Radar plugin v5.0.0 released

[bcn]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

My scanner cable setup alternatives as I see it are:

* The scanner ethernet goes directly to the PC
* The scanner goes to RI10, which goes to the PC
* The scanner goes to RI10, then to the router, then to the PC
* the scanner goes to the router, then to the PC

Whatever fits you best. All alternatives do work.


Started at home with the radar directly hooked to the PC.
At install first to a Simrad plotter for testing, then next to the RI10 and the plotter hooked to that one.
The final install is Radar --> Router --> PC and RI10 in parallel --> Simrad

Well, there is even a second router in front of the RI10 which feeds the fixed built-in NUC that works as stationary OCPN system.
The Simrad plotter and the two OCPN installs work perfectly in parallel.

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

Dear Hakan; many thanks for your software development and very informative posts throughout this forum and on OpenCPN. Thanks to you, I hopefully soon will have set up what I believe will be a nice system at quite an affordable price. I purchased a used B&G 4G radar, came with the RI10 interface, scanner cable & network cable as well.

Now for my questions; would be great if you could be so kind as to answer them:

Info: I have a modem/router on the boat as well; and a Sitex heading sensor on the autopilot system from which I believe I can source the heading data for overlay/MARPA. Running it all on a Win10 Pro. Also running Navionics on a separate monitor on the same PC.

My scanner cable setup alternatives as I see it are:

* The scanner ethernet goes directly to the PC
* The scanner goes to RI10, which goes to the PC
* The scanner goes to RI10, then to the router, then to the PC
* the scanner goes to the router, then to the PC

And the alternatives for the heading data are:

* The heading data is routed via USB to the PC
* The heading data is routed via ethernet to RI10
* The heading data goes to the router, then to the PC

Now, given that I:

* would like to see map overlay and MARPA on OpenCPN
* & that I would like to be able to send routing data to the autopilot
* & that I would like both OpenCPN and Navionics to receive Heading Data

Which scanner cable connection and heading data setup alternatives do you believe will work best for me?

Again, thanks a lot for everything.

You've a lot alternatives. That's very good and it would be possible to find a good solution. Try to make it simple and as less connection points as possible. I hope I'm not confusing more than explain? The AP connection is unclear and will probably give most headache. More info is needed.
Håkan

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by bcn

Whatever fits you best. All alternatives do work.


Started at home with the radar directly hooked to the PC.
At install first to a Simrad plotter for testing, then next to the RI10 and the plotter hooked to that one.
The final install is Radar --> Router --> PC and RI10 in parallel --> Simrad

Well, there is even a second router in front of the RI10 which feeds the fixed built-in NUC that works as stationary OCPN system.
The Simrad plotter and the two OCPN installs work perfectly in parallel.

But I don't have a Simrad plotter for initial testing, I only have a military grade tablet PC and a second monitor.

Then the question I guess becomes becomes; which setup do you feel is the best (in terms of security/performance)

[bcn]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

But I don't have a Simrad plotter for initial testing, I only have a military grade tablet PC and a second monitor.

Then the question I guess becomes becomes; which setup do you feel is the best (in terms of security/performance)

I started with just the PC directly connected. There is a photo in this thread.
The Simrad is mainly used for the sounder which runs from it.


There are no performance bottlenecks while not using WiFi connections.
And don't stream HD videos over the same network perhaps...


Hubert

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by Hakan

You've a lot alternatives. That's very good and it would be possible to find a good solution. Try to make it simple and as less connection points as possible. I hope I'm not confusing more than explain? The AP connection is unclear and will probably give most headache. More info is needed.
Håkan

Dear Håkan, again thanks a lot. Let me start by answering your questions first:

* I'm not going to use wifi for scanner data transfer, will do that via Ethernet.
* Yes, I would definitely like to get heading data to the scanner.
* Sitex protocol is NMEA0183 . I do know the pin breakout for the Sitex plug, the mystery for me is how I punch that onto an RJ45 for router connection.

Now the questions are:

* Do I gather correctly in saying that I have to use RI10 for chart overlay/Marpa on OpenCPN?
* Do I gather correctly in saying that if I can get the Sitex heading data to the router, all apps can live merrily together everafter?
* and does that mean I'll have to use both RI10 and the router?
* Would you happen to know/or have any tips for how I can get the RS232 output of Sitex (which I had converted to USB) to punch on the RJ45?

Again, thank you.

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

Dear Håkan, again thanks a lot. Let me start by answering your questions first:

* I'm not going to use wifi for scanner data transfer, will do that via Ethernet.
* Yes, I would definitely like to get heading data to the scanner.
* Sitex protocol is NMEA0183 . I do know the pin breakout for the Sitex plug, the mystery for me is how I punch that onto an RJ45 for router connection.

Now the questions are:

* Do I gather correctly in saying that I have to use RI10 for chart overlay/Marpa on OpenCPN?

* Do I gather correctly in saying that if I can get the Sitex heading data to the router, all apps can live merrily together everafter?

* and does that mean I'll have to use both RI10 and the router?

* Would you happen to know/or have any tips for how I can get the RS232 output of Sitex (which I had converted to USB) to punch on the RJ45?

Again, thank you.

Come back if I'm unclear
Håkan

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Come back if I'm unclear
Håkan

Again, many thanks. Your answer is very clear but leads to some other questions for the less tech savvy like me

* "You can wire direct to the PC via a RJ45. See the radar manual for pin outs. (The US-type connection)" - well the scanner data cable is already RJ45, bought the radar from the US, can't I just plug that to the PC? Do I need to re-wire it?

* On OpenCPN, any chance of "exporting" the heading data (obtained from the Sitex) to the Navionics chartplotter on the same PC, now that only one of them can use it originally? (If at all only one can use it, of course I would prefer the OpenCPN, but would be great if I could sync both).

Thank you!

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

Again, many thanks. Your answer is very clear but leads to some other questions for the less tech savvy like me

* "You can wire direct to the PC via a RJ45. See the radar manual for pin outs. (The US-type connection)" - well the scanner data cable is already RJ45, bought the radar from the US, can't I just plug that to the PC? Do I need to re-wire it?

* On OpenCPN, any chance of "exporting" the heading data (obtained from the Sitex) to the Navionics chartplotter on the same PC, now that only one of them can use it originally? (If at all only one can use it, of course I would prefer the OpenCPN, but would be great if I could sync both).

Thank you!

Håkan

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Håkan

Truly appreciated Hakan, thank you for everything.

[merrimac]

Note that the SI-10 has an additional function: it improves the radiation characteristics of the radar, causing the cable to interfere less with radio transmissions etc. It also functions as an extra protection for your computer in case you have a nearby lightning strike (I guess in a direct strike the isolation transformers won't help much.)


I would go radar -> SI-10 -> PC or radar -> SI-10 -> switch -> PC
where the latter is needed if you want to put more ethernet devices on your boat network that you want to talk to the PC. For instance, if you put a WiFi or 3G/4G/5G access point in so that the PC can access the internet now and then to retrieve new maps and OpenCPN updates.


Nav data over NMEA0183 goes straight into the PC via a USB converter (or may be it has a real RS-232 port?)


This will still provide radar overlay as long as you have heading input (compass) and location (GNSS = GPS and/or newer constellations).

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by merrimac

I would go radar -> SI-10 -> PC or radar -> SI-10 -> switch -> PC
where the latter is needed if you want to put more ethernet devices on your boat network that you want to talk to the PC. For instance, if you put a WiFi or 3G/4G/5G access point in so that the PC can access the internet now and then to retrieve new maps and OpenCPN updates.


Nav data over NMEA0183 goes straight into the PC via a USB converter (or may be it has a real RS-232 port?)


This will still provide radar overlay as long as you have heading input (compass) and location (GNSS = GPS and/or newer constellations).

Thank you @Merrimac, would definitely would like to use RI 10 if I can, but the problem is that @Hakan states that I cannot do chart overlay/MARPA on OpenCPN if I use the RI-10; as I would then not be able to get the NMEA0183 sentences from my Sitex heading unit (linked to the PC) to the 4G Radar scanner if I do that - am I missing something here, is there a way to do this?

Btw, my router is actually a dual 4G card Modem/router combo which also has wireless.

Thanks to everybody, big installation day is tomorrow, hopefully

[Hakan]

re: "Hakan states that I cannot do chart overlay/MARPA on OpenCPN if I use the RI-10"

No, in that case a bad description form me.
The chart overlay is not at all connected to the use of RI10. To go direct to the PC or via RI10 is just two ways of a network connection of the scanner. Merrimac's discussion about lightning could be relevant though. But since you already have the RJ45 connection on your scanner cable you may want to start with that to the PC for simple initial tests. Next step may be to consider a safer connection.
Håkan

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by Hakan

re: "Hakan states that I cannot do chart overlay/MARPA on OpenCPN if I use the RI-10"

No, in that case a bad description form me.
The chart overlay is not at all connected to the use of RI10. To go direct to the PC or via RI10 is just two ways of a network connection of the scanner. Merrimac's discussion about lightning could be relevant though. But since you already have the RJ45 connection on your scanner cable you may want to start with that to the PC for simple initial tests. Next step may be to consider a safer connection.
Håkan

Interference isolation & lightning protection both sound very enticing; so onto the next steps in the puzzle for me:

1. If I go scanner to RI10 to router to PC; and connect the Sitex heading data directly to the PC via an RS232 to USB converter; will the scanner & OpenCPN obtain the chart overlay/MARPA function?

2. If not; will going directly from the RI10 to the PC, eliminating the router intermediary, serve that purpose?

3. If both solutions happen to be unfeasible, will connecting the NMEA0183 heading feed to the RI10 work? (Mountain to climb, no idea how to do that given what Hakan said ie NMEA0183 not being an IP protocol)

4. All of you mention a "switch"; I presume the router can act as one; or am I mistaken?

Thanks a lot to everybody.

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by Odysseus7

Interference isolation & lightning protection both sound very enticing; so onto the next steps in the puzzle for me:

1. If I go scanner to RI10 to router to PC; and connect the Sitex heading data directly to the PC via an RS232 to USB converter; will the scanner & OpenCPN obtain the chart overlay/MARPA function?

2. If not; will going directly from the RI10 to the PC, eliminating the router intermediary, serve that purpose?

3. If both solutions happen to be unfeasible, will connecting the NMEA0183 heading feed to the RI10 work? (Mountain to climb, no idea how to do that given what Hakan said ie NMEA0183 not being an IP protocol)

4. All of you mention a "switch"; I presume the router can act as one; or am I mistaken?

Thanks a lot to everybody.

Good luck
Håkan

[Odysseus7]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Good luck
Håkan

Thanks a lot to everybody; all of this is great information.

Now it's execution time; probably installing the goods tomorrow, I hope I won't need to ask further questions after initialization; I know there's a vast amount of info on the OpenCPN wiki & Radar Pi manual; most of which I have already read.

All the best.