"Send to GPS" and Navico Plotters

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Not all serial is 422. Plenty of equipment is 232. Easy to tell as you ca see 3 vs 4 cable. Try 232 converter see what pops on in terminal window.

Last time I had to "send to" was an oldish Raymarine C-something. But it worked as expected: set the receiving party to receive (if required) then press send to.

This send to thing is the same with e.g windows based wpt transfer. Should not give you any headaches except for making sure the signal is actually going (easy with a PC set as a receiver).

b.

Well, the Navico plotters are clearly RS422 (says so in the spec), but the issue in any case is not a serial interface issue -- those comms have been working fine and I've been getting various other data without problems.

I am interested that you were able to transfer waypoints to a Ray plotter -- what was the setting on the plotter to receive them? Did you also transfer routes?

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Thanks -- and those are all part of the RMC sentence, correct?

RMC is a position sentence.

Autopilot sentences are: APA, APB, RMB

NMEA data

N2K pgns are: 129283, 129284

https://github.com/tkurki/navgauge/w...GNs-and-Fields

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I found information on how GoFree works:

http://www.bandg.com/documents/produ...epslanguage=it

It speaks 0183 which is why OCPN understands it. But still a mystery how I get AIS over it -- those sentences are not supported (at least the version described in this document). Interestingly, MARPA sentences are supported, but not AIS, and no routes or waypoints.

[Dockhead]

M

Originally Posted by DotDun

RMC is a position sentence.

Autopilot sentences are: APA, APB, RMB

NMEA data

N2K pgns are: 129283, 129284

https://github.com/tkurki/navgauge/w...GNs-and-Fields

Right - I was confusing RMC with RMB. But active waypoint would be described primarily in RMB, not so? As nav data?

Sent from my D6633 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[witzgall]

Dockhead,

I was trying to do this a few years ago with OCPN and a NSS7 (original version) with no luck. At that time I had both a Maretron USB converter, and an EM-TRAK B100 transeiver with usb.

The EMTRAK is a great device to getting data to/from your computer, as it also has a N2K connection, and did forward those sentences to the computer via USB. However, you need to be careful plugging and unplugging the USB connector when the B100, it should only be done when both the computer and the B100 are powered down. The USB conenction is not optically-isolated, and it is possible to damage the B100 this way, which I did eventually.

Chris

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Well, the Navico plotters are clearly RS422 (says so in the spec), but the issue in any case is not a serial interface issue -- those comms have been working fine and I've been getting various other data without problems.

I am interested that you were able to transfer waypoints to a Ray plotter -- what was the setting on the plotter to receive them? Did you also transfer routes?

That was around 2008 and I was interfacing PC with MAxSea to whatever best Raymarine plotter was there at that time.

(Unlike with Garmin plotters), I had to go into Raymarine menu system and select the option that represented 'receive wpts data' and with this option active I could do the normal waypoints upload from MaxSea. Without activating the 'receive wpts' option the waypoints seemed 'sent' from the PC but they never arrived at the Raymarine. The option on Raymarine was a separate one (from plain nmea receive, as used for instrument data).

I never transmitted routes. I cannot say if that was possible or not.

b.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

M

Right - I was confusing RMC with RMB. But active waypoint would be described primarily in RMB, not so? As nav data?

Sent from my D6633 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I've seen APB but believe RMB is most widely used to drive an AP.

[barnakiel]

Looked up the manuals that function was 'receive on nmea'.

E-120 page 26.

Cheers,
b.

[HotRod]

I guess you are using a usb to serial adapter of some kind?
If you are using a standard usb to serial on your combuter, you need to use an optocoupler that is wired has wiring for 422 and a DB9 (towards your computer) that is wired as 232. Usually all USB to Serial are not capable of handling 422/485.

What we use to do in these cases are to use a NMEA 0183 optoisolated buffer form Actisence NBF-2 or the new NBF-3 witch has 232, 422 and 485 output/input. It converts. We have been using these in my line of work for many years now.

But remember that you also need to send the waypoints to the B&G plotter in 422. That requires an aditional buffer on the TX side as well as the RX side.

Better yet, get a serial controler that has configurable ports, this way you can set 232/422/485 as you wish.

You can also use NGT-1 for twoway communication. Been using that for a long time now. Remember to update the NGT-1 with latest software. This can also be used with SeaTalkNG for those who need that, just remove the NMEA 2k plug and use the wires or rewire it inside tha NGT-1. It's a versatile unit... Well worth the money.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by HotRod

I guess you are using a usb to serial adapter of some kind?
If you are using a standard usb to serial on your combuter, you need to use an optocoupler that is wired has wiring for 422 and a DB9 (towards your computer) that is wired as 232. Usually all USB to Serial are not capable of handling 422/485.

What we use to do in these cases are to use a NMEA 0183 optoisolated buffer form Actisence NBF-2 or the new NBF-3 witch has 232, 422 and 485 output/input. It converts. We have been using these in my line of work for many years now.

But remember that you also need to send the waypoints to the B&G plotter in 422. That requires an aditional buffer on the TX side as well as the RX side.

Better yet, get a serial controler that has configurable ports, this way you can set 232/422/485 as you wish.

You can also use NGT-1 for twoway communication. Been using that for a long time now. Remember to update the NGT-1 with latest software. This can also be used with SeaTalkNG for those who need that, just remove the NMEA 2k plug and use the wires or rewire it inside tha NGT-1. It's a versatile unit... Well worth the money.

I have an NGT-1!

But OpenCPN can't talk to it, not so?

I thought there were only very limited programs which speak N2K natively, and thus can communicate with the NGT-1, or has something changed?

[HotRod]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I have an NGT-1!

But OpenCPN can't talk to it, not so?

I thought there were only very limited programs which speak N2K natively, and thus can communicate with the NGT-1, or has something changed?

With NGT-1 you do not communicate directly on NMEA2K, but NGT-1 converts to and from NMEA2K<->NMEA0183.

What type of NGT-1 do you have? There are 2 or 3 versions, and there are several updates. Even if you have a newer one it probably has an old firmware.

Do you have the one for USB or ISO?

On this page you will find firmware and config tool: Actisense - Downloads - NGT-1

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by HotRod

With NGT-1 you do not communicate directly on NMEA2K, but NGT-1 converts to and from NMEA2K<->NMEA0183.

What type of NGT-1 do you have? There are 2 or 3 versions, and there are several updates. Even if you have a newer one it probably has an old firmware.

Do you have the one for USB or ISO?

On this page you will find firmware and config tool: Actisense - Downloads - NGT-1

Aren't you thinking of the NGW? I have the NGT-USB, which does not (in any way which I have been able to discover) make any conversion to 0183. The NGW does that, however.

[bcn]

The NGW will translate back and forth between 0183 and 2K.
On the download page the supported sentences are listed.
Actisense - NGW-1: Downloads - NGW-1
There is a plain version and an AIS version of the firmware. Due to bandwidth restriction Actisense limits the data stream.

The NGT is a gateway for N2K and requires some program on the PC side which connects to it. OCPN does not do this natively.
CANboat with it's add-on 0183 converter is a way to use the NGT - but nothing for an average user under Windows.

The NGW will push APB, HDG, HDM, HDT RMB, RMC and XTE (and many others) onto the N2K network.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by bcn

The NGW will translate back and forth between 0183 and 2K.
On the download page the supported sentences are listed.
Actisense - NGW-1: Downloads - NGW-1
There is a plain version and an AIS version of the firmware. Due to bandwidth restriction Actisense limits the data stream.

The NGT is a gateway for N2K and requires some program on the PC side which connects to it. OCPN does not do this natively.
CANboat with it's add-on 0183 converter is a way to use the NGT - but nothing for an average user under Windows.

The NGW will push APB, HDG, HDM, HDT RMB, RMC and XTE (and many others) onto the N2K network.

That's what I thought.

CANBoat looks like a fabulous solution!!! I was looking for something just like this! I wonder if anyone here has used it?

[bcn]

Yes, i have it compiled (Cygwin) and installed in context with the SignalK project.
And from the SignalK side we will have a chance to get N2K into OCPN.
Plus other stuff.
But here the same. Nothing yet to use "out-of-the-box" under Windows.

What you might do is using the NGW to resolve your actual requirements.
Keep the NGT and have fun when the SignalK path gets flattened.

Hubert

[richardssimons]

Hi I am trying to do this too.

I can transfer routes from open cpn to my garmin plotter via the serial port of my computer, will this work for B&G? I wonder

Thanks