Trouble with Garmin Bluechart app on iPad

[ewsponberg]

Hi all to electronic navigation users. I have been running iNax navigation software on my iPad2 which works fine. However, iNax does not support ActiveCaptain. I learned that Garmin Bluecharts does support ActiveCaptain, so I downloaded the app, and I purchased a group of charts for the Caribbean. But the charts DON'T APPEAR on the iPad! I followed all the steps to set up the account download the charts via iTunes, and you can see by the download tools that the charts are downloading, and I see by my iTunes account that the purchase went through. I even deleted the app and started again, and I have reloaded the charts a number of times, all to no avail.

So, to see the detail on the charts--the depth contours and navigation aids and the like--you are presented with a generalized screen that shows the general region where you are traveling, and you are supposed to zoom in on the chart to see the chart detail. But on my iPad, that does not happen. Nothing appears, no chart detail, nothing! All I get is just a zoomed-in view of the general region. All the ActiveCaptain icons appear, but not the chart itself. So I am in a quandary, what is going on?

I have tried Googling this problem but have gotten nowhere--no one else seems to have it or reported on it. I have sent an email message to Garmin Tech Support, but they have not responded yet. I have shown the problem to two other sailors who have the Bluechart app on their iPads, and they are dumbfounded by my problem because it has not happened on their machines. The charts appear normally on their iPads, but not on mine. So I fear there is something wrong in the set up of my iPad that is preventing the charts from appearing, but I don't know what that is. I have checked and rechecked Location Services on the iPad, and it shows that the Garmin Bluechart app is using it.

Can any of you help? Have you experienced this problem of the Garmin Bluecharts not appearing on an iPad? I have uploaded two pictures of what the screen looks like. The start view is what Bluechart looks like when you turn it on to the chart screen. The zoom-in view is what it looks like when I zoom in. The chart detail is supposed to be there--there isn't any other control that you can set or change to make the navigation information appear. You can see that the ActiveCaptain information is there.

Thanks a bunch.

Eric

[a64pilot]

Did you tap the tiles to download the map data for that location?
Go to the tools icon upper left, looks like a gear, then BlueChart maps, select the one you bought then select each map tile

[RickG]

There's a thread on the Active Captain facebook page about a problem with the new 2017 charts. Lots of people reporting the same problem, calling support, providing requested screen shots.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/activecaptain/

I was waiting for the update before I bought new charts. I'll keep waiting for the fix.

Cheers, RickG

[ewsponberg]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Did you tap the tiles to download the map data for that location?
Go to the tools icon upper left, looks like a gear, then BlueChart maps, select the one you bought then select each map tile

Yes, I did all that, multiple times, for the sector tiles that I want. When I could not see the charts, I deleted those tiles and reloaded them, again and as you say, by tapping on the tiles that I want. Each tile goes green, and then the green scrolls away as the sector is downloaded. Once downloaded, that sector is white while the remainder of the region (which I don't want) is grayed out. I have done this multiple times with no better result.

Thanks for your input. Can you suggest anything else?

Eric

[a64pilot]

Contact Garmin I guess, it has worked for me for the last three years, my maps are 2014.
near as I can tell your doing nothing wrong

[ewsponberg]

Originally Posted by RickG

There's a thread on the Active Captain facebook page about a problem with the new 2017 charts. Lots of people reporting the same problem, calling support, providing requested screen shots.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/activecaptain/

I was waiting for the update before I bought new charts. I'll keep waiting for the fix.

Cheers, RickG

Thanks, Rick. So I am not crazy! This problem seems to have erupted in just the last few days! I have put in a request to follow the ActiveCaptain FB page, and will check in again in a few days to see what people and Garmin have found. We are in the Bahamas right now, Georgetown in the Exumas, heading for Long Island tomorrow. I can check in again after we drop anchor.

Eric

[RickG]

What bad timing for Garmin app problems! Jeffrey Siegel, from ActiveCaptain, checked in at 8:30am Eastern to say that Garmin is aware of the problem and are working on it. I am watching for the fix before I refresh my charts.

Cheers, RickG

[RickG]

Garmin says the problem has been fixed. If you were having the problem, you need to delete the chart tiles in the BlueChart section of the app settings and reload the tiles.

Cheers, RickG

[ewsponberg]

Originally Posted by RickG

Garmin says the problem has been fixed. If you were having the problem, you need to delete the chart tiles in the BlueChart section of the app settings and reload the tiles.

Cheers, RickG

Thanks, Rick. Indeed, the problem is resolved! I commented on the ActiveCaptain FB page, and I got a reply back from Marine Tech Support at Garmin. Garmin had an update problem with their new 2017 charts which they have resolved. On their instructions, I deleted the prior set of charts and downleaded a whole new set to cover the Caribbean for the next year or so. The appear normally now. Thank you very much for your comments and that link to ActiveCaptain. That lead directly to getting it solved, and giving me peace of mind--I appreciate that!

Eric

[RickG]

Eric, good to heare. Enjoy your sail. We hope to splash next week.

Cheers, RickG

[biggles72]

Useless...

When I try to download previously purchased charts, it says...
“Unable to connect to the App Store” last time about 4 months ago it was doing the same but after 10 attempts finally go on. Now it won’t. Waste of my money and time.

Can someone give me a good iPad alternative so I can change over and recommend to all my friends to stay well clear of any Garmin product?