SeaClear PC Chart plotter and GPS Navigation software.

Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experience with SeaClear, pro and
con.

Thanks.

Len

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.

Len Krauss wrote:

SeaClear PC Chart plotter and GPS Navigation software.

Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experience with SeaClear, pro and
con.


Great piece of freeware (Seaclear II that is). It is a trifle technical
as far as getting maps into the library and stuff but if you read the
included documentation, that will get you through it.

The keyboard commands for zooming are a little obscure to some that have
never used their keyboards much. If you have a system with a mouse with
a scroll wheel though it is one of the most convenient of all the nav
programs to use as as far as panning or zooming.

It uses g7towin for communications with your GPS and that is also a no
brainer if you read the docs.

Now that NOAA is providing free online downloads for DNC (same as
MapTech BSB raster charts) raster charts you can get every chart for
U.S. waters for free, something like a thousand or more charts.

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

Seaclear does not use vector charts like the BSB4 and S-57 series.

I use it at home on a PC for placing waypoints and building routes for
uploading to my Meridian GPS. I've used it with a GPS attached but I've
not used it at sea on a boat. But it looks like it would work well. On
the Meridian, used for a nav backup during boat deliveries, I use the
MapSend BlueNav charts and have never had any problems with routes
working, waypoint locations, etc.

Seaclear II is a generous gesture to the public domain.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

Thanks Jack for those very helpful comments!

Is there a tutorial of any kind? Can you comment on content quality of the
"help" screens?

I myself use Cap'n at home and in realtime underway. I'm trying to get a
none too PC-literate pal introduced to nav software which he may or may not
ever use in future. So the freeware aspect is great. On the other hand, I
would hope it's not so arcane as to be a turn off.

Len

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.
Len Krauss wrote:

SeaClear PC Chart plotter and GPS Navigation software.

Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experience with SeaClear, pro
and
con.


Great piece of freeware (Seaclear II that is). It is a trifle technical
as far as getting maps into the library and stuff but if you read the
included documentation, that will get you through it.

The keyboard commands for zooming are a little obscure to some that have
never used their keyboards much. If you have a system with a mouse with
a scroll wheel though it is one of the most convenient of all the nav
programs to use as as far as panning or zooming.

It uses g7towin for communications with your GPS and that is also a no
brainer if you read the docs.

Now that NOAA is providing free online downloads for DNC (same as
MapTech BSB raster charts) raster charts you can get every chart for
U.S. waters for free, something like a thousand or more charts.

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

Seaclear does not use vector charts like the BSB4 and S-57 series.

I use it at home on a PC for placing waypoints and building routes for
uploading to my Meridian GPS. I've used it with a GPS attached but I've
not used it at sea on a boat. But it looks like it would work well. On
the Meridian, used for a nav backup during boat deliveries, I use the
MapSend BlueNav charts and have never had any problems with routes
working, waypoint locations, etc.

Seaclear II is a generous gesture to the public domain.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

On Tue, 17 Jan 2006 15:19:33 -0500, "Len Krauss"
wrote:

SeaClear PC Chart plotter and GPS Navigation software.

Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experience with SeaClear, pro and
con.

Thanks.

Len

I'm a long-time Ozi Explorer user, but tried SeaClear briefly last
summer. One annoyance I found was that I couldn't do a simple "GoTo
Waypoint" - SeaClear would only do "follow route".


--
Peter Bennett VE7CEI
email: peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
GPS and NMEA info and programs: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter/index.html
Newsgroup new user info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq

Thanks Peter. The "go to" would seem to be such a basic feature. Were you
using SeaClear II?
--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.

I'm a long-time Ozi Explorer user, but tried SeaClear briefly last
summer. One annoyance I found was that I couldn't do a simple "GoTo
Waypoint" - SeaClear would only do "follow route".


--
Peter Bennett VE7CEI
email: peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
GPS and NMEA info and programs:
http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter/index.html
Newsgroup new user info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq

On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:10:02 -0500, "Len Krauss"
wrote:

Thanks Peter. The "go to" would seem to be such a basic feature. Were you
using SeaClear II?

I think so - I downloaded it last spring/early summer.


--
Peter Bennett VE7CEI
email: peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
GPS and NMEA info and programs: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter/index.html
Newsgroup new user info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq

"Len Krauss" writes:

SeaClear PC Chart plotter and GPS Navigation software.

Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experience with SeaClear, pro and
con.


I downloaded SeaClear about two weeks ago and have been very
impressed. It was easy to install and learn. The manual is
sparce, but most things make sense if you just try 'em.

The only glitch I had was hooking up the GPS. I first installed
SeaClear on my desktop. I hooked up my GPS (Garmin 72) and placed
it in "simulate" mode (since I couldn't easily take my desktop outside
where the antenna could see the satellites) and chose a location on
the coast (where I had previously downloaded the NOAA charts), but
SeaClear wouldn't take me there--it kept bringing up DR mode.

Turns out, one of the NEMA sentences contains a flag indicting
the fix is invalid (due to simulate mode) and SeaClear was honoring
it. Would be nice to have an override feature to assist in learning.

Wanting to try it out but not having the coast nearby (I live in
Atlanta), I installed SeaClear on my laptop, scanned in and loaded
a map of the city, hooked up the GPS, took it all to the car and
had my wife drive me around town so I could play. Worked like a champ!
Dewey

Sports is | Dewey Baxter Operations Center Manager
life with | Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
the volume |
turned up! |

--
Sports is | Dewey Baxter Manager, Computer Operations
life with | Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
the volume |
turned up! |

Len Krauss wrote:
SeaClear PC Chart plotter and GPS Navigation software.

Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experience with SeaClear, pro and
con.

Thanks.

Len

I stil looking to make a closed route. see impossible.


--
Geert Maene.

Geert Maene wrote:
snip
I stil looking to make a closed route. see impossible.


Its that a route that starts and ends at the same waypoint? I think I
did that by putting two waypoints a short distance apart at the
start/finish.

Jack


--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

I have SeaClear II installed on my laptop, linked to a small handheld GPS.
It works like a charm...and of course, it is a freebie.

The best feature is the ability to work with downloaded NOAA charts - giving
you a more up-to-date database than e.g. the overpriced Raychart
cartridges...

"Geert Maene" wrote in message
...
Len Krauss wrote:
SeaClear PC Chart plotter and GPS Navigation software.

Would appreciate hearing about anyone's experience with SeaClear, pro and
con.

Thanks.

Len

I stil looking to make a closed route. see impossible.


--
Geert Maene.