OpenCPN Radar Overlay PlugIn

[merrimac]

Originally Posted by merrimac

Yes, you need a positioning system (and heading, either to the radar or to OpenCPN.)

...
Below you see a dialog that shows you what happens on my system when not connected to a positioning system (and an actual radar!)

Rats, what a complicated UI here on CF....

[collinsam]

Thanks for the information I will try it with a GPS input to OPENCPN, incidently I could not find any attachement to your posting showing your screen shots. I will check that I have the latest version of the Plug in and keep my fingers crossed.
Kind Regards
Collin

[collinsam]

Thanks for your help but I am still having problems, I have connected a GPS to my CF29 Toughbook and OPENCPN is running OK, the radar plugin seems to be OK, log file looks OK and I can control the scanner, I hear it speeding up when I request a faster speed etc.
I am wondering if I get no radar display because I am 130 mile from a coast? I have a chart displayed but my position is the exact middle of the UK ( don't ask), I assumed that the radar plugin would work like an analogue radar and when you power it up it scans the surrounding area and produces a radar scan. If I need a coastal chart to be displayed I will have to wait till I install on my boat at Dartmouth 200 miles away.
My Garmin GMR18HD is brand new out of the box so I assume it is working OK? I have read all of the radar plugin threads, my wifi is turned off, openGL is enabled, the switch connected to pin 5 works OK.

[ChuckSK]

Originally Posted by collinsam

Thanks for your help but I am still having problems, I have connected a GPS to my CF29 Toughbook and OPENCPN is running OK, the radar plugin seems to be OK, log file looks OK and I can control the scanner, I hear it speeding up when I request a faster speed etc.
I am wondering if I get no radar display because I am 130 mile from a coast? I have a chart displayed but my position is the exact middle of the UK ( don't ask), I assumed that the radar plugin would work like an analogue radar and when you power it up it scans the surrounding area and produces a radar scan. If I need a coastal chart to be displayed I will have to wait till I install on my boat at Dartmouth 200 miles away.
My Garmin GMR18HD is brand new out of the box so I assume it is working OK? I have read all of the radar plugin threads, my wifi is turned off, openGL is enabled, the switch connected to pin 5 works OK.

Here are some things to try:

Set the range control to manual and 2 miles.
Set the gain control to manual and 75.
Set the Sea Clutter Sensitivity to 0.
Set the Fast Time Constant to off.
Set Crosstalk to off.

If you are 130 miles from the center of the chart GRadar will set the range to maximum if the range control is in Auto. It fits the radar scan image to the chart display. Try using the Move Boat Here feature on the main OpenCPN menu to locate your boat on the chart (disable your gps first). The heading will default to 0.

chuck

[collinsam]

Hi Chuck
I got it sorted today, a couple of software things but the main thing was that looking at the chart when I an mile away from the coast just give me a brown screen with the boat in the middle, GPS working OK. I carried the Radome out onto the car park of my factory, still could see nothing, then in OPENCPN I zoomed and zoomed and zoomed, then guess what a tiny red line pops out of the side of the boat, zooming more showed the radar overlay and I could see the gaps between the buildings on the industrial estate. Brilliant! Now I have the radar overlay running on my CF29 and CF30 Toughbook computers running Windows XP and Windows 7, which will also control my autopilot etc, (when I get to my boat). Thanks for hanging in there with me.

[hasse_A]

Hi all!

I am struggling to get my gxradar plugin working on my new FitPC-4.
The FitPC-4 is running WIN7 pro.
To step back a bit I have loaded the original gradar plugin into OpenCPN.

I am having the problem of getting the code to see the packets from the scanner that are obviously entering the interface. This can be seen in the in the Wireshark print screen.

It successfully adds to the multicast group 239.254.2.0 but never recognizes any packets.

The Scanner interface is placed on top as can be seen in the Advanced interface setting screen shot.

The metric value is given a low value of 2.

Despite this no packets are reaching the plugin.
When this happens the log should say
->gradar_pi: First Packet Rx
which never happen.

Any idea someone.

/Hans

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by hasse_A

Hi all!

I am struggling to get my gxradar plugin working on my new FitPC-4.
The FitPC-4 is running WIN7 pro.
To step back a bit I have loaded the original gradar plugin into OpenCPN.

I am having the problem of getting the code to see the packets from the scanner that are obviously entering the interface. This can be seen in the in the Wireshark print screen.

It successfully adds to the multicast group 239.254.2.0 but never recognizes any packets.

The Scanner interface is placed on top as can be seen in the Advanced interface setting screen shot.

The metric value is given a low value of 2.

Despite this no packets are reaching the plugin.
When this happens the log should say
->gradar_pi: First Packet Rx
which never happen.

Any idea someone.

/Hans

You are back where you started from.

This sounds the same as the problem encountered by HELMSMATT. Suggest you search back in this thread for Firewall. If memory serves, there are two that must be disabled or modified on Win7. Or, did you already do that ?

Cheers,
JM.

[svcattales]

I just ordered a Garmin HD 18" scanner to use with Open CPN gradar plugin in stand-alone mode. Previous posts (I think it was Rontom) discussed the alignment between radar returns and chart features at slow boat speeds and that a fluxgate compass input would steady the alignment.

I have a Simrad autopilot that uses an RC 36 fluxgate compass for heading input and I'm trying to decide how to hook it up to Open CPN. The autopilot course computer has an NMEA 0183 output that does produce HDT and HDM sentences so that would probably work, but I would have to fish a wire from one hull to the other in our catamaran. Yuck! I'm looking at the autopilot control head (AP26) which is located only 5 feet from my Open CPN laptop and it has two different types of connections in the back: two "robnet2" connections (control head to compass; and control head to course computer.) The robnet seems to be the data connection between autopilot components and seems to be a 2-way street for data flow, since components can be daisy-chained together. The other type of connection on the control head is used for another network called "Simnet." Simnet appears to be a means "to connect to other equipment for data collection and exchange." The documentation shows daisy chain hookups for other types of instruments like chart plotters so I think the heading data might be in that network also.

Anyone have any experience interfacing Simrad autopilot with open CPN for heading data? If I could tap into Simnet or Robnet connections, installation would be easy. Also, any feedback on how well a compass input stabilizes the radar alignment at slow speeds? Thank for any help you can provide.

[svcattales]

Originally Posted by NahanniV

You are back where you started from.

This sounds the same as the problem encountered by HELMSMATT. Suggest you search back in this thread for Firewall. If memory serves, there are two that must be disabled or modified on Win7. Or, did you already do that ?

Cheers,
JM.

Concur. I just went through this same situation and the firewall was part of problem. Windows firewall showed that my security software controlled the firewall so I turned off security firewall. Windows firewall showed that it was now off, but it wasn't off completely. I had to click on "advanced settings" -- "windows firewall properties" -- "domain private & public" -- "protected network connections" -- "customize" -- and then remove checkmarks from blocks labeled "local area connection*5" and "Ethernet". I did the customize on all three tabs "domain", "private profile" and "public profile." (I don't know if all three tab were necessary, but "public profile" was probably most important.) (I'm using Win 8.1, OCPN 4.0, and gradar plugin 1.4)

Another issue was in Open CPN settings. Click on wrench (options) -- display -- advanced -- and check box for accelerated graphics (open GL)

Good Luck

[Hakan]

Greg...
You have several possibilities to get HDM(HDT) into OCPN.
First get a AP26 manual if you don't have it: http://www.simrad-yachting.com/Root/..._20221586F.pdf

- From the control unit you can get NMEA0183, see manual 3.20, and via a serial/USB converter into the OCPN-PC.
- If you happens to have a Simrad IS15 instrument with a unused NMEA port close to the PC you can get NMEA 0183 from there. (The rightmost connector)
- If you have any unit with a SimNet, the yellow port, close to the PC you can use a Simrad AT10 to convert from SimNet(NMEA2000) to NMEA 0183. (Seems to be around $100)
- The RT36 has a NMEA 0183 connection inside the housing if that's a convenient alternative.

Most probably you will get only HDM from the Simrad net but the wmm_pi plugin in OCPN will give you a HDT suitable for the radar overlay.

BTW, how is your AP connected to OCPN today? If not yet connected you may want use the control unit in/out NMEA connector and you can receive heading(HDM) into OCPN and send Nav data(RMB/RMC) for AP track control in the same cable.

I've a Simrad IS15 system, a compass (own construction but function like RC35) and a Navico BR24 radar, works great

Good luck
Håkan

[svcattales]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Greg...
You have several possibilities to get HDM(HDT) into OCPN.
First get a AP26 manual if you don't have it: http://www.simrad-yachting.com/Root/..._20221586F.pdf

- From the control unit you can get NMEA0183, see manual 3.20, and via a serial/USB converter into the OCPN-PC.
- If you happens to have a Simrad IS15 instrument with a unused NMEA port close to the PC you can get NMEA 0183 from there. (The rightmost connector)
- If you have any unit with a SimNet, the yellow port, close to the PC you can use a Simrad AT10 to convert from SimNet(NMEA2000) to NMEA 0183. (Seems to be around $100)
- The RT36 has a NMEA 0183 connection inside the housing if that's a convenient alternative.

Most probably you will get only HDM from the Simrad net but the wmm_pi plugin in OCPN will give you a HDT suitable for the radar overlay.

BTW, how is your AP connected to OCPN today? If not yet connected you may want use the control unit in/out NMEA connector and you can receive heading(HDM) into OCPN and send Nav data(RMB/RMC) for AP track control in the same cable.

I've a Simrad IS15 system, a compass (own construction but function like RC35) and a Navico BR24 radar, works great

Good luck
Håkan

Hakan, Thanks for the extremely helpful response. I don't have my AP connected to OCPN right now, but do have an AP connection to GPS. I can couple the autopilot to a GPS waypoint which seems to do just fine in that mode so I may not need the Nav data (RMB/RMC). If I use the NMEA 0183 output, then I need to fish the long wire from one hull to the other. That may not be too difficult if a left a "fish wire" in the conduit (don't remember)

I have a simnet connection at the back of my control/display head and that would be the easiest installation since it is 5ft from my OCPN laptop. I looked at the AT10 conversion, but read on a different forum that this has some problems and it's pricey. I also found another simnet connector that is cheap and outputs NMEA 2000. 24005729 - Simrad SimNet Product to NMEA 2000 Network Adapter Cable P/N 24005729 for only $35.00 ! . Is that compatible with OCPN?

Using the 0183 connection inside the compass would be easier than running the wire from the computer so that's another good possibility.

Thanks again for the help. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed on electronics, but I do want to learn.

[Hakan]

Greg...
The Simrad network adapter is to connect your SimNet(=NMEA2000) to a "normal" NMEA2000 net. And OCPN don't understand NMEA2000 so you need something more in between.That cable could be needed to connect to another NMEA2000/NMEA0183 converter then the AP10. There are probably a number of other, cheaper?, converters than the AP10. But I understand if this is a "jungle", it's not easy with all different makers own protective way to solve there interconnections and theirs effort to avoid a simple mix with other brands. (And...Read your manual, there's a lot to learn)
But still.....the cheapest and the most "straight forward" is to get the NMEA0183 from your AP computer even if it's on the other hull. There must be another cable from your control unit to the computer, can't you follow that?

And BTW, the advantage by using Nav data from OCPN to an AP is that you can point a position on the chart and start "navigate to here" and the AP will know what to do.

Håkan

[svcattales]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Greg...
The Simrad network adapter is to connect your SimNet(=NMEA2000) to a "normal" NMEA2000 net. And OCPN don't understand NMEA2000 so you need something more in between.That cable could be needed to connect to another NMEA2000/NMEA0183 converter then the AP10. There are probably a number of other, cheaper?, converters than the AP10. But I understand if this is a "jungle", it's not easy with all different makers own protective way to solve there interconnections and theirs effort to avoid a simple mix with other brands. (And...Read your manual, there's a lot to learn)
But still.....the cheapest and the most "straight forward" is to get the NMEA0183 from your AP computer even if it's on the other hull. There must be another cable from your control unit to the computer, can't you follow that?

And BTW, the advantage by using Nav data from OCPN to an AP is that you can point a position on the chart and start "navigate to here" and the AP will know what to do.

Håkan

Hakan, Thanks again for the great advice. I'm going to use the NMEA output from the AP computer. I crawled into the space behind the starboard and engine and located the NMEA wire coming from the GPS. I followed it's routing and it went into a conduit that did have a "fish cord" inside. Likewise, I followed the NMEA wire coming out of GPS and found the other end of the conduit. The wire run will be long, but not near as difficult as I expected. My OCPN laptop will be within 2 meters from the conduit so the location is good. Thanks also for advice on the value of Nav data from OCPN to AP. I do use the "navigate to here" function often. I love it when a plan comes together!

[Taarnskov]

I have a problem, since my 4G radar is not working after I upgraded from 4.0. I have upgraded to 4.1.818. At the same time i upgraded from windows 7 to windows 8.

When i start the radar plugin it tick all boxes but the last. It tells me that radar is present but it sends no data. The IP address is 169.254.229.189.

What am I doing wrong.

Regards, Lars

[svcattales]

Originally Posted by Taarnskov

I have a problem, since my 4G radar is not working after I upgraded from 4.0. I have upgraded to 4.1.818. At the same time i upgraded from windows 7 to windows 8.

When i start the radar plugin it tick all boxes but the last. It tells me that radar is present but it sends no data. The IP address is 169.254.229.189.

What am I doing wrong.

Regards, Lars

Lars, I just went through the process to connect my Windows 8.1 lap top with garmin radar. I believe the windows firewall settings are somewhat different for win 8 than win 7. Also, you need to enable the "open GL" box in Open CPN tools. Please see my earlier post #699 for details on both procedures.