|
|
|
|
|||||
|
||||||
Subject: TWL: Re: Nav software recovery
From: David P. Ross (ross@XXX.XXX)
Date: Wed Jan 02 2002 - 10:13:21 EST
The discussion on the list of laptop/desktop, windows/MAC/DOS, and by
extension, CRT/LCD screens makes one wonder why there is no discussion of
truly dedicated plotter/GPS units. I use a Raytheon 600XX interfaced to my
RADAR, which I can always see, which doesn't crash (well, not in a way that
makes it unusable for navigation - there are some glitches in the video
interface), is easily interfaced to my autopilot, and allows me to select
between three gps's and a LORAN for position input. The charts aren't as
pretty, but are legible enough to use for point-and shoot navigation and
visual transfer back and forth to paper charts, which are always on the
bridge anyway. The zoom levels allow one to pick out detail as fine as
individual slips in many harbors, set a waypoint, and zoom out to see the
big picture quickly. The only thing I would add is a dedicated screen for
nav data.
I use my laptop and nav software (Jeppeson MarineMap) for route planning,
tide and tidal current checks, and daydreaming, but below, where I can see
the screen. Of course, it is used as well for e-mail, accounting, web
browsing, word processing, editing and storing pictures, and all those other
things that one uses a computer for. And it almost never crashes unless I
am fiddling with modems, cell phones and other devices that connect to ports
and then I can expect it to crash with regularity. BTW, I use it sometimes
for GPS navigation in my motorhome, and *then* it crashes, but of course,
there's no danger of grounding (or ungrounding <G>) with the loss of the nav
software.
No financial interests.
Dave and Marie Ross
Miss Jackie II
Tiger 41 Sundeck
Reston, Virginia
Docked in Marathon, Florida
|