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10/25/2017 5:05 am  #1


Caribbean charts

I've downloaded and used charts for the US from NOAA in expediton ... simple enough. I've been trying to find charts of the caribbean and do the same. I realize I need to pay for the charts, but the various combinations of different chart products is baffling. I just want to buy and download some enc charts. I've been to the various websites, navionics, nv, ... they want to sell me these complicated products that seem to be tied to specific hardware - like chartplotters, gps', etc. I can't figure out which of these will work with expedition.

Can anyone out there give the rundown on this ... end goal for me is to buy charts, download them to my laptop, and then point expedition at them. Thanks in advance for any help ...

 

10/25/2017 5:39 am  #2


Re: Caribbean charts

I use NV RNCs (Raster Navigational Charts, a type of ENC) for the Caribbean from BVI.to the Southern end of Guadaloupe. I like their accuracy and the symbology which is closest to the paper charts that I started with in the "old "days. I also use them for the Bahamas and Cuba.

I download the charts from the NV site then buy a license from NV which which allows me to use them on two PCs and open them in Expedition after installing them in the Expedition chart manager just as you would with the free NOAA charts. It is not necessary to download the NV chart reader and I avoid doing so.

I struggle somewhat with the NV site but eventually prevail. I am invariably unhappy with the contents of the individual chart kits which never seem to include everything that I want in only one kit but I always feel that way about any electronic charting product that I pay for.   

 

10/25/2017 1:58 pm  #3


Re: Caribbean charts

Thanks Joe - I ordered the =14pxnv-charts Reg. 12.2, Leeward Islands, Anguilla to Dominica chart through nv's website.  Their website made it very confusing - it took several emails to support to find out when I would get the charts. Apparently, I can't download them anymore - they send me the paper charts via mail with product key, which I then use to "unlock" the electronic charts.  What's odd is that I purchased the same charts last year through iNavX and they downloaded directly into my app and were much cheaper.

Just to add to knowledge base here in the support forum, when I get everything, I'll post again on the results if the charts are compatible with expedition. In general if anyone else is experiencing similar issues getting charts, you're not alone. 

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10/25/2017 8:20 pm  #4


Re: Caribbean charts

Be really careful when you obtain the chart kits with the product key. If they are anything like what I acquired when I purchased the charts at a "brick-and-mortar" retailer it is necessary to scrape off a wax film from the product key to reveal its characters but if you scrape too hard then you will also scrape the characters of the key away and then there is no predicting the extent of the PITA associated with getting squared away after that. I use a plastic disposable knife from a picnic utensil set or something like that; go slooowly!!

Good luck and tell us how you do.

 

11/11/2017 9:09 am  #5


Re: Caribbean charts

Sorry for the delay in closing this post. NV sent me the wrong set of charts, I sent them back and waited for the right charts to arrive. Anyone purchasing these charts from NV - they use media mail in the US which is the cheapest / slowest - 5-6 days. You won't be able to access the electronic version of the charts until you receive the paper chart.

Once you get the paper chart, there are instructions for downloading the electronic charts. They amount to this: You'll need to download an .exe from their website, install the .exe. You'll see the list of charts available to you - you then use the scratch off product code you recieved in the mail,  per Joe, be careful scrapping away the wax covering (I used the back side of a plastic knife). This code will "unlock" your electronic chart in the .exe and allow you to download. Use expeditions RNC chart mgr to import.

They only snag I ran into in expedition was sometimes the chart boundaries would continue to appear but when I click on a detailed chart, nothing happens. It just shows the worldchart. I resolved by going back to RNC chart mgt, clearing out the database, then rebuilding the chart index. This worked both times I had the problem. 

NV customer support is good, if you can't wait 5-6 days for media mail, probably best to call them and pay for expedited shipping. They don't warn you that shipping is slow when you purchase from the website - but are very responsive by email if you have issues like I did receiving the wrong charts.

Thanks for your help Joe...
Mike

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11/11/2017 11:08 am  #6


Re: Caribbean charts

I don't understand this - they have always been very good to deal with in the past.

I've just checked and the charts are still available for download, see:

http://us.nvcharts.com/index.php?page=content&coID=43

 

11/12/2017 7:33 am  #7


Re: Caribbean charts

Yes, this is URL I used. After you choose the relevant region/chart from this URL, you'll download an .exe file. When you click on the .exe it runs an install. After the install, you run the application which then after a few choices then allows you to download the electronic charts, but before you can download the charts you need type in a product key into NV's application. That product key comes with the hard copy of the paper chart they send in the mail. So, until you have hard copy from US mail, you won't have the product key. 

In general, no complaints above NV - once I understood the process everything worked. Email support was very good, but the instructions I outlined above are not explained well in their purchase process on their website, so the whole thing was a bit of a mystery until I got the actual print charts and the product key. 

 

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12/06/2017 8:55 am  #8


Re: Caribbean charts

I was talking with the NV north american support representative yesterday about their caribbean charts - i am particularly interested in 12.2 the leeward islands anguilla to dominica.

i was told that the charts have recently changed from BSB to something they called "NV Digital", and i just wanted to confirm that these newer charts are the ones you guys are using, and that they work in expedition.

also, on the actual physical paper chart book, it talks about getting 2 BSB installations, and 5 app installations on mobile devices.

the support person said that with the new format, it's 5 installations total, across all platforms. I want to install the charts to two devices running expedition - a laptop and a windows tablet. i am not so concerned about the app, but i guess having it on a phone or ipad would be a nice backup.

anyway - has anyone here successfully used the registration code on two windows machines?
 

 

12/06/2017 10:56 am  #9


Re: Caribbean charts

Hi - I just go those charts so I know they work with expedition. Long story short, order the paper charts, when they arrive there are instructions in there for how to pull down the electronic charts. Then use expedition's chart mgt tools to import. Re-post if you need help after the paper charts arrived... 

And also, if you don't want to wait 5-6 days call them and pay for expedited shipping if possible.

Last edited by mike@honner.com (12/06/2017 10:57 am)

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12/06/2017 12:55 pm  #10


Re: Caribbean charts

i can buy them at a retail store right near my house - that's where i read the info about the number of installs. i looked at the fine print on the chart book.

if i understand correctly, you are saying that your charts are new, so they are probably the new format - right?

It sounds like you haven't tried to use them in more than one expedition install.

 

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