Navigation App for Android?

[belizesailor]

Just finished a short run of about 100nm and used it to test out several nav apps: Navionics, Plan2Nav, and MemoryMap. My 2c:

Navionics. Same great cartography on the Android app, but that's about it, very limited functionalty. Not even simple stuff like ETA. Basically you can just display a chart and display routes and waypoints...not even a real goto or follow capability...just an icon for your position and an image of the selected route/wp.

Plan2Nav. CMAP cartography seems a bit better than older versions, but still not as good as Navionics, at least not in Belizean waters. Though their Belize cartography is now better than the laughable rubbish they used to have for here. More nav functionality than the very limited Navionics, but still only very rudimentary.

MemoryMap (MM). I did not download charts for MM so can't comment on the cartography (I just used the very general base map), but the Nav finctionality is quite good...similar to what you would expect from a real chart plotter. User configurable "dashboard" with many common data fields to choose from. Best route and waypoint editing capabilities too.

All these apps have limited interoperability functionality (import, export, etc).

I was able to run all three concurrently on my Samsung Tab 2 (10") with only occassional glitches. Plan2Nav seems especially sensitive to not being the foreground app and often loses position, track etc when in background. MM handles this the best and even has a configuration option specifically for maintaining track while in background.

Also ran GPS Essentials, which is a very good GPS utility, but unfortunately has no nautical chart abilities. I run it on my phone and in effect it becomes a handheld GPS with a user configurable dashboard.

Screen shots attached.

[belizesailor]

Sequence of screen shots in prev post: MM, Plan2Nav, Navionics.

[Sos]

I use MX and Navionics. I like to have Raster (which I prefer since it looks more like a chart) and vector.

I did check for a nav light and found it on MX but not on Navionics.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sos

I use MX and Navionics. I like to have Raster (which I prefer since it looks more like a chart) and vector.

I did check for a nav light and found it on MX but not on Navionics.

Nav light?

[Sos]

"Nav light"

Sorry for the confusion, I meant as in aid to navigation not ships lights.

While walking the dog along the beach I can see a fixed red light. Checked it on the apps and coudn't find it on Navionics. It is a large structure about 16 miles away so was surprised I coudn't see it. I have more faith in the raster charts.

[ranger58sb]

I've discovered Plan2Nav does a lot more after downloading and leafing through the PDF user's manual from the Jeppeson website

-Chris

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I've discovered Plan2Nav does a lot more after downloading and leafing through the PDF user's manual from the Jeppeson website

-Chris

Link?

I am looking but likely on the wrong website.

b.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I've discovered Plan2Nav does a lot more after downloading and leafing through the PDF user's manual from the Jeppeson website

-Chris

Guess I will RTFM and see what else it does.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sos

"Nav light"

Sorry for the confusion, I meant as in aid to navigation not ships lights.

While walking the dog along the beach I can see a fixed red light. Checked it on the apps and coudn't find it on Navionics. It is a large structure about 16 miles away so was surprised I coudn't see it. I have more faith in the raster charts.

Fixed light nav aids are unusual. Are you sure it is a nav aid?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Link?

I am looking but likely on the wrong website.

b.

http://ww1.jeppesen.com/documents/ma...UserManual.pdf

[barnakiel]

THX!

b.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Guess I will RTFM and see what else it does.

Yes, reading the manual for Jeppsen does reveal some useful features. Accessing routes and marks is a bit awkward, but at least there is basic nav functionality such as ETA etc, which appears to be totally absent from Navionics. And, I've not found any documentation on Navionics...just the FAQ tab on their web site which is not esp useful.

[ranger58sb]

Yeah, sorry I didn't think to post the link... looks like you found it

-Chris