Which Navigation Program Do You Use?

[Pblais]

Do any of these charting systems used satellite derived maps?

Many chart programs can use a raster image that you can calibrate if that is what you refer to. As far as a "chart" derived from satellite images many are. Chart programs are limited by the chart formats they support. If they are vector formats, they are not images even if images were used to make them (they are).

In the end, it's the quality of the images not the chart software that matters. If you could find them many of the list can use them but you may have to calibrate them yourself and that may be a problem.

[GordMay]

Online Navigation Course from www.sailingissues.com :
This highly acclaimed marine course is recommended by ISAF and US Sailing. You will learn how to navigate safely with traditional methods that have been in use since the Middle Ages, and are still applied by the professionals.
Goto: http://www.sailingissues.com/navcourse0.html

[cat man do]

Thats great Gord, but it's not gunna help much if I have paper charts with no information on them.

Dave

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Thats great Gord, but it's not gunna help much if I have paper charts with no information on them.
Dave

Where (and why) do you get blank charts, with no information on them?

[cat man do]

Areas like The Swains reef of of Australian east coast, and Chesterfield reef between Australia and New Caledonia are unsurveyed.

The charts show you how to get there, but not where the bricks are inside. These areas have hundreds of coral cays and great anchorages in the right conditions and being where they are are unspoiled and relatively unfished.

This is adventureland for me and is the main reason for the new boat and not a spot to sail in.

Seeing as most if not all computerised charts are derived from paper, they have little to no detail of these areas, but I had heard of satelite derived ones, pictures from space, that suposedly had good but not totally acurate info, which would be better than I have now, but I can't track down who sells them.

That be why i'm asking here. HELP

Dave

[Talbot]

Satellites cannot provide charts yet, due to the problems of depths. These can now be done for relatively shallow areas by aircraft using a specific type of laser - in fact Australia leads the world in this field
this is the best I can provide:


Top left is 21S 11.4 151E 00.5

Bottom right 22S 37.45 152E 20.5

There is a larger image available from the photogallery

[GordMay]

You might try a search on < satellite photo >. There’s lots commercial of cameras orbiting.

[cat man do]

Thanks Gord, but the google earth style of thing is not what i'm talking about.

These days satalite mapping and survey is fairly common place in the mining and civil engineering type of industry, and someone surely uses it in the marine mapping game.

I'm still waiting on replies from all but one of the companies I contacted, obviously all making to much money to help a potential client.

These are the images I got from Nobeltec, and thanks for yours Talbot, you can see it's a bit busy in these spots and I want to go in amongst the green bricky stuff.

Unfortunately my Nobeltec images came down the line at 2mb and now reduced to 400kb may look ordinary. the photos are of the Swains and as you may see there is room to move and laggoons to anchor in , but it is a rabbits warren and only the outskirts get explored at the moment.

I'd love to change this.

[GordMay]

All satellite images produced by NASA are published by Earth Observatory < http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ > and are freely available to the public.
Other countries have their own satellite imaging programs.

There are also private companies that provide commercial satellite imagery.

Space Imaging Inc: http://www.geoeye.com/
TerraServer.com, Inc: http://www.terraserver.com/
GlobeXplorer, LLC: http://www.globexplorer.com/
Space Imaging: www.spaceimaging.com
Digital Globe: http://www.digitalglobe.com

[cat man do]

at the end of the day I , IMHO, only a fool would use a satelite photo to navigate an area.

It would seem that I'm just going to have to wait and keep trying the mapping companies in the hope that someone has something that can help.

Gord thanks for the links but they are definetly not what i'm after.

Any sugestions on my next plan of attack will be greatly appreciated.

Dave

[Pblais]

These days satellite mapping and survey is fairly common place in the mining and civil engineering type of industry, and someone surely uses it in the marine mapping game.

Not for the level of detail you would want to trust it's not common or even possible. It would be out of the question for normal civil engineering construction purposes. They do use aerial photography but not satellite. They still would require ground control and bathymetric data collected on the ground (water) if you wanted a chance of not running aground. You might be able to plot something using a photo but the depth work would be a real nail biter. Developing your own techniques would give you the first shot at it. There is a reason it's not well discovered or spoiled - there are no charts!

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Pblais

. Developing your own techniques would give you the first shot at it. There is a reason it's not well discovered or spoiled - there are no charts!

Thanks for that , had already thought of that , but I suppose I was hopeing some of these guys posting may be able to have a look at their screens like Talbot did, and just see if I'm lucky enough to get a package with something on it.

I know of charter fishing boats that get in there, maybe just stooged in on a nice day and kept a track in and out.

I'll try and contact some and see if they'll share any secrets, but I won't hold my breath

Dave

[Pblais]

There really are few uncharted areas left. You really have a chance to do something exciting. Just be sure you don't get yourself in trouble doing it. We expect to see you around here for a long time.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Pblais

There really are few uncharted areas left. You really have a chance to do something exciting. Just be sure you don't get yourself in trouble doing it. We expect to see you around here for a long time.

Mate , around that neck of the wood's and also in at Shoalwater Bay you can stay for weeks , if not months and not see other boats. All this a two day easy sail from our future home port of Rockhampton.

Shoalwater bay is big time adventure land, Big tides[ 30 ft ] Big sharks, big saltwater crocs, big mudcrabs and big fish.

The downside is that all too often the U.S military ,Singapore Armed forces and yes even The Australian Army, reckon it's a great place to play war games and shoot and blow the **** out of everything, even using depleted uranium rounds which is pretty scary.

The upside is they spend plenty of cash in Rockhampton

It is sad to see rubbish left on the pristine beaches when they leave. MRE packs with U.S markings even a plane washed up on beach recently.
I have even heard of tanks and trucks lost in creek crossing and swamp areas.

But hey, this is not the place for a beat up.

Pics of U.S in Shoalwater bay

[Talbot]

They still would require ground control and bathymetric data collected on the ground (water) if you wanted a chance of not running aground.

Not true. mapping from an aircraft including depth data is now feasible using a special laser.

It might be a tad expensive for what you want!