Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 It popped up recently but I can't find the thread. So I have a new phone and the screen is bigger than the last one so I'm tempted to try making it into a chartplotter, if it is cheap. Question is - how does one go about it. (Remember I have only ever used my phone to make phone calls and send text messages) Link to post Share on other sites
tuffyluffy 76 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 It popped up recently but I can't find the thread. So I have a new phone and the screen is bigger than the last one so I'm tempted to try making it into a chartplotter, if it is cheap. Question is - how does one go about it. (Remember I have only ever used my phone to make phone calls and send text messages) You need to download and install an App form the app store via your phone - either apple of android. The Navionics app for my tablet was about $40, might be a bit cheaper for a phone. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Would app store be the same as play store? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Would app store be the same as play store? yes Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 OK - I have found Navionics Aus and NZ, $16.99, does it come with charts or do I have to do something else for that? Link to post Share on other sites
OYSTR 1 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppOceania&hl=en App price includes maps, but once you install the app on your phone you have to select the areas within Aus and NZ you want to download the maps for (for free). Link to post Share on other sites
OYSTR 1 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Good price that, pretty sure I paid about $55 for the Apple version for the iPad. Link to post Share on other sites
idlerboat 116 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 ...it usualy comes with charts.... the OZ ones mostly come with all of OZ and NZ....Not sure what the NZ version has. It should give the chart boundries on the app add. The also usualy have a world base map. The biggest joke is the differance between the cost of the same chart set for plotters, and ipad/phone. There was a slight quality differance between some ("gold/silver") .... I have no doubt that the future will be waterproof tablets, with blue tooth links. You will sit anywhere you want on your boat, with not just chartplotting but the full range of boat telemetery. A classic example is new to cruising people placing their chart plotter at the wheel.....and then discovering that they very rarely stand there, (hang over from racing) that in fact they nav from down below like a traditional nav station. I have seen many being moved and lots of boats paying big bucks for two ! ..................................................... Back to phones.....you will probably find that it will drive you nuts ! The fact is small screens suck ! You can either have detail and too small a chart area, Or a larger area and not enough safe detail. Dont use your phone for distance plotting....you just might go right over that little reef. ps...make sure your phone has an inbuilt gps...... Open cpn on a netbook/tablet/laptop with a gps dongle works very well. ( disclosure, I run a full Garmin chart plotter setup, with open cpn on a netbook as a back up and home planning, along with a built in micro computer with cpn to the boat telly, and a hand held basic gps !) Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,235 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Have a look at MX mariner. Similar to open cpn, but works on android. Open cpn on android is via a Linux loop I install and, IMO, is not ready for serious use. MX mariner is on the Google play store. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Got as far as how would you like to pay and it timed out and it was dinner time. try again tomorrow. IB - at present there is an OLD gps that gives a lat and long, I have downloaded open cpn to my laptop with a dongle thingy and it's there when I remember to take it along. This came about coz today I downloaded an app for th first time (so I could get into houses) and thought I'd try again and the only thing I could come up with that would be mildly useful was a chartplotter. Quite happy sailing around here with a compass and dividers, in fact when StephenC and I took the boat up to the Bay from Auck last time we never even took a chart out. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks IT, will check it out. Link to post Share on other sites
Clive 13 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I have Navionics on my phone and tablet but it's not that great. There is a Nav module with bearing to w/p etc coming out for Android at some point but who knows when. MX Mariner looks a lot better with heaps more features. Think I'll ditch Navionics and go for MX Mariner. Link to post Share on other sites
too_tall 15 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 As a spare, or a causal " I wonder how far that trip would be " kind of plotter, a phone is ok. I would never want to use one as my main plotter however - I leave that to openCPN and a laptop with a nice high resolution display. On a tablet, however, it could be quite useful. But even then, I am unaware of any waterproof tablets, and as such, would much rather use openCPN on the laptop in the comfort of the nav station. On occasion when sailing through the night, I have found that the smallish Garmin plotter we have at the helm is not up to the task too well, its slow, the display too small and its update interval is too slow once the stars are obscured by cloud ( meaning I lose my reference point ). Its really only there as a quick reference to be honest, the main work is done on openCPN, and I suspect that your phone might be pretty similar ( although navionics app appears fairly good for the update interval ). I am going to look into MX mariner. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Agree, the phone is really just a toy. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 mariner is $8.49, plus IT lives just down the road, so i'll try that Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,235 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 CO, that "old" GPS almost certainly can be connected to your laptop. It will have, I'm virtually certain, an nmea out connection. That can go directly to a PC serial port. If you give me make and model of the GPS, I can make you the correct cable, with USB conversion.... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 It's a grey box (I'll have a look next Sunday when I am cruising blissfully around the Bay of Islands.) I downloaded Mariner, just trying to get the charts now. In the meantime off to look for a new tackle box. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 1 hr later still at 1%, could take a while Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 All done, now , how to make it do what I want. Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,235 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Well, what do you want? Link to post Share on other sites
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