Navigation SW - Meridian Seatrak

[markdj]

With regards to MapisM, I'll list here the beginnings of a new subject which was in laptops and e-mail.

SNIP

The system I use while abroad is as follows :-

Orange as they have the cheapest international rates (prob. One to No-One is similar)

A great e-mail program for deleting spam before downloading is http://www.mailwasher.net/ And then I use Outlook Express after using mailwasher - the system works great.

I use www.iberpass.com for international local call ISP. They are fantastic value.

I use the demo software of Raymarine Navigator to view GRIB data for the weather

I use http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/pub/data/text/FPUK71/EGRR.TXT
to download the BBC shipping forecast in only 2 Kilobytes

I use http://www.navcenter.com/grb/EastAtlantic.zip
to download a free 5 day GRIB forecast which is invaluable.

And I use http://www.meto.gov.uk/datafiles/inshore.html
for the inshore waters forecast but it's html and is quite a big file compared to the shipping forecast txt file.

I use http://www.rcds.co.uk/ for navigation with the printable ARCS charts - definitely the most accurate and really cheap for yearly updates.

I think that's it. Oh, I use an Ericsson T39 with infra-red and Windows XP Pro. I also use www.Getright.com to manage my weather downloads.

SNIP

I've been also spending some time looking at navigation SW, before deciding to give higher priority to other refittings, thus postponing the electronics stuff.
Therefore, I'm surprised to discover not only a new name which I was not aware of, but also that after your accurate selection it was the winner.
I gave a look at the link (BTW, now it brings automatically to www.norcom.demon.co.uk/meridian), and this SEAtrak thing seems in fact interesting, though not cheap at 350 VAT.
I would be interested in having your viewpoint on its main pros and cons, based on real-life experience.
Thanks in advance for that.

MapisM

SNIP

 

[markdj]

Here are all the nav software I've tried out.

http://www.maxsea.com/uk/index.html

http://www.sping.com/seaclear

http://www.rcds.co.uk
Seatrak

http://www.maptech.co.uk
Offshore Navigator

http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/Default.aspsite=1&Section=2&Page=81&Parent=37
RayTech Navigator Version 4.0

http://www.euronav.co.uk
Sea Pro 2000

http://www.chartwork.com/nexus-1.htm

http://www.pcmaritime.co.uk/leisure/index.html
Navmaster

I think that's all the ones anyway. Nexus was the only one that didn't
uninstall. All the other demos were fine.

I chose Meridian Seatrak after a gruelling 2 solid months of testing last year. Getting to a final decision on the software was down to a number of essiential points.

1. The software has to be quick and easy to use without needing to go to the help menu.

2. It needs to have a logical and clear layout on screen with all the main functions in wasy to understand icons.

3. The software needs to run perfectly on a laptop with fast response to any user input and smooth scrolling of charts.

The only 2 that did this for me were the Raytech Navigator and Meridian Seatrak. I think that the Seatrak software is a lost jewel as far as nav software goes. It fulfils all of the above and more. I know that a couple of months ago MBY magazine slated the use of raster charts but we all know that Admiralty charts are the most accurate in the world. For someone going from using paper like we were, the familiar look made using the software a lot easier. I do really hate the way details dissappear when you zoom out on vector charts...

The Seatrak software is excellent with intuitive menus and quick shortcuts; you can be using this in no time. There is support for tidal flows and an electronic almanac so you can plan when the best time is to leave to get the tide. There is a fully log book facility which can automatically keep an hourly log of your position, SOG and COG and you can enter narratives, sea conditions, fuel on board, engine hours and more. You can print out the charts up to A2 size for a backup as well. There is also a predicotr line which can show you where you will be in a set amount of minutes time and a dead reckoning mode that kicks in if your GPS fails. There is 2 versions of every chart you own, a high-res and a low-res one. You can use the low-res like a zoom out feature and it's great for getting an overview and for planning a route. You can setup an unlimited number of databases for routes, waypoints and boundaries so you can manage your routes and keep all your south coast routes in a different database to your irish sea routes etc. etc. There is also Tidetrak that comes with Seatrak and it has a list of every major port in Europe and shows the tide graphically for each day.

As far as disadvantages goes, it uses only raster charts as some people like vector charts. You need to buy the OceanTrak software to get ARPA radar support. There is no weather integration but the guys at Meridian say they are working on that and there will be weather support by the end of the year.

The guys who design the software are really helpful and give you free tech. support for setting up and getting going. There are 2 guys, Dick and Aaran who design the software and do tech. support. If you have a problem you can just e-mail or phone them and they will be able to help you usually while you're on the phone or they have sent me out new versions of the software via e-mail on the same day!!! For ordering more charts, if you ask for the charts to have all the same correction date, you can have your ordered charts on the same day with a new licence file sent to you via e-mail.

Another thing to take into consideration is the cost of charts. ARCS raster
charts can be bought in a preset folio of 10 costing £80+VAT. This covers a
large area and gives selected details on harbour entrances in the area and
is cheaper than buying paper charts. No matter how many charts you have, to have them updated every year to the latest corrections costs only £60+VAT. Details on the charts and folios can be found at http://www.admiraltyleisure.co.uk/prodservs/arcs/arcs_coverage.cfm The arcs folios do cover more than shown graphically and no part of the UK coast is actually left out.

What I do currently is use Seatrak for navigation and then use the Raytech navigator for downloading 3 day animated weather forecasts.

Hope this long post helps your choice.

MDJ

 

[MapisM]

Thanks MDJ, that's almost a complete test report, I didn't expect so much!
The raster-only chart type could be a limit in the med IMHO.
Anyone I met when boating around here is using either C-map or Navionics plotters.
But I will consider your hints for sure, as soon as my boating budget will allow me to rethink the electronic gear.
Meanwhile, hope that my B&G plotter will stay healthy: since the end of 1999, it does not show the correct year anymore!...
But who cares, it can still raise some eyebrows when friends onboard see the boat following complex paths within small islands without touching the wheel...

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/boaters/sausalito>Looking for leaveaboard…?</A> /new/forums/images/icons/cool.gif

 

[philip_stevens]

What did you do to get your web/http links to highlight in blue and underline???

Mine don't.



regards,
Philip