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NOAA Online Chart Viewer

Geoff Johnson

Fellow Ericson Owner
On July 4, NOAA introduced a new public service called the Online Chart Viewer. The Viewer lets mariners display [almost] any nautical chart in the national suite using only an Internet browser. Supported charts are updated weekly for notice to Mariner corrections by NOAA cartographers. The Viewer's fast, image displaying software permits rapid raster chart display, panning and zooming.

http://www.nauticalcharts.gov/viewer/


Now if I could only figure out how to get a WiFi signal offshore . . .
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
Geoff - You can download the relevant charts and take them with you. There is also free software to read these charts. WiFi is now a thing of the past. ;)

The free software can't be tied to your GPS, but Maptech has been advertising a DVD for fifty bucks that has all of the charts and the software that will tie into the GPS.

Now if I could only figure out how to keep a laptop dry in the cockpit. . .
 

Geoff Johnson

Fellow Ericson Owner
Actually, with programs like OziExplorer you can use any raster charts because the program allows you to calibrate them to latitude and longitude. I've done it for cheapie charts of Turkey and used them on a palm computer with Bluetooth GPS. All Maptech does is precalibrate the NOAA charts for you.

I'd like to see someone make the NOAA charts an overlay for Google Earth. Now that would be "cool".
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
Geoff Johnson said:
All Maptech does is precalibrate the NOAA charts for you.

Yes, but you also get all of the charts without having to download them yourself.

I'm not recommending Maptech as I have never used it, but the price seemed right.
 

CaptnNero

Accelerant
gui navigation

Thanks for pointing this out.

I think I'll find it useful. It is unfortunate that they didn't include a better high level GUI navigator. It calls for a top level chart for each region with a point and click to chart capability, instead of just the listing page of region chart labels. Once you find the right chart it works nicely.

One might say that I shouldn't complain since it is free, but that isn't true since our taxes are paying for it. I'll send a request to them for what it is worth.
 

ron7546

Member II
Map Tech

I have the Map Tech program " U.S. Boating Charts" $50.00.It will allow you real time viewing of your vessel , if you interface with your GPS(Which I have not done yet) There are things this program will not allow you to do and they will Keep trying to get you to upgrade.But the $50.00 version is all I need for now.
Ron
"Bluenote"
 

soup1438

Member II
Looking for viewers...

Being a PenguinHead (NOT a "ParrotHead", folks!) I kept looking for such an application for Linux.

Why?

Well, Linux gets more out of "ancient" laptops, so you don't have to expose the "latest and greatest" laptop (the kind with "Zippo" batteries from Sony) to the corrosive air found at sea (or on the Gulf of Mexico).

Mind you, I also have some old clamshell iBooks that will work, too, running MacOS X, and, oddly enough, there *is* software for MacOS X... though I'm used to "cheap" (well, "free").

I've looked but haven't been particularly reassured.

And, folks, I ain't gonna boot an M$ system on my boat. That would be bad luck.
 
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