Seaclear??

[hellosailor]

Steven, there's an old song line that goes "You can tune a piano but you can't tune a fish".

USB ports are for USB devices. Antennas are not USB devices. So the first question is, what are you miscalling an "antenna" and why are you trying to plug it into a USB port on your computer?

If you mean, you are looking for a GPS with a USB output, which is powered from the USB port?

OK, that will work but not every program is new enough to know that there are USB GPSes. Originally there were none, they were all serial, and boat instruments are still pretty much expected to be serial--not USB.

There are some USB GPSes that come with "virtual com port" software, which can be run on some computers, and sometimes that will trick the computer and other software by taking the USB GPS information and making it available on a "phantom" COM port. SOMETIMES this stuff works, sometimes it will not. If SeaClear expects a GPS to be on COM1/2/3/4 and your phantom software or your computer setup doesn't allow the use of the those ports for this task--you can't do it.

Yes, that's a problem, traditional computers and GPSes ar serial, the new ones are USB only, so you have to find a mix that supports what you've got, or replace what doesn't support the rest.

[StevenPalmer51]

Okay! I guess I will find a cable that will use the info from my Map176 and keep it powered at the same time. Thanks for the info...

[mario f]

Originally Posted by StevenPalmer51

The SeaClear program won't recognize the antenna, has anyone dealt with this issue and have any ideas on it. I opened the Comm tab.

Steve
I am using an AMBICOM usb gps a wire with 1" box and magnetic back.
I had similar issues with mine the problem was that it apparently takes the unit a good while to find where its is. Their web site said up to 6hrs or more?
I waited maybe half hour, and it works great.

[StevenPalmer51]

Thanks Mario, I returned the one I had purchased, it would work with the land based software but not SeaClear II. Have you been able to use yours with the SeaClear program?

[hellosailor]

"I had similar issues with mine the problem was that it apparently takes the unit a good while to find where its is. Their web site said up to 6hrs or more"
For any GPS, during the initial power-up it will start looking for satellite data built on the satellite ephemeris (time & position data) built into it. That data presumes a known location, i.e. the factory or the counry where they are intended for sale. Or, the last known place it was turned on and used--if that is still in the memory.

So with a new GPS, or one that has been flown thousands of miles, the "time to first fix" can run many hours on older units. On newer faster units it may be under 1/2 hour, no matter where they've gone to.

Yes, the technology has improved.

[Boracay]

Just brought a Uniden GPS501 to tell me where the school zones and speed cameras are.

$A229 from Harvey Norman.

It's a small GPS with programable waypoints. Accurate to within a few metres.

Sould do nicely as a back up on the boat.

Manual says it will take up to 15 min. to acquire satelites.

On the car it seems to pick them up within a few seconds of having a clear view of the northern sky.

[mario f]

Steve,
I have been using mine with both SeaClear, Chart Navigator and also a land based (Microsoft Streets & trips) with no problems.
I get a good signal at the nav station, I positioned the unit on the corner of a portlight above navstation. The laptop is a Compaq Presario V2000.

[bearphish]

i don't think that seclear was truly designed as a standalone navigator and a cure-all for someone's lack of navigational ability. we used simple gps for land nav in the army, but still had to terrain navigate by use of topo maps when necessary. i use seaclear and love it. i can upload chart images and calibrate them, and it does the simple job of giving me a very good idea of where in the world i am at any given time. of course, i'm not into auto pilot- hands free, push-a-button/get me there while i lounge with rum kind of sailing, either, so it does just the trick.

[kuppersmit]

Just joined today. Looks like a site I will enjoy. Thanks

[minh45]

Hi,

I don't known why Seaclear is no add IMO inf?

Every body known about this problem?

Thanks

Minh45

[Retcoastie]

Has anyone gotten SeaClearII to work on the Vista operating system?

Thanks

[caribnsol]

I haven't heard of it on vista yet. I just loaded it on an older compaq with xp pro. It working pretty well, still haven't got all the bugs out yet, hooked it up to a delorme earthmate gps and seems to be working.

Only real problem I am seeing is the instructions are very bare bones and that I have to try different things to make it work.

I would think that it would be the same with Vista, load it up and try it out. Price is right and the worst thing that happens is it doesn't work.

Now I am doing my experimenting from a desk and the worst that could happen is I wreck on a file cabinet.

[phiggins]

and it works great under Wine on Linux.

[Retcoastie]

My problem using SeaClearII on Vista is when it opens a window comes up that says "Could Not Open Communication Port 1". What this does is not allow my GPS to talk to the program. SeaClear works alright as a dead reckoning plotter but not the automatic chart plotter without the GPS input.

I suspect SeaClear is looking for a serial input port and my laptop does not have serial ports, only USB. I had similiar trouble initially hooking up my scanner and printer but was able to redirect them to the USB port. I don't know how to redirect SeaClear to look for my GPS at a USB port.

I read the guy who wrote SeaClearII was not going to update it for Vista. I was wondering if anyone had solved the problem. The other solution is to look for an older, cheap, preVista laptop and use it on the boat.

[rickm505]

Originally Posted by bearphish

i don't think that seclear was truly designed as a standalone navigator and a cure-all for someone's lack of navigational ability.

I believe SeaClear was designed to be a standalone navigator. When used with the free American NOAA bsb charts, Seaclear is as good as any navigational software I've come across. As accurate as any printed chart could be. Foggy, visibilty zero, I've used it and haven't been surprised.

Now, if your position is that no software should ever be relied on for navigation, I could understand that position. I'd disagree, but would understand.