Best software for interfacing a windows 7 PC with a chartplotter

[alctel]

I've a Simrad NSS8 with a navionics platinum chip. My PC talks to the chartplotter via NMEA0183, what would be good software to plot routes and transfer them to the plotter?

Navionics (for some reason) doesn't do any windows software, only tablets, and I am Canadian, so using OpenCPN means I'd have to fork over a ton of cash for charts anyway.

What do other people use for this?

[Lepke]

Unless you're plotting points in small channels, you could use US charts that overlap Canada and export from OpenCPN. I know it has an export function, but I've never used it.

[phiggins]

I always create routes using OpenCPN then export them to a file in .GPX format. Then I use a program that I wrote to upload the file to my Furuno chart plotter via the NMEA connection.

The export function from OpenCPN to upload them directly to the Furuno wasn't in quite the right format for my Furuno chart plotter. I did report this to the OpenCPN folks but I don't think it was ever corrected.

Regarding the charts, a very cheap way to create charts for Canada (or anywhere where there aren't free charts) is to use SasPlanet with the Navionics charts and then use GE2KAP to create the .kap chart for OpenCPN. Attached is a screenshot of Wellington Bay near the end of Lake Ontario that I just created for OpenCPN.

[phiggins]

alctel,

Are you sure your chart plotter is capable of uploading routes? I just looked at the Operators manual and the installation manual for it and can not find that capability.

[blackcrow]

Originally Posted by alctel

I've a Simrad NSS8 with a navionics platinum chip. My PC talks to the chartplotter via NMEA0183, what would be good software to plot routes and transfer them to the plotter?

for me personally, best one is euronav navigation's "seapro performance sailing",


and


maptech chart navigation professional that I have for years now never ever had one single problem with it.