GPS dongle on OpenCPN 3.0

Allan

Allan

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I'm having trouble connecting my new Bluenext GPS dongle to OpenCPN 3.0 does anyone know how to do it? I'm sure I am missing something simple.
Allan
 
if you type "device manager" in the start menu, the device manager should appear, click on that the there should be a "ports" entry. In there you should be able to see which port the dongle is in. Then put the same port number into the "nmea data source" box in the gps tab of the toolbox.

Hope that works.
 
Conachair said:
if you type "device manager" in the start menu, the device manager should appear, click on that the there should be a "ports" entry. In there you should be able to see which port the dongle is in. Then put the same port number into the "nmea data source" box in the gps tab of the toolbox.

Hope that works.
Click to expand...

This works if the OP is using Windows. Linux is different, and OpenCPN works on Linux.
 
As an aside - I found the Bluenext GPS really difficult to get working on Imray Digital Charts - the configuration process is ridiculous. then it would hold its signal and eventually would connect at all. I borrowed a friends Globalsat USB GPS, downloaded the drivers, plugged it in - hey presto. No conguring or fannying about. Bluenext in bin, Globalsat bought.

Hope you have more luck than me.
 
Conachair said:
if you type "device manager" in the start menu, the device manager should appear, click on that the there should be a "ports" entry. In there you should be able to see which port the dongle is in. Then put the same port number into the "nmea data source" box in the gps tab of the toolbox.

Hope that works.
Click to expand...

...make sure you set the right baud rate as well...

...if your a Windows user (as Antarctic Pilot says, you may not be :D) I also swear by XPORT for managing the com port/GPS combination...
 
Fantasie 19 said:
...make sure you set the right baud rate as well...

...if your a Windows user (as Antarctic Pilot says, you may not be :D) I also swear by XPORT for managing the com port/GPS combination...
Click to expand...

Baud rate, 4800 isn´t it? I´m on linux so can´t check.

Used http://gpsgate.com/products/gpsgate_client on windows, works well, though with the google earth plugin not so important to split the data into different ports anymore. Seem to remember that it helped find the gps after hibernation somehow as well, important onboard. Though that was maxsea, opencpn might be better behaved.

Would anyone with linux installed ask such a question? ;)
 
Many thanks to all of you. It is Windows 7 and 9600 baud rate.
It was simple.
I turned the laptop on with the dongle plugged in.
It installed it on COM35.
I put COM35 as the GPS source.
OpenCPN now says I am sat in the conservatory in North Devon!
Now, hangover cure anyone?
Allan
 
Allan said:
Many thanks to all of you. It is Windows 7 and 9600 baud rate.
It was simple.
I turned the laptop on with the dongle plugged in.
It installed it on COM35.
I put COM35 as the GPS source.
OpenCPN now says I am sat in the conservatory in North Devon!
Now, hangover cure anyone?
Allan
Click to expand...

Brilliant... just remember to check it's the same COM port next time you plug it in/power up the PC... Windows has a habit of changing the port number... :rolleyes:

When I first started using OpenCPN it used to timeout for some reason after 15-30 minutes... I'd installed XPORT to manage the fact that the com port number kept changing (it allows you to define a fixed "virtual" com port to give to OpenCPN), but XPORT also fixed that timeout problem....

I'm using the newly released version of OpenCPN now, so it may not be an issue any more (this was on 2.5.x)
 
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