Electronic charts & GPS
 

I have been messing about with a laptop and an Ipaq 3670 with Fugawi along
with an old Magellan 3000 GPS. It works, but it is really clunky and then
there are all the cables that lie around.

I think that I want to buy some sort of integrating charting/GPS
combination. I have resisted this because of the high cost of the Garmin &
other charts.

Is there a solution that I could mount at the steering pedestal on a
sailboat that can use both purchased and free(enc) charts? This could be a
chart plotter, a PDA or even an addition to my existing older PDA.

You might want to look at the Garmin iQue 3600 running Fugawi ENC.
The downside is the iQue isn't weather proof.

--
Jim


"Windjammer" wrote in message
...
I have been messing about with a laptop and an Ipaq 3670 with Fugawi
along
with an old Magellan 3000 GPS. It works, but it is really clunky
and then
there are all the cables that lie around.

I think that I want to buy some sort of integrating charting/GPS
combination. I have resisted this because of the high cost of the
Garmin &
other charts.

Is there a solution that I could mount at the steering pedestal on a
sailboat that can use both purchased and free(enc) charts? This
could be a
chart plotter, a PDA or even an addition to my existing older PDA.

Also Sprach Windjammer :

I have been messing about with a laptop and an Ipaq 3670 with Fugawi along
with an old Magellan 3000 GPS. It works, but it is really clunky and then
there are all the cables that lie around.

Is there a solution that I could mount at the steering pedestal on a
sailboat that can use both purchased and free(enc) charts? This could be a
chart plotter, a PDA or even an addition to my existing older PDA.

If you like the PDA form factor, you might look at the Garmin Ique.. it's
a PDA running PalmOS with a built-in GPS. It of course displays Garmin
charts naitively, and with software from Fugawi it can display the free
ENC charts.

Dan





--
edv('Buttered Toast.')

Also Sprach Marshall Banana :
Also Sprach Windjammer :

I have been messing about with a laptop and an Ipaq 3670 with Fugawi along
with an old Magellan 3000 GPS. It works, but it is really clunky and then
there are all the cables that lie around.

Is there a solution that I could mount at the steering pedestal on a
sailboat that can use both purchased and free(enc) charts? This could be a
chart plotter, a PDA or even an addition to my existing older PDA.

If you like the PDA form factor, you might look at the Garmin Ique.. it's
a PDA running PalmOS with a built-in GPS. It of course displays Garmin
charts naitively, and with software from Fugawi it can display the free
ENC charts.

I should really read all the replies to a thread before throwing im my two
bits. :)

Dan


--
Microsoft Haiku #163

A crash reduces
Your expensive computer
To a simple stone.

For a small combination GPS/Chartplotter there is the Lowrance iFinder Pro.
This unit uses a 240V x 180H 3" screen. These are waterproof. At only
$167 you get a lot of bang for the buck. These units use proprietary
Navionics Gold, or HotMaps charts. With charts priced at $176 you will
spend more the on chart than on the GPS itself.

I have tested the Raymarine RC400. This is a portable waterproof
Chartplotter/GPS with a 3.5" Daylight viewable screen. These also use
Navionics cartography. You can find these on the street for around $540.

The Ipaq is marginally daylight viewable but alas it is not waterproof.

Lisa
www.ultimatepassage.com



Windjammer wrote:


"Jim Besse" wrote
You might want to look at the Garmin iQue 3600 running Fugawi ENC.
The downside is the iQue isn't weather proof.


I have thought about the iQue - Going the PDA route, I suppose I could add
a slot mounted GPS to my iPaq and do the same thing for a bit less money -
it
already has a good size memory expansion. I wonder though about the size
of the screen and it's visibility in sunlight - The weather proofing may
not be too big a big deal - It could be used under the dodger in wet
conditions.

Are there any larger screen units that can use Fugawi and ENC charts?

Alternatively, are there any cost effective units with proprietary charts
and reasonable screen size? We would use this mainly in Lake Ontario and
St. Lawrence River. If we went on a long trip, we would likely have paper
charts plus a laptop.

I am running an IPAQ 3635 with a Navman 3420 GPS sleeve and Fugawi with BSB
charts as well as ENC charts.Works very well more sunlight better viewing..
Is not water proof but woks in a plastic sleeve.I also have an IPAQ 3955
with a Navman 3450 GPS sleeve running Mem-Map Navigator with BSB
charts.Works great as it also has provisions for an external antenna.Fugawi
also runs great on this combo.The 3955 is better as it has more internal
memory and is 400 mhz.But for boating they are equal.
Regards Russ




"Windjammer" wrote in message
...
I have been messing about with a laptop and an Ipaq 3670 with Fugawi along
with an old Magellan 3000 GPS. It works, but it is really clunky and then
there are all the cables that lie around.

I think that I want to buy some sort of integrating charting/GPS
combination. I have resisted this because of the high cost of the Garmin
&
other charts.

Is there a solution that I could mount at the steering pedestal on a
sailboat that can use both purchased and free(enc) charts? This could be a
chart plotter, a PDA or even an addition to my existing older PDA.