You can download Coast Pilots for free at
http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/nsd/cpdownload.htm
Light Lists at
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/LightLists
Tides and Currents actually come from Nobeltec as part of VNS
The Softcharts are raster scanned copies of the NOAA charts, just like Maptech,
and should be identical for the same edition. They do use a different color
scheme, similar to the ECDIS colors in the Passport charts. I like being able
to define my own collection of charts I want to download and buying them at a
package discount-I bought a number of Mexico charts from Softcharts that way. I
haven't tried the Softcharts Photo Navigator charts that compete with the
Maptech photo overlays. I also have a set of the Passport Charts (Region 12)
and find so much data is missing that I don't use them at all for coastal
navigation. Very disappointed in them and would not buy again.
"Ray D" rayd at gis.net wrote:

I got the same information but they didn't tell me when. I doubt if
Nobeltec would provide a patch for anything earlier than version 7.
It makes good marketing sense for Nobeltec to position their Passport Charts
over Maptech. They are offering a trade in discount for Maptech CD's over
the next couple of months.
The SoftChart stuff works and the resolution dosen't suck but I would like
to have the marine, currents, tides, places, coast pilot, etc. information
provided by Maptech.

...I called Nobeltec and they will be supporting the
BSB v4.0 CD's - you just need to know the right person to ask. There are
plenty of other applications that support the new CD's too.

As I recall, every time I have looked at the free charts there is a
disclaimer "not for navigation" on them. Is this because the resolution
and detai is not as high as the commercial charts or is it just
government. "CYA".

Regards, Ron

I don't recieve e-mail at this address because of spam. E-mail me
at crtsrATmsnDOTcom.

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:04:49 -0500 (EST), (Ron Thornton)
wrote:

As I recall, every time I have looked at the free charts there is a
disclaimer "not for navigation" on them. Is this because the resolution
and detai is not as high as the commercial charts or is it just
government. "CYA".

Yes.

Even though they say not for navigation, they are pretty good for trip
planning. I take the free digital charts and use oziexplorer and
gpsmapper to create my own little maps, POIs and waypoints for my eTrex.

Steve

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:04:49 -0500 (EST), (Ron Thornton)
wrote:

As I recall, every time I have looked at the free charts there is a
disclaimer "not for navigation" on them. Is this because the resolution
and detai is not as high as the commercial charts or is it just
government. "CYA".

Yes.

Even though they say not for navigation, they are pretty good for trip
planning. I take the free digital charts and use oziexplorer and
gpsmapper to create my own little maps, POIs and waypoints for my eTrex.

Steve

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:04:49 -0500 (EST), (Ron Thornton) wrote:

As I recall, every time I have looked at the free charts there is a
disclaimer "not for navigation" on them. Is this because the resolution
and detai is not as high as the commercial charts or is it just
government. "CYA".

Regards, Ron

it's resolution, which triggers the CYA

When NOAA started researching going digital they determined
254 dpi as the minimum resolution to capture the smallest critical
detail of their charts and is / was the resolution the digital raster
charts are delivered at.

the online versions are about 85 dp and as such do not meet their
minimum use standards. maptech puts them there to help you id the
chart you want to pay them for, while plenty of people use them for
overall planning and cruising.

btw: approx : 1 pixel on a 1:40,000 at is about 13.7 ft for 254 dpi
scan on a 85dpi each pixel is 41 ft in size.

for real CYA , if I remember correctly from the CRADA, Maptech is
protected by the US Gov't the same as the Gov't charts
they are an aid to navigation and the prudent mariner watches where
he's going (as they say on every chart)

before they had the CRADA, BSB/Maptech scanned the paper charts just
like everyone else. The bid they won got them access to the color
separations which they scan at 3x the delivered resolution.

Now they split between the color separations and digital data.
I haven't kept up with the ratio ...

disclaimer: most of this is from memory from the CRADA and NOAA
followups and explanations of the precess, so buyer beware on trusting
any number data

- Ed
got talc ?
Drysuit talc & bags http://www.underwaterusa.com

Thanks Ed, that's what I thought. It didn't make since that you could
get for free on the NOAA and Army Corps sites what others were selling.

I don't recieve e-mail at this address because of spam. E-mail me
at crtsrATmsnDOTcom.

Thanks Ed, that's what I thought. It didn't make since that you could
get for free on the NOAA and Army Corps sites what others were selling.

I don't recieve e-mail at this address because of spam. E-mail me
at crtsrATmsnDOTcom.

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:04:49 -0500 (EST), (Ron Thornton) wrote:

As I recall, every time I have looked at the free charts there is a
disclaimer "not for navigation" on them. Is this because the resolution
and detai is not as high as the commercial charts or is it just
government. "CYA".

Regards, Ron

it's resolution, which triggers the CYA

When NOAA started researching going digital they determined
254 dpi as the minimum resolution to capture the smallest critical
detail of their charts and is / was the resolution the digital raster
charts are delivered at.

the online versions are about 85 dp and as such do not meet their
minimum use standards. maptech puts them there to help you id the
chart you want to pay them for, while plenty of people use them for
overall planning and cruising.

btw: approx : 1 pixel on a 1:40,000 at is about 13.7 ft for 254 dpi
scan on a 85dpi each pixel is 41 ft in size.

for real CYA , if I remember correctly from the CRADA, Maptech is
protected by the US Gov't the same as the Gov't charts
they are an aid to navigation and the prudent mariner watches where
he's going (as they say on every chart)

before they had the CRADA, BSB/Maptech scanned the paper charts just
like everyone else. The bid they won got them access to the color
separations which they scan at 3x the delivered resolution.

Now they split between the color separations and digital data.
I haven't kept up with the ratio ...

disclaimer: most of this is from memory from the CRADA and NOAA
followups and explanations of the precess, so buyer beware on trusting
any number data

- Ed
got talc ?
Drysuit talc & bags http://www.underwaterusa.com

As I recall, every time I have looked at the free charts there is a
disclaimer "not for navigation" on them. Is this because the resolution
and detai is not as high as the commercial charts or is it just
government. "CYA".

Regards, Ron

I don't recieve e-mail at this address because of spam. E-mail me
at crtsrATmsnDOTcom.