March 05, 2024

OpenPlotter v4 Beta, install guide

OpenPlotter(OP), a Boat Navigation application, is really a nice and simple installation of

and other supporting applications for Your boat.

An overall information about the OP package is found here.

March 02, 2024

Raspberry Pi OS Lite with GUI, RDP, VNC, Chrome

Updated 2024-03-02 !

I like the Raspberry Pi(RPi), with Raspberry Pi OS Lite (no Desktop is included), headless operation, and then adding the software You need. Until now I haven't had a use case where I needed a Desktop but now was time. 

Why don't use the Raspberry Pi OS with Desktop ?? In that package there is a lot of software I don't need and I really want to optimize the RPi. I think that the less software You install the happier RPi will be...
😉

March 01, 2024

OpenPlotter V3, install guide

Updated 2024-03-01 !

OpenPlotter(OP), a Boat Navigation application, is really a nice and simple installation of
and other supporting applications for Your boat.

An overall information about the OP package is found here.

February 28, 2024

Raspberry Pi 2, 3, 4 USB SSD or USB drive boot

Updated 2024-02-28 !

After having tested several methods creating a bootable USB SSD, or other USB drive, for Raspberry Pi(RPi) 3 and 4, I finished with this simple method
  • Create the setup you want on a ordinary SD card(Or use existing)
  • Make a bootable backup/clone of the SD card saving it to the USB SSD
  • Remove the SD card and boot from the USB SSD
Having a RPi 4 ? Use this post on how to write the OS direct to the SSD.
 

February 27, 2024

AIS receiver and dispatcher ! The best ?!

Updated 2024-02-18

I found this amazing application,
 AIS-catcher, just scrolling around on Youtube and it includes "all" you need for an AIS receiver staying ashore or installed on a boat.

It is compatible with a wide range of Software Defined Radios (SDRs). These include RTL-SDR dongles (such as the ShipXplorer AIS dongle and RTL SDR Blog v4), AirSpy (Mini/R2/HF+), HackRF, SDRPlay, SoapySDR, and file/network input (ZMQ/RTL-TCP/SpyServer). 

February 20, 2024

Clone the Raspberry boot disk

Updated 2024-02-20 !

A very nice way to fix a backup is to make a copy, bootable, of the actual SD card You are using on the Raspberry Pi(RPi). This will be done even when the RPi is up and running !

This application can also be used to make a bootable SSD or USB drive !!

You clone from the command line so You don't need the standard GUI, Pixel, and the "SD card copier
" function.

It is also possible to set up a a scheduled job, cronjob explained later, which for example makes a clone every night at 1 o'clock.

February 12, 2024

Waveshare CAN hat with Signal K & OpenPlotter

Updated 2024-02-12

To get information from the NMEA 2000(N2K) network, to the RPi, I have been using Actisense NGT-1, for a long time, and later also the Yacht Devices YDWG 02 but now it was time for a Raspberry Pi(RPi) CAN hat(CH) from Waveshare(WS). WS have 3 different models but I picked the 2 channel isolated one.

It's recommended to use an isolated one which also is demanded for those interfaces which can be approved by the N2K group.

February 10, 2024

DMI forecast API for atmosphere, ocean and sea ice, free !

Updated 2024-02-10

DMI is the Danish Meteorological Institute and the
 Open Data API provides free and open access to DMI’s data.They are covering a pretty big area not just Denmark.

I'm maintaining the weather station for Domstens yacht club and have become really interested in weather "issues".

The actual use case for me is that I have to change the mooring, of our boat, if the water level exceeds 60 cm from normal. For several years I have been searching for a free forecast API so I can get an early warning when the water level rises.

Node-Red is used.

February 08, 2024

GRIB files and extracting data, Linux, Raspberry

Updated 2024-02-08

GRIB is a data format, used for meteorology, to store historical and forecast weather data. 

The use case for me was analyzing forecast data, from GRIB files, so an early warning could be rised before a high water level or coming storm appears. This could then be used at our weather site.

There are several applications, also ones that visualizes the data, but this post will handle how to extract data from files using command line.

February 07, 2024

Teltonika RUT 240 as source for Mesh Network or router

I have used the TP-link Deco M9 for quite a while and it have worked very well.

Since almost 2 years I have used mobile broadband as a source for the Mesh network, at home, via a Nokia Fastmile(NF) with no direct flaws.

Getting a very nice offer, half the monthly cost, for mobile Internet from our mobile phone operator it was time to test something new.

Since I probably will have to return the Nokia receiver quitting the old supplier I had to test the new provider with some other equipment. Running the Teltonika RUT 240(TR) in our yacht, in the summertime, it was available for testing.

January 08, 2024

Install Weather34 with WeatherLink, v2 API

Updated 2024-01-08 OK with Bookworm 64 bit, PHP 8.2 !

This post is an update from a former post which handles on how to set up a weather WEB-site with data from Davis Weather Link(WL) but here adapted to the latest WL API v2.

Any product that reports weather data to WL can be used as a source for this weather template.

This is made without additional software such as Cumulus, Weather display or the Meteobridge product.

January 07, 2024

RPi install Apache/PHP WEB-server

Updated 2024-01-07 ! OK with Bookworm & PHP 8.2 !

As a part of one of my project, the ultimate Weather site ? Weather34, I needed a WEB-host with PHP.

I started up with a fresh Raspberry OS Lite SD Card with Samba installed.

Log on, with ssh/terminal to the RaspberryPi(RPi), 
in this case hostname "pws01", and update the OS with

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y
sudo apt clean

go on and install the Apache server with

sudo apt install apache2

January 05, 2024

Samba, RPi as Windows file/print server

Updated 2024-01-05 OK with Bookworm !

If You want that the Raspberry Pi(RPi), shall appear in MS File Explorer or Mac Finder, as a File server, the easiest way is to install Samba.

This also makes it much easier if You want to edit files on the RPi with editors from Your MS/Apple device. Or maybe moving files from/to the RPi.


January 03, 2024

SeaTalk1 to NMEA 0183 converter, DIY

Updated 2024-01-03 !  Not for RPi 5 !!

Thanks to Thomas, (the guy with the nice marine interface board)it's now possible to decode, one way, the SeaTalk1(ST1) sentences in a pretty simple way. You just use OpenPlotter(OP) and/or SignalK(SK) and an Optocoupler.

The thing that made it, is that Thomas has released a "how to" and Python source code, that will read the data from a GPIO pin on the Raspberry Pi, (RPi), and format it so the standard parser in SignalK can translate it to SignalK delta format. It is then available as NMEA 0183. It's even possible to send the data in to a NMEA 2000 network, with a proper hardware interface.

December 06, 2023

Raspberry Pi OS install with Mac/Windows/Linux

Updated 2023-12-06 !

When starting up a new project with Raspberry Pi I like to start up fresh and with a minimal OS. 
Therefore i always use Raspberry Pi OS(ROS) Lite and then adding what I need

Doing it right You don't have to use an external display, keybord and mouse, just a "sshclient.

Flash to a SSD ? Check this post.

December 05, 2023

SDR calibrate with kalibrate-rtl

Updated 2023-12-05 !! OK, with Bookworm (32/64 bit) !!

To optimize the reception with SDR:s, Software Defined Radios, it is important to receive on the proper frequency. Due to variations in production there could be deviations.


The calibration could be done against standard GSM transmitters which are providing a stable reference frequency.

Another way is found in the AIS-catcher application and use the information supplied in the graphs "Frequency Shift". 

December 01, 2023

Signal K quick install

Updated 2023-12-01 !

I have got some questions installing, just, Signal K(SK) so will do a summary, on a Raspberry Pi, with links.

Signal K is the hub to receive data, from different devices in different data formats, and send it on to different equipment, or databases, in different formats. Most common for standard marine equipment are the old NMEA 0183 and the newer NMEA 2000 protocol which is also handled. 

Besides the SK "hub" function developers have created plugins for different purposes. This is due to that SK is open-source ! Sharing is caring !

In this post you can check the devices I'm using connected to the SK server and also my setup.

November 09, 2023

AIS receiver & dispatcher with OpenSeaMap

Updated 2023-11-09 !

The AIS posts on this blog have been very popular so this post will be a follow up which will enable You to show AIS targets, including AtoN:s, on OpenSeaMap, (OSM), together with buoys and beacons.


The application showing the map is SignalK, (SK) a OpenSource project for marine use. 

With the "ais-forwarder" plugin you could send/dispatch the NMEA AIS data to Marinetraffic or Vesselfinder. Another AIS-dispatcher.

The best AIS application ? is found here !

November 08, 2023

Raspberry Pi watchdog made simple

Updated 2023-11-08 for Bookworm !

The purpose of a watchdog timer(WD) is very well described here but a more practical answer is;

If your Raspberry Pi(RPi) "freezes", or hangs, it will automagically reboot within a very short time.

This is made with a combination of hardware and software which is all ready available, on the RPi, and just have to be enabled.

After some hours Googling and testing these are my findings !

November 07, 2023

AIS reciever for Raspberry Pi, 2 channel

Updated 2023-11-07 !! OK with Bookworm !!

This post covers the setup for a AIS, dual channel, receiver for Raspberry Pi(RPi) with systemd autostart.


I'm using the RTL-SDR dongle V3 with almost zero temperature drift or the even better NooElec NESDR Nano 3

AIS posts with charts/maps
Improve receiving range? Calibrate ! Instructions in this post

The best AIS application ? is found here !

November 06, 2023

NMEA WiFi gateway

WillhelmSK

Updated 2023-11-06 !

I have searched for a solution transmitting the NMEA data, from the navigation network, via WiFi, to for example iSailor or other Tablet/Phone applications.

Most of these applications just accepts NMEA0183(N1) but many boats are also using SeaTalk 1(ST1) and NMEA2000(N2K).

This post will cover, kept compact, my best findings covering both a DIY and a commercial approach to handle the different protocols.

November 05, 2023

SignalK, measuring temperature

Updated 2023-11-05 !

An introduction to the SignalK, Marine application, is given here.

A very easy way to measure temperature with Raspberry Pi, RPi, is to connect one wire (1W) DS18B20 (DS)temperature sensors direkt to the RPi GPIO.

Here You find a post where the temperatures are transfered via WiFi

November 04, 2023

AIS for Raspberry with Map, Dispatcher

Updated 2023-11-04, OK with Bookworm 32 bit !
Not Bookworm 64 Bit !

This is a setup, on a Raspberry Pi(RPi), with a software package, AIS Dispatcher, from http://www.aishub.net which includes
  • receiving and processing of all standard AIS messages
  • streaming raw AIS feeds to multiple destinations
  • advanced monitoring of device status, coverage and message statistics
  • embedded electronic map with all received vessels
The best AIS application ? is found here !

October 30, 2023

RuuviTag and Node-Red

 Updated 2023-10-30 ! OK with Bookworm ! New simple install ! 

For a new project I needed a small wireless temperature sensor, there You don't have to change battery so often, and this gave the RuuviTag.


Having used Node-Red(NR) on Raspberry Pi before, the first application was this dashboard. 
Tested and works with with Node.js V18 !












October 26, 2023

Homebridge made simple, Homebridge

Updated 2023-10-26 !

HomeBridge(HB) is the software where You make Your home automation devices appear in the Apple Home App as native products. In this post a Raspberry Pi is used as the HB server.

There has really been big improvements in the installation process and I think the HB version is better/easier than HOOBS.

Migrate from HOOBS ?! Link