21.02.2003
For all Meridian Users interested in the new MapSend BlueNav Chart Kit
for Europe I will give here some information after having checked this
package for some weeks; as there is up to now no data sheet at the
magellan website,i try give an overview, so you will know what to
expect and what the limitations are.
(As there are no pictures on the magellan homepage, I posted some
screenshots showing the maps on the Computer screen and on the
monochrome screen of the Meridian Platinum in the Photo section of the
Yahoo Meridian group. (Jeg la ut en kopi på
http://www.milvang.no/gps/BlueNavEurope.pdf
))
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The MapSend BlueNav Kit Europe
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consists of one CD containing all 191 Navionics Gold small Charts
covering the European and mediterranean coast and one SD Card (32 MB);
the charts can be loaded to this Card after getting an unlock Code
from the Vendor or Magellan. You can switch charts, but only one chart
can be loaded.The SD card can be used exclusively for BlueNav charts!
Price is about 260 Euros including VAT.
After installing the software you have to authorize the GPS and the
included SD-Card using the obtained unlock code.
**Attention! The first Version 1.00d has faulty maps (about 10 from
Norway, at least in the Aegean Sea) and will be exchanged by V 1.00e
soon, so if you buy be sure you get this Version! (i did not get the
exchange CD up to Feb 21).
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PC Software:
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The PC software is organized similarly to the MapSend Streets.
- Selecting a chart and uploading is very fast, there is no long
transforming process like with Mapsend Streets. A single map has a
file size of three to five MB; uploading by use of a SD Card Reader
takes only few minutes; for uploading you have to connect the GPS via
the serial cable and insert the authorized BlueNav Sd Card into the
Card reader.
-If you select and load a chart, you see on the screen a white framed
quite big area, this is shown on the Meridian screen too; for this
area quite detailed coastlines and major navaids are loaded;these
coastlines come in with a zoom level of 3km. On the GPS screen there
is no rectangle mark for the actually loaded detail map (see BlueNav
Album ).
**The charts cover relatively small regions and you can only load one
map at a time; so if you need more than one chart for a
sailing/boating trip you have to bring your laptop with you for
changing (or buy a XL chart covering a larger region for 359 Euro).
There are some features missing compared to the other MapSend
products:
- Tracks: with BlueNav it is not possible to download and edit tracks
as with the other MapSend maps!
- GPS-Log: there is no possibility for real time tracking on the
computer screen as with the other MapSend Products
**So if you want to use these charts like Maptech Navigator, Fugawi or
similar systems with (non uploadable!) charts on the Laptop this is
not possible! It is not possible even to download tracks offline and
reanalyze/edit them on the screen.I think this is a substantial
limitation you have to know before you buy!
Asking Magellan support about this limitation and if they plan to add
real time tracking in the future here are the answers i got:"The Map
Send Blue Nav KIT had made to load chart into the SD-CARD, it is not a
navigation software"; and "if you should want a real navigation tool
you should purchase the FX324";"Magellan does not plan to add this
feature in a future release".
(BTW Garmins BlueChart V4.01 have real time tracking implemented and
you can download tracks to the PC.)
- It is possible to generate, download and upload waypoints and
routes;the menus and functions for waypoints and routes are the same
as in the other MapSend packages.
- Search Function: the only search function is search by coordinates;
there is no access to the POI database (ports,services) from the
Computer software.
- There is no print function as in the other MapSend Packages.
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The charts on the Computer screen and the monochrome Meridian screen:
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Navionics charts are "seamless" vector charts allowing free zooming.
See exmples how the maps display on the Computer screen compared to
the monochrome screen of the meridian for various zoom levels in the
BlueNav Album Photos 3-5.
Like with MapSend Streets you can define the zoom level where the
detailed map takes over with the menu "Map setup/detail".If you set
"highest, the detail map comes in at the 3km level (=about 10 km over
the screen), if set to low at 700m(=about 2km over the screen).
- For regions covered by the default european basemaps there are quite
good shorelines and you can choose what is best for your needs;
- for regions not covered by the default basemap you get only the very
undetailed coast lines from the world map included in all the GPS
basemaps for rough orientation;there are whole islands missing,
waypoints on the coast are located mostly far out in the sea; this can
be overcome partly by setting the detail level for these regions to
"highest", but (like with MapSendStreets) the screen becomes rather
cluttered with all the details at the 3km zoom level.
Zooming out to the 6km level you get your waypoints on the coast
"jump" out 12km and more to the sea; so this is an acceptable, but
no
ideal solution.(To see what this looks like see BlueNav Album Photo
6.)
**Unfortunately one possible solution for this,the WorldWide BaseMap
is not compatible with the BlueNav for technical reasons (different
file format, the processor of the meridian not capable of dealing with
both at the same time);
**There is a bug: when scrolling the map over the screen sometimes the
coastline and land area are not shown for half of the map (BlueNav
Album Photo 7). I do not know if this affects all maps, or if this is
corrected in the coming V1.00E.
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Database:
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- On the Computer:If you go over a POI with the mouse on the computer
screen, you get only a short message (e.g. NAME Marina - fuel,POI) at
the bottom left of the screen, whereas the detailed POI database
giving additional information is only accessible on the GPS!
- On the GPS: An additional item with the name of the detail map is
added to the database (like in MapSend Streets);under this Map name
there are 2 groups of POIs:ports and services, under services you can
choose Fuel,water,repair services,first aid separately or all
subcategories together;if you choose from the database or bring the
cursor over a marine POI and press enter,you get detailed information
(e.g. fuel on the pier, water not on the pier,police station...);the
implementation however is not very user friendly;e.g. you go over a
harbor POI end type enter to get detailed information, you see 5 rows
with the same POI name,but not the subcategory of information.
Tidal Information: Magellan support told me that "there is no tidal
information on the Meridian".
I hope this gives some first information about these maps and it helps
you to decide if the BlueNav Kit is worth the money for you. If you
find errors in the text or have additional information please report!
I will report to the group as soon as the replacement CD V 1.00E is
out or other informations from Magellan come in.
Hope that helps, Ed
(PS: if you do not have access to the yahoo group Photo section you
can get a Pdf file with screenshots by email)
08.02.2002
Just want to follow up the first review, as i got the replacement CD
BlueNav Europe V 1.00E from Thales some days before.
- All the defective map files from V 1.00d are o.k
- There are no additional software features (no track download, no
real time tracking)
- Navaid Database: accessible only on the GPS
- A bug concerning map scrolling on the Computer screen is corrected.
My Vendor (a german online store) recently added the information
"BlueNav is made for uploading marine maps to the GPS, for Navigation
on the Computer there are other programs like Fugawi and Maptech
offshore Navigator" on his website; another indication that magellan
does not plan to add the missing features.
So if you need the charts first line on the GPS, BlueNav will do it;
otherwise you have to get additional software and maps or take a
garmin with Blue Chart.
Regards, Ed