Open CPN

[single]

I'm just playing with open cpn on the desktop.I have plumbed in my old Magellan 315 and loaded visitmyharbour charts. It won't recognise the gps to start with so any ideas or other ways of trying it? Do gps dongles work?

Edit- ok its got gps on simulate now but not displaying the chart detail?

 

[LadyInBed]

What format are the charts in?
Do they need an add-in?

 

[sailorman]

I'm just playing with open cpn on the desktop.I have plumbed in my old Magellan 315 and loaded visitmyharbour charts. It won't recognise the gps to start with so any ideas or other ways of trying it? Do gps dongles work?

Edit- ok its got gps on simulate now but not displaying the chart detail?

i use a maplin gps dongle & the Bellfield ais dongle

 

[single]

I will get dongles anyway. In the mean time the desktop is all working so thought I would set it up on the laptop but its saying 'com port not found'. Am I missing some vital settings change?

 

[sailorman]

I will get dongles anyway. In the mean time the desktop is all working so thought I would set it up on the laptop but its saying 'com port not found'. Am I missing some vital settings change?

go into control panel/system/devices
look at com ports & see what port has been allocated for the dongle
go into the cpn tool box /tab gps & toggle the com port in the devices in control panel

 

[single]

go into control panel/system/devices
look at com ports & see what port has been allocated for the dongle
go into the cpn tool box /tab gps & toggle the com port in the devices in control panel

Your a star, thanks. It was comm port 21. I would never have found that, I just tried 1-5!

 

[sailorman]

Your a star, thanks. It was comm port 21. I would never have found that, I just tried 1-5!

One just cant help it
there is a very good help section for open cpn well worth a look to sort probs
http://opencpn.org/ocpn/

 

[single]

I know.I normally just don't have enough non distraction time! Next then, is the AIS dongle as simple as just plug it in and ships appear?

 

[sailorman]

I know.I normally just don't have enough non distraction time! Next then, is the AIS dongle as simple as just plug it in and ships appear?

plun n play but set up com port as b 4

 

[RobbieW]

plun n play but set up com port as b 4

You might also need to manually set the COM port speed to 38400 as thats what AIS devices generally run at

 

[oldfatgit]

Just spent a week on board with a similar set up. Firstly openCPN is the chart plotter programme for me. Simple to use, quick and effective. The Visitmyharbour charts are fine, save for 2 problems; if the memory stick is jolted and breaks connection the security software on the memory stick can object and cause the system to have problems. Second, NMEA connections from my Tacktick network via serial to USB converters and AIS from NASA Marine AIS receiver, again via serial to USB connectors can suffer the same. So when it is not too lumpy, it works fine but I will try to improve the reliability of the USB connections in order to have a system that does not stop working when you need it most.

Back to OP and the problem of the VisitMyHarbour charts not displaying. Imperative you browse to the Chartstick and double click on the file "RunMe" for the security software to unlock the charts. Then simply point OpenCPN at the charts and force a full database rebuild. After a minute or so they will appear, often helps to zoom out and in for that to be so.

As for the NEMA connections, go to connections and add a connection. Any operating COM ports will appear, for NEMA 0183 set the baud rate to 4800, hit Apply or Ok and things should start to happen. If receiving AIS then do the same but a different port and set the Baud rate to 38400 and watch as targets appear.

PM me with a phone number if you want to talk it through.

 

[single]

Thanks for all the help. All up and running and used it out at sea today, its great.I didn't play with bits on it but does it have ERBL?
As said above its just much easier to use than my last Transas Nav Pro software.