Now I'm a Total Geek.........

[boatone]

Now I\'m a Total Geek.........

Have had a Garmin 12 handheld gps for a while now but really ony used it for fun on the river and as a speeedo.
However just got the power/data cable and the Autoroute 2002 software for the laptop and for about £80 I've got full position tracking and boy is it spot on !
Havent been this excited since Sandra had his 40th birthday......!

TonyR
boatone@boatsontheweb.com
www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[claymore]

Re: Now I\'m a Total Geek.........

So when you have the boat on a trailer you will be able to see which road you are supposed to be on.
At sea I've found a distinct lack of roads, so how will the autoroute software help and secondly do the AA do updates like the admiralty do in that rather pleasant magenta?
Pray illuminate dear boy
regards
js

What care we - tho' white the Minch is,
What care we boys, for wind or weather?

 

[boatone]

Re: Now I\'m a Total Geek.........

My boat is currently on the non tidal Thames so Autoroute is about the best electronic mapping available - certainly no charts I'm aware of.
Now.................if ever I go coastal I will have to look at different charting software so can anyone enlighten me?

TonyR
boatone@boatsontheweb.com
www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[burgundyben]

So can I....

get a hand held GPS with a power and data lead and a mounting bracket and interface it to my autopilot thing?

The GPS needs to be detachable as it would live outside and could easily be nicked.

who can reccomend a hand held?

why will none of my friends show me photos from new years eve?

 

[boatone]

Re: So can I....

Well, Im a bit wary here as the only autopilot thingy Ive got is swmbo being told to watch it while I take a leak!
Wot does your autopilot thingy handbook say you need in the way of data from a gps? If it needs NMEA data then the answer may well be yes.

TonyR
boatone@boatsontheweb.com
www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Re: charting software

Hi Tony the software I use is good, you can get charts from Teddington (start of tidal) and from thence
around the world. Tsunamis99 now upgraded to "Navigator" by Transas Datacom Southampton.

cneighbour

 

[lanason]

Re: Now I\'m a Total Geek.........

You a Geek - surely not.

Still it was an ace party - I'll invite you to my next 40th !!.

Just get the butler to drive the S class along the towpath. They come with free SatNav :-0

Don't call me "Sandra"
Cleopatra - yellow hull called Court Jester. Have you seen her ?

 

[ChrisP]

Re: Now I\'m a Total Geek.........

I use the garmin world map software with the free software update. It gives full chart plotter in real time.

ChrisP

 

[boatone]

Re: Garmin Worldmap software

Have looked at the Garmin website and also the GPS Warehouse site and this looks interesting, particularly as its only £40 or so.
How much detail does it give in broad terms? In particular what sort of info is available on Thames - does it show locks etc?
You sound as if youre happy with it coastwise?

TonyR
boatone@boatsontheweb.com
www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Re: Boatone surely not

The software I mentioned Tsunamis, only does tidal waters i.e. as far as Teddington on the river
and of course all the sea. Surely they don't do GPS liked charts for non tidal Thames ?
I suppose its no differnet to the road, sept on the river you have to follow one route so whats the point.


cneighbour

 

[boatone]

Re: Boatone surely not

Spose I need to declare my interest in GPS and the non tidal Thames lest you think Ive lost all my marbles!

No, I'm not expecting any meaningful maritime charts for the non tidal Thames but rather Im looking to find out which mapping system gives the 'best' Thames detail coverage. Its probably OS 1:50,000 maps but I was interested to find out if anyone was aware of something I didnt know about.

Autoroute 2002 and Worldmap use the same basic vector mapping base and the Thames merely shows as a thin blue line. OS maps have much greater detail including showing locks etc so I can at least have a little fun seeing just how accurate my toys are.

My interest in GPS is not strictly boatwise......some years ago I was the Navigational Products Manager for the (at that time) only European company maufacturing GPS receivers which were largely sold into commercial and naval shipping at around £20,000 each!

To be able to have some fun with a few hundred quids worth of GSP technology and a laptop has a real personal nolstalgia kick for me and I am delighted with the accuracy and reliability now available at such low cost.



TonyR
boatone@boatsontheweb.com
www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Re: Boatone surely not

If you find one that goes onto laptop & interfaces with the Garmin 12XL let me know cos I'm gonna have
withdrawal symptoms whilst cruising up river with the wife with no little "real time" boat to look at
on the screen. Plus I like using my inverter cos its really big.

cneighbour

 

[boatone]

Re: Boatone surely not

OK..looks like the best bet is the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 series maps on CD used with the Memory Map Navigator software - all up cost for south east england £125 for software and maps CD. Looks as though 1 CD covers most of the Thames up to around Oxford but trying to clarify just where they cut off. Additional CD if needed would be £25

http://www.memory-map.co.uk

They also do the maptech UK marine charts system as well.
Autoroute 2002 is great for street level detail but no detail for the Thames at all - just a thin blue line, no locks marked etc.
For around £15 you can buy the OS Thames Path book which has bits of the OS maps on each page marked with grid lines but no way to interface to the laptop/gps other than manual reference.

TonyR
boatone@boatsontheweb.com
www.boatsonthethames.co.uk