Panbo

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Category: Charts

FLIBS 2011: Geonav autorouting, from C-Map & Navionics 2

Navigation / Charts

FLIBS 2011: Geonav autorouting, from C-Map & Navionics

Geonav_auto_routing_Navionics.jpg

FLIBS was my first chance to see the autorouting capabilities of C-Map 4D in action, and I liked what I saw. And not only is Geonav the first to make the feature available but it’s also the first to enable a similar autorouting feature from Navionics (which I wasn’t even aware of). As with other “Dual Fuel” chart features, Geonav tried to make the interface on the G12 (and G10) the same so that users switching between C-Map and Navionics cards aren’t confused. That’s why the details of the menus above and below are the same no matter which type of chart you’re using…

“Monkey Business” — blast from the past #1 3

Charts

“Monkey Business” — blast from the past #1

SF_chart_section_1853_Panbo.JPG

Did you ever see the first-in-20-years Bob Dylan interview with Ed Bradley where Dylan expresses astonishment at lyrics he once wrote (like It’s Alright, Ma), and said he couldn’t do again? A memorable TV moment with a weird and reluctant diety, I thought. My work is absolutely not comparable to Dylan’s, but I do sometimes run across a piece written long ago that surprises me in a good way. That happened today with a 2004 PMY column called “Monkey Business” whose intriguing subtitle is “Charts separate men from apes, but the path from paper to digital passes through the jungle.” I thought I’d republish it with the images that are no longer online, plus links, corrections, and more images. Hope you enjoy…

Nigel Calder update, charts & HyMar 14

Electrical & Engines / Charts

Nigel Calder update, charts & HyMar

Calder_Gizmo_iPad_cPanbo.jpg

Nigel Calder and I talked non-stop for about six hours on Friday (and probably could have kept going if we were younger men). He visited because he’s working on a new edition of How to Read a Nautical Chart and wanted to check out the latest in electronic charts, particularly the mobile apps. I was happy to help with that, and I also got to ask some questions about Gizmo’s systems and find out what’s up with his marine hybrid project. I’ve always liked Nigel’s chart book; while it’s largely a nice reprint of NOAA’s Chart 1 guide to symbology — no longer published by NOAA, though available for download — it also includes some terrific history of cartography along with analysis of where it’s going electronically. I’ll be particularly interested to see what he discovers when visiting the Chart of the Future project at UNH, which is apparently related to a new vector chart standard (interesting S100 PDF here). I was also pleased to learn that Nigel shares my enthusiasm for improving charts with crowd sourcing and even for 3D charting, and he’s not a guy who’s easily impressed with the latest thing…

MIBS # 5: C-Map, EarthNC, & MapMedia news 20

Wireless & Apps / Charts

MIBS # 5: C-Map, EarthNC, & MapMedia news

Jeppesen_C-Map_charting_app_cPanbo.JPG

It’s a lousy photo, for sure, but Jeppesen C-Map has not yet announced its iPad charting app, let alone released screen shots, though I found it one of the nicest surprises of the Miami show.  It seems that C-Map not only intends to match Navionics’ much appreciated efforts to offer inexpensive but detailed marine cartography on multiple apps platforms, but to do it even better.  Note, for instance, the “CWeather” button on the menu bar above, and that C-Map has been working to overlay weather data on plotters since at least 2004 (though the then available mechanisms — a complicated cellular connection, or a data card transfer — were awkward).  I’m not sure what CWeather offers today (the Jeppesen site says only European data), but we know that a connected tablet or phone can make the download process very easy.

MIBS #3: Fugawi, Rose Point, MapTech, & Nobeltec Trident 27

PC & peripheral / Charts

MIBS #3: Fugawi, Rose Point, MapTech, & Nobeltec Trident

Fugawi_ENC_with_Avia_Motor.JPG

I sense that PC-based navigation is about to enjoy a renaissance after a long period during which rapidly-advancing MFDs stole its thunder.  I can think of several reasons (and you may have more):  Decent performance PCs have gotten less expensive and tougher; NMEA 2000 can feed them more data, more easily (thanks in large part to Actisense); the various mobile platforms so many of us want to fool with on board usually relate well to the less mobile platforms that can also work well on many boats; and, finally, MaxSea and Furuno are showing everyone how powerfully a PC can fit into high-end marine electronics systems.  One company that will participate in this renaissance, I’m pretty sure, is Fugawi…

PolarView, ready for prime time? 36

Navigation / PC & peripheral / Charts

PolarView, ready for prime time?

Polarview netbook.jpg

I took a peek at PolarView NS charting software about a year ago, but didn’t write about it because I wasn’t especially impressed (and there’s a certain randomness to what I cover anyway).  But times change and software develops, and I’m here to tell you that PolarView 1.5 (video introduction here) is pretty darn impressive.  Given its app-like $40 price tag, it’s a remarkably powerful program that runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems.  The screen above shows PV running on my little ASUS Eee PC 1000HE 10-Inch netbook
with live NMEA 0183 data coming from the lab’s N2K network via a Maretron USB 100.  PolarView is quite unusual in that it uses a sister program, called PolarCOM, to do all its data interfacing and instrument displays… 

NOAA shoreline doubts, or how NE Pt became an island 7

Charts

NOAA shoreline doubts, or how NE Pt became an island

Yet another blizzard is descending on Panbo HQ, and that’s excuse enough to further indulge my obsession with local charting, specifically the issue mentioned on Monday about how Northeast Point became an island.  It...

C-Map’s hyper harbor detail, & more charting/POI news 27

Charts

C-Map’s hyper harbor detail, & more charting/POI news

MAX_Pro_Chart_Nobeltec_11.JPG

Testing Nobeltec Admiral 11 is going pretty well, and I’ll write about it soon, but what really got me grinning is the latest C-Map Max Pro chart of Camden Harbor that came along with the trial software.  I’m a long time fan of C-Map’s C-Marina concept — in which cooperating marinas are charted in super high resolution — but in actuality C-Map’s earlier attempts at Wayfarer Marine detail were seriously flawed.  Well, not only is Wayfarer now exceptionally well depicted (with one major exception), but other improvements make C-Map’s the best visual guide to my harbor’s complexities yet created, I think.  Please click on the image above for a full screen window as I explain…