![]() ![]() Ive been using MacENC as my 'hub' for long distance cruising for about 7 years. Garmin has just come out with Bobcat, a program designed specifically for Mac OS X that allows users to connect a Mac to a Garmin GPS in order to transfer. programs on the market, and naturally it runs on a 'mac'. Someday Garmin and the other GPS manufacturers will realize that 'serial ports' on computers became obsolete about 10-12 years ago. A bluetooth enabled GPS is perhaps a better alternative to a 'hockey puck'. rather than using a 'clunky' serial port connection to Garmin, etc. I would also suggest that you use an independent 'hockey puck' GPS receiver and mount it on your coachroof, etc. Acts as a repeater for popular marine navigation software MacENC Supports NMEA data over TCP/IP (using Wifi) Integrates with external GPS, AIS receivers. You can download a 'trial'/demo to see if you like it - above website. which highlights MacENC and other Mac 'friendly' stuff. Theres also a very active forum for other integrations, etc. MacENC also serves as a 'hub' for peripheral navigation and can be easily integrated to AIS, Radar, Masthead Wind instruments (need NEMA 083 decoder) for VMG calculation/optimization, depth, rpm, etc, etc. MacENC is written for macs and therefore needs no 'emulation/translator' to decode from WinDOZE dopey OS, etc. best of all you can download all NOAA charts for free. Uses NOAA raster or preferebly NOAA ENC (S57) charting. I love Passage Plus, it doesn't show all the pop ups, easy to operate. Must say that in the professional arena, the ECDIS leans more towards the Vector charts. Personally I love Raster charts, the Vector doesn't do it for me, there is a possibility that critical information is not showing, not so with Raster.Īt the end of he day it is a personal choice. The beauty of the set up is, that I have all in one place, Laptop, Charts, GPS, email, the lot!and at a very reasonable cost, also fitted an adapter so I can run the laptop off 12V DC as well. I am also looking at a Smart Radio SR161 AIS receiver to complete the set up. I have all the charts installed and use a Globalsat BU GPS apart from inexpensive (45 bucks on Ebay) very easy to operate, The GPS test utility doesn't seem to operate, but GPS works fine with the charts, that's the main thing. The charts and unlock key on a CD! Not such a problem I transferred the CD information to a USB Memory stick using my wife's laptop, actually one CD at the time to follow the prompting sequence, and that worked! Installed the Passage Plus program without difficulties and running fine, the NZ Raster charts are very easy to install,and are free! Purchased Australian Seafarer RNC Charts, indeed they needed the Pin and Permit that's supplied when buying Passage Plus. ![]()
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