Oregon 450 NOAA Charts

[vinnymail]

i have my oregon 450 and really like it so far, i have installed the florida topo maps. Thanks to everyone who helped put them together. now onto my next little project. I would like to put some of the NOAA maps on it. I have a choice of RNC charts and ENC. I dont need to add all of them i would just like to convert the areas around the boat ramps i use to a useable format. Im mostly looking for channel marker info where do i start? i have both formats downloaded for the areas i use. DO i need the BSB/KAP or the vector charts?

[vinnymail]

nevermind figured it out, I used the BSB charts and converted them with G-raster. WOW is all i can say.I have everything i needed. Channel markers, depths, public reefs and it oly took alittle reading, well alot of reading.

[Boyd]

Cool - sounds like you are off on the right track. Enjoy the new GPS!

[vinnymail]

"Too many custom map images. They will not all be displayed."

I have 2 .kmz files that i am trying to get to display on the same map but i keep getting that message. I have adjusted the image slider in G-raster almost all the way down and shrank the file size cosiderably. i have my florida topo  disabled. When i go into my map set up under custom maps it shows my Suwannee.kmz and my Steinhatchee.kmz in  the same custom maps box but it will only display one of them. What am i missing here?

[vinnymail]

and after some more reading in teh G-Raster help file i found out that you're limited to a maximum of 100 map images loaded into your Garmin. what can i do to work around this limitation?

[Boyd]

Unfortunately... nothing (if you have really hit the limit). The largest area you can cover is 100 tiles of 1024x1024. I don't use g-raster. But IMO it's best to use a tile size of 1024x1024,  I think that program lets you choose different sizes.

I am not familiar with those charts either, but have made a number of USGS 24k topo maps. I found that for that kind of map, the data had to be sampled at 10 feet per pixel or better. Otherwise, closely spaced lines blended together. So - doing some quick math - 100 tiles would be 10x10 which would give you 10,240 x 10,240 pixels. At 10 feet per pixel that would be 102,400 feet x 102,400 feet. Dividing by 5280 that gives a maximum map size 19.39 x 19.39 miles.

It depends on your map, if you feel that it will be readable at lower resolution you can do your own math for 20 feet per pixel, and also figure out other shapes than 10x10 squares. But the bottom line is that this feature is only good to map relatively small areas. If you want to cover big areas you need to make a traditional Garmin vector-based map. That could be a lot of work and involve a lot of learning...

[maps4gps]

I looked at some of the RNC's about a year ago.  At the source resolution they were fairly close to Garmin's 100 cell limit, or were over the limit and would have to be divided into two parts.  If you can get each area into a single .kmz file; change the .kmz extension on those you will not currently be needing.  If you have to split an area; you will have to take along a laptop or some other device which can access the memory card and change file extension when you need to.  Last summer, Garmin said they were considering increasing the 100 cell limit, but I have not seen anything to indicate that they have.

[jbensman]

I cannot say I understand what you are talking about, but it sounds like you may be able to get what you need by using the vector formats.  Are the vector files shapefiles?  If they are, you could add them to a map like FL topo.  If you post a link to the vector data, I will take a look at it.

[Boyd]

He is using raster imagery on the Oregon, which is natively supported in a limited way. The largest tile size supported at full quality is 1024x1024 pixels. You can only have a total of 100 of these tiles loaded on the unit at any time. It also can't be extended by creating multiple maps - you actually need to swap memory cards or delete/replace the files. The advantage is that these maps are very easy to make and they look great.

[vinnymail]

I think there are alot of tiles i can remove. Just by playing around in gogle earth i was able to remove about 1/3 of the map that was over land or was dispalying legend data. UNfortunately i am playing with the full kmz file after it was converted. i think my editing need sto be done before the conversion to kmz.



Rasters are here
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/RNCs/RNCs.shtml



they also offer ENC of the same data
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/ENCs/ENCs.shtml

[jbensman]

While I am still not 100% sure I am understanding what you are trying to get, but I think the answer is neither.  Instead download it in shapefiles here:

http://ocs-spatial.ncd.noaa.gov/encdirect/viewer.htm

If you go to those links you gave me, you can click on GIS and other products to get information on the GIS (shapefiles).

You have ran into the problems and limitations of using the files in raster format.  It sounds like your best option is to create a transparent overlay map (like My Trails).  You could then take the shapefiles for channel markers and create a transparent map that woud show on top of FL Topo.  This would work much better than a custom map.  It is also simple to add shapefiles to a map. 

Also if the only thing you want is channel markers, there is freeware that will convert a shapefile into a gpx file which you can place on your GPS and they will show up as Waypoints. 

[jbensman]

I think I may have found what you want on FL's GIS website.  There are about 16,000 buoys and stuff like that in the dateset.  I am going to add it to my trails (I will post a new version of My Trails with FL today or tommorow.)  Here is how it is described-is this what you are looking for:

Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), Center for Spatial Analysis
Publication_Date: 2008
Title: FLORIDA AIDS TO NAVIGATION 2008
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: St. Petersburg, FL
Publisher:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Other_Citation_Details: State of Florida
Online_Linkage:
<http://ocean.floridamarine.org/mrgis_ims/Description_Layers_Marine.htm>
Description:
Abstract:
This GIS data set represents the aids to navigation (ATONs) for the Seventh and Eighth Coast Guard Districts. The term "aids to navigation" refers to devices outside of a vessel that are used to assist mariners in determining their position, safe course or warn them of obstructions. Aids to navigation include light buoys and beacons. This data set includes federal aids, which are installed and maintained by the Coast Guard, as well as some privately maintained aids. This data set does not include unofficial (illegal) aids, such as PVC pipes, placed without permission. This data set is not certified for navigation and is not intended for navigation purposes. Each USCG district headquarters is responsible for updating its database on an as-needed basis. When existing aids are destroyed or relocated and new aids are installed, the database is updated. Each aid is assigned an official light listing number. The Light List is a document listing the status of the ATONs; it is regularly published and distributed. Interim changes to the Light List are published in local notices to mariners. In addition, the USCG broadcasts notices to mariners on the marine band radio as soon as changes in the status of individual aids are reported. Navigators should use the official notices to mariners to maintain current charts. Annual (or more frequent) updates of the Aids to Navigation database can be obtained from each USCG district headquarters.
Purpose:
This data set represents a GIS layer of ATONs as of December 2008, with spatial extent of the Seventh Coast Guard District plus Sector Mobile from the Eighth Coast Guard District.
These data are not to be used for navigation or positional referencing. Users are instructed to consult the appropriate navigational chart, notice to mariners, and light list for any purpose other than natural resource conservation planning. Due to the possibility of unknown errors in reporting, projection or datums the accuracy of these data are not certified. The existence, position and description of features might have changed since data were originally compiled in 2008.
Supplemental_Information:
Prior to July 1, 2004, the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) was known as the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI). The institute name has not been changed in historical data sets or references to work completed by the Florida Marine Research Institute. The institute name has been changed in references to ongoing research, new research, and contact information.

[jbensman]

Got another quesiton for you since I don't know anything about boat navigation (other than canoeing).   There are 16,000 objects in the file.  Each of them has a name like SANTA ROSA SOUND DAYBEACON 79  I will assign that name to the label.  The file has some categories like Day Beacon, Light, Lighted Buoy, Range Front Light, Range Rear light, etc.  I do not understand what any of these classificaitons are.  But I can easily split the file and have a different icon (not sure if the differnet icons will look different on the GPS) for each type.  Is there any need to have seperate icons for each type or is one icon with the name on it OK? 

The state has lots of neat stuff on thier GIS website and I am adding lots of stuff.  Right now I have all the nav aids as the same icon-but it is real easy to change them.  I will post a new version of My Trails sometime this evening for you to take a look at.

[jbensman]

I just uploaded a new version of My Trails that now includes FL.  Load it and FL Topo.  It will work as a transparent overlay.

Let me know if the 16,000 navigation bouys is what you wanted.  (I also added boat ramps and marinas)

Then see my previous message on if there is a need to have different icons for different kinds of markers. 

[vinnymail]

Wow, nice work. I'm trying to download/install all the maps now. hopefully i can get on the water this weekend and test them out.