NavMan GPS for laptop

Bluecrab · Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:49 pm Post subject:

Terrific! Thanks a bunch...
now to find the pics!

Bess-C · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 3:52 pm Post subject:

I'm going to jump into this forum because you guys seem to have the answers to some questions I have regarding my gps setup.

I am putting a Raymarine C-80 system on our boat. I also have a Garmin 76C handheld that I will use as a backup. With the old Garmin 2006 that I'm replacing, I just bought the map chips for the areas in which we boat. The downside of that was that I couldn't plan a trip at home on my computer. I would like to be able to plan a trip and build routes with waypoints on my home computer and then transfer that information onto the Navionics Gold chips that we'll use in the C-80. If possible I would also like to put the same info into the 76C.

What software, processes and connectivity do I need to accomplish this? Will the results be the same as building the routes directly on the C80? Thanks for any help you can give me on this.
Lyle

Alyssa Jean · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 5:32 pm Post subject:

Me too. Yeah, what Lyle said. Same GPS going on the Anna Leigh and I would like to do the same. Pat on Daydream understands this stuff. And he will have the same also.

Seeker · Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 79

Yup, I'm watching this thread closely too. We'll have the C-80 system and I've decided to buy an IBM Think Pad to use for plotting way points.

I just need to know how to make it work.

Law

Pat Anderson · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:12 am Post subject:

Yeah, I wish to heck I knew about this...you can plot waypoints and routes on your computer with the Bluechart maps and Mapsource software and download maps, waypoints and routes to the Garmin GPS chartplotters. I have no idea whether the C-80 has a similar ability...If anybody really knows (Les?) I would really like to know. This is really the best way to plan trips, data entry is so much easier on a computer than the chartplotter. This COULD tip the scales back to the Garmin 3006, who knows?

Pat Anderson · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:11 am Post subject:

OK, from the Maptech site - you can't currently do it with Offshore Navigator and a C80...(cut and paste from Maptech support forum)

Stephen Jordan

Original Message
(Posted Feb 26, 2005 4:33 AM)
reply

I usually use Offshore Navigator light but am making a trip on a yacht with a Raymarine C80 as its plotter. Is there any way of transfering waypoints and routes to the C80

Jeffrey Atwood

RE: Transfer Waypoint and Routes to C80
(msg #1: Posted Feb 28, 2005 9:15 AM)

reply

Hello Stephen:

At this time we do not have that particular unit in our list to upload and download data to and from Offshore Navigator and that GPS unit. I will add an additional vote to the list for that particular GPS that the development team looks at to determine what units to get worked into the software. You may want to try the GPS RN300 setting in the GPS setup area of the program.

Jeffrey Atwood

gljjr · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:38 pm Post subject:

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:06 am Post subject:

OK, here is something a few of you will find interesting...MapTech is now including a companion CD for its paper charts and waterproof chartbooks. If you bought the San Juan or Puget Sound waterproof chartbooks after January 1, 2005, you can request the companion CD here. Unfortunately, the MapTech coverage is very selective - in this area they have Puget Sound and San Juan Islands chartbooks but nothing for the Gulf Islands or Desolation Sound, or for whole parts of the US for that matter. But if you get one of their chartbooks, which are very good, this looks like the cat's meow. The companion CD includes Offshore Navigator Lite software and the selected coverage area digital maps. This software has waypoints, routes, tracks, real time tracking when connected to a GPS, all the usual stuff. They also sell a USB GPS to use with it for $150...I will just plug in my Garmin GPSMAP76, but if I didn't have that, this combo would seem like an ideal backup (or even primary) navigation system. Have the San Juans (minus CD), going to buy the Puget Sound waterproof chartbook - they are about $50 each, and for the chartbook alone that is a reasonable deal, but with the software and digital maps, it is a great deal.

Alyssa Jean · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 10:24 am Post subject:

Unfortunately I bought both over a year ago. Maybe they will be coming up with an inland passage book.

gljjr · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:37 pm Post subject:

Just as an FYI, Microsoft recently released Streets and Trips 2005 with a USB GPS included in the system. Now the software is not bad for looking up streets and stuff but the GPS puck is very nice! It is made by Pharos and you can actually get different attachments for it as well. The reason I bring it up is that the retail price is $129 so it is less than the unit that Pat talked about above. I got mine through work so it was even better for me Wink

BTW: Thanks for that link Pat! I ordered my CD today. I was amazed that they never asked for a purchase date or location of where we bought the chart books.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 1:58 pm Post subject:

I have been playing with the Coastal Explorer Trial Edition from Rose Point Navigation and the free NOAA vector charts...I am pretty well sold on getting this package for the laptop for backup to the Raymarine C80 we will be getting in July, and primary until the Raymarine is installed! The trial edition seems to be full featured except it is 10 day limited (unless you live in the past! Laughing

) Couple this with a USB GPS puck, and I don't think there is a more economic overall solution for laptop based navigation. The vector charts take some getting used to after using raster charts, but you just can't beat the price!

Here is the link for the trial edition.
Charts are here.

Bess-C · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:40 am Post subject:

I just found out some information that answers a question for those of us that are installing the Raymarine C-80 system. Navionics is supposed to be bringing out new planning software for PC's by this summer. It is called Navplanner. It will allow you to plan a trip on your PC and then download the info to the C series chartplotter. I spotted this on another boating website. Does anyone have any more info on this?
Lyle

Pat Anderson · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:29 am Post subject:

I have played with Rose Point's Coastal Explorer trial edition extensively now, downloaded a truck load of the free vector charts, and am really impressed. It pretty much self-installs the charts, it is easy to create waypoints ("marks"), edit their properties, and create routes. It knows the name of every place under the cursor (I think that is the integration with Coast Pilot?) When NOAA has got most of their vector charts to version 2, it is going to be very hard for Maptech to persuade people that Offshore Navigator and the raster charts ($$$$) have ANY advantage. In fact, I ordered Coastal Explorer last Sunday. The next version, which is a free upgrade but will have a higher intial price tag, promises communications with GPS chartplotters to download waypoints and routes. I am hoping to give it a real workout the Lopez weekend (May 7). More reports to follow!

gljjr · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:40 am Post subject:

Too Cool Pat! I played with the demo version but haven't activated it on the laptop yet as I haven't been out fishing since I found the program. I wanted to have a chance to test it on the water before purchasing it.

BTW: Give me a call tonight. Wink

Pat Anderson · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 11:20 pm Post subject:

Well, don't get too excited about the CDs with the Maptech waterproof chartbooks (here in the Upper Left Coast we have the San Juans and Puget Sound waterproof chartbooks, which ARE worth the money by themselves). It could have been so cool, but they (Maptech) really blew it in my book. The CD is in fact the chartbook digitized, with Offshore Navigator Lite thrown in - but it is just the charbook, literally - just digital images of the chart book pages, complete with page numbers and notations regarding adjoining pages. So you can view 20 or 25 separate pages, but you have to turn the pages, it doesn't quilt into one nice big chart that you can zoom out or zoom in. Too bad, I was hoping for a real raster chart of the coverage area of the chartbook, but it was not to be...oh, well, NOAA is adding charts to the free vector chart set daily, and Rose Point Navigation's Coastal Explorer is far superior to Offshore Navigator anyway...