Forum and OpenCPN Newbie

[Andy Cox]

Hi All

I've only recently started looking at OpenCPN and am really impressed with it.

But, I'm having problems getting data from my boats Simrad system which is on a N2K network into OpenCPN.

I'm trying to use a Actisense NGT-1 usb/n2k gateway to transfer the data. I can see what look like NMEA sentences in the debug window but I'm not sure what I'm looking at.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Andy

[Moo]

NGT or NGW. You need NGW which converts N2k to N0183. NGT only converts the physical interface to USB

[rgleason]

Andy what os are you using? Also have you installed the artisense drivers and used the artisrnse program to see the sentences?

Is nake note of the virtual comm port number ans close the artisense program. It will interfere with ipencpn connecting. Now open opencpn and go to connections to config the comm port. It is just like configuring for a gps.

Reading the wiki will help. Srarch on setup gps and. Also search on connections.

[Andy Cox]

Originally Posted by Moo

NGT or NGW. You need NGW which converts N2k to N0183. NGT only converts the physical interface to USB

It's an NGT-1. Is it correct that OpenCPN can't use N2K sentences?
Thanks

Andy

[Moo]

Originally Posted by Andy Cox

It's an NGT-1. Is it correct that OpenCPN can't use N2K sentences?
Thanks

Andy

Yes. NMEA0183 only

[Moo]

Originally Posted by Andy Cox

It's an NGT-1. Is it correct that OpenCPN can't use N2K sentences?
Thanks

Andy

However as I mentioned the NGW-1 will convert just about everything. I have one and it works very well.

Cheers
Chris

[Andy Cox]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Andy what os are you using? Also have you installed the artisense drivers and used the artisrnse program to see the sentences?

Is nake note of the virtual comm port number ans close the artisense program. It will interfere with ipencpn connecting. Now open opencpn and go to connections to config the comm port. It is just like configuring for a gps.

Reading the wiki will help. Srarch on setup gps and. Also search on connections.

It's Win10 and yes, as far as i'm aware the drivers are up to date. I have run the Actisense utility reader program and the N2K data all appears to be there.

It's running on Com3 and I've set that in the connections window, with a baud rate of 9600.

I did also notice that if I had the utility reader running in the background then OpenCPN couldn't see it, so I quit the reader and then I could start seeing something in the debug window, but it's double Dutch to me!

I have a couple of pics of the debug window, the connections window showing the settings and also the Actisense utiity reader.
.

Thanks
Andy

[Andy Cox]

Originally Posted by Moo

However as I mentioned the NGW-1 will convert just about everything. I have one and it works very well.

Cheers
Chris

Hi Chris

Thanks for your input. I was wondering if that is the direction I'll have to take, but being a skinflint I was hoping to avoid the additional cost of the NGW-1 as well!

Out of interest though, what does all the gobeldy gook I'm seeing in the debug window mean?

Thanks
Andy

[nohal]

Originally Posted by Andy Cox

Out of interest though, what does all the gobeldy gook I'm seeing in the debug window mean?

It means that "something" is received on the port. As it is in fact binary data from the NGT-1 and OpenCPN tries to find ASCII text, which is what NMEA0183 is, what you see is total bogus.

Pavel

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Andy.

[Andy Cox]

Originally Posted by nohal

It means that "something" is received on the port. As it is in fact binary data from the NGT-1 and OpenCPN tries to find ASCII text, which is what NMEA0183 is, what you see is total bogus.

Pavel

Thanks, it's all starting to make sense.

Can the standard usb NGW-1 send AIS as well? I ask because I can see there is a preconfigured AIS NGW-1 available?

Andy

[Moo]

Originally Posted by Andy Cox

Thanks, it's all starting to make sense.

Can the standard usb NGW-1 send AIS as well? I ask because I can see there is a preconfigured AIS NGW-1 available?

Andy

The NGW-1 standard and AIS the same hardware and you can write either software version into them. However if you want AIS and are not too up on flashing software etc. get the factory configured AIS version. Cost is the same I believe.

There are couple of other options to consider. One quite economic one, as you already have an N2K network, is to use a YachtD NMEA2000 WiFi gateway. NMEA to WiFi: NMEA 2000 Wi-Fi Gateway I use one for trouble shooting in networks and I know it works nicely with OCPN.. 1/3rd the price of the Actisense device and you get a WiFi access point too.

[rgleason]

Andy you're getting good advice from Moo and Nohal and the others.
My first experience was with NGT-1 on a friends boat. Opencpn Nmea window showed strange sentences at 112K baud. I knew then that it was the wrong Artisense device. We checked the manual and found that dip switches would change it to produce Nmea0183 instead, but the boat owner chose to get the other Artisense intended to produce 0183 and it worked like a charm showing all boat data including AIS.

Originally Posted by Andy Cox

It's an NGT-1. Is it correct that OpenCPN can't use N2K sentences?
Thanks

Andy

[Andy Cox]

Thanks for all the feed back.

I've decided to stick with the Actisense option and have ordered an NGW-1 USB which should arrive on Friday.

The main reasons I'm doing this and not exploring other options, is that I already have internet on the boat, as I have a 4G router which is connected to a NVR security camera system and a pc. It also gives us a reliable wireless network on board which helps keep eldest child from suffering withdrawal symptoms . It also provides a good link for the main Simrad nav system to access the net for updates etc.

The NGT-1 is permanently installed between the N2K network and the pc, as I am also in the process of installing an EMU-1 to monitor the engines. This data can be displayed on the Simrad system but I want to try and find some software that will allow me to display the engine data in some sort of graphical way on the pc display, so if anyone knows of something that will do that then I'm all ears!

As I said previously, I'm new to the OpenCPN program and am really impressed with it and I'm now confident that the NGW-1 will solve the connection problems I've been experiencing.

I'll let you know how I get on, but if anyone does know of something that will display the engine data through the pc then I'd be really interested to hear about it.

Thanks
Andy

[rgleason]

Andy, PM Tehani (Jose) and tell him what you are interested in. He may have some ideas for you. The solution may not be an immediate one, but he is in pursuit...