Windows based navigation software

[eheffa]

RosePoint Coastal Explorer is excellent and worth a good hard look IMO.

-evan

[StuM]

Originally Posted by jlandrum

Realize this forum is full of OCPN fans, but the OP was asking about commercial Windows products - I'm interested in hearing about the same if anyone has some recommendations/experience with what's out there...

I didn't see anything about wanting commercial products in the original post.



Just a request for alternatives to OpenCPN which he thinks is "great' but he apparentlycan't find charts for his area.

In that case, helping him to find suitable charts is appropriate.

[Boatwright]

Don't know why some are down on NOAA charts. After all, they are the charts that all the chart plotters base their data on.

That being the case, we are using Memory Map software on a Panasonic Toughbook running Win 7 Pro. Raster charts are available from the US Canada, and the Admiralty. I have no experience with other foreign charts. Raster images are fine grained pixels (like a digital photo). It is a data set that exactly duplicates a printed chart. This is the same data that private chart printing firms use to print charts now that NOAA is discontinuing that service. Claims are made that raster images are inferior to vector images. While this may be true in the abstract we have found no visible loss of clear resolution on our computer screen no matter the zoom level.

After using Garmin chart-plotters and finding the presentation lacking many of the details of "real" charts, we have to say we love the larger PC screen and our Memory Map system. It uses a readily available GPS dongle that acquires a very accurate position, course, and speed info with few seconds warm-up, interfaces with our AIS, and is capable of providing course info to an autopilot. It has lots of convenient features: Trip planning, anchor alarm, night-vision colors, mouse wheel zoom, and many others.

For the US and Canadian Great Lakes, our cruising area, we have dozens and dozens of charts readily available on the hard drive, including local harbor, river, and lock charts -- the complete set, all for the cost of a half dozen printed charts.

The software is available for Windows, Apple, and Android systems. Check it out:

https://memory-map.com/

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Boatwright

Don't know why some are down on NOAA charts. After all, they are the charts that all the chart plotters base their data on.

It's not a case of being "down on them". It's that they do not cover most of the world so are only useful if you sail in certain areas.


Neither MasonC nor I sail in areas covered by NOAA.

[jdazey]

Originally Posted by eheffa

RosePoint Coastal Explorer is excellent and worth a good hard look IMO.

-evan

+1 on Coastal Explorer. Excellent chart management, easy to use routing, lots of good stuff.


Cheers,

[ilenart]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

For comercial PC nav try SOB from DigiBOAT Navigation Software for GPS Receivers - Software-On-Board Designed by sailors with a very simple and practical interface. It works with CMap charts. Using the super wide charts thhis gives the most economical package I have found. One chart pack fot under &300 covers all of the Carribean Sea. I belive current Raymarine products are now compatable with CMap charts. Does have network capabilities so you should be able to intigrate it with your other instruments. Available as a free trial version.
I agree with what you say about getting charts for open CPN but also find SOB much simpler to use and easyer to intigrate with AIS etc

Would also recommend MOB, having been using it for the last 15 years on Windows based computers. Updated it last year and had good response from their support when I hit a few issues with the upgrade.

Ilenart

[masonc]

Originally Posted by StuM

Your profile location says Anguilla. If that's your sailing area, the oeSENC Carribbean chart sets appears to offer good coverage:
https://o-charts.org/shop/index.php?...duct&id_lang=4

And that's what I did, thanks for the advice. The charts are not the best I've used, I have Navionics on the chartplotter and NVCharts paper charts, but they seem adequate for the purpose, it's mostly for distance calculations, routes and planning.
As soon as I get time I will see if I get AIS through the Yakker from the HP-33a. I think I have a DaisyAIS somewhere also. I just got the Matsutec HP33a to talk to the chartplotter. Making progress.

[cagney]

Originally Posted by masonc

Yes, Anguilla. I'm interested in the Caaribbean. I'll try they link you provided. Thanks for your advice.

Another alternative - If you use the nv-chart plugin for OpenCPN you can buy their Caribbean raster charts, which are second to none.

Thomas

[georgy.goshin]

Long time I'm trying to find a good charts for Baltics, advice me if you know something too?

[cagney]

Originally Posted by georgy.goshin

Long time I'm trying to find a good charts for Baltics, advice me if you know something too?

oeSENC / OpenCPN nowadays covers all of the Baltic Sea except for Russia, Latvia and Lithuania, with up to date vector charts. See https://o-charts.org/shop/index.php?...gory&id_lang=4

[masonc]

Originally Posted by cagney

Another alternative - If you use the nv-chart plugin for OpenCPN you can buy their Caribbean raster charts, which are second to none.

Thomas

I have a license for NV charts, will try that. Good charts.

[masonc]

I have a yakker connected to my HP-33A AIS and the yakker webpage debug shows valid AIS sentences. I can't get OPENCPN to recognize them, does anyone know how to set it up?

[Ambler]

Originally Posted by Boatwright

Don't know why some are down on NOAA charts. After all, they are the charts that all the chart plotters base their data on.

That being the case, we are using Memory Map software on a Panasonic Toughbook running Win 7 Pro. Raster charts are available from the US Canada, and the Admiralty. I have no experience with other foreign charts. Raster images are fine grained pixels (like a digital photo). It is a data set that exactly duplicates a printed chart. This is the same data that private chart printing firms use to print charts now that NOAA is discontinuing that service. Claims are made that raster images are inferior to vector images. While this may be true in the abstract we have found no visible loss of clear resolution on our computer screen no matter the zoom level.

After using Garmin chart-plotters and finding the presentation lacking many of the details of "real" charts, we have to say we love the larger PC screen and our Memory Map system. It uses a readily available GPS dongle that acquires a very accurate position, course, and speed info with few seconds warm-up, interfaces with our AIS, and is capable of providing course info to an autopilot. It has lots of convenient features: Trip planning, anchor alarm, night-vision colors, mouse wheel zoom, and many others.

For the US and Canadian Great Lakes, our cruising area, we have dozens and dozens of charts readily available on the hard drive, including local harbor, river, and lock charts -- the complete set, all for the cost of a half dozen printed charts.

The software is available for Windows, Apple, and Android systems. Check it out:

https://memory-map.com/

Totally agree with the use of software that uses raster charts. Hydrographic offices the world over evolved symbols and abreviations that portray everything we need to know and more on a paper chart.
I don't think much of the many digital chart formats that aim to make money from copying IHO sanctioned paper charts. They inadvertently leave information off and often don't let the user know there is a larger scale chart available for a particular area which show hazards. Many symbols and abreviations are simply left off the digital version because they weren't understood during the manual digitising process (human errors by non mariners)
I also use Memory-Map here in Australia and New Zealand with raster (real image geo referenced) charts.
I am prepared to use digital charts if they are produced by the official hydrographic offices and IHO approved.

[tschmidty]

No mention of Polar View? https://www.polarnavy.com/main/prod1

I find it a reasonably priced software that runs much faster and looks much better than OpenCPN.

[Antony Masters]

You can run Time Zero on a pc at the Nav station and it will link with a Furuno chart plotter at the helm.