Opencpn SeaTalkng Networking

[SCarns]

Found it. Yacht Devices section with my experience is up in the manual. I'm an awful proof reader, so feel free to edit as needed.

[osprey_II]

I am interested in signalk but I don't quite know where to start or even what question to ask.

I assume you need a well data populated NMEA 2000 network with a WiFi gateway. I suppose you then one could install signalk on your computer or tablet to convert that data into signalk format. Then what? Opencpn works quite well with a serial connection and I assume over a network using TCP/UDP protocol.

A brief overview of how it works and why it would be a better way to go would certainly help. I'm just starting to read the section about it in the opencpn manual.

[verkerkbr]

Hi Osprey,

SignalK is simply a data server running in your computer system. Input can be serval sources NMEA183 and NMEA2000 and other types of data. These inputs are multiplexed an converted to the SignalK format. The output of the SignalK can directly send to the OpenCPN.

The data formats are interchangeble. Can be NMEA2K to NMEA183 or the other way. Sending NMEA183 to the NMEA2K and also from different sources.

In the SignalK software there is also Canboat, which can read th NMEA2K signals.

For the connection to NMEA2K you need an can-bus convertor. Can be an Actisense NGT-1 or the small Canable board. Both with an usb connector.

With SignalK you separated the data stream form the application software.

In SignalK there are a lot of applications, amont these is MXTommy/Kip with wich you can generate ma dasboard whith data of all your applicationsy SignalK and other application are HTML, uou can use the data with every browser, even over the internet. But mostly on a remote systeemsor a smartphone.

That is in a nutschell SignalK.

Runs on Linux systems, including the Raspberry Pi Windows is also possible.

Bram

[osprey_II]

Thanks Bram, that certainly helpful. At the moment I have a mini-win10 computer connected to NMEA2K using Actisense NGW-1. Also I am getting a Yacht Device's YDWG-02N to create a WiFi on board. But do I need that? If I'm running signalK on a server, will my mobile devices be able to connect to it on the computer?

[SCarns]

I’d suggest you don’t need the YDWG if you have other devices.

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by osprey_II

Thanks Bram, that certainly helpful. At the moment I have a mini-win10 computer connected to NMEA2K using Actisense NGW-1. Also I am getting a Yacht Device's YDWG-02N to create a WiFi on board. But do I need that? If I'm running signalK on a server, will my mobile devices be able to connect to it on the computer?

You are not running a separate server with SignalK. the server part is running in the same system. All the avaible data is input for the SignalK server and can convrted to other formats,


If you system does not have Wifi, you can simply add an wifi usb dongle.

[osprey_II]

My computer has WiFi, but can mobile devices tablets etc. connect to that computer running signalk?

[SCarns]

Originally Posted by osprey_II

My computer has WiFi, but can mobile devices tablets etc. connect to that computer running signalk?

You should be able create an adhoc WIFI network with the computer to connect devices to or get a stand-alone wifi router (recommended). Many routers are 12 volt and can be wired into your batteries instead of using the 12volt cube and an inverter (I have a Netgear LAX20 I do this with). Check the input on the router device for the power rating. If it's 12 volt, you should be good. The YDWG only serves/converts what's on the N2K network and won't act as a router for other things. However, it can connect to a router and put the N2K or converted N0183 data onto the router network for it to be accessed in SignalK, OpenCPN or other devices.

If you are just going to use N2K data in OpenCPN, you may want to keep it simple and go with a YDNU-02 or Actisense serial connection between your computer and the network. That way you are converting N2K data to NMEA0183 and going straight into OpenCPN in one step, keeping it simple. Connections for iPads, phones, etc., you'll want the dedicated WIFI router.

All that said, I have fallen in love with SignalK. I run it on a stand-alone Raspberry Pi4 and serve a whole network. It reads data from my SeatalkNG network, from my Victron battery monitor, from my Renogy solar charge controller, DSC from VHF and (hopefully) soon an engine monitor. It serves NMEA0183 to OpenCPN and sends location data to my VHF. With all the plug-ins available for it, I have access to all kinds of derived data that is calculated within the server that I've never had access to before. It even calculates tides at my location. I've added RUUVI Tags for wireless temperature sensors that track and serve temp, humid, and barometric pressure in 6 locations through out the boat without installing any cabling. From that, I can predict weather trends, etc. Very exciting stuff! I documented some of it in Openplotter forum here: https://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=3347

[rgleason]

Steve, very glad you found it. This appears to be the section you've edited.

https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...lk_nmea#yachtd

It looks good to me, but my question/request had more to do with this.

Originally Posted by SCarns
I use this: https://www.rusoku.com/products/toucan-marine. It can work with OpenCPN and the TouCAN plugin or with signalk, which is how I use it.

I thought a good description and links back to your plugin would be good.
What you have done with yachtd is excellent. I have always thought those devices were good, but right now I am more focused on Ocenav's capabilities because it does everything for me in one nice simple box.

Originally Posted by rgleason

Steve, could you provide a short description for how this translates Seatalk (for the Supplemental Hardware Manual, under Seatalk) then we will provide a link to your plugin documentation. ...So I can add that to the manual.


Thanks.

[SCarns]

Originally Posted by rgleason

It looks good to me, but my question/request had more to do with this.





I thought a good description and links back to your plugin would be good.
What you have done with yachtd is excellent. I have always thought those devices were good, but right now I am more focused on Ocenav's capabilities because it does everything for me in one nice simple box.

SteveAD turned me on to the Rosuko when I was helping him test the plugin for the Mac. I'll have to look for a TouCAN Plugin section and am happy to add it. It's not a straight-forward device. And I now use it to get NMEA2000 into SignalK as it's easier to deal with there. Even then, it's not straight-forward as it doesn't install through CanBus, but with it's own drivers directly into SK.

I'll take a look...

Steve

[rgleason]

Sorry, I had Steve's mixed up. SteveAD's Toucan is here
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...ther:twocan_pi


I guess I'd make a new paragraph towards the end. Let us know so I can copy it to the new plugins documentation format we are working on so we don't lose it.


Thanks!

[SCarns]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Sorry, I had Steve's mixed up. SteveAD's Toucan is here
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...ther:twocan_pi


I guess I'd make a new paragraph towards the end. Let us know so I can copy it to the new plugins documentation format we are working on so we don't lose it.


Thanks!

No worries. Other Steve is much more knowledgeable. I did, however, add links to the Rusoku stuff at the end of the first section. Obviously, SteveAD is the guys to ask questions about the plug-in.