JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:


Can't you use the electronic things to just view the maps, but ignore GPS
and focus on your compass instead, as you would with paper maps?

Not on most plotters that I'm familiar with. The plotter needs geo
coordinates to know which
chart to "draw" on the screen.

It would be possible to store images of charts on a PC system and bring
them up manually as needed. That's going to be far more common in the
future, now that we have the privilege to download charts directly from
NOAA. PC Nav functions that place an icon of the vessel on the screen
or automatically select the proper chart from a library based on GPS
information would be as useless as a GPS plotter if somebody took out
the satellites.

I suspect the US and maybe one or two traditionally friendly countries
have had the technology to take down a satellite for rather a while
now, but remembering that Chinese strategic planning works in decades
and generations (rather than in fiscal quarters) I remain slightly ill
at ease with the Chinese capablity to render our nav systems useless-
to say nothing of the other high tech advances becoming available to
their military. For now the Chinese plan appears to be to buy us,
rather than conquer us. :-)



I find it odd that none of the toys allow you to simply view a chart that
you've already downloaded. What a dumb omission. Let the user use the
controls to designate a chart already loaded into the toy.


Most plotters have a DEMO MODE, its what thbey use to sell them at
boatshows. :-) The question is, which brands will work with real
downloaded charts, not the demo one of Gilligan's Island or equivalent
that many seem to come with. I know older Garmins will as I have used
the feature before when testing an autopilot alongside the dock. You
can even set course and speed to the nearest degree and knot ant they
will do DR for you. Trouble is they WILL align the corse gradually to an
active roule or goto if they are in a similar direction so you cant
trust it. as the manual says: *NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION*

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & 32K emails -- NUL:
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Early 60's, Uffa Fox designed,
All varnished hot moulded wooden racing dinghy.