The folks at Rose Point Navigation Systems have been busy with Coastal Explorer 2010. We were waiting a bit to ensure that features & functionality are solidified , but now seems like the right time to dive in into the details. Look for our thoughts on CE 2010 very soon!
Rose Point Navigation Systems is now offering radars for sale for use with Coastal Explorer 2009.
The quote below from their website sums up the offering:
The Rose Point Radar products are similar to traditional radars. The transceiver creates and broadcasts a signal which is transmitted by the antenna. The antenna forms a fan shaped beam that sweeps 360 degrees every 2.2 seconds. The sweeping antenna transmits and receives short pulses of microwave energy with either 1024, or 2048 cycles per revolution. Each received pulse is digitized by the interface box where it is converted into individual pixels, approximately 600 per pulse, and then transmitted to the PC via an Ethernet connection.
The software receives the radar data from the interface box and converts it into an image by displaying each pixel on the screen. The software computes the proper location of each pixel by using heading and position information provided by a digital compass and GPS.
Heading or position errors can cause image misalignment. Experience has shown that a heading sensor with plus or minus one degree accuracy is adequate for most applications. A Differential GPS or WASS GPS is recommended for accurate positioning of the image.
Activation of the radar features in Coastal Explorer is included with the purchase of the radar from Rose Point or an authorized reseller. The radar features only appear after the radar has been detected on the network. The radar controls are found in cruise mode and appear at the top of the screen in simple to understand and easy use buttons.
edfaInitialization is required the first time the radar is used. Some of the terms and concepts may seem foreign to new radar users, but the calibration is fairly easy to accomplish by following the instructions in the user guide. Presets are established so that the radar can produce the best possible image on subsequent usage. The software includes a simple Radar Calibration window that contains options for Networking, Controls, Installation offset, Gain and STC presets, Tuning, Transmission Trigger Delay and sector Blanking.
The Rose Point Navigation Systems 4kW 24″ Radome is now available in our online store.
Worldwide Vector Chart Coverage
Coastal Explorer 2009 now has support for world-wide vector charts in the S-63 format. This includes official charts from hydrographic agencies around the world as well as the Navionics S-57/S-63 charts available from www.ChartWorld.com.
The Coastal Explorer Network
The Coastal Explorer Network is a new on-line service that provides users with their own space on the Internet that includes:
- A “Blog Book” for sharing their experiences with friends, family, and other Coastal Explorer Network users
- A community provided Cruising Guide and Vessel Registry which is tightly integrated with the Coastal Explorer software
- An automatic US chart update service
Coastal Explorer 2009 includes a completely redesigned “cruise mode” that provides quick access to many more functions and the ability to easily create new screen layouts. These customized arrangements of different types of views (such as charts, radar, and video) can be used to provide exactly the information you want, in the format you want, for various tasks such as cruising, entering a harbor, fishing, docking, or anchoring
Radar Support
Rose Point offers a variety of radar sensors that work with Coastal Explorer 2009 to provide radar images overlaid on the chart as well as in a side-by-side radar and chart display.
Video Camera Support
Coastal Explorer 2009 can display video from any Windows compatible video camera, including network cameras. Now you can monitor your engine room, swim platform, or aft view on the same display you use for your charts.
Pricing and Availability
Coastal Explorer 2009 is avilable now in our online store!
AIS Class B Transponders, reportedly, have been approved by the FCC. As soon as our distributor makes them available, you can purchase the ACR Nauticast B AIS Transponder here. Please be aware that your MMSID will need to be provided so that the unit may be pre-programmed to identify your vessel before the AIS Transponder is shipped.
ACR’s Nauticast B AIS not only will transmit vessel information to surrounding traffic, but also allows the user to participate with neighboring vessels to avoid collisions.
The ACR Nauticast B AIS Transponder is also a fully functional receiver that is fully compatible with Coastal Explorer and Visual Navigation Suite MAX Pro.
We have made a new page available for NavSoftware customers to download the most current NOAA RNC charts. NOAA RNC, Raster, S-61 Charts are compatible with both Visual Navigation Suite and Coastal Explorer.
These charts are continually updated to the most current available from NOAA. Enjoy!
Admiral MAX Pro & VNS MAX Pro Service Pack 1 is now available for download via the Nobeltec.com website.
This software will update the VNS MAX Pro and Admiral MAX Pro Navigation Software to the latest Service Pack 1.
I took a break from June 1st – 4th for the opportunity to crew aboard s/v Sequoia. Overall it was a nice transit voyage with minimal amounts of wind and moderate amounts of moisture along the way. We all wished there could have been more wind, but hey – there could have been more rain!
It was a great experience being on board with veterans of blue water cruising. The lessons of this particular passage was not just realizing just how much I had to learn about seamanship, the right knots for the right task and how to plan legs and change plans with the currents, but understanding just how important it is to know your vessel from the inside out.
Plan on failures, have redundant systems and a solid plan when problems occur.
This insight has me re-thinking the critical systems aboard C# and how I can build in some redundancies.
Thanks Craig and Barbara for having me aboard and wishing you a pleasant voyage to Alaska and back home.
I’ve been a little neglectful in not talking about one of the premier marine navigation software packages for the Mac. MacENC is put together with simplicity and ease of use in mind. MacENC includes a DVD of all NOAA vector charts making it one of the best values in marine navigation for $159 USD. See more about MacENC.
I’ve had some time to look at Coastal Explorer 2.0 a bit and will cover various features in a series of blog posts. There is a disclaimer of course, that since it’s still in beta anything is subject to change before release.
The textual weather display is a big improvement over version 1.1 with the addition of one simple feature. The area for which the weather is downloaded is highlighted on the chart. This makes it very simple to pull a weather statement for any region on the chart and quickly understand which region the forecast applies. The graphical weather appears unchanged from version 1.1
I just received the dealer NFR copy of NOBELTEC Admiral MAX Pro today. I Will install soon and provide a brief rundown on the features and functionality. C-Map chart integration is of course the key feature, but I am curious to see what other new functionality and features are included. Stay tuned…
NOBELTEC Admiral and VNS MAX Pro will begin shipping on May 5th. Below is a list of some changes communicated from NOBELTEC:
