Charting Software & Broadband Radar

[Ian_Rob]

There is I understand, various charting software that can be run on a PC and interfaced directly with pulsed radar scanners but does anyone know if there is any software that works with FMCW Broadband Radar? I am interested in a standalone system.

 

[RobbieW]

OpenCPN has plugins for both the Garmin and Navico FMCW radars, I have a Simrad 3G that I have working with OCPN. I had intended to run this standalone, as you suggest, but when I bought about a year ago I got a Simrad MFD included for about £300 more than just the scanner. Just be aware that the current version of the OCPN plugin for the Navico (BR24) radars requires a heading input, either HDM or HDT NMEA sentences, before it will run.

You'd then need to find charts to work with OCPN, the ease of that task depends on where you want to sail

 

[Ian_Rob]

So the Garmin & Navico plugins work with the Simrad scanner (& presumably the B&G) and you can fully control the scanner from within OpenCPN?

 

[RobbieW]

The Garmin plug works with the Garmin scanner, the BR24 plugin works with Simrad/B&G/Lowrance (all Navico brands) scanners

 

[Ian_Rob]

Thanks Robbie

 

[RobbieW]

np, for more info on either there are threads on cruisersforum for each...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f134/opencpn-simrad-lowrance-radar-overlay-plugin-123167.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f134/opencpn-radar-overlay-plugin-79081.html