Yakker into OpenPlotter?

[dgadee]

I have used the Yakker nmea to WiFi bridge for a couple of years to get AIS from the VHF. I now have OpenPlotter, OpenCPN and Pypilot integrated and working well. But I can't see how to get AIS into OpenCPN. There is talk of SDR radio in the manual but I already have the nmea sentences being sent out so hardly need to gather them from the airwaves.

Is it possible to integrate over WiFi (so tablets can access this, too) or do I have to use serial to USB?

I can't really work out whether Signal knis involved or not.

 

[Refueler]

Just thinking out loud ..... NMEA is limited to one talker + one listener usually .... so if already in use passing data - it cannot pass another data set ....
I have a NMEA to WiFi plexor and I use the WiFi to feed GPS and AIS to OpenCPN or whatever PC Plotter program I wish to use .. I have a number of Commercial setups as well. But regardless - the WiFi does the job .....

Have you gone into OpenCPN setup to add the WiFi to the communications ?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Just thinking out loud ..... NMEA is limited to one talker + one listener usually .... so if already in use passing data - it cannot pass another data set ....

What do you mean by that, Nigel? NMEA 0183 has never been 1 to 1, it has always been 1 talker to n listeners where n is up to 4 for wired connections. However, passing data over the air is not NMEA 0183 as the standard mentions nothing about that medium of transmission. Instead it's using NMEA 0183 format messages over a non-standard communications link. If by 'data set' you mean message types then a single NMEA 0183 link can pass multiple message types as long as they originate from the same talker. That is in the standard. Or did you mean, correctly, that multiple talkers cannot be on the same connection?

Have you gone into OpenCPN setup to add the WiFi to the communications?

That's what I'd try too.

 

[dgadee]

The problem is that I don't know where the wifi signal is picked up. OpenCPN, Signal K or OpenPlotter?

OpenCPN is set up to get signals from signal k at present.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

OpenCPN is set up to get signals from signal k at present.

OpenCPN can have multiple connections going at the same time, although I haven't tried Signal K and WiFi concurrently. You could try it and see. In the connections dialog you can show a messages window and see if anything is arriving. AIS messages have VDM in the header, but you'll only get them if there are transmitters in range.

 

[dgadee]

The OpenPlotter docs say (if I understand them) that best to run things via Signal K. Just found this Signal K and OpenCPN and Digital Yacht Products - Digital Yacht Blog from Digital Yacht which looks interesting. Perhaps I have to give Signal K the IP address of the Yakker - that would make sense.

Yes, plenty of AIS targets about - showing up on the VHF and being sent out by Yakker.

 

[Refueler]

What do you mean by that, Nigel? NMEA 0183 has never been 1 to 1, it has always been 1 talker to n listeners where n is up to 4 for wired connections. However, passing data over the air is not NMEA 0183 as the standard mentions nothing about that medium of transmission. Instead it's using NMEA 0183 format messages over a non-standard communications link. If by 'data set' you mean message types then a single NMEA 0183 link can pass multiple message types as long as they originate from the same talker. That is in the standard. Or did you mean, correctly, that multiple talkers cannot be on the same connection?



That's what I'd try too.

It was typed quickly and you have already answered your own question ..... yes I meant that multiple talkers cannot on same connection.

Second - where did I say NMEA over the air ??

My NMEA2WiFi accepts multiple NMEA in ... passes all out as single data set NMEA / WiFi / USB as required. Basically means my AIS and GPS data via the Plexor can be fed to PC ... other unity as needed.

I'm surprised that OP is not having AIS via WiFi as OpenCPN is actually one of the best for that comms connection.

 

[Refueler]

The problem is that I don't know where the wifi signal is picked up. OpenCPN, Signal K or OpenPlotter?

OpenCPN is set up to get signals from signal k at present.

OK ... I would look carefully at your 'yakker' and what you can output ... TCP / UDP or whatever to have the WiFi accepted. I would assume that your addressing may be in error ?? Just guessing now TBH.

Must admit I am confused why you have OpenCPN and OpenPlotter ???

 

[dgadee]

OpenPlotter is eqivalent of a boat O/S. It integrates charting, internal message passing and autopiloting. Very clever. But documentation is not so easy to follow.

 

[Pye_End]

It is a while since I did this, and remember it being a bit harder than expected. I think that you need to set up Openplotter with all the wifi details, and then go to the communications in OpenCPN and set up either the TCP or UDP settings to the same ones in the Yakker (think one worked better than the other for some reason). Mind you, I also have memory of setting up the communications in OpenCPN to look at data from the Pi. I think you can set up multiple sources, so if you put them all in then one should work!

When testing, leave it running for a bit longer than expected - more than once I have given up on settings only to find some time later that it was still 'thinking about it'.

I'll fire up my old Pi when I get a chance and try and check!

 

[dgadee]

I have emailed Yakker!

 

[Refueler]

Pye End is correct - OpenCPN allows many comms to be entered into the setup ...

I played with various .. enabling / disabling ... till I got the results.

 

[dgadee]

Pye End is correct - OpenCPN allows many comms to be entered into the setup ...

I played with various .. enabling / disabling ... till I got the results.

And what were your results?

 

[Refueler]

And what were your results?

My results would not be relevant for many others as we all have different setups. My point was that I played with settings until something worked ...
My intention was to make sure I had all connection possibilities available whether I was feeding my Tablet AIS or OpenCPN GPS + AIS ... my Smartphone AIS etc.

Usually I connect the OpenCPN via USB from my plexor .... but I can disconnect and have all data via WiFi to OpenCPN. Why USB ?? The plexor I have is limited to 4 WiFi connects .... so I prefer to leave as many free for guests ...

Just had a look at Yakker ....

Yakker

If this is same unit as OP - then it says TCP or UDP protocol ..... I do not see SignalK mentioned at all ......

The 'Yakker' 2 Port NMEA to WiFi Bridge allows you to connect 2 seperate NMEA devices and transmit your NMEA data to all of your WiFi devices. The Yakker creates it's own WiFi hot spot for your devices to connect to, or the Yakker can connect to your onboard router, enabling your devices to receive the data that way. The Yakker supports both UDP and TCP protocols.​

OK - Interested to hear from OP - what VHF he has that is also AIS .... there was another thread where guy was wanting such a unit ..

 

[dgadee]

Sorry, was just joking a bit there. I have tried all sorts of settings for the past two days and my head is now turned by this. Hopefully Yakker will return with the solution.

I have two setups now. The original was a Standard Horizon GX2000 (no gps) which outputs AIS info at 38400 baud via two wires to the Yakker. The Yakker is set up UDP to broadcast and it can be received by an android tablet with Marine Navigator and the VMH charts.

The new and parallel setup is as I said above. Raspberry Pi and laptop screen with PyPilot [driver and] linear actuator on helm (PCNautic) and OpenCPN with O-Charts for UK. Here is a pic:



It is the cheapo's approach to yacht navigation. Everything works on the new system and the Raspberry Pi is connected to the Yakker wifi but no AIS targets on the screen or when I look at NMEA messages.

Edit: a reason for OpenPlotter is that it integrates PyPilot. Also, when I was playing around with OpenCPN, too, I couldn't find the O-charts plug-in. It turned out that most sources had old versions of OpenCPN and the best place to get up to date versions is via OpenPlotter. I looked at OpenPlotter a year or so ago and thought it was too complicated (for the other boat which just has Raspberry Pi and O-charts with feed from SH GX2500) so didn't use it. But I think it will be very useful when I begin to understand it and the documentation improves a bit.

Another edit: white box has screen driver and RPi (with 5v dc converter) and the box above the handset is the driver for PyPilot. The black box in the corner has the Yakker in it.

 

[Pye_End]

I am a bit confused. If they are not listed in the NMEA list then OpenCPN will not be able to process them. Are you saying that you are getting the targets come up on Marine Navigator, but not OpenCPN? Are you getting other NMEA information into OpenCPN but not AIS? How are you getting GPS data round the system? Are you trying to get data from 2 different sources or does the VHF pump out the data it receives, and add AIS to it?

 

[dgadee]

Marine Navigator running on the android tablet picks up the wifi output from the Yakker/VHF which is in the form of AIS information sentences in nmea. It displays it.

Raspberry Pi, as does the android tablet, sees the Yakker wifi but I can't get further than that.

The VHF sends AIS data to the Yakker which makes it available 1 to n (as Angus pointed out).

 

[Pye_End]

What about GPS data - where is the pi getting that from?

 

[dgadee]

USB puck. Other stuff comes from the PyPilot IMU attached to the Pi. Eg compass and heel.

 

[Pye_End]

If you are getting NMEA data into your Pi from 2 different sources then I think you need to pull them together : NMEA Tools [OpenCPN Manuals]