12/7/2018

ChartAid Program

Description:

Many people have found satellite images to be helpful in supplementing their information about a particular area.  The ChartAid program offers you the ability to save Google Maps, Google Earth, Bing Maps and Nokia Maps printable images as Raster Charts or Photo Charts to be used with your favorite navigation program.  The charts are geographically referenced to WGS84: 

• The Raster Charts are compatible with the NOAA standard for electronic Raster Charts using the BSB/KAP file format.  The charts have been tested with:
  • PCs: Chart Navigator, Coastal Explorer, MaxSea (not TimeZero), Memory-Map, Nobeltec (not TimeZero), OpenCPN, and RayTech Navigator. 
  • Macs: MacENC.  
  • Android phones and tablets: Marine Navigator, Memory-Map and OpenCPN. 
  • Apple iPads and iPhones: Memory-Map and SEAiq. 
• The Photo Charts are compatible with:
  • Maptech's standard for electronic Photo Charts using the SPH file format.  The charts have been tested with:
    • PCs: Coastal Explorer, MaxSea (not TimeZero), Memory-Map, Nobeltec (not TimeZero) and RayTech Navigator. 
  • GeoTIFF's standard for electronic Photo Charts using the TIF file format.  The charts have been tested with:
    • PCs: USGS Global Mapper. 

  If your navigation program supports Photo Charts, you may prefer Photo Charts over Raster Charts.  Photo Charts are smaller in size, support more colors, and can be overlaid on top of existing charts.

ChartAid benefits boaters whose charts are inaccurate, outdated, or of poor resolution.  My wife and I are currently cruising in Mexico and find the local charts are off by one to three miles.  Having the detailed ChartAid charts has been helpful. 

Using ChartAid:

The ChartAid program is easy to use and requires three simple steps to create and save a chart:

1. Select the location of interest and image source, Location Window.  Using the interface you can pan and zoom the display or enter the latitude and longitude directly. 
2. Define the desired scale and resolution and then select the chart type, Resolution Window. 
3. Enter the chart name, adjust image quality versus file size, and then save the image as a Raster Chart, Raster Chart Window or a Photo Chart, Photo Chart Window. 

The ChartAid program supports Google Earth, Google Maps, Bing Maps and Nokia Maps printable images.  Five different interfaces are provided:

• Google Maps - A standard interface for Google Maps.  The chart size is limited to 4096 by 4096. 
• Bing Maps - A standard interface for Bing Maps.  The chart size is limited to 4096 by 4096. 
• Nokia Maps - Nokia Maps website has been removed.  As a result, this interface no longer works. 
• Google Earth Plugin - Google officially sunsetted the Google Earth Plugin website.  As a result, this interface no longer works. 
• Google Earth Program - Google officially sunsetted the Google Earth COM interface with newer versions of Google Earth.  As a result, this interface no longer works. 

In addition to the ability to easily produce single charts, the ChartAid program also makes it easy to produce multiple charts for a given location.  Two different Multiple Charts options are provided:

• Area - Multiple charts within an area boundary.  Using a graphical interface you can define a boundary with multiple sides.  This area boundary is then filled with multiple charts.  The number of charts is determined by area boundary and your selection of the chart resolution. 
• Route - Multiple charts along a specified route.  Using a graphical interface you can define a route with multiple waypoints.  This route is then filled with multiple charts.  The number of charts is determined by the route, route track width and your selection of the chart resolution. 

Installing Charts for use with your Navigation Program:

Before a ChartAid chart can be used with your navigation program, the chart must be installed using that program. 

Installing charts is different for each navigation program, so check your instructions for installing charts.  For example, with Coastal Explorer the installation of the charts is simple - Coastal Explorer automatically scans the default folder "C:\Chartkit" for any available charts.  With Nobeltec or RayTech Navigator you have to install each chart manually. 

Examples:

• CMAP - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - using Nobeltec
• NOAA - Sawyer Cove, Maine - using Coastal Explorer
• MapMedia - Mazatlan, Mexico - using MaxSea
• Photo Chart Overlay - using Coastal Explorer, Nobeltec and RayTech Navigator [*]

ChartAid Program Tips:

• Overview Diagram [*]
• Photo Charts versus Raster Charts [*]
• Different Printable Images [*]
• Google Earth Plugin
• Google Earth Program
• Bing Maps
• Nokia Maps
• Chart Storage/Installation and Multiple Computers
• Naming Your Charts
• Organizing Your Charts
• Cropping Location
• Multiple Charts using Area [*]
• Multiple Charts using Route [*]
• Over Zoomed Images [*]
• Preview Window
• Editing Your Charts
• Updating Your Charts

Navigation Program Tips:

• Chart Storage/Installation
• Nobeltec Users
• OpenCPN Users [new]
• RayTech Navigator Users

Usage of Google Earth, Google Maps, Bing Maps and Nokia Maps Images and ChartAid Charts:

The Google Earth and Google Maps images are copyrighted by Google, the Bing Maps images are copyrighted by Microsoft, and the Nokia Maps images are copyrighted by Nokia.  For your edification and personal determination regarding the use of copyrighted Google images go to Google's website, for the use of copyrighted Microsoft images go to Microsoft's website, and for the use of copyrighted Nokia images go to Nokia's website.  Any output from the ChartAid program is for your own personal use only and may not be sold or distributed.  If you have any reservations or questions, please do not use ChartAid.

System Requirements:

ChartAid is a standard Windows program.  The program has been tested with Windows Xp, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and Mac running Parallels and VMware. 

In order to create a chart, the ChartAid program requires access to the internet.  Depending on the resolution of the chart and the internet speed, it can take several seconds to minutes to download the Google Earth, Google Maps, Bing Maps and Nokia Maps printable image.  For high resolution charts high speed internet is preferable. 

Free Trial:

Download a free trial of ChartAid.

Purchase:

Purchase a license for ChartAid.

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