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Is there any such thing as a usable reasonably priced hand held plotter with charts for the whole of the UK?
Hand held plotters
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- Master Mariner
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:11 am
- Boat Type: victoria 30
- Location: Lancashire
I looked at this last year before I eventually bought a plumbed in chartplotter. I wanted to see if I could get charts to install on my XDA orbit phone.
It certainly was possible and I believe that Maptech would have been the best bet, they also have the handhelds to take the charts.
However when it came down to it I got cold feet about the effectiveness of a hand held unit in terms of size of screen accuracy etc.
It certainly was possible and I believe that Maptech would have been the best bet, they also have the handhelds to take the charts.
However when it came down to it I got cold feet about the effectiveness of a hand held unit in terms of size of screen accuracy etc.
We can't change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails.
- Rowana
- Old Salt
- Posts: 773
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:58 pm
- Boat Type: Macwester Rowan 8 meter
- Location: Aberdeenshire
Re: Hand held plotters
Thinking of doing a circumnavigation?Nick wrote:.
Is there any such thing as a usable reasonably priced hand held plotter with charts for the whole of the UK?
Why a hand held and not a fixed CP?
Just curious, thats all.
I'm afraid I'm a "paper & pencil" navigator, so I can't be much help. Sorry.
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE CRACKED,
FOR THEY ARE THE ONES WHO LET IN THE LIGHT
FOR THEY ARE THE ONES WHO LET IN THE LIGHT
- Arghiro
- Old Salt
- Posts: 917
- Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:54 pm
- Boat Type: Pentland Ketch
- Location: Midlands
I have a garmin GPSMAP 76 which will accept Blu charts. BUT, the screen is very small (mine is b&w, but they do have colour now) and the battery life is pretty poor (say about 4-6 hours). I guess you could get a small Nimh accumulator pack (designed for cyclists or cavers) that would go on your belt and run it for a decent length of time - or just keeep turning it off.
I only carry a couple of charts on mine for my local area, but it's easy enough to upload fresh ones each day from a laptop as you progress. It does also take memory cards (IIRC) but I'm too tight to buy them and they are not any of the ones I already have.
I only carry a couple of charts on mine for my local area, but it's easy enough to upload fresh ones each day from a laptop as you progress. It does also take memory cards (IIRC) but I'm too tight to buy them and they are not any of the ones I already have.