Google Earth and NOAA Charts

[Macblaze]

Did we know about this? You can display and download all of the NOAA charts directly from Google Earth. Perfect for planning. This is way cool...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtD7...ature=youtu.be

[transmitterdan]

You can download all the NOAA charts directly from NOAA.

[CHAZ]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Did we know about this? You can display and download all of the NOAA charts directly from Google Earth. Perfect for planning. This is way cool...

Indeed it is

Thanks for posting this
Martin

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

You can download all the NOAA charts directly from NOAA.

Yes, although it is A) more complex than it has to be and B) not the primary idea of using this Google Earth KML, more of an added bonus.

Still has some bugs though. I've managed to crash and corrupt my prefs by downloading too many charts...

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Yes, although it is A) more complex than it has to be and B) not the primary idea of using this Google Earth KML, more of an added bonus.

Still has some bugs though. I've managed to crash and corrupt my prefs by downloading too many charts...

If you get the latest beta of OpenCPN getting NOAA charts is pretty easy IMO.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

If you get the latest beta of OpenCPN getting NOAA charts is pretty easy IMO.

I'll have to revisit it again. Last time I gave it a try I was unimpressed with the system...it made me wish I had paper charts :-)

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

I'll have to revisit it again. Last time I gave it a try I was unimpressed with the system...it made me wish I had paper charts :-)

If looking at charts on a PC screen isn't satisfying then that's ok. But all I was saying is that getting the official NOAA charts directly from NOAA is not difficult. I'm not trying to convert you to PC navigation. For sure OpenCPN (or any PC based navigation program) has a learning curve and it takes more than a few hours to get comfortable using it.

[RajaNagaLaut]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

If looking at charts on a PC screen isn't satisfying then that's ok. ...... For sure OpenCPN (or any PC based navigation program) has a learning curve and it takes more than a few hours to get comfortable using it.

How is it on a Mac? Does it also work?

[transmitterdan]

Yes, OpenCPN works for Mac. The most recent beta (V4.1) is better than the 4.0 version on the MAC platform. It is also available for Linux, Windows and Android via the Play Store. Visit OpenCPN.org for full information.

[tedowens]

The preview to works for me, but I am not able to display the downloaded charts in Google Earth. Is there a trick to this? I am using Windows 10 and Firefox. I click the download link like he does in the video. Then I get a .zip download. I see .bsb and .kap files like in the video. I extracted these files from the zip folder, but I am not able to view them in Earth. Earth is expecting .kml or .kmz file types. What is the trick to be able to view these in Earth?

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by tedowens

The preview to works for me, but I am not able to display the downloaded charts in Google Earth. Is there a trick to this? I am using Windows 10 and Firefox. I click the download link like he does in the video. Then I get a .zip download. I see .bsb and .kap files like in the video. I extracted these files from the zip folder, but I am not able to view them in Earth. Earth is expecting .kml or .kmz file types. What is the trick to be able to view these in Earth?

You don't have to click the download link to view them in Google Earth. You want the GE Overlay links. Collared preview gives you the whole chart with margins and notes; collarless preview gives you charts without the margins that will merge together with other chart previews

[tedowens]

Thanks for your reply Macblaze. Yes, I am able to view the charts using the preview feature. My question is about downloading so that the charts can be used offline. I am not able to view the charts once they are downloaded.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by tedowens

Thanks for your reply Macblaze. Yes, I am able to view the charts using the preview feature. My question is about downloading so that the charts can be used offline. I am not able to view the charts once they are downloaded.

Ah...

I am still screwing with that myself. Since GE is grabbing the charts from NOAA's server I don't think this will be easy to do. That's why I think this is more of a planning tool than anything else. Still, there should be a workaround, but it will likely be more a matter of converting the charts or capturing the layer somehow...

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by tedowens

... I am not able to view the charts once they are downloaded.

Ted, Google Earth cannot display .KAP or .BSB files. They're for OpenCPN (or other nav programs). Put the .KAPs in a folder, fire up OpenCPN, click on the Options button (looks like a wrench) go to the Charts tab, click Add new charts, & point it at that folder with the KAPs. Click Yes & OK as appropriate, let OpenCPN build its chart database, & it should then show the charts.

Downloading nav files is great, but I don't think it works outside the US. But you can still make excellent navigational KAP files for ANYwhere from Google Earth. We publish a complete How To page on making KAPs from Google Earth that works anywhere in the world.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

Ted, Google Earth cannot display .KAP or .BSB files. They're for OpenCPN (or other nav programs). Put the .KAPs in a folder, fire up OpenCPN, click on the Options button (looks like a wrench) go to the Charts tab, click Add new charts, & point it at that folder with the KAPs. Click Yes & OK as appropriate, let OpenCPN build its chart database, & it should then show the charts.

Downloading nav files is great, but I don't think it works outside the US. But you can still make excellent navigational KAP files for ANYwhere from Google Earth. We publish a complete How To page on making KAPs from Google Earth that works anywhere in the world.

Heh... I was just reading your site. Thanks for all the great info.

I also just came across this: EarthNC, which is another implementation of the idea. This link (http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2007/08/sailing_with_google_earth_for_navigation.html) indicates he had some success with offline usage