Laptop chart programs and GPS

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Monterey10

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In addition to my regular charts, I used Nobeltec last year to view charts on my laptop. We were to travel into some areas that I had never been before. The night before these explorations, I spent quite a bit of time reviewing the charts both on and off the computer. I had a positive experience with the electronic charts.

Last week I scrounge an inexpensive Holux GR213, USB GPS mouse. This is a little mag mount GPS about the size of the a hard boiled egg on a 6' USB cable. I set it up this morning. The installation disk contained Mac , Windows and Linux drivers. The disk included a GPS utility to help verify the GPS was working. I was quite impressed with the acquisition times with it stuck to my bedroom window. (1 1/2 minute cold start) I found the mag mount on this GPS mouse to be quite strong, presumably to allow mounting on the roof of a car.

I have a version of Maptech lite running on my laptop this morning. I was pleased to see that Maptech recognized the "USB GPS" mouse and showed my position on the free NOAH charts.

Overall, I was pleased with the performance of this simple unit. To make the best use of GPS on a laptop, a skipper would need to invest in the higher end electronic chart programs.

I'm in no way affiliated with Holux.
 
That is interesting feedback. Thanks! Last weekend I found that after my HH GPS had sat unused all winter, it had lost all the user data I had programmed. So now I have to hook it up to my old laptop W98 and see if I can download my info again. If not, I guess I'll have to bite the bullit and buy a newer HH GPS and s/w.......
 
...just be sure that the mag mount on your newest hi-tech navigation aid doesn't negatively impact the oldest navigation aid mounted on your vessel....

BTG
 
I got interested in the Nobeltec program a couple months ago, when I saw it in use. That might be a couple bucks more than I anticipated spending on a chartbook, tho, you know? Still, quite compelling.

One that I've come across that I'm fairly impressed with so far is still in beta, put together by a group of people who call themselves "Destin Sharks" out of Destin, FL, not far from Pensacola. What they're doing is putting a bunch of charts in a format that can be displayed on Google Earth, so you get the chart, the photo, and your gps position. http://www.destinsharks.com/
 
Test the holux extensively. I had one and Nobeltec software had trouble with the signal. It would usually go "off" after 20 mins. or so. Had something to do with it not being rated for marine usage. Problem was solved when I bought a Garmin receiver and downloaded a program that Nobeltec recommended.

I use the Nobeltec on my laptop as a backup, in case the permanently mounted GPS chartplotter fails.
 
Interesting that you had problems. I looked over their web site and they advertise that it can be used in a marine environment. I'll give it some more time. At $35 it wont be earth shattering if it doesn't work.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Monterey10

Interesting that you had problems. I looked over their web site and they advertise that it can be used in a marine environment. I'll give it some more time. At $35 it wont be earth shattering if it doesn't work.

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The one I used came with Microsoft streets, now probably 5 years old. Wouldn't surprise me if they have moved up the ladder. If yours works after a couple of hours, it should be fine. Mine was erratic....20 mins. one session. An hour the next. Drove me nuts until I switched to the Garmin.
 
Keep anthing that has a magnet far enough away from your compass to avoid messing it up. If you see the compass suddenly rotating 100 degrees or more while you're sitting in the slip, it has magnetic influenece from something such as this GPS mouse.
 
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