PDA chart programmes

[Gordonmc]

Anyone recommend a cheap and cheerful mapping programme for a GPS enabled PDA.
I have been using OziExplorer and SeaClear on the laptop but power limitations, plus reluctance to use a top of the tree laptop on board, make the PDA a better option. I only want to load charts covering the Clyde and Northern Irish Sea for the time being.
The PDA is an iPAQ with a CF GPS receiver.

Thanks in hope!

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[MarkV]

I've been looking for somthing similar, only found memory map and win chart that are PDA Compatable. Where do you get charts for the freebie plotters on the internet. With the Mempory map charts you get navigator lite with every pack of charts, the PDA is extra. I think that with winchart the PC plotter and PDA versions come together but charts are extra.

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[waterrat365]

Try Fugawi.com. It works on a laptop or a PC equiped PDA like the iPaq, which runs on a windows program. There are 2 versions: the cheap one (about $100)runs most available electronic maps and charts, inlcuding highway and aviation maps. The $180 version runs the ENC charts, which are free and download from the internet from NOAA. Also: you can scan a paper chart and use it in the PDA version. Full GPS interface. USAF pilots use them because they work better than the official GPS in the jet fighters. I've got one on my iPaq 2215, and it works fine. BTW, I finally figured out how to use my cellphone as a modem, and I can actually surf the net on it. Amazing devices, really. Best Cliff Moore, S/V PELORUS, USA.

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[Talbot]

great if you sail in the states where the government has this strange idea that you have paid for the military to have charts, and should therefore not be expected to pay again to buy the chart!
The UK system is that the Hydrographic Office is a monopoly, therefore will charge through the nose for anyone who wants their product - thus you can buy an electronic chart from them, and even buy a programme to work the chart, but that programme will only work for one year, and then you have to pay for it again! Furthermore, they dont seem to believe in Vector charts

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[Talbot]

great if you sail in the states where the government has this strange idea that you have paid for the military to have charts, and should therefore not be expected to pay again to buy the chart!
The UK system is that the Hydrographic Office is a monopoly, therefore will charge through the nose for anyone who wants their product - thus you can buy an electronic chart from them, and even buy a programme to work the chart, but that programme will only work for one year, and then you have to pay for it again! Furthermore, they dont seem to believe in Vector charts

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[MarkV]

Since the UKHO seem to produce charts for all over the world, don't the Americans do the same. If so couldn't we pull a fast one and use "Free" American charts of the UK?

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[Talbot]

If you can find any listed then please let me know /forums/images/icons/smile.gif I believe that the USA free charts are only those waters within USA economic waters, other areas will be covered by deals with the different hydrographic services and would stop release of free charts.

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[waterrat365]

I've been following the general trend of this and basically, check out Fugawi.com. They work on virtually all commercial charts plus free ENC charts. To get a listing of free ENC charts, go to www.noaa.gov/charts.html. This is one of the few freebies from the US Gov anymore, although I have been able to get a free download of the entire US Light List as well as the COLREGS, which I carry in my PDA, also from NOAA. BTW: as before, simply scan a paper chart as a JPG, matrk 3 locations with Lat/Lon, and save it into Fugawi, and it works perfectly well w/GPS for me. Not all of US waters are covered as yet w/ENC charts (which are vector, btw), so you create a raster chart and use that instead. Fugawi doesn't care - a chart is a chart to them. ENC charts are available for quite a few non-US sites, but oddly, not for Nantucket (just the inner harbor) and only parts of Martha's Vineyard. More are being released all the time. BTW, why wouldn't Fugawi work w/British Oceanographic charts? Cliff Moore

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[ronniewood]

Tried for ages to get a low cost system but ended up buying the Maptech package which has been great on an IPAQ 3960. Base programme also covers use for road navigation and Ordnance survey maps for cross country so you get a decent amount of use and versatility for your money.
Since then came across www.dtechcharts.co.uk of Glasgow who cover the West Coast of Scotland and I think some of Ireland and are much lower cost.

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[Ovni]

You may download a demo version of waypoints gps, http://www.waypointsgps.nl/
It can handle different card systems. Costs 59 euro.

You can look also at http://www.stentec.com/ for these kind of programs. Normally the stentec programs are more sofisticated and some more expencive.

(I have no experience with these programs for PDA or seen it in use, other programs from these compagnies all look great and work ok)

<hr width=100% size=1>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ovnisailors/

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Ovni on 23/06/2004 00:06 (server time).</FONT></P>