How to contribute to OCPN for the Mediterranean

[pcav]

Hi all,
I'm very positive about OCPN, and I'd like to contribute. I see very few, if any, data are available for the Mediteranean. Is there an hoto for new contributors?
Thanks.

[captmikecoin]

As you have discovered, up to date charts for the Mediterranean are hard to come by or else very expensive (S63) so I believe a plugin to allow the use of Navionics charts would be one of the best things to be made available. I am told that this would require the cooperation of Navionics too, so I have recently e-mailed them for their comments. No response yet but it's too early. If you're interested I'll forward you a copy of their reply.

I would have liked to help with this but unfortunately have no programming knowledge.

Cheers,

Mike

[CarCode]

You can use the CM93v2 charts for the Mediterranean and I guess there are also NV-charts available for some regions.

Gerhard

[captmikecoin]

Originally Posted by CarCode

You can use the CM93v2 charts for the Mediterranean and I guess there are also NV-charts available for some regions.

Gerhard

Thanks; I didn't know about the NV chart coverage and will investigate further. The problem with CM93v2 is the lack of recent updates and the fact that the detailed coverage for yachtsmen is not as good as Navionics, never mind the dubious legality.
Cheers,
Mike


I've just looked at the NV chart list but Med coverage is poor, with no coverage of Med. France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, not to mention the Levant and N. Africa which may be less important these days.

[bcn]

For the Western Med you can use as well the VisitMyHarbor Raster charts.
Coverage for some parts of the Spanish East coast is not premium though.

And a word about S-63 charts: Those are not that expensive if you just go for the charts you need, licensing those for 3 months (they stay in place afterwards, but without updates.)
But we know as well that S-63 coverage is not complete: parts of France or the Italian part of the Adria are not well covered with detailed charts. Same for Tunisia.

And as for all the providers for complete, proprietary sets the quality is varying.
When I compare the Navionics charts we have for the build-in chart plotter with the S-63 charts on OCPN I stop looking at the boat's plotter.

My question for Pcav would be, what he would like to see and which ideas to complete chart offerings for OCPN he might have. More quality and accessible charts are always very welcome.

Hubert

[pcav]

Sorry, these are my first steps here, so I apologize for my ignorance.
If I understand it correctly, I have to purchase the maps, than use it in OCPN, right?

[bcn]

Pcav,

you can purchase or license charts for OpenCPN, but there are free charts from different sources available as well. Med is poor is this sense.
OCPN as open software is open for different chart formats.

OpenSeamap issued several packages in raster chart format lately. They contain shorelines and lights and as derived from OpenStreetMap a lot of information about terrestrial objects. No bathymetric data yet one can rely on - what is crucial for sailing.

A comprehensive information related to chart sources you will find here:
Chart Sources | Official OpenCPN Homepage

The complete chapter about charts in OCPN might be interesting for you.

[pcav]

OK, quite clear, thanks.