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NMEA depth transducer
#1
Hi,
I do not have a depth sounder at the moment and intend purchasing one shortly.  Is there any suitable MNEA transducer that could interface directly with OpenPlotter or do I need a full sounder including display?

Jodel
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#2
You need to clarify the kind of boat you have, the installation you are looking at (through-hull / transom mount) and the intended use. If you just want to measure depth, Airmar has some of the best known products http://www.airmartechnology.com/producti...ransducers I can only attest to a through-hull solution based on my own experience on a sailboat using the NMEA0183 version of the Airmar DST800 (which also has a speed log and thermometer) http://www.airmar.com/images/uploads/bro...DST800.pdf connected via an rs422 to usb converter http://shop.sailoog.com/en/2-usb-nmea-01...erter.html If you already have an existing sensor/display network on your boat based on NMEA 2000 you can get the NMEA2000 version of a suitable transducer for your needs and the NMEA2000 to usb converter http://shop.sailoog.com/en/7-usb-n2k-converter.html. However, NMEA0183 is your best bet since (relatively cheap) NMEA2000 support is experimental and not as tested as NMEA0183. An Actisense converter which has better support for NMEA2K is pretty costly. In any case, you don't need a bundle with a screen just for depth. This is only needed for fishfinders and side-scanning sensors (showing a relief of the seabed)
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#3
Many thanks for the reply and your advise.  They look like nice pieces of kit (but not cheap Sad )
Mine is a small sailing boat with a tube bonded to the hull for a normal analogue transducer.
It is probably best for me to get a normal depth instrument with a display and NMEA output.
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#4
(2016-11-18, 11:14 PM)Jodel Wrote: Many thanks for the reply and your advise.  They look like nice pieces of kit (but not cheap Sad )
Mine is a small sailing boat with a tube bonded to the hull for a normal analogue transducer.
It is probably best for me to get a normal depth instrument with a display and NMEA output.

I've been watching for a cheap NMEA sounder to pair with Openplotter but haven't seen anything.

I've been hoping someone could figure out how to hack the Vexilar SP200 Sonarphone sounder to get depth information and also an onscreen "fishfinder" view. It would seem possible to achieve the latter by using Archon Packager to display the Android app in Chrome browser on Openplotter.
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#5
(2016-11-18, 11:14 PM)Jodel Wrote: Many thanks for the reply and your advise.  They look like nice pieces of kit (but not cheap Sad )
Mine is a small sailing boat with a tube bonded to the hull for a normal analogue transducer.
It is probably best for me to get a normal depth instrument with a display and NMEA output.

I saw recently, that Airmar now produces their P79 transducer in a version for NMEA 0183 and N2K. I found it with a VPC'iste in France for 300€ :
http://www.compass24.fr/navigation/appar...=Ig8Q4mYRU

I have a P79 coupled to a very old Garmin Plotter on my boat, I will try to change only the transducer and wire it directly to RPi with OP, so I won't need to fire up the plotter just to have sounding.

fair winds
Christian
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#6
If you can live with a transom mount, this is an alternative I'm contemplating...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181732753638
Regards, 
Arne :-)    
S/Y Tiarora
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#7
Hi for all!
I have question about this theme (depth sounder).
I made attempt to connect my NMEA 0183 depth transducer to openplotter device based on raspberry. Device (raspberry) has last beta (0.17) version software. But I can't to see value on Signal K server. In debug window I see that transducer sends NMEA 0183 DTP sentence (Depth of Water), but Signal K server doesn't recognise this item.
Using NMEA simulator I found that Signal K Server recognise DBT (Depth below transducer) sentense only.
Question is: how to add this item (DPT) to Signal K Server? I think that value must be environmet.water.depth
Anybody can to help me to solve this problem?
Thank you and sorry for my bad English.
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#8
Perhaps the translation is not implemented? You might have to modify kplex.
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#9
maybe it's also related to my problem. http://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=1007
I also lack values.
Greetings Jürgen

edit:There is a value 

environment.depth.*
Angel  Entschuldigung für mein Englisch. Es ist "deepl.com english"
PN bitte auf german.  Big Grin
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#10
I have an old Seafarer 501 with a depth transducer, and I am pretty sure it won't be easy to connect that to my PI5 and MacArthur HAT.
So I was searching for a new transducer, but the prices are pretty high. Now I've found this one for a reasonable price (I think):

Raymarine M78713-PZ thru-hull depth - 1 PC - 29.600.13 - 2960013 - supports NMEA2000.

Now my question is (and I am inexperienced with depth transducers); will it work correctly with Openplotter 4 (beta) and the MacArthur hat?
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