number of laptops, tablets, phones to see AIS data on various chartplotting apps. I'm curious as to what OP is saying needs to be added to openplotter?

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

Wholybee...


re:
"But alas, the developers are adamantly against it."


A bit overstated. We simply do not have any industry consensus about what is the "correct", or even "useful", format for encapsulating N2K data in TCP/IP packets.


What we see is the Yacht Devices "RAW" format, which seems to be YD proprietary. It is well documented, and open to any/all developers to implement. It is not a great protocol, but can be made to work.And that seems to be all there is for N2K over TCP/IP.


I own a YDEN02, and we have built prototypes of the required RAW OCPN interface drivers in POC state.




We have no other information, such as:
1. Are any other gateway vendors using, or likely to be using, the YD RAW format?
2. Are there any other formats to consider?


While maybe we would not be opposed to building a point solution for you, would anyone else use it? Would it be useful to users owning any other N2K gateways?


These questions must be discussed before we embark on production-worthy implementation. Any further info or insight that you can provide will be appreciated.


Thanks
Dave

I am happy to hear that you might be open to something. I do appreciate your work even if I sound ungrateful sometimes.

Antisense also supports nmea2000 over wifi. They support several proprietary protocols. An ASCII version that seems similar to Yacht Devices, and a Binary version. I don't know how the ASCII version differs from Yacht Devices because I can't find information on it, and I don't own one. Supposedly it is available on the website, but I can't find it.

ASCII N2K
This is a new Actisense proprietary encoding technique for transferring complete NMEA 2000 PGNs. This
format can be sent and received by the W2K-1. If viewed on “IP port monitor” software such as https://
www.aggsoft.com/serial-port-monitor.htm, the N2K “PGNs” are easy to read as a scrolling text display. The
advantage of this format is that all PGN data is “assembled” from the raw CAN packets into an easier to
use format for user applications. This format will be fully published on the Actisense website.

It doesn't matter which one (if not both) you would support. I would just buy the antisense if you don't support what I have.

I would think there would be a lot of interest, with so many people using tablets, and with people interested in moving to NMEA2000. I see many threads on the Raymarine autopilot plugin(s), and it would sure be nice to have a way to control the Autopilot (Including turning it on/off and changing modes) from a tablet. And it would be a lot easier to get working than what people are trying now with SignalK, or having a separate com port connection to an Antisense dedicated for the autopilot, when the rest of the n2k data is on another connection.

If I truly am the only person interested in this I understand why you wouldn't be interested in the work. But maybe people just don't know it could be an option?

Also, I have made the offer before, I would purchase either the Antisense w2k-1 or the YDWG-02 for a developer to have if they needed it for development.

[cas206]

Personally, I'd rather this be done with SignalK. I dislike closed "standards". Why create another standard (N2K over ethernet) for something that already exists (signalK).

[Rick Welin]

Originally Posted by wholybee

... with so many people using tablets, and with people interested in moving to NMEA2000. I see many threads on the Raymarine autopilot plugin(s), and it would sure be nice to have a way to control the Autopilot (Including turning it on/off and changing modes) from a tablet.

I've setup a remote desktop control app (Team Viewer) so I can control my nav laptop from my tablet or phone. This way I can take my tablet to my second helm etc and control the Autopilot as well as chartplotter / AIS / Radar. I also have a spare bluetooth mouse pared to the laptop that comes with the tablet so I don't have to use the touchscreen.

A poor mans workaround! (Investment = $0)

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by cas206

Personally, I'd rather this be done with SignalK. I dislike closed "standards". Why create another standard (N2K over ethernet) for something that already exists (signalK).

In theory, I don't object to that. SignalK is a better, more extensible, protocol. It would be great to use SignalK for the Ethernet protocol. But show me a commercial device (similar to an antisense or yacht devices) that connects to an n2k backbone, and via wifi uses signalK to connect to OpenCPN, Navionics, etc. It really isn't a choice OpenCPN developers can make. OpenCPN already supports SignalK, but not a single gateway device does. Else, I would buy it.

What is available is NMEA2000 over wifi. That is what the gateway devices support, and other navigation software is beginning to support it. And since it is what the nmea gateway manufacturers have chosen, that is what we have.

SignalK is limited to the diy raspberry pi crowd. Not a single gateway manufacturer supports it. OpenCPN is the only navigation software that supports it, and no other software or hardware manufacturer likely ever will. By not supporting NMEA2000 over Ethernet, OpenCPN is closing itself off to what the rest of the world is Likely moving to.

[cas206]

I understand your point. I am biased since I'm one of those in the raspberry pi crowd.


I sent a query to yacht devices asking about plans to add SignalK as an output selection for their various devices related to N2K. If enough asked for it, it might happen.

[Douwe Fokkema]

A new version of the AutoTrackRaymarine plugin is available now in the master catalog of the plugin manager of OpenCPN.
In this version the sensitivity of the steering correction can be adjusted from the preferences window or the opencpn.ini or .config file.
Sensitivity 100 corresponds to the previous situation. The sensitivity is a percentage applied to the PID parameters that decide how fast or slow the the boat steers back to the original track. With sensitivity 0 one will steer directly for the next waypoint, no correction at all. Sensitivity 100 will steer back to the original track rather aggressively, but should bring XTE to 0 soon for most sailing boats. Sensitivity above 100 will give an even stronger correction. Sensitivity may need adjustment depending on your boat type. When the boat starts zigzagging around the track to steer, sensitivity is too high.
In the preferences window sensitivity can be adjusted from 1 - 90. This limitation is a bug, though this range should normally be fine. For higher values sensitivity can be set manually in the opencpn.config (.ini for Windows). Search for variable Sensitivity= in the AutoTrackRaymarine plugin section, and adjust al you like.

Douwe

[Rick Welin]

Thanks Douwe!

[DukeOfAnkh]

Thanks, Douwe. The sensitivity setting sounds great.
I often experience quite sharp corrections in the last meters before waypoint change, turning the boat towards the current waypoint. Especially if the last correction is lets say to port and the next waypoint is a turn to starboard, this results in a bit awkward track.
Hopefully this setting can resolve this.

[dwynalda]

For what it's worth Douwe added this as a result of my feedback as I was experiencing just what you said. My boat was slow to steer so by the time the turn started to take to affect the system was trying to WAY oversteer. The result was what I call the 'drunk sailor's oversteer. Of course once the waypoint was passed and the overturn was in place then the boat would veer back the other direction resulting in an oversteer past the line on the other side... Zig zag back and forth. Setting the sensitivity made a huge difference.

[T-Fish]

Looking for help. I am using an EVO-200 and trying to remote control it using AutoTrackRaymarine Plugin. The NMEA2000 and NMEA182 networks are connected via the Shipmudul Miniplexer and and WiFi Router. All data is exchanged and received by OpenCPN. Tracking is also possible without the AutoTrackRaymarine Plugin by activating a route within OpenCPN and setting the Raymarine i70s to the track modus. So far so good. However, I am not able to use the AutoTrackRaymarine UI. The commands are not received which might be just related to a wrong setting of the Multiplexer (using MPXConfig3).

Has somebody a similar setup and got it working. If yes, could you please share your settings (maybe a conversion is missing...).

Any help is appreciated.

Best regards,

Michael, S/V T-Fish

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by T-Fish

Looking for help. I am using an EVO-200 and trying to remote control it using AutoTrackRaymarine Plugin. The NMEA2000 and NMEA182 networks are connected via the Shipmudul Miniplexer and and WiFi Router. All data is exchanged and received by OpenCPN. Tracking is also possible without the AutoTrackRaymarine Plugin by activating a route within OpenCPN and setting the Raymarine i70s to the track modus. So far so good. However, I am not able to use the AutoTrackRaymarine UI. The commands are not received which might be just related to a wrong setting of the Multiplexer (using MPXConfig3).

Has somebody a similar setup and got it working. If yes, could you please share your settings (maybe a conversion is missing...).

Any help is appreciated.

Best regards,

Michael, S/V T-Fish

The short answer is that it won't work with your current setup.

Your connection to the multiplexor is via NMEA0183 over wifi, with the multiplexor converting the NMEA2000 network to NMEA0183. NMEA0183 does not support the commands for controlling the autopilot. For those controls to work, the connection needs to be native NMEA2000 with no conversion.

OpenCPN version 5.8.4 only supports NMEA2000 via a wired connection, not via wifi. The next version will support NMEA2000 via wifi, with either an Actisence or a Yacht Devices gateway. Whether you opt for wifi or wired, I don't think the Shipmodul will work. I can't find technical specifications data on their website to really know what it is capable of.

If you wish to connect via a USB port and have it work now you can use:
Actisense NGT-1
Yacht Devices YDNU-02

If you are able to wait until the next release to use wifi you will be able to use:
Actisense W2K1
Yacht Devices YDWG-02
Yacht Devices YDNR-02

There are undoubtably others that will work. The gateway will need to support the "Actisence ASCII RAW" data format.

[T-Fish]

Originally Posted by wholybee

The short answer is that it won't work with your current setup.

Your connection to the multiplexor is via NMEA0183 over wifi, with the multiplexor converting the NMEA2000 network to NMEA0183. NMEA0183 does not support the commands for controlling the autopilot. For those controls to work, the connection needs to be native NMEA2000 with no conversion.

OpenCPN version 5.8.4 only supports NMEA2000 via a wired connection, not via wifi. The next version will support NMEA2000 via wifi, with either an Actisence or a Yacht Devices gateway. Whether you opt for wifi or wired, I don't think the Shipmodul will work. I can't find technical specifications data on their website to really know what it is capable of.

If you wish to connect via a USB port and have it work now you can use:
Actisense NGT-1
Yacht Devices YDNU-02

If you are able to wait until the next release to use wifi you will be able to use:
Actisense W2K1
Yacht Devices YDWG-02
Yacht Devices YDNR-02

There are undoubtably others that will work. The gateway will need to support the "Actisence ASCII RAW" data format.

Thanks for prompt reply, Warren. This makes is very clear. I will wait until the new release and then try again. I am still wondering if a virtual com port linked to an ip address and used within OpenCPN as an output port using NMEA2000 could provide a solution, too? Likely not, as the current NMEA2000 interface provided by OpenCPN is not native and Raymarine will detect this (not sure I used the correct terminology). Thanks again and fair winds!

Michael, S/V T-Fish

[Rick Welin]

I just had the boat out with the latest version of the plugin 1.18.34 and it worked very well. I just wanted to drop in and say thank you to Douwe for the efforts he has put into this excellent tool. If I had only one request it would be for dark modes but I don't run at night very often so it's not a big deal.

[Rick Welin]

Oh I do have one question: What is the setting "Max Error Angle"? Is that max rudder angle or..