Whats the best Plotter software for a PC?

[mjkinch1]

With the boat moored miles away I am thinkin of getting some software for my PC to allow me to plot my routes and take them with me. I must admit to getting pretty confused over what is what, and if you need to have the gps linked up to make it all work.

Also I have downloaded some 'plotter' progs to try and they are pretty much low resolution,(like the RYA one), so detailed planning on a short route would not work ( a route may be just 10-50 miles)

I have a Raytheon R80 with a repeater for the flybridge, and 2 C-MAP NT cards for my area.

What can you suggest that I should buy for my PC, and how do I take the routes with me once I have plotted them?

Thanks

Martyn

 

[Andrew38]

I've been using PC Planner for about 4 years now and have been very happy with it. Uses your C-Map cartridges, reasonable easy to use and prints out a detailed passage plan which can be set to ETAs and includes leg times etc. I print these out, use my cheap laminator set to protect them and you've got everything you need. C-Map regularly update the software and you can generally get the new updates FOC. Only had to pay when going to the nex Max software and that was only £10! I can also with my Simrad system transfer the routes directly into the chart plotter through a memory card.

 

[Malcb]

I also use C-Map Planner as it is invaluable for transferring waypoints and routes, via user card, to the plotter on board. For passage planning I also use Neptune C-Map Planner, as that calculates the course to steer allowing for tidal diamonds and streams in conjunction with the C-Map cartography. It will also help in calculating optimum departure times.

 

[mjkinch1]

I have just downloaded the demo of the Neptune C-Map planner and that looks distinctly low resolution, no detail. So are we talking c-map uk web site, or the USA site?

Ta

 

[Coupe]

Turn left for Formentor, turn right for Palma and straight across for Menorca.

Only kidding (or jealous), have a great season in the Med Martyn.

 

[Nick_H]

The PC Planner software is OK, but only OK. The best thing about it, as others have said, is the printable passage plan with distances, times and lat/long data, which is a nice contingency if the plotter screws up on route. The weakest aspect is you cannot change the chart scale whilst plotting a route with the mouse, so you have to plot the whole route on a single scale, or save the route, change the scale, then go back in and edit the route. Unless of course anyone knows how to do that?

I suppose its not a major drawback, it just takes longer, but it actually means most routes can be plotted just as quickly on the chart plotter.

 

[No1_Moose]

Seapro.

The 'lite' version is very good value at £100(ish) and if you get one of their special offers you may get a chart pack thrown if for free with it.
The 'standard' version is fantastically brilliantly, erm good. But it costs £450.

All you need to do is connect the correct wires to the correct places on your nmea circuit. Then you just plug the computer in, magic happens and all your routes/waypoints fly from the computer to the chartplotter.

 

[Malcb]

[ QUOTE ]
The weakest aspect is you cannot change the chart scale whilst plotting a route with the mouse

[/ QUOTE ]

You can if your mouse has a wheel on it.

If you have a mouse with a wheel on it you can zoom out, position the cursor as near as you can to the next waypoint, zoom in using the wheel and then position and click for the next waypoint. Alternatively you can use the cursor keys to change the area of the chart view left, right, up or down to bring the next waypoint area onto the screen.

I got a seperate mouse with wheel for the laptop that I use on board for that reason.

 

[Malcb]

You need to have your c-map card reader connected with the chart cards inserted. Neptune c-map planner should then read the charts from the c-card reader. Certainly the registered version does. Both C-Map Planner and Neptune c-map Planner show the same level of detail.

 

[mjkinch1]

But can you go down to the same level of detail that I can with my onboard plotter? All the packages I have tried so far make the balerics look like lego blocks. I would like to be able to zoom in to a marina, and see the detail of lights/markers etc. Do these packages do that?

Ta

 

[Nick_H]

The mouse wheel works as you say when viewing the chart, but as soon as I start to plot a route it no longer does that, it just changes the waypoint symbol from a circle to a square, flag, boat etc.

 

[Nick_H]

Yes, the software does do that, you can view the individual pontoons same as you can on your plotter. It also has all the tide data, lights etc. You need a USB card reader with your c map card in it.

 

[Malcb]

Sorry, I was mixing up C-Map PC Planner with Neptune C-Map Planner.

Your right, on C-Map PC Planner if you use the wheel it changes the waypoint symbols when your placing a route waypoint. However if you take the mouse to the edge of the display when you are plotting your route the symbol temporarily changes to a black arrow and the screen scrolls in that direction, continuing the route as far as you want. So you can plot your route on the scale that you want.

 

[Nick_H]

Agreed, but it can result in having to scroll dozens of times if doing a cross channel or west country route from the Solent. As I said its not a fault, more of an inconvenience.

 

[Malcb]

I knew there had to be a way of changing the scale while plotting a route on C-Map PC Planner.

You use the "I" for In and "O" for out keys.

 

[Nick_H]

So you do, thanks.

 

[mjkinch1]

Just to recap though..... I need my C-Map card to make it work? Presumably I can just buy the maps and store them on my PC. If I bring my c-map card home, sods law I will forget it when i go back!

 

[Malcb]

Yes, you need the C-Map cards to make C-Map PC Planner, also Neptune C-Map Planner, work. Unfortunately both programs read from the C-Map card reader and there doesn't appear to be any way that you can copy the contents of the C-Map cards to the PC hard drive. The C-Map card reader isn't recognized as a windows removable storage device.

As you would have to remember to take the user card with you, as that contains waypoints and routes, it isn't too much of a hardship to remember the charts card as well. IMO