LaptopNav. Anybody fool with this yet?
- Thread starter Chris Patterson
- Start date
http://www.usglobalsat.com/p-62-bu-353-w.aspx#images/product/large/62.jpg One more time since I don't want to give away the candy store. This is the unit I'm using. Works well for a nice inexpensive setup. Currently on Amazon for 32.00 roughly.
I have played around with SeaClear but opted afterwards to go with Polar Navy on my Macs. It is a simple yet effective navigation app worth checking out. Its a paid app, but not prohibitively expensive $50 bucks.
No personal interest in company, just like it and my Mac.
Oh, and I can use it with the same GlobalSat USB hockey puck that 25YearsLater uses.
I just wish I could make ANY one of them work. Here's the problem; I am stupid. Have we just met? It's a bloody damn miracle I can even turn this thing on. I sat down yesterday and tried to mess with Opencpn, and got so frustrated the wife even said, "Go to the s.o.b.'s in Wrightsville Beach, (that's west marine), and buy a new plotter".
(She, like myself rarely say their name out loud).
This thing about creating chart directories, STILL don't remember what 'RNC's' are, and have 50 pdf charts on here now. No go. I could probably find a gps rolling around in the liquor locker, but that blow-up doll from last months big throw-down might be in there, and I haven't looked yet.
Even the damn tutorial is shown in Linux. Linux isn't even CLOSE to what I'm running, and got so mad I started to just go with Black Dog Linux just to see if it worked. The little geeky looking dude at Best Buy already told me I had the finest computer money can buy, it should all work. I have not killed an unarmed man in this country yet.
I was just wondering if I could make THIS thing work. The answer to all of wife's problems are, "I'll write a check". I am deadly serious. She has said it enough, and I have seen it enough to realize that she may be on to something. I wanted my Wifi to work better, and I did know that the Ubiquiti bullet existed. The thing is, you could give me a wheelbarrow load of them, and everything IN Radio Shack and a month later might make something happen. Or I can send Bob a couple hundred bucks down at Islandtime PC, and it all comes inna box with directions. Was online inna hour, and 50 minutes was cabling.
I'm actually very glad to see this thread take off at all. I didn't know if it would even be relevant to anybody, or if I haven't p.o.'d everybody yet. By all means keep throwing the thoughts out there about Polar Navy, Opencpn, Seaclear, or any other programs out there. SURELY sooner or later I've gotta learn something, even by osmosis..
(She, like myself rarely say their name out loud).
This thing about creating chart directories, STILL don't remember what 'RNC's' are, and have 50 pdf charts on here now. No go. I could probably find a gps rolling around in the liquor locker, but that blow-up doll from last months big throw-down might be in there, and I haven't looked yet.
Even the damn tutorial is shown in Linux. Linux isn't even CLOSE to what I'm running, and got so mad I started to just go with Black Dog Linux just to see if it worked. The little geeky looking dude at Best Buy already told me I had the finest computer money can buy, it should all work. I have not killed an unarmed man in this country yet.
I was just wondering if I could make THIS thing work. The answer to all of wife's problems are, "I'll write a check". I am deadly serious. She has said it enough, and I have seen it enough to realize that she may be on to something. I wanted my Wifi to work better, and I did know that the Ubiquiti bullet existed. The thing is, you could give me a wheelbarrow load of them, and everything IN Radio Shack and a month later might make something happen. Or I can send Bob a couple hundred bucks down at Islandtime PC, and it all comes inna box with directions. Was online inna hour, and 50 minutes was cabling.
I'm actually very glad to see this thread take off at all. I didn't know if it would even be relevant to anybody, or if I haven't p.o.'d everybody yet. By all means keep throwing the thoughts out there about Polar Navy, Opencpn, Seaclear, or any other programs out there. SURELY sooner or later I've gotta learn something, even by osmosis..
Raymarine C-80
I love my C-80 at the helm when out in the harbor here in Fl. skinny water
and all my instruments hooked to it like radar & autopilot,it uses a Navionics chip
and I also have the Navionics on my PC and Iphone.
I have had this system since new in 2007 and it has kept me out of trouble up in NY & now in Fl.
I also used the routing on the PC and download to the C-80 with navionics routing.for my trip from NY to west coast of florida,with so much info letting me know time to destination and mileage and so much more.
The E series chartplotter have even more info but will keep what I have and can find them on E-bay.
Nick
I love my C-80 at the helm when out in the harbor here in Fl. skinny water
and all my instruments hooked to it like radar & autopilot,it uses a Navionics chip
and I also have the Navionics on my PC and Iphone.
I have had this system since new in 2007 and it has kept me out of trouble up in NY & now in Fl.
I also used the routing on the PC and download to the C-80 with navionics routing.for my trip from NY to west coast of florida,with so much info letting me know time to destination and mileage and so much more.
The E series chartplotter have even more info but will keep what I have and can find them on E-bay.
Nick
You're killing me Chris. I certainly hope you didn't think I set this OpenCPN/laptop up. I had one of my tech savvy sons do it. When we got to the Raster Navigational Charts (RNC) I told him which ones I wanted and when he opened them I knew this was our area. PM me if you want to connect and I will have boy wonder at the ready to walk you through the process.
+1 for what Chris and 25years say. Seems like all the laptop apps involve downloading files to special folders and having to tell the app where the folders are. And then sometimes going through some arcane steps to update the RNC etc. files etc.
I have to refigure out the charts thing with my Polar Navy every once in a while, but it doesn't take long to refigure with Polar Navy--one of its strengths is simplicity. I COULD write up some directions on how I do it--in case the 3 or 4 Mac users out there who sail AND have the same app need some help.
I have to refigure out the charts thing with my Polar Navy every once in a while, but it doesn't take long to refigure with Polar Navy--one of its strengths is simplicity. I COULD write up some directions on how I do it--in case the 3 or 4 Mac users out there who sail AND have the same app need some help.
Wonder if.....
and do i have to liquidate all may assets to go there ?
regards
woody
.....there is an old folks home for the computer challenged
and do i have to liquidate all may assets to go there ?regards
woody
I noticed a couple of items in Chris' report that might make it harder to get OpenCPN running.
On the website opencpn.org at the upper left is a link to the OpenCPN User Manual. The manual is set up first in WinDoze then the same steps in Linux.
RNCs are electronic charts that look like paper charts. OpenCPN however does not use the PDF format from NOAA. Each chart has two files. One is a *.BSB file with the * designating an NOAA chart like 11344.bsb The other file is *.KAP file which contains information used by the BSB file. There can be multiple KAP files for each BSB file.
I'm running OpenCPN on a Dell Inspiron 1200 with WinDOZE XP. In computer years, this thing is older than I am. And I'm old. I've got a Pharos GPS-360 hockey puck for gps signal. I had to download a "driver" to convert the USB to serial output that OpenCPN was expecting. Mostly because the XP is older than all of us and didn't have that driver built in. (Built in drivers is one reason windoze is the world's largest virus.)
Chart directories.... Damm, I hope you were kidding about this, Chris. Mine are in a main directory called Charts of all things. Then inside of that is a directory called Bsbchart and one called S57data. They hold different file formats. I use both RNC and ENC on my machine but let's concentrate on the RNCs right now.
On the website http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm is where you can find the main listing for RNC/BSB charts. Go to "Download FREE RNCs" and read the agreement then click on the link at the bottom. The agreement just makes you aware that the chart accuracy may not be good enough to keep you off the rocks. The next page shows you the difference between RNCs and ENCs. Click on the "RNCs" link because OpenCPN doesn't read PDFs.
Now you get to make a choice on which charts to download. Either by Coast Guard District, by state, or by region. I get mine by region and choose 8 and 17 for the entire Gulf Coast. You probably need region 6 and maybe 7 depending on how far south you travel. They download in a Zip format. If you have a "chart" directory, unzip the downloaded file into the "chart" directory.
In OpenCPN under Options and then Charts, tell it where the MAIN "chart" directory is. OpenCPN will find all your charts under that directory. My OpenCPN is set for C:\Documents and Settings\Impetuous\My Documents\Charts and OpenCPN finds the RNCs and ENCs located within that major directory. My RNC folder has 131 chart folders in it and it works perfectly.
If you've found that GPS hockey puck under the blowup doll by now, plug it into the computer. And give WinDOZE a few minutes to find it and turn it on. Go get a cup of coffee or maybe take some time out to punch a few things. Or do what I do and go harass the wife for a bit. Harass your wife, not mine.
Now in OpenCPN under Options then Connections, select "Add a connection". Below the box, select "Serial" and then hit the down arrow on DataPort. There's all your COM channels. One of them will be the GPS. You may have to try them all to find it. Once you find the correct COM channel, hit "Apply" at the bottom of the screen. You shouldn't have to change ANY of the other settings.
If you've done all of this, the bottom of OpenCPN should show the following in order "-\|/" and repeat endlessly. You have a signal and a fix from the GPS. If not, move the GPS around to get closer to an opening like a port or hatch or even a window if you're at the house. Once you get a fix, press F2 to center the screen on your location.
And you're off!!! Now you can get fancy. You can connect your Chartplotter to the laptop like you do when you're creating new routes. Download the Chartplotter data to the laptop in *.GPX format. Remember where you saved it. Back to OpenCPN, click on Route Manager. Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it. Dammit. Wait some more. A window will finally pop up. At the bottom, click on "Import GPX..." and find the file you just created from the Chartplotter. On XP, it says "Open". This imports your chartplotter file to OpenCPN. There's all your waypoints, routes and tracks.
One thing I dislike about Route Manager is the way it resets after you make a change. It's kinda slow on a 1.4ghz computer. Takes a while to show your changes.
But that should get you started. If you can't get a GPS fix, it's most likely that you are missing a driver to tell the computer where and how to handle the data from the GPS. That's something the GEEKs can fix for you if you can get it yourself. However, OpenCPN has under its Supplementary Hardware link a listing of hockey pucks and whether they work with or without a driver.
Check here -> http://opencpn.org/ocpn/setting_up_gps for instructions on getting the GPS connected to OpenCPN.
One last thing. I NEVER expected that I would write an article like this. But even a Magna Cumme Laude graduate of the College of Hard Knocks can learn a thing or two.
On the website opencpn.org at the upper left is a link to the OpenCPN User Manual. The manual is set up first in WinDoze then the same steps in Linux.
RNCs are electronic charts that look like paper charts. OpenCPN however does not use the PDF format from NOAA. Each chart has two files. One is a *.BSB file with the * designating an NOAA chart like 11344.bsb The other file is *.KAP file which contains information used by the BSB file. There can be multiple KAP files for each BSB file.
I'm running OpenCPN on a Dell Inspiron 1200 with WinDOZE XP. In computer years, this thing is older than I am. And I'm old.
I've got a Pharos GPS-360 hockey puck for gps signal. I had to download a "driver" to convert the USB to serial output that OpenCPN was expecting. Mostly because the XP is older than all of us and didn't have that driver built in. (Built in drivers is one reason windoze is the world's largest virus.) Chart directories.... Damm, I hope you were kidding about this, Chris. Mine are in a main directory called Charts of all things. Then inside of that is a directory called Bsbchart and one called S57data. They hold different file formats. I use both RNC and ENC on my machine but let's concentrate on the RNCs right now.
On the website http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm is where you can find the main listing for RNC/BSB charts. Go to "Download FREE RNCs" and read the agreement then click on the link at the bottom. The agreement just makes you aware that the chart accuracy may not be good enough to keep you off the rocks. The next page shows you the difference between RNCs and ENCs. Click on the "RNCs" link because OpenCPN doesn't read PDFs.
Now you get to make a choice on which charts to download. Either by Coast Guard District, by state, or by region. I get mine by region and choose 8 and 17 for the entire Gulf Coast. You probably need region 6 and maybe 7 depending on how far south you travel. They download in a Zip format. If you have a "chart" directory, unzip the downloaded file into the "chart" directory.
In OpenCPN under Options and then Charts, tell it where the MAIN "chart" directory is. OpenCPN will find all your charts under that directory. My OpenCPN is set for C:\Documents and Settings\Impetuous\My Documents\Charts and OpenCPN finds the RNCs and ENCs located within that major directory. My RNC folder has 131 chart folders in it and it works perfectly.
If you've found that GPS hockey puck under the blowup doll by now, plug it into the computer. And give WinDOZE a few minutes to find it and turn it on. Go get a cup of coffee or maybe take some time out to punch a few things. Or do what I do and go harass the wife for a bit. Harass your wife, not mine.
Now in OpenCPN under Options then Connections, select "Add a connection". Below the box, select "Serial" and then hit the down arrow on DataPort. There's all your COM channels. One of them will be the GPS. You may have to try them all to find it. Once you find the correct COM channel, hit "Apply" at the bottom of the screen. You shouldn't have to change ANY of the other settings.
If you've done all of this, the bottom of OpenCPN should show the following in order "-\|/" and repeat endlessly. You have a signal and a fix from the GPS. If not, move the GPS around to get closer to an opening like a port or hatch or even a window if you're at the house. Once you get a fix, press F2 to center the screen on your location.
And you're off!!! Now you can get fancy. You can connect your Chartplotter to the laptop like you do when you're creating new routes. Download the Chartplotter data to the laptop in *.GPX format. Remember where you saved it. Back to OpenCPN, click on Route Manager. Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it. Dammit. Wait some more. A window will finally pop up. At the bottom, click on "Import GPX..." and find the file you just created from the Chartplotter. On XP, it says "Open". This imports your chartplotter file to OpenCPN. There's all your waypoints, routes and tracks.
One thing I dislike about Route Manager is the way it resets after you make a change. It's kinda slow on a 1.4ghz computer. Takes a while to show your changes.
But that should get you started. If you can't get a GPS fix, it's most likely that you are missing a driver to tell the computer where and how to handle the data from the GPS. That's something the GEEKs can fix for you if you can get it yourself. However, OpenCPN has under its Supplementary Hardware link a listing of hockey pucks and whether they work with or without a driver.
Check here -> http://opencpn.org/ocpn/setting_up_gps for instructions on getting the GPS connected to OpenCPN.
One last thing. I NEVER expected that I would write an article like this. But even a Magna Cumme Laude graduate of the College of Hard Knocks can learn a thing or two.
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.....there is an old folks home for the computer challenged
YES ITS CALLED A SAILBOAT
and do i have to liquidate all may assets to go there ?
YES - WHEN YOU BOUGHT SAID SAILBOAT
regards
woody
Sorry, couldn't resist
Wayne, my God that is good, man. That may well be the defacto instructions FOR the silly thing. I am super impressed.
Now for a morning drink..
Now for a morning drink..
I take rum. Neat, on ice, or with coke. Occasionally, I mix dark rum with Barq's Root Beer. This is a very dangerous drink as you can only taste the root beer. Bottoms up.
Kauai Peaberry Coffee, with just a we drop of Amaretto!
(Sugar free if on watch -- OR-- real if at dock)
Greg
(Sugar free if on watch -- OR-- real if at dock)
Greg
So far, so good. At least I have not called 25 Y.L. for advice yet, "Yes ma'am, I know it's late, but could I PLEASE speak with Mr. 25 for a moment?"
(That just struck me as funny all of a sudden).
But I have a chart loaded. 150 years of dedicated bottom surveys, and I am just now figuring out how to decipher it electronically..
Thanks Wayne.
If it all goes wrong, I now have a tech-support name to profane..
(That just struck me as funny all of a sudden).
But I have a chart loaded. 150 years of dedicated bottom surveys, and I am just now figuring out how to decipher it electronically..
Thanks Wayne.
If it all goes wrong, I now have a tech-support name to profane..
Go ahead. I've got big shoulders. Some things I'm good at. Some things I muddle through. Some things I call experts for advice. And some things "accidentally" fall overboard.Thanks Wayne.
If it all goes wrong, I now have a tech-support name to profane..
We use seaclear,INAV,GPS =2 back up to a back up and all work good but I nav drops mid Lake Michigan so OOPs! & a Hard Chart is out for area we are in at all times!