If it helps to decide - note that smartphones and tablets are not true satellite GPS devices. They don't have a full function satellite chipset. They typically rely on a combination of "lightweight" satellite ability, triangulation on cell towers, and dead reckoning. So no cell signal means not much GPS capability is left. The $30 USB GPS receiver is great though. I see the same company also makes a smaller lighter lower power micro-USB receiver: http://www.globalsat.com.tw/s/2/product-199954/GPS-Receiver-ND-105C.html ...this and the right software would presumably turn a tablet (or smartphone) into a fully functional satellite GPS unit. cheers, John S. On 05/29/2017 09:36 AM, Robbin Roddewig wrote:
Thanks Gail this is very helpful. Please thank Dennis as well! I did some digging and have found that the chart is available through Navionics on old SD cards. For 197.00. Ouch. And yes they are static so they are as recent as the chart was saved. I run iSail on my iPhone and really like that it always has the latest chart. I am trying to trade buying a new low cost chart plotter, maybe with an internal GPS antenna to make install easier, versus upgrading to an iPad with built in GPS. It seems that the chart plotters charge a lot for large screens and maybe for being water proof? Hard to see where all the value is for something costing around 1000.00.
Thanks again. This info has been very helpful!
Robbin
Robbin Roddewig robbin.roddewig@verizon.net
-----Original Message----- From: Gail Russell <gail@zeliga.com> To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Mon, May 29, 2017 11:40 am Subject: Re: M_Boats: Old electronics
I forwarded this to my very smart, yachting IT pennysaver friend, and this is what came back. He knows what he is talking about.
Hi Gail -
I'm attaching the owner's manual for the specific chartplotter. It says the system uses Navionics Gold cards. If these are still done like the earlier format Navionics cards I have on an ancient Furuno chartplotter, they cannot be read except by the chartplotter itself. The Gold series is relatively recent, so they may still be selling current charts in that format. If not, Ebay is probably his best bet. Any particular card will only have charts that were current when the card came off the production line. Hence, if buying on Ebay, he should be very careful to note the date of the chart, as those cards are/have been in production for a while, and some will be quite a bit older.
He can download free current electronic charts for the entire coastal US from NOAA in both vector and raster formats, and display them on a laptop using the free, open source program OpenCPN. A very effective "hockey puck" USB GPS from GlobalSat is available on Amazon for about $30, which is probably quite a bit less than a single used "Gold" card would cost on Ebay. Attaching the USB GPS to a laptop or tablet running OpenCPN creates an extremely capable chartplotter that runs free, always current charts.
In my case, I run the ancient Furuno side by side with a slightly newer Garmin in the cockpit. The Furuno I use for a zoomed-out overall perspective, with the Garmin zoomed in for detail. I run OpenCPN on a laptop down below decks, using it for trip planning (and comparing to the Garmin charts to see what's changed on the newest maps before I start on each leg of the journey).
Hope this helps,
Dennis
On Sun, May 28, 2017 at 6:27 AM, Robbin Roddewig < robbin.roddewig@verizon.net> wrote:
I have inherited a Raymarine RC435i chart plotter. I want to update the system and get a new east coast chart but I am confused by the information on how to do this for this very old system. It uses large SD cards and apparently has issues not only with more modern storage but card sizes. Does anyone have experience with working with old electronics like this and either updating or getting new charts (on really antiquated storage cards)? If so can you please point me in the right direction?
Thanks Robbin M-23 Pinch Me, Marshall 22 Otter
Robbin Roddewig robbin.roddewig@verizon.net
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