[rem1224]

I've been using the online charts from NOAA's website for a while - - they are nice, but sometimes they take a while to load and zooming in and out and moving around from chart to chart can be slow if the internet is busy.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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I found a combination of downloads that lets you have all the NOAA nautical charts you want right on your PC with a nice Chart Viewer software program, too.<o></o>
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Maptech has a free version of their Chart Navigator software called "Chart Navigator Viewer" that anyone can download from their website. It's not as full featured as the $250 software, but, hey - it's free
Go to the Maptech's main web page---> Maptech: Topo Maps Charts Navigation Software GPS and FREE Online Mapserver
Click on "Downloads"<o></o>
Download and Install the "Chart Navigator Viewer 5.08 - With Demo Charts" software.<o></o>
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NOAA's website has over 1,000 Raster Navigation Charts (RNC) available that you can download for free and they all work with the Maptech software.<o></o>
Go to NOAA's RNC Chart download web page ---> RNC Downloads
Download the chart files you want (they will be in a "zip" file).<o></o>

The only tricky part of the installation from here is getting the chart files in the right directory on your PC so the Maptech program can find them. All the individual chart file have to be stored in "C:\Chartkit\Bsbchart". When you download them from NOAA, each chart consists of 3-6 files that are in its' own directory. A little cutting and pasting of files is required to set things up.
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So, for a few minutes of download time and a little bit of setup on your PC, you get a free nautical chart program that you can view charts, zoom in and out, pan, print charts, do route planning, measure distances and get GPS coordinates. It's even supposed to link up with a GPS unit, but I haven't tried that yet.<o></o>
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If you need more detailed instructions, I put together a "how to" guide for downloading and setting up the programs -
available here ---> Free Nautical Charts

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Here are a couple of screen shots from the Maptech software - -

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[ReelSmith]

Hey Ralph,

YOU'RE HIRED!!!!:thumbup:

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to put this together...this is AWSOME!

I've been using the free stuff from both NOOA and Maptech but have a few problems as you mentioned...this will be a big help!

 

[Steve F]

That is great Ralph just finished downloading it, thanks for sharring that information :thumbup:

 

[NachoLibre]

This is very cool. I really appreciate you taking the effort to pass this information along so succinctly.

I downloaded the map viewing software, but the RNC Downloads page is hanging up on me. I wonder if the bandwith is getting eating up by TF'ers! I'll try again later.

 

[NachoLibre]

I got in, but couldn't search on the map, so went to the text version. For those searching the text version, the Chesapeake Bay charts start on page 201.

 

[ictalurus]

Thanks for all the cool info.

 

[iFishMD]

Great stuff. i appreciate it. I will download at home :thumbup:

For those who dont know where the noaa charts are, here is a link: Atlantic Coast NOAA Nautical Charts

 

[jnashed]

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions. It is up and operational on my computer!!!:clapping2:

Jim

 

[Lone Ranger]

That is great Ralph just finished downloading it, thanks for sharring that information :thumbup:

Who's going to show ya' HOW to use it!

And don't look at me,I ain't got a shot!

 

[DirtyFrank]

it's pretty cool, been using it for 3 years now

you can export waypoints then using some simple math convert them to Lowrance (my FF/GPS) uploadable files

soooooooooooooooo, I use this software, mark a bunch of spots, export them, do a little calculation on the coordinates to get them in Lowrance format, save to a SD card and pop it in my plotter.

I know....NNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDD


TIGHT LINES!!

 

[Dave H.]

Very nice! Thanks for posting!!

Dave

 

[mjonzcm1]

thank you very much

 

[fanz]

Thanks

Ralph,

Like the others said - Thanks for sharing and making the How To procedures. This is why Tidalfish is such a great site. I've downloaded the files and will install them later today.

The site below is the actual viewer download site if you wish to bypass the main webpage.

Maptech : Topo Maps Charts Navigation Software GPS and Online MapServer

Note - Viewer is 47MB - so if you don't have at least low speed DSL (700Kb) you probably should ask a friend with a broadband internet connection to download it for you and put it on a CD/thumbdrive. ( Standard 56Kb dial-up will take a couple hours ). Also the data map files may be several MB depending on which ones and how many you wish to download.

the fanz

 

[attml]

Ralph,

Nice work!!! The charts are very cool!

Now if you could please just get the Terps to play defense in the second half today we'll be in really good shape!!!

Mark

 

[mlag]

Thanks for the info Ralph. Now you might need to come to my house and Skip's to help us figure it out....................Mark

 

[hippie]

Yea, this is no simple matter. My computer says not to download it because it could be hazzardous. It's too complicated for me anyway, Bob

 

[hippie]

On second thought, maybe I'm just too stupid!! who cares...

 

[Hunter]

NOAA meets Google

If Ralph says it's good, it's gonna be good. I can't wait to try it when I get home to my broadband connection. Here is another website I have been using that is much better than just viewing the NOAA charts alone. It is a hybrid of both NOAA charts and Google's mapping software. Very cool and easy to use, but with anything worth using, it takes a little investment of time. One thing I will point out to try....there is a sliding bar in the top right portion of the screen to move between Google and NOAA. I like to view a blend between the two and it is great....Don NOAA