GL: Garmin Chartplotter Chips

[D C *Mac* Macdonald]

Okay, let's hold on a bit here.  Garmin, for one, publishes
CD-ROMs for various areas/types of coverage.  You can
buy blank memory chips and, using the appropriate CD-ROM
and a chip programmer, customize a chip for a particular
region.  If you have two or three programmable chips,
you could build and rebuild these chips for continuous
overlapping coverage.

I have an old (1998 vintage) Garmin GPSMap 162.  This
unit predates the programmable chip era, but when I
wish to go somewhere, I build a map from the CD-ROM
on my laptop.  Then I simply upload the "new" map to
directly to the 162.  Since I boat on inland waters that
have no actual navigational charts, I use the Roads and
Recreation North America CD-ROM.  It serves both on
the water and for highway travel and does very well.

Garmin also makes the CD-ROM to cover coastal waters
for those who boat in salt water.  These replicate the
navigational charts with buoy and other customary data.

As these databases are not regularly updated, the use
of CURRENT paper charts is needed.  However, paper
charts are not of tremendous utility when you can't
see the shore or other features.  The GPS, and as
John Gill states, with a backup unit are a GREAT help.

It is my opinion that even the most expensive electronic
mapping system will cost less than half the cost of
updated NEW paper charts for traversing the Great Loop.

D C "Mac" Macdonald
m/v Another Adventure
Grand Lake - Oklahoma
USPS and AGLCA (#217)


----Original Message Follows----
From: "Ralph Yost (home)" <Ralph@AlphaCompServices.com>
Reply-To: "Ralph Yost (home)" <Ralph@AlphaCompServices.com>
To: "Loop List Great, Loop List" <great-loop@lists.samurai.com>
Subject: Re: GL: Garmin Chartplotter Chips
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 19:50:31 -0500

Your comparison is incorrect. You need to compare the paper charts I was
advocating to the electronic system, not to props, skegs etc.
The practicality of a one-time trip is the point I was making. The
electronic systems are far more expensive and LESS reliable, as they depend
on sufficient electricity, knowledge of how to operate the system, and with
laptops are less readable in daylight. Electronic systems should be used as
an augmentation to the paper chart system, not as a SOLE MEANS.

Please dont misunderstand my perspective here....I am an electrical engineer
who is an advocate for the creation of networking services for aircraft (see
my web site www.AirborneInternet.com ). I run a research project for the
Federal Aviation Administration to do just that and is called Airborne
Networking (formerly Airborne Internet). So I am not against the use of
computers.

But in this case, to do the Loop, it is far more practical to buy the paper
charts than the expense of electronic chip charts when you will only be
using them ONCE. Now, if you have money to burn, then by all means proceed
at will.

There is far too much reliance on electronic means for navigation today.
There are far too many boaters who cannot proficiently use simple paper
charts, a compass, and navigate with dead reckoning. Its the basic reading,
writing, and 'rithmatic of boating !

R.