Freeze on cold start

[Didier B]

I re-installed the TCP connection, pfeww it is good to get a reliable fix !

Dears, I have to explain you that my GNSS antenas (I uses 3 of them) are located right under a roof window (Velux type) with a perfect sky view.
In the past three years I have never experienced the smallest signal weakness, so antennas, their location and receivers are OK.
The weak point could be USB Hubs, it is not that, I checked with a direct connection of the receiver to the RPi, without any change.
I also checked with U-center connecting through the same Hub, see picture below.

When freshly reinstalled, well at least OpenCPN (erased directory) and Signal K, everything seems OK, even after a number of stop and start the RPi.
Once the Pi has been stopped for 1h or more, on restart : BANG !
(in that case GPS signal needs more time to show up, and signal as displayed by OpenCPN gets crazy,
only when using a Signal K connection,with no view of NMEA flow ...

I would suspect an overflow phenomenon as it doesn't show off after a fresh install but only after a while ...

[monos1]

OK Didier. At least you could solve the problem by using the NMEA0183 connection again.

The truth is that I don't understand if your problem resembles the experiment I did yesterday or not.

You see, in my experiment, when the GPS signal is lost, simply opencpn puts the boat in position 0.0 and immediately returns it to its correct coordinates when the signal returns. In your case you say that it rather "goes crazy" or erratic, and that is not exactly what happens to me in my experiment.

On the other hand each openplotter installation is a small world with its particularities and differences and although they look alike in reality there are not two openplotter installations exactly the same. It could also be a problem related to some part of your installation that we don't know.

There are not many reports of problems like yours. It works perfectly for me. We will have to experiment more.

[Didier B]

I agree with you, I did the same experiment : no craziness !
I take it as an indication that a signal temporary weakness is not the cause of the problem
This requires definitely further investigation. I will let the RPi on for an hour, then shut down and restart tonight...
I'll be back !

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On the other hand each openplotter installation is a small world with its particularities and differences and although they look alike in reality there are not two openplotter installations exactly the same. It could also be a problem related to some part of your installation that we don't know.
../...

Instructed by experience, I kept the history of this installation to a bare minimum : Formated an SD, installed Buster, Openplotter dependencies and  Settings deb packet, installed  Settings, then used it to install necessary parts, signal K and OpenCPN. Then I used Serial to create the connection USB to signal K, and declared the signal K, localhost, 3000 connection  in OpenCPN ...

[Sailoog]

Didier I still think you have a signal loss problem

You can do this test: set the signal k connection, when your boat start jumping switch quickly to the TCP 10110 connection and copy and paste here the NMEA 0183 data from the NMEA inspector, then we will see satellites and fix status.

[Didier B]

Thanks for reporting, hopefully we get a response soon.

Didier I still think you have a signal loss problem

You can do this test: set the signal k connection, when your boat start jumping switch quickly to the TCP 10110 connection and copy and paste here the NMEA 0183 data from the NMEA inspector, then we will see satellites and fix status.

Sailoog,
It was not possible to paste anything copied from the NMEA debug window  (got message : empty clipboard)
The GPS  Status seems OK, 4 satellites used, 10 in view. The Fix indicator shows steadily 3 bars.For me it doesn't looks like a loss problem.
I have had my GPS in the same place for 2 years now  - a few mm below the glass of the roof window - and never experienced a loss of signal after getting a fix.
More investigation to come ...

EDIT : a signal weakening problem would also affect OpenCPN when using a TCP Connection, wouldn't it ?

[PaddyB]

Sailoog,
It was not possible to paste anything copied from the NMEA debug window  (got message : empty clipboard)
The GPS  Status seems OK, 4 satellites used, 10 in view. The Fix indicator shows steadily 3 bars.For me it doesn't looks like a loss problem.
I have had my GPS in the same place for 2 years now  - a few mm below the glass of the roof window - and never experienced a loss of signal after getting a fix.
More investigation to come ...

EDIT : a signal weakening problem would also affect OpenCPN when using a TCP Connection, wouldn't it ?

Do you have influxdb running? It's really useful to see what's been going on, this is satellites in view > 

[Sailoog]

Didier, then it could be that you were suffering another extra problem besides the opencpn error.
Let's try to fix the "jumping boats" issue in opencpn and we will see what happens with your system.

I can reproduce the "jumping boat" issue forcing a signal loss but I can not reproduce the opencpn freeze some of you have reported. Could it be a memory problem when trying to load heavy charts on every jump?

[Didier B]

Thanks for reporting, hopefully we get a response soon.

Didier, then it could be that you were suffering another extra problem besides the opencpn error.
Let's try to fix the "jumping boats" issue in opencpn and we will see what happens with your system.

I can reproduce the "jumping boat" issue forcing a signal loss but I can not reproduce the opencpn freeze some of you have reported. Could it be a memory problem when trying to load heavy charts on every jump?

I have used the accessory "task monitor" when in 'freeze' situation (called using the window like button, which escapes the freeze condition) and the RAM usage was around 20 to 30 %, while opencpn used 25%  of the cpu capacity. I assume this means 100% of the core allocated to opencpn, generating the 'freeze" condition ...


*** NEW ***
It just happened (the freeze), and when it unfroze I noted the routes and waypoints had disappeared from the screen.
I used the route manager to erase routes and WP and reloaded them from my Back Up, they only appeared in the manager, but not on screen.
I used the manager to centre screen on a route, the map centered but no displayed no route.
I had to change the OpenCPN connection to the UDP one and restart OpenCPN to see the routes on screen again.
Then I changed back to the Signal K connection, restarted and the routes were correctly displayed ! ? ! ? ! ?
For me that is a first  time I see that !

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Do you have influxdb running? It's really useful to see what's been going on, this is satellites in view > 

I'm not aware about influxdb, sure I should get !


That's why 'GPS status' loss in the OpenCPN dashboard maters for me !  

BTW, I had, (in the recent past) used the tick box allowing to log a connection in Signal K, I tried to activate it again ; but I coudn't locate the log file after that. Any suggestion someone ?

[Axel-Pin]

Could it be a memory problem when trying to load heavy charts on every jump?

I have exact freeze (not responding) problem with OpenCPN even with empty basemap.

[Didier B]

Do you have influxdb running? It's really useful to see what's been going on, this is satellites in view > 

I'm not aware about influxdb, sure I should get !


That's why 'GPS status' loss in the OpenCPN dashboard maters for me !  

BTW, I had, (in the recent past) used the tick box allowing to log a connection in Signal K, I tried to activate it again ; but I coudn't locate the log file after that. Any suggestion someone  ?
EDIT : found it in .signalk directory : skserver-raw....

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Thanks for reporting, hopefully we get a response soon.

 i sent you in MP a copy of my skserver log
EDIT : coulldn't find the way to attach a file to a private message
So I attch this log to this thread, after masking my coordinates