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Neptune's Gear · 04-03-2014, 15:10

Hi Haken,
Hmm, thats difficult - I use a few different versions, while Dave tries to fix the ranging problem.
I believe he hopes to have it sorted in the next week or so ... probably pay to wait until then. The heavy ring should correspond to the range you have it set to - but currently is doesn't!!
Looks like it's working now - some physical/cabling problems seemed to be the root cause of your issues. is that correct?

I'm sure Dave will post again when this range issue is corrected.

Cheers
Matt

Hakan · 04-03-2014, 18:29

Matt..
If you mean the cabling was the root for the earlier issues that's correct. I had to change one RJ45 connector and patch up a physical cable wound. Now the radar seems to work fine. But I must of course test it over the sea as well. Now I'm between trees and hillsides.
You said you are using different versions but don't you have the heavy ring like me? If not are you running Windows?

Håkan

Neptune's Gear · 04-03-2014, 19:19

Hi Hakan, OK good to know it's working. Yes I have the bold ring - it marks to range the radar is "set" to. As mentioned earlier, the range function has a bug, but it's being worked on now....
Cheers
Mattt

jonasaberg · 04-03-2014, 23:35

Håkan,
Nice pictures and very interesting. Good that you got the OpenBR24 running!

It seems that the OpenBR24 shows more detail and that the OpenCPN plugin is more cluttered, but it is of course impossible to say which one is more correct without comparing with the terrain.

When you try it at sea, can you please redo this test with a chart in Open CPN to compare the reflections with the terrain?

Maybe also get some screenshot at different range settings and different settings for rejection and gain? (Maybe with lower gain the image would approach the OpenBR24 image in your comparison?)

Regards
Jonas

Hakan · 05-03-2014, 01:38

Jonas...@all.
Yes I'll soon move by test to a more recent environment. That's my boat. Even though I should not mount it permanently (yet?). The gear is as mentioned so far borrowed. Then I can view chart related pictures and also compare the two viewers. But remember the OpenBR24 is just a viewer. The radar_pi can follow the boat and the compass. And what's more important it should not interfere with charts rendering and "steel" the processor capacity.
The plugin update Matt mentioned will also be good so let's see what Dave is coming up to. I'm sure the outstanding work Dave R initiated and now with this supplement by Dave C will end up in an even more excellent OCPN.

Looking forward I think a nice OCPN advantage would be to later combine these two plugins Gradar and BR24radar to one where the user can select the radar type? Even though the two scanners works different much of the communication and rendering coding have close similarities.

Håkan

Hakan · 05-03-2014, 11:08

A new report from testing the BR24radar_pi on Win32.
I've been in the boat and tested the radar. Or I had to place the radar on a rock beside the boat. Pictures can be seen in attached document. This looks very promising.
Comments:
1) I know Dave C is working on the range failure but for info I had to adjust the Range factor to ~7.5 to get a proper view.
2) I also had to adjust Heading correction to -30 degr. This figure is not 100% accurate because I've to locate the radar direction by eye but that error is not more than +-5 degr.
3) The plotting is rather fidgety when the boat is moving. A hole island can go out and return after some three seconds. Now I haven't test cruising. The boat is firmly tied to the bridge. But one or two degree side movements is causing this effect. But --- it can also be that the boat is moving but the radar is not. This can be tested more coming month.
4) We may have to take care of the network upstart time when the system is starting up. From the point when the radar network cable is connected it can take from 30 to 45 seconds until we can transmit the start signal. The radar is during that time calling for DHCP and when recieving no answer it ask the net if anyone is using a more or less random IP address within it's default section. Then eventually the radar is satisfied and our PC can start joining the group. A DHCP connection via a router will shorten that time but will not be a common solution in our type of boats. I don't know if we need some kind of network check before the user can be able to activate the start button??

Håkan

rgleason · 05-03-2014, 13:41

Very nice shots and study. Thanks. Both look clearer than your current radar. Perhaps it is getting time for me to replace our 21 yr old auto helm raymarine radar. Does the bridge cut off the signal for the other side?
Quick on and off would be nice,; of course there is standby if it can be implimented.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Hakan · 05-03-2014, 14:18

Rick..
Yeah..The radar picture is clear and full of contrast. But of course -- it's all digital so there is also a clear limit for where you see nothing. The analogue radar has a gliding scale to zero.
Nearly everything on port and aft is hidden by a rock that's right.

There is a software standby-On/Off button in the plugin. And for this type of radar scanner the response is nearly instantaneous. No time for heating up because there is no magnetron but instead more like directional ultra tones.
The soft standby mode use 0.18 A and during transmit 1.4 A @12.5 V ( 9 -31 V) The only reason for using standby mode is the IP-connection procedure that use some 20-40 seconds to re-establish in case the power is switch off completely.
Another of my earlier not mentioned test is that I connected the scanner to a switch(hub) and then I could feed several PCs using the same signal. Although all of them has to be satisfied with the same outlook in terms of range, gain and clutter.
I have not tested a wire less network but I will tomorrow even if it's not likely to work according to the paper referred to in johanaberg's post above.

The BR24 is the Navico/Simrad/Lowrance broadband scanner.

Håkan

rgleason · 05-03-2014, 14:29

Thanks. Had my eye on the BR-24 for power requirement on/ off speed, near resolution, weight. Only question I had was about seeing distant thunder storms but L guess you just look out!!

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Neptune's Gear · 05-03-2014, 23:48

Hi Hakan, Rick et al.
The plugin is functional except for the range issue.
Hakan, the orientation of mine is pretty accurate, so not sure whats up with yours.
The speed at which your radar recognizes course changes is controlled by the abilities of your heading sensor - and as fast/accurate as that data. It will work from COG from the gps, but of course then you'll have to be moving.

I use the plugin all the time;

and

If you cannot see the pics, right click on them and select "open in a new tab"

The system is really very good!

Cheers
Matt

Hakan · 06-03-2014, 00:42

Matt..
Thanks I look forward to test it on a motional boat. The spring here is so far very nice so it may bee soon.
My compass is new but should be accurate although not yet finally heading offset calibrated. But it's not a 30 degr failure The update rate is ~2 Hz but I can increase that if needed. Any advice based on your experiences?

I think there's something wrong using pictures on this site. When I download screen shots it shows up as "Rotate image" and can't be viewed. In your post above nothing is shown. Neither pictures nor links.

Håkan

rgleason · 06-03-2014, 01:02

re images frank said to clear browser chache. iuse firefox cleared cache every day still does it. very annoying. someone said it is firefox after yiu try to edit a post but I have not confirmed that. wish it were fixed!