Nav Software for MAC?

[Hartley30]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me a Nav program for Mac that will cover australian waters, so far all I have found only cover US waters.
Cheers,
Simon

[twistedtree]

Originally Posted by Hartley30

Hi,
Can anyone tell me a Nav program for Mac that will cover australian waters, so far all I have found only cover US waters.
Cheers,
Simon

I'd suggest choosing the software first, ignoring which OS it runs on. If it happens to run on Wndows, which unfortunately most of the better packages do, then just use Parallels or VMWare Fusion to run it on your Mac. Here's a blog entry on putting together such a computer setup Adventures of Tanglewood: Building the Navigation Computer

I picked Rose Point's Coastal Explorer because of the completeness of it's feature set, and it's support for an extensive selection of charts. They work with all the free US charts (doesn't matter to you), any C-map chart, any SO-57 or SO-63 chart issued by governments and industry around the world. I have charts, for example, of South Georgia Island which is pretty darn remote.

There are other good programs out there too. Just just need to sort out what best fits your needs and likes.

[Jammer Six]

Originally Posted by Barco Software

It is interesting that Rich chose to leave out that NavimaQ is still actively supported.
We are also making the free edition of SeaFarer available on the Mac. And will continue to develop new products for the Mac.

When you slam your competitor, that makes up my mind.

[pwhitburn]

Be a little cautious using Parallels or similar with Mac. I run a Mac mini with Nobeltes Trident software. I started using Parallels and Trident always crashed. Tech support at Nobeltec confirmed the issue. I have since used Bootcamp and installed windows 8 and am very happy with the result. Prior to this I had used laptops but even with ventilation had overheating issues.
Mac mini in my case has been a huge success running windows software.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Amgine

Also interesting that Rich didn't toot his own horn, or even offer corrections about the name of two of his softwares mentioned already: GPSnavX and MacENC.

Both softwares have received stupendous reviews (some software magazine went so far as to bemoan that it's not available for Windows...), which is why I tried, and bought, MacENC. I've also received outstanding support 7 days a week.

Not that I'm against having more than one software... I'll be testing out MaxSea as well as the other mac softwares I haven't tried yet that have been mentioned here.

We use MaxSea on a Windows laptop for planning and for one of our backup systems... primarily because it's the same software engine that drives our chartplotter (Furuno NN3D). Very pleased. Not inexpensive.

-Chris

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by pwhitburn

Be a little cautious using Parallels or similar with Mac. I run a Mac mini with Nobeltes Trident software. I started using Parallels and Trident always crashed. Tech support at Nobeltec confirmed the issue. I have since used Bootcamp and installed windows 8 and am very happy with the result. Prior to this I had used laptops but even with ventilation had overheating issues. Mac mini in my case has been a huge success running windows software.

I use MaxSea TimeZero Explorer, which is the same software IIRC, on a Mac mini with Parallels and Win7 and it runs perfectly. You must set the networking interface to "bridged" instead of "virtual" to get the NN3D link up (radar and instruments); all the rest are standard settings.

I also use Splashtop to link this to my iPad so that I have nav with AIS and even radar on my wireless iPad

[twistedtree]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I use MaxSea TimeZero Explorer, which is the same software IIRC, on a Mac mini with Parallels and Win7 and it runs perfectly. You must set the networking interface to "bridged" instead of "virtual" to get the NN3D link up (radar and instruments); all the rest are standard settings.

I also use Splashtop to link this to my iPad so that I have nav with AIS and even radar on my wireless iPad

I've run the same thing using VMware Fusion with equal success. As Nick says, the key is to use "Bridged" mode for the network.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Hartley30

Hi,
Can anyone tell me a Nav program for Mac that will cover australian waters, so far all I have found only cover US waters.
Cheers,
Simon

The software works anywhere, its the charts that the software uses that are the issue.

I have GPS NavX on the mac as well as open CPN, and GPS NAV X is fantastic, though open CPN is slowly getting closer and closer, but GPS Navx is my choice.

[timor-bound]

I'm running a Mac mini at the nav station with navionics and an iPad with navionics that goes up to the cockpit or wherever I need it.

I have a shipmodul wifi multiplexor that keeps everything in sync. My autopilot, GPS, vhf's, ais transponder, ect are all talking to the iPad/mini and can be controlled to the extent that their individual nmea sentences allow.

Add in weather4d, awesome files and a few other fun apps on the pad and u have a pretty sweet set-up IMHO.

[timor-bound]

Sorry, should have said macenc on mini and inavx on pad

[simonpickard]

Hi,

Let me clear this up..

"but then I don't think the iPhone will work in the middle of the Atlantic. I believe the GPS signals are all from cell towers."

This is 100% false. All iPhones have true GPS chips in them which will work anywhere. The cell towers part, or assisted GPS as it's known, just helps the GPS chip get a fix quicker when around towers, or Wifi base stations.

So... You'll get a fast fix on land (via Assisted GPS). But still get a fix anywhere (via GPS).

That's ALL iPhones. With iPads it's a little different. You need the 3G/4G version in order to get the GPS chip. So if you want to use an iPad off shore get the cellular version.

[Lepke]

I run OpenCPN, a free downloadable program, and free USA charts on a MacbookPro. I have a BU353S4 gps receiver. It seems to work fine. I use it for a emergency backup for Maxsea with a Furuno gps and seems to work as well.