Garmin plotter/Bluechart questions ?

[Nick2]

Now have a new Garmin chart plotter and trying to work out the best way to get charts onto it.

My inclination is to buy the Bluechart CD and data card kit and I would create the appropriate cards for my areas of cruising.

I believe that I can also use the CD on my laptop as a basic navigation prog which would suit me.

Does anyone use this system or at least know it to be of benefit or am I missing something?

Thanks

Nick



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[Dave1258]

Hi Nick, Garmin do the "mapsource" (visit garmin website) is your model a 162?

Regards Dave

<hr width=100% size=1>Someday my ship will come in, and with my luck I'll be at the airport!!

 

[Nick2]

Sorry should have said that it is a 182c

Nick

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[Dave1258]

In that case Nick, visit www.garmin.com/cartography/
I'm sure you will find what you need there

(sorry I don't know how to place url's in to the text!!)

Dave

<hr width=100% size=1>Someday my ship will come in, and with my luck I'll be at the airport!!

 

[PhilF]

http:// web address

i think
Phil

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[Nick2]

Thanks Dave but would still be interested in others' experiences but website a good start.

Spoke to Garmin at Excel but I guess I am after some reasurance from the real world of this internet forum.....

Nick

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[Happy1]

Yes I have it and know everything, e-mail me any specific question as there is loads to consider. The CD is better as you can plot routes e.t.c. on the lap top and transfer it to the unit, although you must have a data card big enough to take the data you want to send over. BEWARE some lap tops like mine do not have the older com ports e.g. 9 pin, which is the only connection that Garmin gives. In this case you have to get an expensive adaptor from Garmin (as they state others are not compatible) to change from 9 pin to USB which is a hit and miss affair. If you have some background programmes running, such as Hotsync it can affect the link up. I have two Sony Vaio's one is a laptop and the other a desk top, the desk top does not link in, but the laptop does. The only way to get over this is to buy the data card reader, which I did, but this still does not let you set waypoints as that must be done direct to the unit which requires the direct connection. So for waypoints I have to use the laptop.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Nick2]

Thanks Pete

Whilst my laptop is new (Dell Latitude D500 if that means anything) I think it may have the 9 pin socket. Does that mean that I can do passage planning on laptop with the CD and download to card reader thing and shove that into plotter?

If so this set up is prob what I am after

Nick

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[Black_Pearl]

Hi I have a Map 162 and paid out nearly £200 for the bluechart CD
verdict......best money Ive ever spent! very easy to use and suprisingly compact charts, I can fit 19 charts on the 162s small fixed internal memory & thats for all the channel Islands + Brittany
Really dont know how we managed without it!
Mapsource program is great for trip planing at home & on returning from your voyage you can download your actual course to your PC
thumbs up all the way!!!


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[Happy1]

Yes it will work. BUT you will have to be connected directly to the unit to download and access the data. The way to avoid this is to get the data card reader (like a memory card reader wth USB connection) and then extract the data card after use, take it home and analyse it, but DON'T forget to take it back with you for your next trip /forums/images/icons/wink.gif You WILL need to be connected directly to the unit to set waypoints as I believe these go directly into the inbuilt memory of the unit.

Speak to Garmin UK to ensure you get the correct size data card, I bought one that was far too big and a waste of money, although now I use it for the Europe map source data.

You are permitted to register TWO units for each Blue cart CD, e.g. your 182 and perhaps a small compatible handheld which could be linked direct to the laptop as a backup to give you 'live' coverage of your position. You only have two lives so if one unit goes tits up and you have 'given' the other life to a pal, your only choice is to buy another CD and activation. The map will read the code of the unit trying to access it, and only permit the unit/units registered to connect.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[jon_bailey]

I am buying a 176c that comes with a 32Mb data card. Will this be big enough for the whole of the single unlock region on the Buechart CD that covers the south coast?



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[cjrvernon]

i have the 182c
brilliant bit of kit
i also bought theblue chip card of the east coastdear but worth the money loads of info

<hr width=100% size=1>www.cjrvernon.com

 

[Happy1]

The region one consists of about 239 maps which totals = 14.1mb, so plenty left to play with. Ensure that when you download you select the tide tables as well, these will need to be copied seperately, they are very useful. Also ensure that you copy all of the maps in the region when copying, drag over a larger area of necessary to ensure you get all 239 + maps, they go a dark pink around the edges when selected.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[No1_Moose]

I want a super cheap MEU 001R Cartridge for the Channel. I saw them in Peters today for £210 (that is more than I paid for the GPS!)
Anyone know where the cheapest ones are?
Thanks

<hr width=100% size=1>Ross

 

[Happy1]

The cartridge is a 'view only' product. You can't save tracks or waypoints to your PC or laptop with that, or plot courses on the PC and send it to the unit. It may be all that some want but if you have a PC (which I would hope you have if you are reading this, unless it is borrowed /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif) I would go for the disc. I am afraid unless you are lucky, they are a standard price, but superb. They region 1 ones were cheap in the USA as they are not so popular there, I saw one yesterday, if I had known I could have brought it back for you.

REMEMBER, CHECK the version that you have bought if and when you get it by putting the disc in the PC but NOT activating it, because if it has not yet been activated (which it would not have if new) and you check their website and see a newer version, they will upgrade it to the newest version FREE. It may even be if there is a new version due out in say a month, to wait for that. The rule is that if the newer version is shown on their website, and you have bought one older, then they upgrade free. Garmin are very good and will tell you when any new version is coming out if you call them.

Once activated, that is that, NO upgrade.

<font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[No1_Moose]

Where did you see them in the States? My Dad is in Orlando at the moment and is planning a trip to West Marine tomorrow.

Reasons for me not getting the Discs:
a) I have to pay £280 to get all the kit.
b) I need to see where we are now, not where we have been when we get home!
c) I have already put all my waypoints into the 176c.
d) I don't like computers.
e) Computers don't like me

Reasons for me getting the Discs:
a) I have SeaPro, with loads of charts, so I can send all the waypoints to and from that.
b) The general consensus of opinion is they are better than the Cartridges.



<hr width=100% size=1>Ross

 

[Happy1]

Well the disc is more for chart plotting in the comfort of your home, analysing old routes you have taken, and seeing if you could alter or better things. Up to you what you go for, hence the offer of both by Garmin I guess. I saw the disc in Hawaii so not much use for your Dad. Once you have a disc though you can then purchase unlock codes for different regions or updates as and when you want them. Be careful when you see offers of Atlantic blue chart unlock code packages, these DO NOT include the cost of the original disc, and as they say just a code to unlock further info on your existing disc. I guess you would be dissapointed if all you got was a piece of paper with a code on when you thought you had bought a bargain disc /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

If your Dad is in the US, tell him to buy a Sony DSC F828 camera, still very rare but more are appearing each day (£899 in Dixons, $999 there), I have just bought one and it is the dogs bo**ocks, 8 mega pixels and Fantastic shots from it. It takes memory sticks or microdrives, I bought a 2.2 gb microdrive which holds well over 550 photos on max pixels. Get the Sony digital HVL-F32X flash unit, it knocks spots off the standard F1000, $199 there, about £195 here.

Another bargain is the ipod's out there, and the 'itrip' accessory. The itrip clips into the top of the ipod and then sends the music over FM for about 5 mtrs or so, this enables you to have 40gb of music = 10,000 songs in your car, or to take to a mates house and tune his hi-fi into the signal which is 87.8FM. Cool as a cucumber I would say, even use it on the boat. If he gets the ipod get a AA battery piggyback unit (can use rechargeables, 1,300mah available in USA), it gives you hours and hours of extra time as it sticks with suckers to the ipod and connects via a short lead to the ipod itself.

<font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[No1_Moose]

Thanks for all the info. We have a S-85 still camera and we are trying to find a TRV 950E (3 chip pro camera) to replace a TRV 20E that was stolen.
I think I will just try and find a Cartridge from somewhere although I will have a closer look at the CD's, I am buying it all so cheaper the better!


<hr width=100% size=1>Ross

 

[Nick2]

Thank you Pete for the info here. Please could you list the stuff I will need to ask the Garmin shop for to enable me to plot on my PC and create data cards for the plotter.

That would be a great help

Nick

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