Antares Charts

[Quandary]

I use a laptop running W10 occasionally supplemented by an android tablet for navigation, most of the time I use Seatrak but when anchoring I like to use the scale and detail of the Antares charts. So on the laptop I have to switch from Seatrak to Memory Map and I also have their app on the tablet. Seatrak will not accept the Antares folio. However in both cases the Antares folio has disappeared from the Memory Map Marine chart list though there are traces of it in the small scale area index charts.
I could reinstall them I suppose but I do not like Memory Map much so I am looking for advice on alternatives to which I might add the Antares Charts, any recommendations?

 

[Kelpie]

Antares works on OpenCPN- you can flick between different chart sources at will. I use the readily available CM93 charts but supplement that with Antares. You can also load the Antares charts into Google Earth, but that won't really work if you are offline AFAIK.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Too complicated. I gave up with Antares.

 

[dunedin]

Out of interest, what is your issue with Memory Map?
I have all U.K. Admiralty Charts plus Antares on laptop, IOS tablet and Android phone. All work fine.

Are you making life complicated for yourself?

 

[dunedin]

Too complicated. I gave up with Antares.

Again why? Were you using Memory Map or again something different?
Brilliant resource and shouldn’t be complicated (though I useually only bother with the actual charts, and not fiddle with the extra commentary stuff on mobile devices)

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Appologies to Quandary. Your post looking for a solution to your problem, not helped by me.

 

[pagoda]

Appologies to Quandary. Your post looking for a solution to your problem, not helped by me.

Antares charts are great, the mechanisms by which Memory Map function are about as obscure as they come. The licensing arrangements are truly Byzantine...
Drive me up the wall.....

 

[dunedin]

Antares charts are great, the mechanisms by which Memory Map function are about as obscure as they come. The licensing arrangements are truly Byzantine...
Drive me up the wall.....

Surely the MM licensing isn’t too tricky. Just need to sign into Memory Map and put in the activation code Antares supplies. Instructions how to do so included with Antares setup instructions. Then can access from, I think, up to 5 devices.
Done once when get the software - then sorted forever after (until next release).
Overall Antares installation (whatever software used) does entail some big files, and quirks due to Apple IOS and Android if don’t follow instructions, but MM. support is generally good.
(No connection with Memory Map, other than as a successful user)

 

[Kelpie]

Too complicated. I gave up with Antares.

If nothing else, you can just click on the jpg files and treat the charts as pilotage sketches. Well worth the tenner that Bob Bradfield charges, given the huge cost he must incur in producing them.

 

[JumbleDuck]

If nothing else, you can just click on the jpg files and treat the charts as pilotage sketches.

That's what I do. Although as I recall they come as TIFFs and I had to do the jpeg conversion myself.

 

[agurney]

I use Antares with OpenCPN on a variety of platforms (RasPi, Android phone, Windows), but I ignore Bob's installation instructions.
I delete all the "AC Selector" charts and point OpenCPN at the remaining directory .. works well for me, no file conversion needed, and no problems switching between chart sets in OpenCPN - indeed, by keeping the scale the same the Antares raster charts can be viewed overlaid on a vector chart.

 

[dunedin]

Yes Antares kindly supply the charts in a variety of formats hence allowing people, with the right expertise, to use how they prefer.
According to the user survey published on their site the biggest user base is Memory Map at 83% followed by OpenCPN at 11%. http://www.antarescharts.co.uk/index_files/2017_User_Survey.htm
Y sticking with the most commonly used then more experience to help get work. If go on a different platform then it is more DIY support

 

[cpedw]

Yes Antares kindly supply the charts in a variety of formats hence allowing people, with the right expertise, to use how they prefer.
According to the user survey published on their site the biggest user base is Memory Map at 83% followed by OpenCPN at 11%. http://www.antarescharts.co.uk/index_files/2017_User_Survey.htm
Y sticking with the most commonly used then more experience to help get work. If go on a different platform then it is more DIY support

That's not surprising since that's the Antares-recommended setup. It is what I still use but I find (4 seasons on) that MM is challenging. I use it both on Android tablet and Windows PC. There's little similarity between the two implementations whcih adds to the difficulty.

It's time to update the MM charts so I'm wondering what to use instead of renewing MM.

Derek

 

[JumbleDuck]

It's time to update the MM charts so I'm wondering what to use instead of renewing MM.

I used MX Navigator, which uses its own reformatted charts. I ask Bob if he had thought of providing Antares in that format and got a very brusque negative reply.

 

[dunedin]

I used MX Navigator, which uses its own reformatted charts. I ask Bob if he had thought of providing Antares in that format and got a very brusque negative reply.

I guess as he does this as a hobby not a business, it would be unrealistic to support every chart plotter software variant. Think he provides 5 formats already which is enough for most of us. The supported formats and tools do work well, so seems fair enough.

 

[mattonthesea]

I use Antares with OpenCPN on a variety of platforms (RasPi, Android phone, Windows), but I ignore Bob's installation instructions.
I delete all the "AC Selector" charts and point OpenCPN at the remaining directory .. works well for me, no file conversion needed, and no problems switching between chart sets in OpenCPN - indeed, by keeping the scale the same the Antares raster charts can be viewed overlaid on a vector chart.

+1

 

[cpedw]

I used MX Navigator, which uses its own reformatted charts. I ask Bob if he had thought of providing Antares in that format and got a very brusque negative reply.

I too have looked at MX Navigator. A few years ago they offered MX Cart to translate one of Antares' formats to MX Nav. It was moderately successful but fails to handle the volume of Antares charts these days. Last time I checked, MX Nav pointed to another commercial file translator app to handle other formats.

Derek

 

[JumbleDuck]

I guess as he does this as a hobby not a business, it would be unrealistic to support every chart plotter software variant. Think he provides 5 formats already which is enough for most of us. The supported formats and tools do work well, so seems fair enough.

I agree. The tone of the reply quite took me aback, though.

 

[Quandary]

I agree. The tone of the reply quite took me aback, though.

I suspect that surveying is more fun than publishing. Perhaps your enquiry came just after I asked him about getting them on Seatrak, he was not dismissive and Seatraks publishers in Norwich showed a bit of interest and they had talked but they do not have enough customers up here to motivate them.
Like you and others I am just grateful for what he does, I am sure at times the distribution to folk like us must be a pain. It is just magic to switch over to them on and know immediately to within a few metres where the nearest big black scary rock is.

 

[NormanS]

I go with Bob's advice, and access the charts through Memory Map. It does seem quite a faff to get them onto my tablet, but that's probably because I'm a computer numpty, and only do it once a year, by which time I've completely forgotten how. Once on the tablet, they're great. Thanks, Bob.