Route second waypoint issue

[jamos.tan@gmail.com]

Another example doing GPS simulation, with route plugin (but IMU with magnetometer is still being read, so boat icon heading is wrong)

Test 1: route position bearing

I have had best success with this one. Shows pypilot green line GUI in the wrong direction, but, the GUI overlay of Autopilote route app is correct. Maybe, pypilot GUI shows the green line overlay because it directly tries to look at the ships heading. Because the heading of my magnetic compass is that direction, the green line is plotted in that direction as well, eventhough the GPS heading is totally in the other direction.

I guess, in a real life situation this would work.



Test 2: waypoint bearing

This configuration is based on waypoint bearing, my route is in a loop and it is confirmed that in this case the direction of the route is ignored.
The position of the ship seems to have a major influence on the autopilot heading being chosen, also the moment of disabling and enabling the route again has influence. In the mean time the position would have changed and another heading is calculated. I did not have luck with this configuration. Also, the heading that are projected by the GUI seem totally wrong. This is corrected when choosing another mode?




Activating the route and starting from a little bit further shows this:



Test 3: Standard XTE

This mode kind of gave the same results as test 2.



Conclusion:

So now, what to do to troubleshoot. I know a few things:

- I know that the standard route feature of OpenCPN works (tested in real life)
- I know that the APR plugin works best for me, with looped routes and waypoints close together. (only tested in simulation)
- I know that GPS simulator has different results from real life, this is because of the fact that the simulation does not forward IMU readings and OpenCPN 
will overlay either it's last received IMU heading on OpenCPN GUI. Either it only visualizes / presents it and does correct thing in real life, or the plugin "looks" at this data and calculates based on graphical overlay, which I doubt. 


I think, that various route types have different outcomes. If you are navigating in a harbor with closeby waypoints and 10knots speeds, or are you sailing gently on a large ocean crossing. If so, I think that we need to combine all our experiences and improve and collaborate on documenation and help Sean a little bit.

I also think there are still some bugs in the plugin, but Sean is now aware of these. But, I also think the issues that we are experiencing are part of a larger picture we do not understand yet. Maybe the plugin can be enhanced so users are properly aware of this, or guided to a "personal" configuration that works for them. 

Either way, I hope my tests are valuable enough, so we achieve these goals. Next tests will be on water again.