Nautical navigation: Garmin nRoute vs. Garmin Mobile PC

Hello!

I would like to use my Bluechart map on my laptop.
Which software is better for navigation and has more options to adjust?

Thank you!

Sorry for the language. I am from Slovenia. :/

Citam

Both will work. It will be easier with nroute. Once you load the Bluechart maps in Mapsource and unlock them you can use them with nroute immediately. nroute will use any maps that are loaded into Mapsource and unlocked. You do not ever have to transfer maps into nroute.

To use the maps in Mobile PC you need to first load them into Mapsource and unlock them, then select the areas you want to use in Mobile PC, then Mapsource will compile them and transfer them into Mobile PC.

With nroute, you can purchase any Garmin GPS model that will work with your laptop and unlock your maps to it and it will work in nroute.

With Mobile PC, you must only buy their package with Mobile PC + GPS20 (USB) or Mobile PC + GPS10x (Bluetooth) if you want to use extra maps like Bluechart.

What options (features??) are important to you? nroute and Mobile PC have all the same basic features and both have many advanced features. Both can do almost everything. The difference is mostly how they look .... how they display the maps (Mobile PC is very much prettier) and the menu system to use the features (nroute has more flexibility).

There is very little difference in cost between the two options.

...ken...

Thank you 'Ken in Regina'.

I was confused because Garmin Support told me a week ago, that I can not use Bluechart maps with Garmin Mobile PC and that I need older version of program - nRoute.

BTW: Yes, I ment features.

The Garmin BlueChart page lists Mobile PC under Product Compatibilty but with limitations. It does not say what those limitations are, specific to the this product though.

http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/bluechartCD.jsp

Terry

citam, you definitely will not be able to use Bluecharts with the software-only version of Mobile PC. Bluecharts are locked so you will need a Garmin GPS device to unlock them. This will not work when you have Mobile PC software-only version. You must have one of the packages that comes with its own USB or Bluetooth GPS for any chance that it will work.

Perhaps that is why the Garmin tech said you should use nroute. That is why I suggested that nroute will be easier for you unless there are specific reasons you want Mobile PC (prettier map display, menu system and features almost identical to the Nuvi devices).

You should be aware of another problem with using Mobile PC when you have to load maps and other things (waypoints, routes, tracks). The last two versions of Mapsource will not connect to Mobile PC. So you must find another way to get the maps and other things loaded into Mobile PC. (We can tell you how to load maps, if you decide to use Mobile PC, but I can't recall whether there is a way to load routes and tracks and waypoints.)

...ken...

So in conclusion is all the same. Different is just the interface. Am I right?
I just want to use laptop with Bluechart on my boat and I need something easy to use with some nautical features.

Transferimg maps from MS to Mobile PC is not a problem for me.

I suspect the features in Mobile PC would be of little value with Blue Chart maps. nRoute should do the job nicely.

Terry

Yes. I have not found any features in Mobile PC that are not also in nroute.

If you already have a Garmin GPS to use with your laptop, the only thing you need to buy is BlueCharts for your area and download nroute for free.

If you already have Mapsource and some maps you can download nroute to look at it right now, before you buy BlueCharts.

You don't need a GPS connected to nroute to look at any maps that are already loaded in Mapsource. If you are familiar with Mapsource you will already be familiar with nroute because it is the same interface with navigation features added.

...ken...

Based on the conversations of this thread, I purchased, installed and unlocked The bluechart package. I then installed nRoute. I created waypoints within the MapSource portion and saved the file as Ver 2 .gdb as needed by nRoute.

With using nRoute and "importing" my save .gdb file I can clearly see the waypoints that I created. However even the Map detail set to highest, I can only see my waypoints on a "white" area with very little detail. If I look at the file while in MapSource, a very detailed map appears showing depths, buoys etc. This detail is not available in the nRoute view using the same file and map. I was expecting the same level of detail

What am doing wrong?

I look forward to your thoughts

I suspect you haven't increased the map detail to 'Highest' in nRoute. Its under the View menu and also available as a drop down on the top menu. I don't have a BlueChart map to confirm this though.

Terry

I'm not sure what you're doing wrong. I just did what you said you just did and got the (attached) view of the waypoints and route I created.

What device did you unlock the Bluechart region to? Is that the device you currently have connected to nRoute?

Can you view the charts in nRoute without creating a route? (I can)

Are you sure you are viewing a part of the earth you have charts for in nRoute and not just the location your GPS is currently at (which may not be in the area you have unlocked charts for? Silly question I know but we've all gotten caught by this once or twice.

Do the waypoints appear under the waypoints tab at the bottom of nRoute (F12 to turn the tabs on if the're off)?

Attached Images

St Peters to Liscomb.jpg (52.5 KB)

I've recently tried Blue Charts with Mobile PC and they don't work it seems. The areas of the chart with detail map overlays do not display properly, these areas are just blank. If you zoom in enough they will display but then the surrounding areas go blank. Mobile PC can't seem to deal with these overlay areas.

nRoute works just fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcassidy

I suspect you haven't increased the map detail to 'Highest' in nRoute. Its under the View menu and also available as a drop down on the top menu. I don't have a BlueChart map to confirm this though.

Thanks for your reply Terry

I did have the map detail set to highest. See my next response as I now have a suspicion as to my error

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken in Cape Breton

I'm not sure what you're doing wrong. I just did what you said you just did and got the (attached) view of the waypoints and route I created.

Ken, your attachment view was exactly the level of detail I was hoping for



I unlocked the Charts with a Garmin 276c, Id'd to my account

Quote:

Can you view the charts in nRoute without creating a route? (I can)

I can load the map (upper left drop-down box) but cannot see any chart to the level of detail as your attachment shows

Quote:

Are you sure you are viewing a part of the earth you have charts for in nRoute and not just the location your GPS is currently at (which may not be in the area you have unlocked charts for? Silly question I know but we've all gotten caught by this once or twice.

Not Silly at all but did confirm location view as not to be silly

Quote:

Do the waypoints appear under the waypoints tab at the bottom of nRoute (F12 to turn the tabs on if the're off)?

Yes



I now have a new suspicion as to my problem(s)

I have several Mapsource products. First being an older version of Metroguide this version was never in a locked mode. I loaded Metroguide and then nRoute to in effect test the software and hardware configurations with success.

I then attempted to load my BlueChart package on to then relize that it was still locked although thought I had unlocked it previously. I telephoned Garmin to make the fix. My Bluechart now works in MapSource but not to the detail level in nRoute.
Since my initial post I have loaded Topo 2008 (unlocked) and again can see detail in MapSource but same lack of detail in nRoute.

Now for my W.A. Guess.
When you initially install nRoute it looks at your current loading of MapSource data files (Maps or Charts – unlocked or not) and uses only that data that is/was available at the time of install. A locked version of BlueChart will therefore (guess) not be available.

After not seeing the detail in nRoute for my now unlocked BlueChart, I uninstalled nRoute and reinstalled nRoute with no change in results. I am again guessing that it installs with registry entries as it was already there

I then installed my Topo 2008 Data and again the detail is not available. (because nRoute was already loaded?) These actions/results lead me to this suspicion.

Again your thoughts are appreciated

Have you tried GPS Gate. It can take the info from your GPS and provide the appropriate Garmin data type for nRoute. If the maps are unlocked, they should work.

http://franson.com/gpsgate/download.asp

Terry

Terry, actually I am trying your suggestion.

In the meantime I tried loading all of my MapSource programs/data files (except BlueChart) on another Laptop and then loading nRoute. Also, I am using a GlobalSat BU-353 with GPSGate with this second try

I now can see detail in Topo 2008 that I could not see before. I would try BlueChart but is is locked on another computer.

The fact that I now can see the detail on Topo (pre-installed before nRoute) leads me further to my suspicion of being sequential timing is every thing

I will keep playing and report back

If Bluechart is like the rest of Garmin's maps, it doesn't lock to a computer, but rather a GPS device; probably the 276 in your case. Can't you unlock it by going to your MyGarmin page?

Terry

Yes indeed, but actually you need both computer and GPS for unlocking. The unlocking is done through the Mapsource program and on-line so it needs to be "in the picture" so to speak

Earlier today, when I realized that my BlueChart was locked, I telephoned Garmin to reset the lock/unlock sequence and updated my MyGarmin account. with my 276c. My BlueChart is now unlocked. I had installed nRoute prior to the unlocking

My previous computer that was used to to initially install my BlueChart was stolen from my car

Hey Deaver,

Sorry to burst your bubble but sequential timing is nothing.

The map installation routines place the appropriate information in the registry.

nroute looks at the same registry entries as MapSource.

Immediately after map installation, both MapSource and nroute can see those registry entries and can display all the maps listed in the registry.

It gets down to unlocking issues.

First, you can use the Unlock Wizard on the second PC to retrieve the Bluecharts unlock code from your My Garmin account and unlock the charts on the second PC. (You did back up your unlock codes, I hope.)

On your first PC you have some other problem because the Topo maps should have displayed in nroute as soon as you installed them. If you can see them and select them in the map product selector dropdown, if they are not locked they will display.

On both PCs, once the charts are unlocked they will be visible in nroute when there is no receiver connected (no navigation happening). When you connect the receiver they are unlocked to, nroute will display them properly.

When you connect a Garmin receiver that is not the receiver they are unlocked to, nroute will not display them because it sees that it's not the right receiver. You can use GPSGate to get around this. GPSGate will send the Garmin data protocol through to nroute, making it happy, but will not pass the unit ID through so nroute will not try to match it to the unlock code.

...ken...

Deaver, is it possible you have MapSource instaled twice (in two different locations) on the computer causing problems? Perhaps one installed a while back? I think this could cause the non display issue in nRoute? Just guessing.

Ken, I was hoping someone would say I was all wet with my concerns. I am indeed grasping in dealing with my problem . I searched this forum for similar issues to no avail. I am grateful for the replies as you folks have been around the block on these types of subjects.

All of the maps do appear in the map product selector dropdown and do appear on the screen. It is just that some do not appear with as much detail as others.

I will follow your advice with the GPSGate approach

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken in Cape Breton

Deaver, is it possible you have MapSource instaled twice (in two different locations) on the computer causing problems? Perhaps one installed a while back? I think this could cause the non display issue in nRoute? Just guessing.

I am not sure as I write this, but you too make a good point.


I think my next approach is to un-install the complete MapSource and nRoute Package from Computer 1.

I will then install the MapSource program and each Mapset in a new sub-directory, but together and different from the initial install(s). This should reset the registry entries as well to reduce or eliminate any potential conflicts or errors. I will unlock as needed and make sure all is well with the operations of MapSource. I will then install nRoute and go from there. I can then, compare it to Computer 2 if need be.


Gentlemen,

I truly appreciate your replies and help on my issue and I apologize for being a pain in the back-side but thought you folks may have heard of a related problem before. I am not trying to be the dumbest kid on the block and hope to offer insight on these packages in the future.

Many Thanks again

I will report back

Yes, please do. It will help add to the troubleshooting knowledge for the next problems that come along. Because they will sure come along. That's why sites like these exist and flourish.

I always love it when I discover that I'm not the only one who does dumb things.



...ken...

Very Odd

I am using Windows XP SP3 on an HP 6530b Lap top. I had created a second user account that I named "Travel". The intent of this account was to have a clear desktop with only the shortcuts that I would use while navigating etc.

I sat down last evening to preform the tasks that a mentioned above but, before starting, I decided to check my Travel account. I created a short cut for nRoute and turned it on.

Low and behold, when using any map in my drop-down map selector, every map shows the highest detail whereas Blue Chart and Topo 2008 showed minimum details. While using my Travel account, every feature of the program is fully functional.

I am guessing that there is an issue with my base user account and maybe a good house cleaning is in order but, that will be another day

In the meantime with my Travel account, I will practice an adage my father and others used to say. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If I ever do figure out what's really going on, I will report back

Many, many Thanks for those who have contributed your ideas

I remain dumbfound but grateful

Deaver

Deaver,

I just logged onto my computer as my wife and lo and behold all the maps are locked when I'm on there as her so no locked maps will display in any detail in MapSource or nRoute. I log back on as myself and all is fine. I didn't bother to try to unlock the maps while logged on as her as "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Thought you may be interested.

Ken H.

Ken

Very interesting

I did all of my installs, Unlocks etc in my base account. It is my base account that is not fully functional in nRoute. MapSource works fine.

In my "Travel" account everything works.... Go figure

Maybe someday we will all know the inner workings and thoughts of the Garmin Software writing Guru's

Hope your wife never gets lost....

Hi

I would say if you want to use Bluecharts you can only do this with n'route.
The reason is you cannot use nautical miles ore knots with Garmin Mobile PC.
Dephth are not displayed properly, tides do not work at all and so many other details you can only access with a right click.
So for safety reasons and being able to compare quickly with a paper map n'route is the only option.

Michel

Hi everyone!

I found this old thread, so I would be grateful if someone could help. In fact I try to set my laptop navigation. I have NROUTE 2.7.6. and BlueChart Atlantic 95. Maps are unlocked.
My problem is routing. I make a route, set it active. How do I get NROUTE lead me on that route? All "* To" menu item "Route" is not available.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Hi Porer,

I'm going from memory here but what you want to do Garmin doesn't want you to be able to do. You've probably seen a dialog box when trying to use nRoute with BlueCharts saying the maps are not routable due to licencing restrictions.

The trick seems to be to switch to another mapset (in Canada I'd use Topo Canada or Ibicus Topo as they have accurate shoreline information), setup your route and make it active, then switch to nRoute. You may find it helpful to create waypoints in MapSource in the location of navigation aids so the can be viewed while other mapsets are active.

I don't clearly remember if this works at all well as I found it to be too cumbersome to be useful. I route off my Chart plotter or my Map76CSx, both of which have BlueCharts on Garmin chips. I still leave nRoute running with the Bluecharts at the chart table as the big screen is great for situational awareness, planning,etc. without messing with the chart plotter at the wheel the helmsman is using to follow the active route.

Thank you Ken, it works!!!

I have installed Adriaroute and Bluechart on same laptop. When nRoute is running, active map MUST be some routable (in my case AdriaRoute), and then I can access to all routing possibilities. Once navigation is started, you can switch again to Bluechart and all is working.

Regards

Although I own Garmin Mobile PC, and have used it extensively in North America and Europe, this thread strikes me as a perfect example of a product that has lost it's way by over-complication.

All this talk about nRoute, Mapsource, locked maps, unlocking, having to use things in certain order, compiling, MyGarmin accounts, codes, and so on, makes me want to throw the whole thing up in the air, and go screaming for my sanity when I just read through it!

Were I an absolute rookie, that is exactly what I would do! Surely there must be a better way of marketing what should be a reasonably simple matter....?

I understand what you are saying but Garmin Mobile PC is really a simple, easy program to use out of the box, assuming you have purchased the correct version with the mapset you need.

I should also point out that Mobile PC is not (at this time at least) intended for or supported for marine navigation, the subject of this thread.

Mobile PC only becomes complicated when you wish to use multiple mapsets or subscribe to updates or try to do something it isn't meant to do.

When it comes to nautical/marine navigation, Mobile PC won't work with Garmin's BlueCharts at all. Perhaps it will one day but I don't see that happening soon as Garmin seems to have moved away from that sort of model of use. Garmin no longer make any nautical map product intended for navigation on a laptop or other computer and so does not support this use. They only support marine navigation on their chart plotters and handheld devices.

The user above is trying to use a discontinued product (Garmin BlueCharts on CD or DVD) by using a discontinued navigation software (Garmin nRoute) in a manner the source data is not (may not be?) licenced for.

It can be made to work in a rather clunky way but it isn't supposed to work in the first place.

Note: I'm in Canada so some licencing restriction on Garmin's DC & DVD BlueChart products may be different here compared to the USA. Garmin has to pay the Canadian Hydrographic Service a licencing fee for use of Canadian chart data. This may not be the case in the US so things may work somewhat differently there. I can say the price of Garmin's charts in Canada came down quite considerably when they discontinued the CD & DVD versions and went to chips only.