Getting USB > Serial to work is kind of a black art now. It really is almost worth finding an old laptop with a serial port. IMHO the FTDI versions – the real ones – tend to work best. https://www.amazon.com/Chipset-Speed-Serial-RS-232-Converter/dp/B005S72HHO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1474022238&sr=8-4&keywords=FTDI+serial+USB http://www.milltechmarine.com/Sabrent-USB-to-Serial-Adapter--FTDI-Edition_p_163.html
The various fake knockoffs tend to have all kinds of issues. Joe Coquina BTW – Almost forgot – OpenCPN has raw NMEA windows you can open for troubleshooting. From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Marek Dziedzic via CnC-List Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2016 10:39 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Marek Dziedzic Subject: Re: Stus-List USB to Serial - reading NMEA stream Dennis, I cannot answer any of the really technical questions, but… There is, generally, a problem with eth USB2Serial adapters. One of the most common is that the adapter does not have the real Prolific h/w; rather is an imitation. This happens even if you purchased the adapter from a reputable source. This is a reasonably well know issue. To the point that some s/w developers refuse to support a solution if a USB2Serial adapter is used. I had major stability problem with my previous weather station that used a serial connection and a special rain dance or waving a chicken leg was often required in order to make it connect. So, in short, there may not be a bullet proof USB2Serial driver. Marek Ottawa, ON From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Dennis C. via CnC-List Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2016 17:26 To: CnClist <CnC-List@cnc-list.com<mailto:CnC-List@cnc-list.com>> Cc: Dennis C. <capt...@gmail.com<mailto:capt...@gmail.com>> Subject: Stus-List USB to Serial - reading NMEA stream Really technical question here. I'm try to solve a puzzling issue on Touche'. I installed a Noland AM43 multiplexer to gather wind data from my Nexus instruments and send it to my Simrad WP30 wheel pilot. That works now. However, in the process, the WP30 is not receiving the waypoint arrival alarm. When the WP30 was interfaced directly to the GPS, it always deactivated "Nav" mode when we got to 0.10 nm of a waypoint and the arrival alarm activated. Now I hear the GPS audible alarm but the WP30 keeps on steering. I know the WP30 is receiving GPS data because it steers right past the waypoint and gradually changes course and navigates dutifully to the next waypoint in the route. The Nexus instruments show all the correct data, distance/bearing to waypoint, course to steer, cross track error, etc. I have what I consider the appropriate sentences programmed into the Nexus NMEA output slots; APA, APB, RMB, etc. I want to read and log the data stream. The AM43 has a USB port. I have a Dell mini laptop with a Prolific PL2303 USB to Serial driver installed. It usually shows on COM3. I have two applications, GPSinfo and DPort Lite (a lite version of Hyperterminal). I can see the NMEA data stream from my Globalsat BU-353 GPS adapter on both applications but I have to unplug and re-plug the BU-353 in some mystical order for it to be seen in DPort Lite. Since there is no Wi-Fi or internet at my marina for troubleshooting, I want some reasonable assurance that when I connect to the multiplexer, I will see data. I two questions for the cyber-minded folks. 1. Is there a bombproof USB serial driver that will work every time with DPort Lite without having to plug/unplug/reboot or place a chicken wing under a cypress tree at full moon? 2. Where in the APA, APB, RMB sentences is the arrival alarm data and what characters signal on or off? Thanks, Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville, LA
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