GPS software?

[poohs4me]

Can anyone recommend GPS software for a laptop that will work on the ship?

 

[CSX2]

What would you use for a reciever/antenna?

You can buy a basic hand held GPS for a little over $100 (maybe less on sale) that should work anywhere in the world. It will give you basic position data and calculate speed. You can program waypoints and routes also.

Check out boating stores/catalogs, like West Marine or Boater's World, they have quite a variety.

If you spend a little more you can get one that allows you to load maps/nautical charts for specific areas. Then the display will show you as an icon on the map in addition to all the normal lat/long, speed, altitude etc.

My handheld has those capabilities and cost @ $400. The charts load for the Chesapeake Bay cost another $150.

 

[poohs4me]

I am not looking for anything fancy. I was thinking about the Earthmate GPS but it comes with street atlas which I do not believe would do what I wanted.

I also wanted to be able to track my position while commercially flying places.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Don't expect the GPS to work unless you are on the top deck. The ship's hull will block the signal. It was posible to get an ok signal from the verandah, but the best you ever get is 1/2 the sky (and even then you have to have it at the railing).

 

[CSX2]

Like HooKooDooKu said you need a clear view of the sky to get a good link with the satellites. I would think that this would be tough inside the metal tube of an airplane. There may even be a prohibition against using them but then again maybe not since they only receive and do not transmit.

As far as the ship is concerned, there is a station on the ship's TV system that constantly reports the ship's position, speed, sea state, etc. It also shows the ship on a map -- this is all the same type of data you would get from your GPS.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

I don't remember the position information they [edit: the ships' information channel] provide to be good enough for you to answer the question "what's that Island off our Port bow?". But with half a sky standing at the edge of the verandah, I could answer that question with my GPS (and its built-in map). Because so much of the sky was missing, I think theaccuracy was in the range of 100-300 feet, but more than enough to answer these fun sort of questions.