SeaClearDownloads

[shemandr]

I've downloaded a chart from the NOAA website. I have the calibration utility for Sea Clear. I can't remember what I have to do to permit the utility "Find new charts" to find the recently downloaded chart. I think I've unzipped it but I'm not sure.
Can anyone tell me what to do from the download of the zip BSA file to get it to open in Sea Clear?

 

[Tom L]

Do you have the document: "Loading Charts in Seaclear"? This tells you how to do it. You install Seaclear first so that the Seaclear directories are set up. Then download and unzip your charts. I downloaded my charts from NOAA also so I know that they should work for you. Then you run the Mapcal utility and install the charts. After that, they should be available in Seaclear. Here are the directions from the "Loading Charts ..." documentation:

The SeaClear program itself does not contain any charts (apart from one greenish very basic
world chart). The location of the new charts must be allocated to the program through the
“Autoload list” This allocation must be done by using the tandem program “Mapcal”. The
“MapCal” utility can be found in the same directory as SeaClear.
You must differentiate between BSB raster charts which have already been geo-referenced by
the publisher, (cont at 1.1.) and scanned charts (straight from the scanner) that have not yet
been geo-referenced. (cont at 1.3)​

1.1 Loading BSB raster charts step by step.​

1. Copy the cruising region folder(s) from the DVD to the hard disk or create chart
folders (directories) using Windows Explorer (or another file manager program such as
My Computer) and then copy the chart files into the folders.
2. SeaClear works best if you copy the appropriate chart file(s) from the DVD to the
folder C:\Program Files\SeaClear\charts, but other file locations can also be used. Make a
logical directory structure.
3. Start the tandem utility “Mapcal” by double clicking on its icon
4. Select: “Tools > Set Directories” (Set Directories is used for setting all file paths
used by MapCal and SeaClear.)
5. In the Chart Directories window, enter the path to the chart folders you created earlier,
or click the Browse for Folder button [ << ] box to the right of the Chart Directories
window to navigate to your chart folders.
6. Select the chart folder you would like to add and click OK. If you have copied the
charts to multiple directories for different regions, click the requested directories one by
one and OK each one.​

7. Click OK in the Set Directories window to close the window.

If you don't have this document and cannot find it, give me your email address and I will email it to you but the directions above should do.

Are you using a GPS unit with Seaclear? If so, I am curious which one you are using.

Good luck,
Tom

 

[shemandr]

Thanks Tom, I did find that document online. The problem is that I'm an idiot. I've got the files all screwed up because I don't understand their structure. When I unzip I gather you get several files out but only one is the raster chart data. I guess it's best to copy that to the SeaClear charts folder and then enter that path into the directory utility. Then I can scan for new charts. That seemed to work.
But now I've got 2 folder with charts and other files. I trying to understand if I can delete the superfluous files in my documents folder, which is where I downloaded the
unzipped files to.
I bought a hockey puck GPS on amazon for about $40. So far it works with the program but I haven't used it except at home. If I could get it to work, anyone can.

 

[Joe]

When I set SeaClearII up I was given the option of downloading packets of charts for various regions. If you have limited drive space you can just download one region...but I downloaded the all because I like maps. I did not manipulate the files in any way... I used the default settings.... simple and no problems.

After downloading the regions and installing seaclearII the opening world map enables you to select the area you want... the map that appears will probably not be the one you want so you expand it by right clicking "smaller scale" of putting the cursor on the edge of the map and double clicking. The tools box has a map list selection if you want to do it that way.... but it's easier to simply use put the cursor on a map point, the click to get the best chart... or put the cursor on the map edge to expand to a smaller scale....

 

[higgs]

I use the "Not Listed" option under "Charts" which allows me to load them from anywhere.

 

[seanshine]

Speaking of GPS. I bought my gps on ebay for $10. It is about the size of a bic lighter and plugs into a usb port. No wires. It works perfectly with my Seaclear charts. It has never lost site and powers up quickly.