Using OpenCPN with Garmin Gnd10 black box bridge

[Indian Falls]

Anybody been successful in getting the Garmin Gnd10 black box bridge to share nmea 2000 data with OpenCPN?

I loaded nexusrace software and it can talk to the gnd10 and also setup which data to share on the n2k but no sharing is apparently occurring with OpenCPN.  I can find no explicit data on the WWW as to how to, only that everything is supposed to with no problem due to being all n2k.  I'm using a laptop with win7 ultimate, and a Prolific BU 353S4 usb gps antenna.  I'd like to see my boat speed and wind data inside OpenCPN and have the Gnd10 use the gps position data from the laptop.  Why should I think this won't work?

Thanks!

(a search for opencpn here had 1 hit)

[mark_53]

You might want to do a do a search on the pages below or ask that very specific question about OpenCPN here.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f134/

[Indian Falls]

Maybe I'm using the cruiser forum search wrong, but there is not one instance of GND10, GND 10 or black box bridge in the tag or keyword in OpenCPN forum.  Did you try that or just search garmin there?

[mark_53]

Maybe I'm using the cruiser forum search wrong, but there is not one instance of GND10, GND 10 or black box bridge in the tag or keyword in OpenCPN forum.  Did you try that or just search garmin there?

I was suggesting you should ask the question on that site. Much more specific OpenCPN knowledge there than this board.

[Indian Falls]

Just so it's here if any members go down this route:
I learned a lot about marine communications recently.  In my attempt to use a laptop for a chartplotter and have it communicate with my onboard transducers, Garmin GMI20 display and the Gnd10 Blackbox Bridge I need another interface to communicate with the PC.
OpenCPN is NMEA0183 (0183) and my boat system, Gnd10, is NMEA2000 (n2k) and Nexus.
Actisense sells several types of interface/converter/protocol gateways that will bridge the gap.
I need to confirm with someone that OpenCPN and the Gnd10 will share the following data over the gateway without dumping several hundred $ to find out:
Position, Wind speed, wind angle, depth, water speed.  I want the Garmin to use the position data from the PC gps and for OpenCPN to use the transducer data from the Gnd10. 
I'll keep updating as I find things out.  If anybody knows anything feel free to chime in.

[Indian Falls]

Garmin refers to the N2k interconnection between devices as a "backbone". My system has a Garmin interface for the wind instrument called "GND10", in using a usb cable it can talk to a PC with a program called Nexusrace.
I was under assumption this is how you'll use a pc to share data.  The chartplotter program OpenCPN can talk to any nmea0183 device.  Actisense has a protocol converter that I can plug into the backbone of the Garmin system and into the laptop and now I have a chartplotter using the data from my tranducers and sharing position data from the laptop GPS to the GMI20 instrument at the helm.  This remains to be seen and if it works as I'm told above this will be an awesome low budget chart plotter.  The Garmin Bundle with wireless wind was just under 1200.00, it cost me 590.00 to have the yard pull the boat, enlarge the thru hull from the old sounder, glue in the new thru hull.  (should have been 400.00 but that's another story) OpenCPN is free and works on a multitude of devices.  The protocol converter is about 140.00.

[Craig Illman]

To give you something more to think about, while I don't use OpenCDN, I do have a couple different applications that can accept NMEA0183 over Ethernet (via Wifi). One on the laptop and/or tablet (Rosepoint Coastal Explorer) and another on my phone (SeaWi).

I have my ActiSense NGW-1 connected to a WiFi RN340 that's powered by a USB cable. http://gridconnect.com/wifi-serial-adapter.html

NMEA0183 can have many listeners, but only one talker without some multiplexing device.

I didn't want to hijack your thread, but untethering your computer via WiFi might be helpful.

Craig

[Indian Falls]

Thanks Craig! not a hijack at all.  if you could detail your setup a bit more when you have time that would be great.  I may not accomplish the goal this season, time is running out and this is not a necessity by any means.  I will update the thread with any bit of info I get to keep the thread alive.
I keep saying I can't be the only one doing this but it sure seems like I have the only Garmin they sold to a sailor this year.....

[Craig Illman]

Dan - I'm out of town for a couple weeks. I'll leave myself a reminder to make a simple drawing of my setup when I return.

Craig

[Craig Illman]

ok, finally got home and struggled making a simple drawing with MS Word. I don't want to invest in the latest copy of Visio.

Craig

[britinusa]

ok, finally got home and struggled making a simple drawing with MS Word. I don't want to invest in the latest copy of Visio.

Craig

FYI, I use Open Office (http://openoffice.org) Free and let's you open MS docs. :)