For those of you using the free download NOAA raster charts (available at http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm) These charts are basically regular charts that have been scanned in and "calibrated" so the software can tell you your lat/long and allow connection to a gps for real-time position indicating and waypoint exchange. There is also free software to use them: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/resources.htm These free programs tend to have either fewer features or in some cases limited time of use (e.g. 30 days). I have the Maptech "Chart Navigator" (http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172 <http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172&CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=1288 7735> &CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=12887735) and also their "Offshore Navigator Lite", which comes as a companion to at least some of their waterproof chartbooks and another, not on the above list http://www.sping.com/seaclear/ OziExplorer also will allow viewing but has the big disadvantage of needing the user to first "calibrate" the chart, a very tedious process when you have over 6000 of them. 8^o A few nights ago I was "cruising" the coast of Alaska, the Chesapeake Bay, and the New England coast. The big shortcoming is that the downloads do not include Canadian charts. The Canadian government has elected to distribute electronic charts via a company in Newfoundland rather than make them available for free. You can buy the Canadian RNC charts if you so wish. Tod
Tod, thank you for the most valuable info on NOAA Charts. Perhaps you could explain how I can overcome a problem? I go to the NOAA site and download a chart. But Maptech's Chart Navigator will not recognize the rasterized chart even though the files are KAP/BSB files. If I try to convert the files it says that the file cannot be converted. At this point my old mind gets totally lost. Any suggestions short of getting younger and smarter? Thank you and all the other members of this board for their wonderful expertise! Fred Montgomery 12, Montgomery 7/11 and Pearson Renegade ----- Original Message ----- From: htmills@bright.net<mailto:htmills@bright.net> To: M-list<mailto:montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 9:16 AM Subject: M_Boats: charting software For those of you using the free download NOAA raster charts (available at http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm<http://nauticalchartsnoaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm>) These charts are basically regular charts that have been scanned in and "calibrated" so the software can tell you your lat/long and allow connection to a gps for real-time position indicating and waypoint exchange. There is also free software to use them: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/resources.htm<http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/resources.htm> These free programs tend to have either fewer features or in some cases limited time of use (e.g. 30 days). I have the Maptech "Chart Navigator" (http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172> <http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172&CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=1288<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172&CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=1288> 7735> &CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=12887735) and also their "Offshore Navigator Lite", which comes as a companion to at least some of their waterproof chartbooks and another, not on the above list http://www.sping.com/seaclear/<http://www.sping.com/seaclear/> OziExplorer also will allow viewing but has the big disadvantage of needing the user to first "calibrate" the chart, a very tedious process when you have over 6000 of them. 8^o A few nights ago I was "cruising" the coast of Alaska, the Chesapeake Bay, and the New England coast. The big shortcoming is that the downloads do not include Canadian charts. The Canadian government has elected to distribute electronic charts via a company in Newfoundland rather than make them available for free. You can buy the Canadian RNC charts if you so wish. Tod _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats<http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats>
Further my first posting; It is tough getting old! I finally figured out that the files that I had downloaded were not in a recognized directory. Now everything seems to be ok and I should start to learn the finer points of Chart Navigator. Thanks again and sorry for the earlier post. Fred ----- Original Message ----- From: Fred Stout<mailto:flstout@msn.com> To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats<mailto:montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 9:54 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: charting software Tod, thank you for the most valuable info on NOAA Charts. Perhaps you could explain how I can overcome a problem? I go to the NOAA site and download a chart. But Maptech's Chart Navigator will not recognize the rasterized chart even though the files are KAP/BSB files. If I try to convert the files it says that the file cannot be converted. At this point my old mind gets totally lost. Any suggestions short of getting younger and smarter? Thank you and all the other members of this board for their wonderful expertise! Fred Montgomery 12, Montgomery 7/11 and Pearson Renegade ----- Original Message ----- From: htmills@bright.net<mailto:htmills@bright.net<mailto:htmills@bright.net<mailto:htmills@bright.net>> To: M-list<mailto:montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com<mailto:montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com>> Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 9:16 AM Subject: M_Boats: charting software For those of you using the free download NOAA raster charts (available at http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm<http://nauticalchartsnoaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm<http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm<http://nauticalchartsnoaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm>>) These charts are basically regular charts that have been scanned in and "calibrated" so the software can tell you your lat/long and allow connection to a gps for real-time position indicating and waypoint exchange. There is also free software to use them: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/resources.htm<http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/resources.htm<http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/resources.htm<http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/resourceshtm>> These free programs tend to have either fewer features or in some cases limited time of use (e.g. 30 days). I have the Maptech "Chart Navigator" (http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172>> <http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172&CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=1288<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172&CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=1288<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172&CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=1288<http://www.maptech.com/support/doc.cfm?docid=172&CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=1288>> 7735> &CFID=14634764&CFTOKEN=12887735) and also their "Offshore Navigator Lite", which comes as a companion to at least some of their waterproof chartbooks and another, not on the above list http://www.sping.com/seaclear/<http://www.sping.com/seaclear/<http://www.sping.com/seaclear/<http://www.sping.com/seaclear/>> OziExplorer also will allow viewing but has the big disadvantage of needing the user to first "calibrate" the chart, a very tedious process when you have over 6000 of them. 8^o A few nights ago I was "cruising" the coast of Alaska, the Chesapeake Bay, and the New England coast. The big shortcoming is that the downloads do not include Canadian charts. The Canadian government has elected to distribute electronic charts via a company in Newfoundland rather than make them available for free. You can buy the Canadian RNC charts if you so wish. Tod _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats<http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats<http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats<http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats>> _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats<http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats>
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