OpenCPN Radar Overlay PlugIn

[kantala]

G'day NZ-

The Linux version will be a learn for me also. I have 2 mates who are v good with it, and they are very persuasive that I should use Linux. As I get older my fuse is getting shorter, and I'm beginning to view Redmond WA as the seat of all evil where computers are concerned.

I take your point about the overlay. I'll be open minded, promise. And I'm looking forward to the next versions of GRadar that Dave et al are working on.

As a note for any other newcomers who may want to upload a Wireshark image or any other file, it seems that you have to be on the Forum for a while before you can upload anything, as a spam prevention.

Ciao - M

[bdbcat]

Ahoy Mateys...

I got the following PM, and I'm sharing it and my response (with permission), since I think it may have general interest to OpenCPN radar buffs.

Query:
Dave

I am sending this as a private message but if you think it relevant then you can reply via the forum

RADAR SCANNER HEAD

I am a live aboard doing open ocean and inshore cruising in a 60ft catamaran and am now wanting to replace my very old CRT Furuno radar with one that I can interface my computer through OpencPN.

I have followed this thread since its inception and would welcome your views + thoughts + advice on each of the following

With the benefit of hindsight + the curroent and future improvements being made to the Gradar Plugin which scanner head would you NOW purchase or recommend ? This is assuming you would be replacing your existing Garmin one.
3D or 4D HD or anything better ?
Which manufacturer would you select for radar software facilities + reliability + trouble free interfacing and connections ?
Would you prefer an Open or Enclosed array and in what size – 24 or 48 inch?

My personal preference would be for a 48 inch open array for the improved resolution it can give. Are there any open arrays available now which can be interfaced with the Gradar plugin ?

Would also consider a 24 inch dome array if the Open Arrays cannot be interfaced

Regards ………………..…….xxxx

And my reply:

Thanks for the message.

There are two different ways for me to look at this problem:

1. Current OpenCPN user: I would choose a Garmin, since the OpenCPN interface is well advanced, reliable, and under active development. Also, given my experience with the 18" HD scanner, I would opt for an open array scanner next time. My main shipboard radar is a Furuno, 6' open array, and the small 18-24" scanners are not even in the same league as far as resolution. As an example, I think MARPA tracking on a small enclosed array would not be satisfactory. Just not enough resolution. As you know, though, the Garmin open array scanners are a bit pricey. The current OpenCPN Garmin PlugIn should support this scanner, but has not been tested, as far as I know. I know it uses the same interface to the Garmin chart plotters.

2. As the OpenCPN lead developer: If I had the time and ready cash, I would buy a Furuno open array scanner, and build an OpenPCN plugin to support it. This gives me two things: a)a better radar for daily use, and b)another supported hardware widget for OpenCPN. This is a special case, I know, but there it is. I happen to like Furuno gear a lot for daily at-sea reliability. It just works.

Now, having said all that, I should note that my Garmin GMR18HD has given me no problems whatsoever, and is surprisingly low DC power when active. I have no complaints with it, considering its cost, etc.

Let me also say this: The Garmin PlugIn to OpenCPN is reliable for daily use. I have it running nearly always when underway, and it rarely surprises me.
However, when the fog closes in, and my ship is at risk, I rely on the 6 ft. Furuno, just for the resolution improvement it gives. There is no substitute for reduced beam width and increased power.

I also have an 18" Furuno dome radar as backup-to-backup. (I know, 3 radars is a bit much, but that's what I do...) The Garmin 18 is far superior to the smaller Furuno in target resolution.

Hope this helps
Dave

[cagney]

The GRadar plugin has now matured and a new version is available from the plugin download page: GRadar v1.2, released 2013-07-26

There are new pages related to radar plugins in the wiki.
Radar Overlay Plugins | Official OpenCPN Homepage
This is the general page with links to specific versions of the radar plugin.
The only entry so far on this page is the GRadar.
Developers and users of versions for other radars than Garmin, are welcome to create their own page and link it on this page.

Garmin Radar Overlay Plugin | Official OpenCPN Homepage is the page for GRadar.
I have no access to a radar set and cannot possibly document any details. Regard this page as a frame work. It would be nice if current users of GRadar chipped in with all the details.

Thomas

[Avocet]

Hey All,

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the hard work that is going in to OpenCPN in general, and especially this radar plugin!

I downloaded the recently released plugin (gradar_win32_pi18_v12_pi.dll) and put it in the plugins folder, as I've done with all other plugins, but OpenCPN doesn't seem to find it. Is there something I'm missing on the installation? It's a WinXP machine. . .

-Avocet

[nohal]

Avocet...
Your OpenCPN version? Your logfile?

Pavel

[Avocet]

Pavel,

OpenCPN ver. 3.2.2

Not sure how to do a logfile - can you advise?

Thanks!

-Avocet

[nohal]

Avocet...
Installing OpenCPN | Official OpenCPN Homepage - scroll down until you get to "Location of Important Files. Log and config files." Then read and post the part of the log covering the last run...

Pavel

[Avocet]

Pavel,

I had some issues with file size and uploading so I sent you the logfile by way of PM. Let me know if you need it in another way. Thanks for the help!

-Avocet

[nohal]

Avocet..
Got your PM. The plugin DLL needs a newer opencpn (3.3 beta). Will have a look if a rebuild against 3.2 codebase is possible... Dave?

Pavel

[Avocet]

Cool! I just downloaded and installed the newest beta version - looks like it's been recognized. I don't have a raydome attached yet so it looks like I won't get to preview the the plugin but at least I know I have it running. Thanks for all the help!

-Avocet

[bdbcat]

Pavel...

The gradar PlugIn should run against OpenCPN 3.2.0. Gradar needs PlugIn API 1.8 (as determined by its filename). OCPN 3.2.0 supports up to API 1.9. So...

And it does indeed work on linux build of OCPN 3.2.0, just tested. Will test on Windows tomorrow and report back

Dave

[bdbcat]

Pavel, et al...

Well, sure enough, the Windows Gradar PlugIn available for download will not work with OCPN 3.2.0. The PlugIn is essentially compatible with 3.2.0, but was built with the wrong "ocpn_plugin.h" include file in error....

Will be fixed by end of day....

Sorry
Dave

[Vlad70]

Anybody build GRadar plugin for Mac?

[bdbcat]

Vlad70...

I have not tried yet, simply because there seems no demand. Should be possible, since Mac is essentially unix underneath the hood.

Do you have a Garmin Radar scanner, and a Mac? If so, I'll see what I can do.

Thanks
Dave

[Vlad70]

Hi Dave,

Yes I have Mac (usual with MacENC) and Garmin Radar

Thanks, Vlad