Open CPN

deniseO30 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-05-2011

I downloaded open CPN.it's still a mystery to me but hope to learn how to put it to work on my laptop. I've also downloaded some charts from NOAA. On another forum there are many many threads on and about using CPN. maybe we could do that here?

jackdale · #2 (**permalink**) 05-05-2011

OpenCPN is pretty much within the CF domain. If you have any questions, I do have it running on my desktop and netbook.

Jack

CaptKermie · #3 (**permalink**) 05-05-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackdale

OpenCPN is pretty much within the CF domain. If you have any questions, I do have it running on my desktop and netbook.

Jack

What does CF domain refer to or mean?

jackdale · #4 (**permalink**) 05-05-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptKermie

What does CF domain refer to or mean?

CF = Cruisers Forum (Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Powered by vBulletin)

deniseO30 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011

Well guess I'll be hanging out there then! I did have a minor success last night.. got some charts to actually appear on the cpn screen. It keeps locking up though. I'm on XP and using firefox.

BubbleheadMd · #6 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011

I use OpenCPN. It's not the most user-friendly program, but it's pretty good.

So far, I've just been importing tracks from my GPS and overlaying them onto charts. The chart type library is huge, and it took me some trial-and-error to find the regular NIMA/NOAA charts for the Ches. Bay.

For reasons probably due to the way my old Garmin talks, OpenCPN couldn't seem to talk to my GPS. I downloaded a cheezy, free program called "EasyGPS". It downloads and saves my tracks as a .gpx file on my computer. Then, I import the file into OpenCPN, and it overlays it onto the chart as a purple trackline.

I can also import the .gpx file into Google Earth so I can see the track line overlayed onto a satellite view of the Ches. Bay.

I have not yet tried to have the GPS continuously plot a live track on OpenCPN as I sail, and I have not yet tried to plot routes on OpenCPN and import the route into the GPS.

I have programmed waypoints (race course marks) into the GPS and they do show up on Google Earth and OpenCPN when I upload my data via EasyGPS.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish with OpenCPN? Maybe I can help or we can work on it together?

copacabana · #7 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011

Denise, the developer of Open CPN posts on sailnet and has been very helpful in the past. Perhaps he'll join the discussion to answer your questions. I, for one, would be very interested in learning more about laptop charting with Open CPN, especially as more and more countries are releasing their charts in raster form to download for free.

deniseO30 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011

I've managed to get all the charts (or most of them) for Chesapeake Bay and they seem to work ok so far. I'm not using a GPS on the Laptop yet.

I'm trying to eventually use the laptop as a chart plotter. My handheld is a Lowrance I finder H2O gps and it's obsolete with the nautipath charts it has even though it's been great when in actual use.

Not sure which charts to load from NOAA but the ENCs seem to work

RhythmDoctor · #9 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011

There's also quite a bit here in the Electronics Subforum. Have you looked there?

BubbleheadMd · #10 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by deniseO30

I've managed to get all the charts (or most of them) for Chesapeake Bay and they seem to work ok so far. I'm not using a GPS on the Laptop yet.

I'm trying to eventually use the laptop as a chart plotter. My handheld is a Lowrance I finder H2O gps and it's obsolete with the nautipath charts it has even though it's been great when in actual use.

Not sure which charts to load from NOAA but the ENCs seem to work

Oh, speaking of obsolete GPS's, I had to buy the Garmin proprietary serial data cable for my Garmin off of eBay, but because newer laptops don't have old 9-pin serial ports on them anymore, I had to buy a serial-to-USB adapter. Fun, fun!

West Marine has been having sales on the newer Garmin handhelds. You might look into upgrading, to avoid the communications issues that I've been having. It'll make chartplotting a breeze. They're affordable, full color, chock full of charts, and show depth curves I believe.

As much as I'd love to run a chart plotter, I don't think I have the energy budget to run a laptop like that, nor do I necessarily want to install a lot of energy. I still want to figure out the chartplotting function so that I have the option, at least.