Charts for Chart Navigator Pro?

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SailingDoc

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Hi All,

For a good number of years I've been using Chart Navigator Pro, and my most recent charts for it were issued 2008 (I think). Now it seems they are no longer producing any updates for UK/Ireland, perhaps as Maptech is now an American company. It uses BSB4 format charts. Does anyone know of up-to-date and compatible charts that can be used with that navigation software. I've obtained a copy of SeaClear with UK charts, but it lacks many of the useful features of CNP, and the charts are much less clear. There's no 'quilting' so jumping from one area to the next is fiddly. I'd much rather keep using CNP but need charts. SeaPro looks a good alternative but is ridiculously expensive. Any ideas?

Brian
 
I used to use Chart Navigator with Maptech BSB charts but changed a couple of years ago to OpenCPN. OpenCPN works with BSB4 charts ((ie your old Maptech ones). However, it will also work with Memory Map UKHO charts (£49 for UK and Ireland) and with CM93 charts (legal or otherwise).

It does all of the things Chart Navigator did (including GRIB and the best presentation of AIS targets of any chartplotter I've seen) and it's absolutely free. Development is also continuing with a dedicated and talented group of programmers and supporters. It is a better chartplotter than many expensive commercial versions IMHO.

If you haven't tried it before you may be pleasantly surprised.
 
Yes, interesting possibility. I have already obtained the UK charts from Memory-Map, naively thinking that, since they took over MapTech, the charts would work on the MapTech Chart Navigator Pro! Duh! But the Memory-Map software seems to only allow you to view each individual chart and doesn't quilt them, so you can't pan seamlessly across the range of charts. Memory-Map charts are .qct format, which won't work with Chart Navigator Pro, so I'll get OpenCPN and give it a go. The main consideration, perhaps, is to have a system where the charts can be easily updated, or where freshly updated charts are available year on year.
 
mickbond said:
How do you make memory map charts work with open cpn?
Click to expand...

Umm - good question! There may be some confusion here on my part.

I have 3 sets of UKHO charts on my laptop - original Maptech, recent VMH charts (produced by Maptech but withdrawn from sale by VMH because of quality issues) and 2012 MM charts (originally bought for my Nexus 7). I have OpenCPN pointed to each set and was thinking that OpenCPN was picking up the latest (2012 MM) versions - there were no error messages when they were loaded . . . . However, on thinking about it, I may be wrong. BSB4 (Maptech) charts work on MM, of that I am certain (assuming they are legal, of course, with the encryption file included) but I am now doubtful that MM charts (.qct) work on OpenCPN.

I will check this when I am next on the boat (later this week) and report back.
 
SailingDoc said:
Yes, interesting possibility. I have already obtained the UK charts from Memory-Map, naively thinking that, since they took over MapTech, the charts would work on the MapTech Chart Navigator Pro! Duh! But the Memory-Map software seems to only allow you to view each individual chart and doesn't quilt them, so you can't pan seamlessly across the range of charts. Memory-Map charts are .qct format, which won't work with Chart Navigator Pro, so I'll get OpenCPN and give it a go. The main consideration, perhaps, is to have a system where the charts can be easily updated, or where freshly updated charts are available year on year.
Click to expand...

Please see my previous re MM charts and OpenCPN. Apologies if I have misled you there.

Regarding MM, I agree that it is not a fully functioning chartplotter - no quilting, as you point out, no AIS or GRIB etc.

OpenCPN does do quilting BTW and you can easily swap between vector and raster charts. I use the vector charts (CM93) for AIS presentation as you can declutter these to better see the targets but I still prefer UKHO charts for planning and real time navigation.

I, too, have a problem getting up to date UKHO charts (for either CNP or OpenCPN). I thought VMH had solved the problem when they advertised Maptech produced BSB4 charts last year for use with OpenCPN. Unfortunately, the quality (and completeness) of these proved to be a problem and they withdrew the product from sale (and gave me a full refund).

Fortunately, the rocks and coastline don't change much and I am using some Maptech charts that are over 10 years old without problem. It tends to be the inshore buoys and channels that are changed and updated chartlets of these are generally available in the Almanac. However, a source of up to date UKHO electronic charts (at a reasonable price) would be very welcome!
 
I've now had a look at OpenCPN, and pointed it to my original (2007) MapTech BSB4 charts. At first I thought it couldn't read the charts but then realised I had to explicitly instruct it every time to show greater detail (by right-clicking and choosing 'Max detail here') where there were harbour or local area charts. Seems odd, maybe I haven't sussed out the right way to do it. With MapTech CNPro you never had to take any steps to move from one chart to the next, it was (still is!) seamless, and when you zoom in it changes to the higher scale chart. Anyway, it certainly does seem that it cannot read .qct format, so we're back to trying to locate a source of up-to-date BSB4 charts. Rats.
 
OpenCPN with the latest charts from Visit My harbour is my solution. Same chartset as Maptech but on an encrypted memory stick that works with both OpenCPN or Polar Navy.
does everything I can think of and charts updated every year. Even got a basic animated tidal stream overlay.
 
mickbond said:
OpenCPN with the latest charts from Visit My harbour is my solution. Same chartset as Maptech but on an encrypted memory stick that works with both OpenCPN or Polar Navy.
does everything I can think of and charts updated every year. Even got a basic animated tidal stream overlay.
Click to expand...

This looks like the answer, albeit a year late.

As I said earlier, I purchased the 2012 version of the VMH product last year when it was first released and it had problems - quality of the chart images was poor and some didn't load. The product was withdrwn from sale and I received a refund.

It appears that VMH have now re-released the product (see here http://www.visitmyharbour.com/charts-for-opencpn.asp).

Mickbond - Have you had any problems with the new charts or would you recommend them for use with OpenCPN?
 
Highly recomended and am using with Ais overlay, Dashboard with data from Raymarine via Seatalk to NMEA convertor, and repeating the PC screen to an ipad in the cockpit using wifi with an app called Splashtop2
 
Another vote for OpenCPN. I have Maptech Mediterranean charts and Chart Navigator, but have just abandoned them in favour of OpenCPN and downloaded charts from Yachtua. My chart plotters use expensive C-Map charts, but are harder to read due to the smaller screens, though the old 10 inch one with only local charts on the old type cartridge is not bad.
 
mickbond said:
Highly recomended and am using with Ais overlay, Dashboard with data from Raymarine via Seatalk to NMEA convertor, and repeating the PC screen to an ipad in the cockpit using wifi with an app called Splashtop2
Click to expand...

Thanks Mickbond. Looks like VMH have sorted out last year's problems and are now a good, up to date (and only) source of BSB4 UKHO charts for use on OpenCPN (and CNP, probably).

BTW have you tried NavMonPC for instrument data presentation? I use it in preference to Dashboard as it also gives historic graphs of wind, speed and depth which can be interesting at the end of a passage. It also has a built in NMEA multiplexer function and virtual serial ports for output of the NMEA data to multiple programmes.

Sailingdoc - VMH charts could be the answer to your original question. :)
 
Yes, I can see that it might be worth the cash - £54.50 for the ChartStick though it says there is a 'Basic' version and a 'full' version, but doesn't say which version you get for £54.50 However, if it works with OpenCPN, and certainly if it works with CNPro, then I shall probably give it a go. Not convinced it would work with CNPro, though. The VMH CD of charts for SeaClear has the charts all wrapped up in a .KAP file, so they can't be accessed by other navigation software.

Mickbond - I wonder how you have Wifi on board, to be able to use Splashtop2 - or do you do it via 3G? Perhaps one of these Wifi dongles?
 
Sailng doc
I use the free version of Conectify to create a wireless hotspot from my PC. The free version allows a local network on board so splashtop2 can connect. I have explained the setting up in another thread
 
It wasn't a thread sorry here are the details
I only use connectify because I dont have a router or real network on the boat. The free connectify just lets me set up a local hotspot between my laptop and Ipad.
If you can ping each device on a local network you will be OK.
You need to be connected to the internet with your PC to initially set up the free splashtop2 streamer as it as needs you to set up an account. Then with the Ipad or Android device connected to the internet buy (£2.99 for Ipad) the Splashtop 2 client and set it up using the same account.
You will then be able to remote control and view over the internet. Now comes the good bit, If you now disconnect the internet from everything but keep the devices on your local network restart both programs. bothe devices will report that they cannot log on but will give tou the option to
locally connect to known devices (hence the need to have set them up initially over internet).
Accept the option and off you go.

If you use XP on your PC you might find the mouse cursor blinks when under remote control. There is a patch for this on the Splashtop websie which works OK. No problems on windows 7
 
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