OpenCPN - open source free chartplotter software

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Michel
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OpenCPN - open source free chartplotter software

Post by Michel »

Via an other board I came accross OpenCPN, an open source, free chartplotter for Windows and several Linux implementations. Accepts many kinds of raster and vector charts. With AIS target and GRIB display. Very user friendly but still fully featured.

http://www.opencpn.org
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

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GeoffSchultz
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Re: OpenCPN - open source free chartplotter software

Post by GeoffSchultz »

I tried it and it's OK. Well, it's great for the price...However, I really don't like the lack of chart quilting and the scale-in/out feature needs a lot of help. While it's OK to play with at home, I certainly wouldn't want to use it to drive my autopilot!

I'll keep my Coastal Explorer (the new 2010/2011 version) (http://rosepointnav.com/default.htm) which has an amazing amount of features. One of the features that I find incredibly useful is the integration with ActiveCaptain (http://www.ActiveCaptain.com), where it synchronizes a database on your PC with the ActiveCaptain on-line database so you have a local copy. We use this extensively while cruising to determine where we were going to anchor/dock.

If you're just looking for a chart explorer/viewer, check out their free Coastal Explorer Viewer (http://rosepointnav.com/CoastalExplorer ... efault.htm).

-- Geoff
BlueJacket
1997 Freedom 40/40
http://www.GeoffSchultz.org

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Rick Simonds
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Re: OpenCPN - open source free chartplotter software

Post by Rick Simonds »

Another really interesting freeware chart program that I've been playing with lately is "CapCode". It may not be for everyone but it's a wonderful, powerful program for data geeks like me.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/capcode/



PROS:

Written in Java so it runs on just about anything.

Incoporates oodles of NMEA 0183 data, GRIB data, AIS, wind, all kinds of stuff.

Really, really great boat speed polar calculation/display functions.

It has a GPS simulator program so you can figure the program out at home first.

It's sort of "modular" so you can run lots of it or just the parts you find interesting.




CONS:

Documentation is minimal to non-existant, you're pretty much on your own. Fortunately most of it works fine right out of the box, though you have to be willing to spend some time experimenting to set it up and to figure it out. If you don't enjoy this sort of thing it's going to seem closer to "user hostile" than "user friendly."

It truely is a beta program and the development of it seems to have slowed down or maybe stalled.
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Rick
Tallahassee

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Michel
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Re: OpenCPN - open source free chartplotter software

Post by Michel »

GeoffSchultz wrote:I tried it and it's OK. Well, it's great for the price...However, I really don't like the lack of chart quilting and the scale-in/out feature needs a lot of help.
-- Geoff
That's strange, with the CM93 vector charts quilting is perfect and scaling in and out is just a roll on the mouse wheel, plus one customizable setting.
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

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GeoffSchultz
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Re: OpenCPN - open source free chartplotter software

Post by GeoffSchultz »

Michel wrote:That's strange, with the CM93 vector charts quilting is perfect and scaling in and out is just a roll on the mouse wheel, plus one customizable setting.
I was looking as raster charts. Perhaps vector works better.

-- Geoff
BlueJacket
1997 Freedom 40/40
http://www.GeoffSchultz.org

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