Tactics Plugin

[AedanC]

Ron,

I’m 99% sure it captures everything it receives, invalid checksums, junk and all. Perhaps we need a junk generator to test this :-)

Aedan

[RonSouthworth]

Originally Posted by AedanC

Ron,

I’m 99% sure it captures everything it receives, invalid checksums, junk and all. Perhaps we need a junk generator to test this :-)

Aedan

Maybe,

Don’t have access to a Smartbits any more , well not officially.

[rgleason]

VDR record does record everything seen, invalid checksums, invalid sentences, everything,

Also the Opencpn Nmea Debug window is useful, coloring the messages.

• Message accepted
• Input message filtered, output message filtered and dropped.
• Input message filtered and dropped
• Output Message
• Info message or message with errors.

From the Nmea Debug Window the message can be copied and pasted. (TDan improvement) It is also very handy.

[rbhun]

Hi all

I have been playing around with Tactics, the only reason I started using OpenCPN. I am looking for a way to get performance data to my crew. I currently use iRegatta, but the use of iPhones and iPods on board is complicated.

I can feed data over WiFi from my ray marine instruments to opencpn on my laptop. Is there a way that the laptop can send out custom nmea0183 sentences I can display, for example, on a nasa repeater on the mast?

[Canne]

Originally Posted by rbhun

Is there a way that the laptop can send out custom nmea0183 sentences I can display, for example, on a nasa repeater on the mast?

Hi rbhun,

Sure! Tactics, for example, generates NKE regatta-processor style of sentences $PNKEP mentioned by Ron above (see Thomas' doc, section 3.7) and OpenCPN puts them back on the channel it receives the NMEA sentences from. You can also send them to a specific channel. All this is explained in a very clear manner in the user guide. Observing the NMEA debugger as explained by Rick above shows where each sentence is going. You can do your own routing with OpenCPN, no problem!

How I use it? I have a NKE display unit on the mast but no regatta processor but, thanks to Tom I have one, in fact: The NMEA sentences are sent back over USB or WiFi to my Miniplex multiplexer. One of its outputs is reserved for the NKE display. The display needs to be trained to new NMEA sentences but after some time it can recognize all Tactics generated ones. I can put the Optimal VMG angle and performance, for example on the big display, very visible and big numbers to the helmsman. My regatta processor is OpenCPN and Tactics on the chart table!

You have other tools, like NMEA converter which allows you to freely compose a custom sentence for your mast instrument, even from multiple sentences if that is what you are looking for.

Best regards,

Petri

[rbhun]

Thank you @Canne!

I looked around and there arent much cheap nke displays available. There is one on ebay for 750$ plus shipping to europe, but its missing the connector box and remote. I might want to start smaller.

I have looked at NMEAtranslator but its windows only, I only have a mac here. But if I get what you are saying, I can:

-start opencpn (on a windows machine), with polars loaded and tactics, with a wifi connection to my vyacht ST-NMEA converter
-have tactics output $PNKEP,01 (target polar speed)
-catch $PNKEP with nmeatranslator, and translate it to $VHW as in speed thru water
-filter this VHW and output it to a usb-nmea adapter going to the mast with, for example, a cheap nasa clipper speed display attached.

things I'm not sure of:
-can nmeatranslator receive the 'internal' feed from opencpn itself, or it will be present on the wifi nmea network anyway and needs to be read back from there?
-can nmeatranslator receiver the nonstandard &PKNEP
(I guess I can borrow a pc and find this two out easily)
-can I direct the output of nmeatranslator only to the dedicated usb out? I suppose I can filter the sentence from the network output, so it doesnt confuse the other devices on it, and whitelist it only on the usb network. But would OpenCPN not get confused by this internal data?

thank you
Balazs

[Canne]

Hi Balazs,

This is an example output from Tactics in various output channels that I've got, with the NMEA debug window, mentioned above by Rick:

<BLUE>--> 00:45:59 (Serial:COM4) $PNKEP,01,4.74,N,8.78,K*68
<RED>--> 00:45:59 (TCP:10.0.0.1:10110) $PNKEP,01,4.74,N,8.78,K*68
<GREEN>00:45:59 (Virtual:) $PNKEP,02,141.0*68<0x0D><0x0A>
<BLUE>--> 00:45:59 (Serial:COM4) $PNKEP,02,141.0*68
<RED>--> 00:45:59 (TCP:10.0.0.1:10110) $PNKEP,02,141.0*68
<GREEN>00:45:59 (Virtual:) $PNKEP,03,160.0,0.0,104.8*67<0x0D><0x0A>
<BLUE>--> 00:45:59 (Serial:COM4) $PNKEP,03,160.0,0.0,104.8*67
<RED>--> 00:45:59 (TCP:10.0.0.1:10110) $PNKEP,03,160.0,0.0,104.8*67

So, it goes out in all pipes from which I receive the data (COM4 is USB + I have WiFi, both from MiniPlex). In MiniPlex I have a filter to direct these to a specific output port -> towards the NKE display.

Those sentences I capture with NMEA Converter, and using is excellent live display, I do my cherry picking to select the data for my own, composed sentence which I want to transfer I don't know where and why... But, of course, I need to tell OpenCPN that this MYPNKEP (sorry for typo, it is a bit too long) in which port I want to put it out.

Nothing is impossible with OpenCPN and its genial plugins, you just need to open the lid and connect the wires !

[rbhun]

Thank you very much! I almost get it..

Originally Posted by Canne

... But, of course, I need to tell OpenCPN that this MYPKNEP in which port I want to put it out.

So how do you do THAT? I can see you constructing the message (excellent!) but then it goes out on all ports, and you have to filter it...?

[Canne]

Sorry, no possibility to take screenshots but that's a basic OpenCPN Connections-settings feature: when you create a port you can define its direction and define also filters for sentences. Actually, if you read Thomas' document I referred above, there is a use case with a screenshot. When it arrives to your multiplexer, you may have to route it again to reach you display unit, but that's another story.
Cheers,
Petri

[FrouFrou]

Investigating the boat PC I found out that I installed Tactics v1.0009 instead of v1.0008 which does not run.

I can reproduce the problem at home so v1.0009 only give SB Leeway with radio button 'use heel sensor'

Joost

[rgleason]

FrouFrou

Maybe Ron and Canne know more about what you are doing, but what OS? When you say "Tactics v1.0009 does not run", what do you mean?

I can reproduce the problem at home so v1.0009 only give SB Leeway with radio button 'use heel sensor'

This statement indicates that it was running, IMHO Can you give a more complete description of the problem please, assuming that your readers are starting from the beginning? Perhaps a screenshot?

[FrouFrou]

OS is win 10

because Tactics v1.0008 did not work I installed v1.0009

v1.0009 only gives Leeway to starboard with radio button 'use heel angel sensor' on even if it should be port, if you choose 'fixed heelangel' the Leeway changes to the other side as it should.

Joost

[rgleason]

Okay is v1.0008 release this version or tom-r's?
https://github.com/rgleason/tactics_pi/releases
I believe this version is for ov42-ov48 and is incompatible with ov50.

and where is Tactics v1.0009 release download? one of Canne's repositories?

Have you tried this one which is in a different branch and intended for ov50?
https://github.com/rgleason/tactics_pi/commits/ov50
Incidentally, you should rename these files appropriately adding -ov42 or ov50 as I have not modified the cmake code to do that automatically yet.

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/rgle...1919/artifacts

or is it this one, after adding Canne's improvements?
https://github.com/rgleason/tactics_...f-improvements

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/rgle...4610/artifacts

Sometimes I have trouble keeping track of plugins, but right now, for some unknown reason (perhaps my ISP), I have no access to the opencpn.org website or the wiki or download page which really does hamper me, so I cannot check that at all right now. It is possible that we have the wrong version attached to ov50 download there.

So please be very specific about your statements, "does not work" does not work for me.
Where exactly are you getting these versions please?

Thanks.


PS: This is helpful

v1.0009 only gives Leeway to starboard with radio button 'use heel angel sensor' on even if it should be port, if you choose 'fixed heelangel' the Leeway changes to the other side as it should. Joost

Exactly where did you download it from?

[FrouFrou]

I think you posted it a while ago

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/rgle...4610/artifacts

Joost

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by FrouFrou

I think you posted it a while ago

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/rgle...4610/artifacts

Joost

Okay, that is helpful. This is a beta test ov50 version. See the Console Tab which is downloading wxWidgets 3.1.4 and building for ov50. You should rename that file, adding "-ov50" please.

Start-FileDownload http://opencpn.navnux.org/build_deps....7zDownloading wxWidgets-3.1.2.7z (10,164,145 bytes)...100%
7z x wxWidgets-3.1.2.7z -o%WXWIN% > null
cd c:\project\tactics_pi

So this appears to be a bug in this version. Canne will advise where he would like this posted as a github issue. it could be his dashboard-tactics repository or his tactics repository.
https://github.com/canne or perhaps he will just add it himself...

BTW Canne, I have joined testquality and have read the demo and instructions. How do I see your testing now? I think you and Ron are trying to drive our adhoc testing standards up considerably. I hope I am able to learn these new techniques.