I am looking to purchase a software program to interface my computer with my GPS. Two of the products that I am looking at are Maptech Chart Navigator Pro and First Mate by The Captain. Both seem to be using Maptech charts. I would appreciate any experiences that you have had with this software. I will be navigating primarily in the Great Lakes.
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Not so fast....
If you don't know already...all the USA charts are available to download free from NOAA in the Maptech bsb format bitmap format and just about everything is also avalable on ENC vector format charts. Both Maptech and the Cap'n have good reputations but unless you need all their features you may be better off getting something simpler and cheaper. for example: 1. You can download ALL bsb raster charts for the USA and download free Sea-Clear software. Hook your GPS and you have basic charting software. It will give you course heading etc. on screen as well as let you create routes and waypoints and save tracks. 2. Same deal but use Fugawi Global navigator which has a nicer interface and a few more features for about $119...half the price of basic maptech. No download required as charts are included. 3. Buy Fugawi ENC Navigator...about $219...reads and includes bot the BSB and ENC charts for less than Maptech or the Cap'n. The Fugawi software can be downloaded for a 10 day demo if you want to try it and the sea clear is free for download. Noaa raster charts are free for download here: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/Index.htm Noaa ENC's available here for free: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download.htm Of course...if you want to do all the fancy stuff then either the Capn' or Maptech Pro is fine...I personally like the Maptech interface better but lots of folks like the Cap'n too so i think it is really a toss-up.
If you don't know already...all the USA charts are available to download free from NOAA in the Maptech bsb format bitmap format and just about everything is also avalable on ENC vector format charts. Both Maptech and the Cap'n have good reputations but unless you need all their features you may be better off getting something simpler and cheaper. for example: 1. You can download ALL bsb raster charts for the USA and download free Sea-Clear software. Hook your GPS and you have basic charting software. It will give you course heading etc. on screen as well as let you create routes and waypoints and save tracks. 2. Same deal but use Fugawi Global navigator which has a nicer interface and a few more features for about $119...half the price of basic maptech. No download required as charts are included. 3. Buy Fugawi ENC Navigator...about $219...reads and includes bot the BSB and ENC charts for less than Maptech or the Cap'n. The Fugawi software can be downloaded for a 10 day demo if you want to try it and the sea clear is free for download. Noaa raster charts are free for download here: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/Index.htm Noaa ENC's available here for free: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download.htm Of course...if you want to do all the fancy stuff then either the Capn' or Maptech Pro is fine...I personally like the Maptech interface better but lots of folks like the Cap'n too so i think it is really a toss-up.
west coast
I received a west marine gift certificate for christmas and on a whim I upgraded my SoCal Maptech chartkit that was 5 years old to a current publication, the price for the new chartkit was about $69.00. The new version has been expanded to include charts for the entire SF bay area up to Bodega Bay down to Point Conception, besides the South California collection including Ensenda. PLUS.... it also included a CD of the entire chartkit to load in your computer... Now I thought that was a pretty good deal... THEN I loaded up the charts on my laptop and home PC and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it included a "lite" version of the Maptech Chart Navigator Pro. What a bonus! The lite version certainly suits my needs and I am having a great time playing with it. Plug in my Garmin GPS 76 and I'm good to go. It couldn't be simpler and I've got a brand new set of terrific paper charts to boot.
I received a west marine gift certificate for christmas and on a whim I upgraded my SoCal Maptech chartkit that was 5 years old to a current publication, the price for the new chartkit was about $69.00. The new version has been expanded to include charts for the entire SF bay area up to Bodega Bay down to Point Conception, besides the South California collection including Ensenda. PLUS.... it also included a CD of the entire chartkit to load in your computer... Now I thought that was a pretty good deal... THEN I loaded up the charts on my laptop and home PC and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it included a "lite" version of the Maptech Chart Navigator Pro. What a bonus! The lite version certainly suits my needs and I am having a great time playing with it. Plug in my Garmin GPS 76 and I'm good to go. It couldn't be simpler and I've got a brand new set of terrific paper charts to boot.
PC <> Chartplotter
Most navigation packages do little more than turn a PC into a fancy chartplotter. You might want to take a look at software that takes advantage of the PC as a computer. Look for software that uses real time weather and can provide weather routing. Rayamarine's RNS Allows you to use the PC as a chartplotter, a Radar display, and does data recording and weather routing. B&G's Deckman for Windows also does weather routing. You might also want to be able to use more than one chart format. RNS can use BBS (Maptech) raster charts, CMap, Geo-Tiff, and Navionics. If all you want to do is display your position on a chart with the GPS and PC, you can do it with free charts and software. If you want the software to provide information to the Autopilot and other instruments, you might be better of with a chartplotter. PC's are a large draw on the electrical system compared to a chartplotter. A 70W Laptop draws about 6 amps. That means it will run a Grp27 battery flat in less than 17 hours. If you are going to have that kind of draw, you might as well get the most bang for your buck. The Captain and Maptech are not the biggest bang.
Most navigation packages do little more than turn a PC into a fancy chartplotter. You might want to take a look at software that takes advantage of the PC as a computer. Look for software that uses real time weather and can provide weather routing. Rayamarine's RNS Allows you to use the PC as a chartplotter, a Radar display, and does data recording and weather routing. B&G's Deckman for Windows also does weather routing. You might also want to be able to use more than one chart format. RNS can use BBS (Maptech) raster charts, CMap, Geo-Tiff, and Navionics. If all you want to do is display your position on a chart with the GPS and PC, you can do it with free charts and software. If you want the software to provide information to the Autopilot and other instruments, you might be better of with a chartplotter. PC's are a large draw on the electrical system compared to a chartplotter. A 70W Laptop draws about 6 amps. That means it will run a Grp27 battery flat in less than 17 hours. If you are going to have that kind of draw, you might as well get the most bang for your buck. The Captain and Maptech are not the biggest bang.
Canadian Info???
Hi Moody B, you said: If all you want to do is display your position on a chart with the GPS and PC, you can do it with free charts and software. That sounds to be more my wants/needs... I have a Garmin E-trec that i'm trying to master...puting in and taking out way-points has me stumped... Do you, or anyone, know what's available for Canada's water-ways in down-loads? Any info appreciated. Roger
Hi Moody B, you said: If all you want to do is display your position on a chart with the GPS and PC, you can do it with free charts and software. That sounds to be more my wants/needs... I have a Garmin E-trec that i'm trying to master...puting in and taking out way-points has me stumped... Do you, or anyone, know what's available for Canada's water-ways in down-loads? Any info appreciated. Roger
Nav Software
The Chart Navigator Pro is written by Rose Point, who sells the same program called Coastal Explorer for $100 less. They both include all of the US Raster, and Vector charts which saves you the downloading part. If you use a dial up connection you may want to avoid the pain of downloading, however even the slowest DSL connection is relatively painless. You can check out Rose Point Navigation using this link. I think you should also check into what Camaraderie gave you.
The Chart Navigator Pro is written by Rose Point, who sells the same program called Coastal Explorer for $100 less. They both include all of the US Raster, and Vector charts which saves you the downloading part. If you use a dial up connection you may want to avoid the pain of downloading, however even the slowest DSL connection is relatively painless. You can check out Rose Point Navigation using this link. I think you should also check into what Camaraderie gave you.
Free Canada
Roger; Canadian Raster, and Vector charts can be found at this website. They are not FREE however. I have yet to see "free Canada" charts. Maybe Moody knows of such, and can enlighten us. I cruise the BC waters on occasion and I use 10-15 year old rasters with my PC navigation software.
Roger; Canadian Raster, and Vector charts can be found at this website. They are not FREE however. I have yet to see "free Canada" charts. Maybe Moody knows of such, and can enlighten us. I cruise the BC waters on occasion and I use 10-15 year old rasters with my PC navigation software.
Roger - here's your source.
The Garmin E-Trex uses a specific download. You can find it here. My Garmin 176 chartplotter has Balsam, Pigeon and numerous other lakes in your area on the chip.
The Garmin E-Trex uses a specific download. You can find it here. My Garmin 176 chartplotter has Balsam, Pigeon and numerous other lakes in your area on the chip.
Captain Al and Navigation Software
I should have also said that for the extra $100 you get some 3D bottom contour charts that may, or may not be useful to you. Another features that may be useful now, or in the future is the AIS receiver that places commercial traffic information on the chart that shows the location, speed, direction, name, etc. of the vessel. I don't know if Great Lakes shipping is using AIS, but they are on the west coast. Most, if not all, of the top end programs will interface with the NMEA data of the AIS receiver. However if you choose to use more than one NMEA talker (GPS, AIS, auto pilot, speed log, wind direction/speed, etc.) you will need a multiplexer to "blend" the data from all of the NMEA talkers so the PC can sort it all out. jimq26, Roger said "free charts and software, that sounds to be my wants/needs". Garmin doesn't "give" anything away.
I should have also said that for the extra $100 you get some 3D bottom contour charts that may, or may not be useful to you. Another features that may be useful now, or in the future is the AIS receiver that places commercial traffic information on the chart that shows the location, speed, direction, name, etc. of the vessel. I don't know if Great Lakes shipping is using AIS, but they are on the west coast. Most, if not all, of the top end programs will interface with the NMEA data of the AIS receiver. However if you choose to use more than one NMEA talker (GPS, AIS, auto pilot, speed log, wind direction/speed, etc.) you will need a multiplexer to "blend" the data from all of the NMEA talkers so the PC can sort it all out. jimq26, Roger said "free charts and software, that sounds to be my wants/needs". Garmin doesn't "give" anything away.
Thanks for the tip...
On the Sea-Clear software. I downloaded it tonight and plugged in my Garmin GPS12. Dang, it works! WHOOT! With the Maptech free software, I could not get the GPS working. Now I have a new software package. Again, thanks for the tip.
On the Sea-Clear software. I downloaded it tonight and plugged in my Garmin GPS12. Dang, it works! WHOOT! With the Maptech free software, I could not get the GPS working. Now I have a new software package. Again, thanks for the tip.
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