Garmin Bluechart question?

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gshaw

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I see from Garmin's site they no longer support the Bluechart as a downloadable CD but my question is, do they still supply and support with chart updates the Bluechart product on a pre formatted memory card. Reason is I am looking at a old discontinued model Garmin that works with Bluechart (Not g2) and want to be able to get current charts for it. Anyone know actually what Garmin charts are still supported and available with supportability for UK/Irish Sea waters for older Garmin models. Yes I have emailed them but as yet no reply.

Thanks George
 
there has been a couple of threads about this a few months ago do a serch for them ,, having said that, i stand to be corrected but i think they have stopped all support for blue charts on account of the blue chart mapsource is freely available in pirated unlocked form on the net ... im not sure but i think quite a few of the g2 have been recalled aswell no doubt someone will get back to you eventually but i have seen little good news from them anywhere! probable busy correcting them as we speak for the summer ! I am sure I read somewhere that g2 now g2 vison and another change in format coming but probably gossip!

edit : I use the 10 catg's of waypoint to mark corrections on. and track drawing facilities to mark changes to tss lanes besides always have paper charts aswell
 
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I'm not up to date with this and have not checked Garmin's website, but they told me at LIBS 2009 that they would be providing a free download with which to update Bluechart software to g2. I decided not to take it any further as I have CDs for the whole Med and charts rarely seem to be updated by them, so I'll stick with what I have.
 
I phoned Garmin last December to ask about the future of the BlueChart CDs. There answer was as follows:

The final issue of the BlueChart Atlantic CD was version 2008.5 issued in July 2008. Upgrades to earlier CDs would be available until the end of December 2009, after which Garmin would not be issuing any further CDs. Future charts would only be available on pre-programmed cards, and that both G2 and G2 Vision would be available (depending on chartplotter)

When I asked about running the charts on a PC to plan routes etc they refered me to a new product "HomePort" which will read the charts from pre-programmed cards (assuming you have a card reader). Homeport can be downloaded (£26.99) from the Garmin site.

They also pointed out that the 2009 releases of BlueChart G2 had all been withdrawn, and the next release would be in 2010.

Please note that I do not have any connection with Garmin - I am just repeating what I was told by them.

John
 
I asked Garmin at LIBs last week and they confirmed that the July 2008 update was the last BlueChart that would be published on both CD and memory card; they now consider this format as obsolete. Personally I feel that this is pretty poor as there must be thousands of perfectly good plotters out there that are now essentially redundant; I know the rocks don't move but the bouys do!
 
richardbrennan said:
I asked Garmin at LIBs last week and they confirmed that the July 2008 update was the last BlueChart that would be published on both CD and memory card; they now consider this format as obsolete. Personally I feel that this is pretty poor as there must be thousands of perfectly good plotters out there that are now essentially redundant; I know the rocks don't move but the bouys do!
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Not just pretty poor as they have withdrawn g2 effectively new plotters have no valid chartscharts!!!
 
I was seduced into buying a Garmin plotter with Bluechart some 4 years ago. Excellent until I came to update the charts and it has been a nightmare. The only way has been to use the waypoint icon as the other poster has said and I have created 'danger' areas around features I wish to avoid, rocks shallows etc. The kit is excellent though. Next time I will go for c-map (probably?)
 
rickym said:
I was seduced into buying a Garmin plotter with Bluechart some 4 years ago. Excellent until I came to update the charts and it has been a nightmare. The only way has been to use the waypoint icon as the other poster has said and I have created 'danger' areas around features I wish to avoid, rocks shallows etc. The kit is excellent though. Next time I will go for c-map (probably?)
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PUzzles me why YM dosent do some proper research for its readers Now that's an article I would be interested to read Garmin selling Plotters without possible chart updates But As they dont look into great detail about anything they take advertisements for !!!I dont expect an answer or article will be coming any time soon. I exclude the predictable quality/speed comparison test/advert 4 page fill_in that must be due any time soon in all of YM/PBO/YW during the same month ... Cynic moi!!Nahhhh!
 
Heard from Garmin UK today. NO MORE Bluechart on CD or Memory Card, you can buy the memory cards to mid year while stock lasts but last update was 2008. g2 will not be out till mid year. Guess Garmin get a wide berth for now. Thanks to everyone who helped answer the question. GS
 
gshaw said:
Heard from Garmin UK today. NO MORE Bluechart on CD or Memory Card, you can buy the memory cards to mid year while stock lasts but last update was 2008. g2 will not be out till mid year. Guess Garmin get a wide berth for now. Thanks to everyone who helped answer the question. GS
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The way garmin treats us customers Its hardly surprising the bluecharts were hacked and put on the net for nothing
 
My understanding was the charts were "available" online with the key code. This would get them onto your computer, only. However, I did not find a work around to get those charts onto your handheld GPS unit or chartplotter. I still needed tro buy the unlock code to get the chart (of my choice) onto the GPS Map76 Cx I own.

Heck, if I missed something, please, let me know.

There are so many sources of charts for computers out there, the trick is getting them onto a GPS handheld unit. I know the free charts can be used on laptops.
 
Would it not be an idea to have some enterprising chap or lady design a application that would allow you to edit the charts on your PC and upload back onto the GPS. I am guessing there are many older Garmin units around that take only Bluechart and such a editor would be very handy. You could add your own updates, something like Ozi Explorer or Mem Map. You would think Garmin would even produce something to allow this on the old discontinued software.
 
so, i have a plotter, which takes bluechart cards and the bluechart g2 cards.

I have one g2 card, can this be updated? If so, how? I bought all mine on ebay and everything works great. I have three cards which have all been used recently. The bluechart cards are jan 06 and jul 04 while the g2 is jul 08. I have not updated any of these. How is it possible to update the cards? I hope i aint sounding to stupid but i never really thought about it. However if i can update them for free im all game for that!
 
Mapsource with the east atlantic full unlock code BCATL95 (they are illegal copies and I dont advocate using them) has been on peer to peer progs as an iso file for a few years. I noticed that nroute 6.3(turns laptops into a chart plotter using bluecharts ) which was available as a free download from garmin with its support files Their was an illegal mod to stop the updated version nroute 7.6 (blocking the charts out) . They have replaced nroute with a new one that uses chart dongles there was a thread about it a few months ago. Theres any number of peer to peer programs that are free,(eg. emule limewire out there but people do use them for wrong purposes .
The real issue is that Garmin dont seem to want to issue proper chart updates for people who have legal copies of their charts on plotters all over the world I have a 172c and a 550 I have tried to update the core charts through garmin but they dont want to know so you have to find ways using waypoints In different catogr's to put mariners updates (not many updates that affect yachts since the charts are 2007/8 )I use the track writer to put new tss lanes in and keep uptodate paper charts for relevant areas
 
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