OpenCPN Radar Overlay PlugIn

[jmu92grad]

Håkan,

I have that graphic, but was hoping for a pic of the actual connection/solder points. Just looking for a more detailed visual.

Thanks,
Mike

[Hakan]

You have to find a point on the pin 5 track. If you can't see which is no 5 look for RJ45 pin out like this: https://satoms.com/ethernet-cable-pinouts/

[bdbcat]

Here may help:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post1515039


This is my wiring, and it works.

[rontom]

Hello

I installed Gradar GMR 18/24 HD approx 8 years ago and have been real happy with it, Worked fine until a month ago, Scanner started grinding and chattering, it stopped painting on the overlay also. I took it apart and tried to fix it to no avail. decided to buy a new scanner, it was almost as cheap to buy a new one, than ship it back to Garmin, They charge a flat rate of at least $500.00 and $100.00 FedX each way.
For simplicity i orderd the GMR 18/24 18XHD Hopefully for Plug and Play, But it does not connect. I have the same IP adress The scanner is powering up ok, The new scanner has a green blinking green light on the back of the scanner. The old scanner did not have the green light. The radar icon on the Nav window stays Red. I have experimented with different IP adresses, ,Tried lots of restarts , For some reason it is not connecting through the Ethernet adapter. I tried the new Ethernet cable that came with the scanner but makes no difference. I am still running Gradar 1.5 , would that make a difference?
any ideas
Is there anything i should change between the Garmin HD and the Garmin XHD

Thanks
Jim

[Hakan]

Jim.
Now I don't have Garmin myself but until the experts may fill in:
1) Did you change in radar_pi to use radar type Garmin XHD instead of Garmin HD?
2) If I remember correct there was long ago a connection issue with the xHD. Do you use the latest version of the plugin? (OCPN Options->Plugins "Update catalog master" and then check for radar_pi update.



Do you know about the manual here: https://opencpn-manuals.github.io/ma...-(Garmin).html

[rontom]

Hi Hakan

Thanks for the reply

Acually what happened was i ordered the Scanner off of Amazon and was under the impression that it was just the Garmin HD GMR , but it turned out to be the XHD version. and no i did not know about the XHD Garmin scanner, i have not been following the newer Versions, I was really happy with the way things were with the older version, In fact i think i wore it out. I have put thousands of hours on it, i think it was a bearing or motor. No i do not have the Latest Gradar PI, i am still on 1.5, I am also using window 7, also i still am using the Amphenol switch that i have been using in the old scanner.
But thanks for the Link to the Manual Hakan, i am going to give it a good look right now. I will also go through the older posts and see what i can learn..

Thanks

Jim

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by rontom

Hi Hakan

Thanks for the reply

No i do not have the Latest Gradar PI, i am still on 1.5, I am also using window 7, also i still am using the Amphenol switch that i have been using in the old scanner.
Jim

Gradar_pi is outdated and that service is moved to be a part of radar_pi.

Win7 is still fine so please consider updating to OCPN 5.6 and use the inbound plugin manager to install radar_pi instead.
Good luck
Håkan

[rontom]

Hakan

Thanks for the tip, I have just installed the Updated version of Opencpn, onto my home computer so that i can practice and get used to the tool Bar configuration.Than i will install the new opencpn version and Gradar XHD on the Boat later in the Week. Hopefully everything will go smooth.

Thanks and good luck

[Hakan]

Good, but again Gradar_pi is changed to radar_pi where radar type Garmin XHD is a choice.

[rontom]

Hakan

Got everything going, looks good so far, Go out out on the ocean tomorrow and see how everything works.

I have a question, I may be buying another computer in the future, maybe a mini computer, i am not a laptop fan, I know the radar has to have OpenGL, and i have it now on my Acer computer on the Boat, but i am finding it hard to find a computer with Open GL Usually they specify in the Details if it has OpenGL. Is there any other Graphics system that i could look for that would work instead of OpenGL.

Thanks

[nohal]

Originally Posted by rontom

Is there any other Graphics system that i could look for that would work instead of OpenGL.

No, OpenGL is a general standard that pretty much every graphic adapter out there supports to some extent.
In most laptops and small factor computers the graphic adapter is integrated directly into the main processor so your choice basically is none.
The usual problem, especially on Windows, is that manufacturers of these computers distribute them with outdated drivers where some of the functionality is broken.
At present, it is pretty much impossible you could buy a computer that does not implement OpenGL.
When you have some cnadidates selected, you may post them and someone may know if the particular GPU is working fine, but nowadays you would have to have pretty bad luck to actually find some that is fatally broken.
Of course things get more complicated if that "mini computer" would be some of the ARM single board machines, there pretty much the only choice you have if you have to ask this question would be a RaspberryPi.

[Hakan]

rontom..
You do need OpenGl but so far I've never heard of any PC without it even though it's not explicitly mentioned in a specification.
So I think you can buy whatever fits in size and prize. And no high cost newest design is needed.

[rontom]

Nohal and Hakan, Thanks i will keep looking around and see what i can find.

[Jef & Marin, Netherlands]

I have happily been using openCPN intensively for many miles, and with radar since 2016.
A few days ago the radar display stopped working during an openCPN session. Worked in the morning, it did not work in the afternoon without openCPN having been closed.

Navico 4G, W10, openCPN5.6.0, radar PI 5.2.2, ethernet straight from the Navico interface box to the notebook's ethernet connector. W10 firewall open for openCPN.



Initially:
With the radar icon switched on, and in the radar control window I clicked on the "stdby" icon to transmit, it shows Spinning up, then after a few second shows stdby, sometimes 2 times; or showed transmitting for maybe 10s (without radar working) and then goes to stdby.


Now after a few days of trying to get it going, the radar control window does not appear anymore.

The info window appears when I disconnect ethernet, and disappear as soon as I connect ethernet.
Previously, but not anymore, a taller info window appeared when I disconnected the USB NMEA input, due to the radar PI complaining that there was no heading input. That was nice for seeing the info window. For some reason this does not happen anymore.
But all other functions of openCPN are still working as normal.



The 2 IP addresses shown in the radar.ini file react on a ping. I guess the IP addresses are for the radar itself and the interface box.
The radar plus interface box take 0.25A @12V whatever I do.
When I disconnect the ethernet connection, and reconnect, I see in the windows task manager/performance/ethernet communication happening in two directions. After this there is only data coming from the interface boc to the PC, no outgoing ethernet.



Installation on a MAC:
Before doing a complete new installation of openCPN, hoping that might bring the radar control window back, I wanted to try the radar on a fresh installation of openCPN on my partner's mac.

I hoped that might teach me if the radar is broken, or the openCPN installation on my W10 laptop.

However on the Mac, in openCPN's option/plugins tab, the radar PI does not show. (despite master catalog updates) So I have installed it from the PI download webpage. After that it still does not show on the plugins tab.


I would appreciate help to get the radar going on the Mac, but more importantly on getting it working under Windows again.
Thanks a lot.

[Hakan]

Jef & Marin..
It's unlikely something to create this scenario has happened to OCPN/radar_pi if it was working in the morning but not in the afternoon without intermediate changes to the programs.
Something may have happened on the radar scanner, the interface box or the cabling in between.

Since it responds to ping the Ethernet cabling and the interface box would be OK.
Since it takes power most of the power cabling would be OK.

If the power takes 0.25 A even when you click the "standby" button there seems to be something has broken in the radar scanner. - If it should have tried to start up the power would have changed at least for a short time.

Since the scanner first respond to the standby button by reporting "Transmit" and after 10 seconds goes back to standby I think the scanner program tries to start it up but fails and report back - standby. As of the scanner motor is broken or similar. I suppose you hear nothing from the scanner when you click standby?

There is a drive belt in the scanner than can broke but if so you would have seen either more amps or hear the motor starting.

One far fetched thought comes to my mind. This I haven't tested at all and I'm not sure of the effect. But there are red and yellow cables that needs to be connected to get the radar to start. See the picture below. You may check the connector on the interface box so it's not oxidized or similar. Also your power cable to the interface box may have this extra (red/yellow) wire. Check your connections. Also check the connection in the radar scanner. Lose it check for oxidation and replace and try again.

These are my thoughts. If nothing else you may take the scanner to a workshop if you can't check/repair the scanner motor yourself? I have a 4G myself but haven't checked. There would be coals in such a motor??


The Mac issue I don't know. There may be some models not available for the plugin. What's the Mac type so other can judge that part?