Bill of Materials

Installation

  1. Erased the 64GB SD micro card and reformatted for FAT32 which is the only supported disk format.
  2. Downloaded Openplotter ZIP file from sailloog.com using the recommended link.
  3. Check the SHA checksum of the ZIP file -- matches.
  4. Opened the ZIP file. Expands into "~/Downloads/NOOBS_v2_8_1".
  5. Copied the contents of "~/Downloads/NOOBS_v2_8_1" to the newly formatted SD micro card.
  6. Inserted the SD micro card into the Raspberry Pi 3B+
  7. Booted and waited for install to complete.
  8. Rebooted for possible change in screen resolution. No improvement in screen resolution.
  9. Same warnings as before:
  10. Icon at the top of the screen shows WiFi disabled ... have to set country.
  11. Openplotter reports "not possible to connect to Github".
  13. Changed the "Network" configuration from "RPI3+: AP + client" to "client".
  14. Reboot to make the network changes take effect.
  15. System reverted to previous settings.
  16. Per First Settings of Openplotter.
    1. Change the "Preferences -> Raspberry Pi Configuration -> System" password -- Done.
    2. Enable "SSH" in "Preferences -> Raspberry Pi Configuration -> Interfaces" -- Done.
    3. Change "Locale -> Country" in "Preferences -> Raspberry Pi Configuration -> Localisation" to "US (United States)" -- Done.
    4. Change "Keyboard" in "Preferences -> Raspberry Pi Configuration -> Localisation" to "English (US))" -- Done.
    5. Change "WiFi Country" in "Preferences -> Raspberry Pi Configuration -> Localisation" to "US United States" -- Done.
  17. Rebooted to make changes take effect.
  18. The only warning displayed concerns the default password for Signal K server and "not possible to connect to Github".
  19. Added WiFi password using the icon in the top panel. WiFi works now -- Done.
  20. Rebooted. Notified that there is a major update to Openplotter 1.0.0 alpha -> 1.2.0 alpha.
  21. Openplotter "Network -> Network mode" configuration now shows "client"
  22. Able to login to the system via ssh pi@192.168.0.109

Upgrading Openplotter and OpenCPN

  1. Attempted to update from 1.0.0 alpha to 1.2.0 alpha -- failed.
  3. Reformatted the SD micro card using diskutil list to find the device for the external disk and sudo diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 OPENPLOTTER MBRFormat /dev/disk2 to reformat.
  4. Reinstalled Openplotter, changed the localization and changed the network as detailed above.
  5. Attempted to update from 1.0.0 alpha to 1.2.0 alpha -- failed with an error from dpkg regarding hostapd.
  6. Connected the Raspberry Pi 3B+ to the TPLink via eth0 and set the "Network" configuration to "RPI3+: AP + client".
  8. Restarted Openplotter update from 1.0.0 alpha to 1.2.0 alpha.
  9. Update of Openplotter from 1.0.0 alpha to 1.2.0 alpha -- succeeded.
  10. Update of OpenCPN -- succeeded.

Configuring for the GPS/GNSS Recevier

  1. Edited /etc/default/gpsd: USBAUTO="true", DEVICES="/dev/ttyACM0", GPSD_SOCKET="/var/run/gpsd.sock"
  2. No joy. No GPS data received.
  3. Edited /etc/rc.local: /bin/systemctl stop gpsd.socket; /bin/sleep 1; /usr/sbin/gpsd /dev/ttyACM0 -n -G -F /var/run/gpsd.sock; /bin/sleep 1; /usr/sbin/service ntp restart
  4. Success -- cgps shows a 3D fix.

Updating Passwords

  1. Changed the "pi" user password.
  2. Changed the Signal K password.
  3. Changed the Openplotter access point password.

Final Steps

  1. Shutdown.
  2. Unplugged the keyboard, mouse, and screen.
  3. Rebooted.
  4. Success able to connect to the Raspberry Pi using UNIX login credentials for user "pi" without keyboard, mouse, or screen connected.
  5. Fail: gpsd running but no fix and no data in cgps.
  6. Needed to define a data connection in OpenCPN: Options -> Connections -> Data Connections: Type: Network; Direction: Input; Protocol: GPSD; Network Address: 0.0.0.0; Network Port: 2947; Priority: 1.
  8. Downloaded VNC Viewer from vnc. Success able to connect to the Raspberry Pi using UNIX login credentials for user "pi".
  9. Fail: display resolution in VNC Viewer is unacceptable. Far too few pixels on the screen.
  10. Changed /boot/config.txt: framebuffer_width=1280 framebuffer_height=720 which are the commented out "default" values. See http://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=1188
  11. Reboot and reconnect using VNC Viewer
  12. Success able to connect to the Raspberry Pi using UNIX login credentials for user "pi" without keyboard, mouse, or screen connected and improved display resolution.
  14. Downloaded from NOAA, RNC and ENC charts for USCG region 05 and Pilot Charts.

Sample Output of the VK-162

pi@openplotter:~ $ gpsmon -a  
gpsmon: tcp://localhost:2947
(84) {"class":"VERSION","release":"3.16","rev":"3.16-4","proto_major":3,"proto_minor":11}
(288) {"class":"DEVICES","devices":[{"class":"DEVICE","path":"/dev/ttyACM0","driver":"u-blox","subtype":"SW 1.00 (59842),HW 00070000,PROTVER 14.00,GPS;SBAS;GLO;QZSS","activated":"2019-07-21T18:40:26.064Z","flags":1,"native":0,"bps":9600,"parity":"N","stopbits":1,"cycle":1.00,"mincycle":0.25}]}
(122) {"class":"WATCH","enable":true,"json":false,"nmea":false,"raw":2,"scaled":false,"timing":false,"split24":false,"pps":true}
TOFF=1563734427.061011988 real=1563734427.000000000
(60) b56201063400c81302044c3ff9ff0f0803ddb0d2a206ac6130e381ccd11734090000fffffffffdfffffffcffffff6e0000003f01030784d3010051fb
(196) b5620130bc00c81302040f03000001020d0413392301edffffff0c050d04141ccd00ecfeffff10060d04173e21007401000000090d041a155b007afdffff030c0d07212f22013c00000002110d0417277000060000000b130d041b3565009bffffff09170404120c3400000000000619040411103f0100000000058510010028d30000000000128710010011f70000000000078a10010023df000000000004c3100100a500000000000008c4100100a50000000000000ac5100100a500000000000018b2
(26) b56201041200c813020479013f01ca001b01940083004400f3fa
(24) b56201201000c81302044c3ff9ff0f08120725000000ea4a
(20) b56201320c00c81302040000000000000000200f
(68) $GPRMC,184027.00,A,3902.70135,N,07701.75817,W,0.098,,210719,,,A*62
(35) $GPVTG,,T,,M,0.098,N,0.181,K,A*2A
(76) $GPGGA,184027.00,3902.70135,N,07701.75817,W,1,07,1.48,119.3,M,-34.6,M,,*6F
(56) $GPGSA,A,3,02,19,05,09,12,06,17,,,,,,3.19,1.48,2.83*08
(70) $GPGSV,3,1,09,02,57,291,19,05,28,205,20,06,62,033,23,09,21,091,26*7F
(70) $GPGSV,3,2,09,12,47,290,33,17,39,112,23,19,53,101,27,23,12,052,18*72
(31) $GPGSV,3,3,09,25,16,319,17*4D
(52) $GPGLL,3902.70135,N,07701.75817,W,184027.00,A,A*76

References