Navionics and C-Map

[wayneakp]

Hiya

Last year I purchased the C-Map PC planner for use preparing routes at home. So then I changed vessel and now I have Navionics !

Looking at the reader that comes with the C-Map Planner it will take a Compact Flash so my question is can I get it to work with the Navionics or am I ebaying the C-Map kit and going out to buy the Navionics version (which I undersatnd is not very good anyway)

thanks

Wayne

 

[Hurricane]

I used to use the C-Map Planner - several years ago.
As you say, it worked well for planning routes at home.

These days, I prefer to copy the data directly into the plotter. Raymarine, for example have a menu option to transfer data on the NMEA interface.

So, I do my planning on a PC (or could be a laptop) then upload routes and waypoints to the plotter using a wire connected to the plotter's NMEA interface. If you arrange things carefully, the laptop can then be a backup plotter at sea because the NMEA channel that you upload to the plotter can also provide the PC with the "ships" GPS data.

There are various PC software packages - I use an old copy om Memory Map most of the time but the open source product OpenCPN works well - you might even be able to use your old CMAP charts with OpenCPN - not sure about that though.

As I say I find Memory Map easier - I can scan my own charts in as well if needed.
I can explain more if you like.

 

[DAKA]

I used to use the C-Map Planner - several years ago.
As you say, it worked well for planning routes at home.

These days, I prefer to copy the data directly into the plotter. Raymarine, for example have a menu option to transfer data on the NMEA interface.

So, I do my planning on a PC (or could be a laptop) then upload routes and waypoints to the plotter using a wire connected to the plotter's NMEA interface. If you arrange things carefully, the laptop can then be a backup plotter at sea because the NMEA channel that you upload to the plotter can also provide the PC with the "ships" GPS data.

There are various PC software packages - I use an old copy om Memory Map most of the time but the open source product OpenCPN works well - you might even be able to use your old CMAP charts with OpenCPN - not sure about that though.

As I say I find Memory Map easier - I can scan my own charts in as well if needed.
I can explain more if you like.

I am very interested how to connect my lap top to the NMEA please, I can easily find the data input wire on the plotter but how do you get the correct wires from the laptop ?.

(currently take one of my plotters home in order to plot a course)

 

[wayneakp]

OpenCPN

Hi - thanks for the response. I had a look at OpenCPN - unfortunatley the manual states " Charts from Mapmedia, Navionic, C-map(with the exception of CM93 version 2) and various other formats are not supported"

NMEA might be an answer

cheers

Wayne

 

[Hurricane]

I am very interested how to connect my lap top to the NMEA please, I can easily find the data input wire on the plotter but how do you get the correct wires from the laptop ?.

(currently take one of my plotters home in order to plot a course)

You can wire the old standard NMEA 0183 directly onto an RS232 PC port. However, I chose to a simpler approach using one of these
http://www.actisense.com/HTML/Products/Gateways/USB to NMEA 0183 Gateway/index.php

This has the advantage that you dont need an RS232 port on the laptop - difficult to find legacy ports on modern PCs anyway - USB is very much the norm these days.

So, you build the Actisense into the boat, leaving a standard USB wire to plug into your laptop.

The difficult bit will be to find a spare port on the plotter. To receive GPS data from the plotter will be easier - you could just parallel up onto an existing NMEA 0183 output from the plotter. However to get your route data onto the plotter you will need either a spare NMEA 0183 port on the plotter or a NMEA 0183 multiplexer.

The plotter also needs to be able to accept waypoint and route data on its NMEA 0183 interface. For Raymarine plotters you press the Data button and then click the "Transfer Data on NMEA" button - once the Raymarine plotter is set in RX mode you can then upload the routes and tracks etc by clicking the send button on the PC. Thats it all done - I do it all the time.

As I say above the PS software will need to be selected carefully. Memory Map works fine for me. I use an old copy which doesnt have any reliance on the internet. PM me if you want more info.

This technique has a really good offshoot.
You can keep a manageable database of waypoints and routes on the PC - easily add useful information like meaningful names etc. The just before uploading, you clear the plotter of all its data and upload as much or as little as you like from the PC. The PC becomes the database of waypoints - not the plotter - and thus backing up you plotter's data becomes unnecessary.

 

[DAKA]

Thank you Hurricane, I am looking into this as it makes good sense.

 

[oceanfroggie]

One of the reasons we moved from Raymarine to Garmin was the quality of Garmin's PC integration for passage planning, inc tidal drift, fuel burn, etc. no wires needed, just draw route on PC, zap onto SD card which you then pop in plotter for route uploads, and vice versa. Used to use PC planner years ago when we had the old HSB, then NavPlanner and Raytech with the C series, but frankly found all three PC suites awful, klungey, unintuitive, and feature deficient. Even Garmin's now defunct MapSource was better, but their current HomePort is really elegant, simple and so easy to use.

As an aside chartplotters now seem rather stagnant in terms of mould breaking new ideas or features. Pragmatically one might say well what's left to do. Three I'd like to see are full real time European weather data coverage (like Weather4D apps), including real time weather radar imagery, continious wireless/chipless map updates from sat TX, and full and proper integration with portable smart devices like Android/iPhone and tablets rather than token apps. Also given the amount of hardware that fits in a smartphone why can't VHF, GPS, Weather, Sonar and AIS fit in a single small black box or plotter. It seems Jurassic to need so many separates. Most of this stuff can run off a sinkage micro chip.

 

[Hurricane]

I dont know if you've seen it but there's this App for Raymarine - wireless integration with IPad etc.

 

[PaulGooch]

One of the reasons we moved from Raymarine to Garmin was the quality of Garmin's PC integration for passage planning, inc tidal drift, fuel burn, etc. no wires needed, just draw route on PC, zap onto SD card which you then pop in plotter for route uploads, and vice versa. Used to use PC planner years ago when we had the old HSB, then NavPlanner and Raytech with the C series, but frankly found all three PC suites awful, klungey, unintuitive, and feature deficient. Even Garmin's now defunct MapSource was better, but their current HomePort is really elegant, simple and so easy to use.

<snip>

I also prefer using Garmin stuff to Raymarine. I actually prefer Mapsource to Homeport for planning. I also have Garmin nRoute on my laptop, which makes use of my charts from Mapsource and with a cheap Garmin Etrex handheld GPS the laptop becomes a handy backup plotter.

 

[aquapower]

I dont know if you've seen it but there's this App for Raymarine - wireless integration with IPad etc.

The new E series has built in wifi, had a demo from Raymarine a few weeks ago and they are way ahead of the previous range, have got some on order as they have become popular again so look forward to having a go when they are fitted.

 

[oceanfroggie]

The problem with some recent tablet apps released or announced from established plotter manufacturers is they do NOT appear to support independent live tracking using their own internal GPS, rather they seem to only function as wireless display repeaters and as passage planning tools. It would be nice to draw up a route from the comfort of a tablet and transfer it wirelessly or via SD to on board plotter network, BUT to also know the tablet could be used as an independent backup (ie redundancy). Existing and announced apps seem to depend on access to the on board network for position fixes. Commercially I can understand their caution about fully functioning tablets apps undermining sales of plotters, but they may not be able to control new kids on the block, or those who jump ship early.

 

[Hurricane]

The problem with some recent tablet apps released or announced from established plotter manufacturers is they do NOT appear to support independent live tracking using their own internal GPS, rather they seem to only function as wireless display repeaters and as passage planning tools. It would be nice to draw up a route from the comfort of a tablet and transfer it wirelessly or via SD to on board plotter network, BUT to also know the tablet could be used as an independent backup (ie redundancy). Existing and announced apps seem to depend on access to the on board network for position fixes. Commercially I can understand their caution about fully functioning tablets apps undermining sales of plotters, but they may not be able to control new kids on the block, or those who jump ship early.

Agreed
The Navionics App for the Android is as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Although there is a route planner it is so hard to use that I would go as far as to say its impossible to enter an accurate route. I believe that the iPad/iPhone version is much better even though Navionics insist that the Android App has been "brought in line" with the iPhone/iPad. I've tried to have an intelligent conversation with Navionics but I got nowhere – they insist that the app is useable.

Either way, the Navionics Apps have a large dependency upon the internet which is the last thing you need at sea.

As an alternative for the Android market, I've found a really good app which "knocks spots off" Navionics. It’s called MM Tracker and fits in well with my system. It uses Mempry Map compatible raster charts and isn’t dependant on the internet. I find it really useful as a planning aid – it means that I can use my phone to display the same electronic raster charts that I use on the boat. Good for discussions etc in the pub. My system on the boat has a “built in” PC so there’s no need to integrate the phone apps to the plotters but it is useful to have the same data available.

 

[PaulGooch]

Here's how i do mine, using Garmin charts and plotter.

Garmin plotter at the helm, laptop with Garmin MapSource and nRoute installed. G2 Vision charts for the plotter and the same charts installed on the laptop for both pieces of software to use.

I prefer MapSource to nRoute or Homeport for planning. Waypoints and routes etc are copied to and from plotter and laptop via a standard SD card and reader, no need for expensive readers with Garmin. At any time i'll have copies of my data on the card and either the plotter and/or laptop.

I have a small Garmin Etrex handheld GPS, no charts on it, just for position fixing. This connects to the laptop via a USB port, which turns the laptop into a fully independent 17" widescreen plotter. I also have Garmin Sat Nav maps installed on the laptop, which nRoute uses to give me a Sat Nav, mostly handy for finding a restaurant, pub etc when visiting somewhere new.

So, the laptop can be used as a backup or second plotter.

The handheld GPS (about £30-£40 2nd hand on Ebay) supplies it with position data. It would also be an easy way for position fixing and using paper charts if power was lost and the plotter and laptop failed. As a final resort, it would go in the grab bag with the handheld VHF etc should we need to take to the life raft.