New in ENC

[AlxSail]

Hi all, I am new in ENC-navigation, and I am trying to understand how it works, I was google, but can not find enough information

I am trying to use ENC with Linux OS, the program, I am running is Polar View NS (trial version), there are some free charts, but only for USA , and I need for Turky...

On Polar View WEB-Site is written, that it supports ENC from chartworld.com, but in chart-selector supported format is only *.000, does chartworld.com provide this format?

How it works, how can I get ENCs (Can I get it free (or cheaper), if I don't need latest updates/actual charts, just for trying, as duplicative Navigation System )

PS: I don't need full Electronic Navigation System today(I have paper charts), but I want to try it to use in future (for sailing)

--
Sorry for my English,
best regards,
Alex from Russia.

[brak]

Hey Alex,

PolarView supports charts in S57/S63 vector format and BSB3 raster format.

Both S57 and S63 chart files have extension .000 for the "primary" cell file, which is what PolarView is looking for. As an aside, there may be additional files with sequential extensions (001, 002 etc), these are updates and PolarView will pick them up automatically.

S57 chart format is open and requires no specific authentication. You can download free S57 charts for US waters from NOAA web site. Outside US free S57 charts are few and far between.

S63 charts are basically the same vector S57 charts, except they are encrypted and, generally, not available for free. These are often official charts, produced by government hydrographic agencies around the world. They are also produced privately, i.e. Navionics ENCs, which are based on Navionics chart data.

Chartworld.com is a kind of aggregator and reseller. They sell S63 charts from most official sources as well as Navionics.

To order S63 charts you need to provide something called "User Permit" - essentially a unique identifier of your chart viewer. Charts that you buy will be encoded with this value, and can only be used on a system for which they were encoded. Chartworld.com permits the same set of charts to be used with up to 2 "user permits" per order, i.e. on up to 2 systems.

Prices of S63 charts vary quite a bit, as I mentioned in another post here.

If you buy S63 charts, you'll need to go through a process of unpacking and installing them. I wrote a blog post describing this process - check it out for additional details.

Udachi

[AlxSail]

Thanks!!!! And what about how to find the chart name that I need, for free charts it's very easy (I should select aria and press download button), and what about S63? How can I find chart-names, that I need?

[brak]

Alex,

PolarView can't download charts directly from Chartworld, like it can from NOAA. You need to register at Chartworld.com (registration is free) and search chart listings.

Their site is somewhat tricky to use at first, see my blog link above for a description of where to navigate to search charts.

Turkey charts are a bit difficult to find, because country name is never used in names of charts for that area. They are covered by Navionics ENCs. Navionics charges the same Eur. 150 per "region" there, as elsewhere. They do seem to cut their regions quite small around the Mediterranean, though, making it not a particularly cheap solution. Compare that with entire Australia and NZ being a single region.

To cover the western/southern coast of Turkey you'd need these three chart regions:
1I03011 - Mediterranean Sea - Aegean Sea
1I03012 - Southern Aegean Sea to Gulf of Antalya
1I03013 - Eastern Mediterranean Sea

There are more "regions" covering northern coast and Black Sea etc.

Originally Posted by AlxSail

Thanks!!!! And what about how to find the chart name that I need, for free charts it's very easy (I should select aria and press download button), and what about S63? How can I find chart-names, that I need?

[AlxSail]

Thanks!!!
I think 1I03012 will be enough for me

And what about AVCS ENCs, are they supported by PolarView NS?

[brak]

Originally Posted by AlxSail

Thanks!!!
I think 1I03012 will be enough for me

And what about AVCS ENCs, are they supported by PolarView NS?

As far as I know, Admiralty Vector Chart Service provides charts in S63 format which PolarView supports. I think they basically aggregate and re-sell same cells that are sold through other sources.

That said, I don't have any existing user reports wrt. their charts. If you try to order these charts, re-seller will ask you for your User Permit (just like Chartworld.com does) and if there is an issue, they usually will be able to tell you. Let me know if you encounter a problem.

[Jens1]

I recommend to consult a VAR (Value Added Reseller) to order the ENCs you need. They provide you ENCs in the appropriate scale(s) (ENC are the only electronic charts which are official. Therefore it is useless to say official ENC) and updates of them. BTW Chartworld.com is one of them. Other VAR can be found on the RENC websites, e.g. here.
I further recommend to take an ECDIS course. Your question indicates that you need to improve your skill in that field. A lot of ECDIS Basics and ECDIS in operation information can be found at my own website (signature). Have fun.