Free raster charts - What is the story

[evm]

Hi, Now that Maptech is releasing charts for free (www.freeboatingcharts.com) I'm wondering what the story is. They were making so much money and went so far as to encrypt the charts that I wonder what it took to get them to give us OUR NOAA charts back.

Anybody know?

__Ethan

[Geoff Johnson]

It's because NOAA is making them available. I suppose the exclsuive license expired.

http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/index.htm

[Art Mullinax]

Pardon my ignorance but, can these charts be downloaded to a computer? What software would be needed? Looks like it would be fun to look at some of these charts.
Art M

[Geoff Johnson]

You can get software from places like Maptech, Fugawi or OziExplorer. You can see what OziExplorer looks like on a PocketPC here:

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=1768&highlight=dell

Last year I chartered a boat in Turkey and downloaded the charts for $3.00. Sure beats buying a Garmin chip.

In that thread, you also find out how to download free NOAA vector charts. They have been approved for commercial use, but they do not run on a PocketPC and any computer (desktop or laptop) will need a very fast processor (I have 3 GHz and it still seems slow).

[evm]

There are a number of chart viewers available free. (you can even find them on maptech site) Others have GPS integration and are fully functional.

These are the NOAA charts. Real charts.

It was my understanding that NOAA was annoyed with Maptach's marketing and fee structures. Nice that they are now in the public domain (again). I was just looking for any (lurid) details.

Now if only non-US charts would become in the public domain.

I have 11 regions from Mexico to Canada that I use for work. Even with an educational discount it was a pretty penny. Plus the encryption was/is a pain in the ass. We tend to douse our computers in the field every once in a while. New keys were provided but that takes time.

--Ethan

[Art Mullinax]

The guys in the shop are still giving me a hard time about the automatic built in coffee cup holder on the front of my desktop.:confused:
Art M.