Yes for Vista. I haven't tested it in Windows 7 myself but customers say it works good. I cannot recommend upgrading to Vista on an
older computer. If you buy a new computer and all the peripherals
and programs you buy are Vista compatible, then you will be OK.
Migrating your old peripherals and old software to a Vista
machine is fraught with problems. You may have to buy new
printers, scanners, and productivity software to go with the new
operating system. I bought a Vista machine to test my software on
and spent more time on getting things to work with Vista than on
improving the program. I gave up and put Windows XP on it. You
can still get new computers with XP if you work at it. For
example, Dell has a business branch and those are sold with XP.
Vista can also cause some bizarre behavior. For example, I have
seen where the program cannot save a map it just created.
However, if there is a map already in the folder, it saves just
fine. Apparently you have to train Vista to recognize that it is
OK to have that type of file in the LoranGPS folder. Fortunately
I always ship a test map with the program.
If you used Loran Chains 9960 or 8970 and have noticed that
your waypoints were all off by 600 ft or so after 1/17/07 ,blame the
Department of Homeland Security not your Loran. On January 17,
2007, the DHS changed the way the loran stations work for these
chains and as a result, your observed 9960 waypoints were off by
about 0.5 us on the Xray line and 0.3 us on the Yankee line. See
the article: time_of-transmission.htm
. I have a fix for this situation starting in version 7.0. The DHS subtracted 0.5 us from the
9960Xray number and 0.3 us from the 9960Yankee number
Therefore, your waypoints taken after 1/17/07 will be off by
about this amount.
The program now has two entries for 9960 and 8970. For
example, there is 9960b for the before case and 9960a for the
after case. By making your User Preferences include both, you can
handle either case. You can also calibrate for either or both.
The General Lighthouse Authorities award a 15-year eLoran
contract to VT Communications
Published: May 2007
The General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) has
announced the award of a prestigious fifteen-year contract to VT
Communications (part of VT Group plc) for the provision of a
state-of-the-art enhanced Loran (eLoran) radionavigation service
to improve the safety of mariners in the UK and Ireland.
The first development phase of this contract, until 2010, will
build on existing successes and provide a focus for a European
agreement on eLoran service provision. This would then trigger
the start of the operational phase from 2010 onwards.
The Department for Transport is sharing the costs during the
development phase having recognised the broader potential of
Loran to improve the resilience of critical transport
infrastructure.
eLoran is intended to assist mariners navigating the complex and
crowded waters around our shores and those of our northern
European neighbours. It complements Global Navigation Satellite
Systems (GNSS) such as GPS and is entirely independent, allowing
users to retain the benefits of electronic positioning,
navigation and timing when satellite signals are disrupted.
This contract will see VT Communications develop a new Loran
station at its radio communications facility in Cumbria, UK. The
first signals from the Cumbrian eLoran station will be
transmitted on 1st October 2007 with a full trial service
launched in November 2007. The existing trial service will be
suspended by the end of July 2007.
VT Communications Managing Director, Doug Umbers says: VT
Communications is proud to be working with the GLAs to deliver
this critical service to their user community. This contract
demonstrates VT Communications unrivalled expertise in delivery
of the LF infrastructure and service provision projects,
providing the GLAs with a radically improved service.
We chose VT Communications because of its commitment to service
provision and its flexible approach to partnership , comments Dr
Sally Basker, the GLAs Director of Research and Radionavigation.
Over the last decade we have worked hard to reduce the overall
cost of service provision by 50% in real terms. e-Navigation is
the maritime sector s future: berth-to-berth navigation in the
digital world with its associated safety, security, environmental
and economic benefits. As we press ahead with e-Navigation,
eLoran provides the only way of maintaining our service levels
until 2020 without undue increases in cost or risk. eLoran will
help us to deliver a reliable, efficient and cost-effective Aids
to Navigation service for the benefit and safety of all mariners.
The Andren LoranGPS program automatically converts Loran to
Lat/Lon or Lat/Lon to Loran and saves both in the waypoints (aka
readings) file. If you enter both Loran and GPS for a
given spot, it is considered a calibration waypoint and no
conversions are performed on it. The conversion equations the
program uses were developed by the Navy years ago and are quite
complex, but they are the most accurate available.
The conversion accuracy approaches the basic accuracy of Loran
if you are using calibrated Additional Secondary Factors (ASFs).
ASFs could be called "land area" correction factors and
are used to compensate for the fact that the theoretical Loran
number (based on the speed of light over salt water) is a little different
from the Loran TD number you get on your Loran set. Land masses
of various wetness, mountains, power lines, and cities will delay the Loran
signals as they travel to you. This delay can change the observed
Loran number by as much as 5 microseconds and will cause the
Loran to Lat/Lon conversions to be less accurate than they could
otherwise be. The delay is, however, usually very stable and
repeatable over a many year period. So, old loran numbers are
still good. For a graphic example of what the correction
factors are and how they change over an area, check out the ASF
charts for the Gulf of Lawrence as provided by the Canadian Coast
Guard. Area3ASF_5930X.pdf, Area3ASF_5930Y.pdf, and Area3ASF_5930Z.pdf.
These charts illustrate that the corrections can get large in
some areas and depend on which loran slaves you are using. Look
at all three charts to see how the ASFs change and how much they
change over the area. Remember the ASFs are in microseconds, and
one microsecond of error is (approximately) 400 to 1200 ft
depending on the geometry of the lines. A description of how the
charts were created was presented in 1988 by David Gray at the
Wild Goose Association annual meeting: "ASF Chartlets, a Picture is Worth 1000 Numbers". For the ASF
tables covering the US, you can download our ASF display utility that is also a
part of the LoranGPS program.
Note that the conversions cannot get any more accurate than
the original Loran waypoints were. That is if the Loran waypoint
got you to within 70 feet, don't expect a converted waypoint to
be any better than that even if you use a WAAS GPS receiver to
find it. The LoranGPS program now comes pre-calibrated for
several popular areas. More areas are being added as data becomes
available from users who donate calibration waypoints. If you are
operating in one of the areas where pre-calibrated ASF tables
apply, then you will get good conversion accuracy without the
need of doing your own calibration. Calibration extends out about
40 miles from where the calibration data is available.
Image:
Many Loran and GPS sets have either a built in table of ASFs or provision for entering them. NOAA charts that show loran lines were usually corrected for ASFs but they did not give any clue as to the correction used. NOAA once published ASF tables that were the basis of the built-in tables we use. With the help of Point Systems Inc. we scanned them in and OCR'd them to make the tables the program uses. These tables cover many of the commonly used Loran chains, specifically: 5930, 5990, 7960, 7980, 8970, 9940, and 9960. These tables are reasonably accurate, but your own data can be better. The government tables were generated in the 1970s using Milligan's method. This consists of measuring, on a chart, how many miles of wet land, dry land, ocean, and cities the signal travels over for each point and then calculating the delay with Milligan's formula. For you, the most accurate method for determining the ASF factors is to calculate them based on local reference points for which you know the both the accurate LAT/LON (preferably taken from a Differential or WAAS GPS) and the Loran numbers taken with a real Loran set. Enter both the GPS and Loran numbers as you enter your waypoints. Do this for many spots over a broad area to get the best results. Once you have entered the data, run the calibration routine.
Land based reference points are not desirable since the ASFs change rapidly near shore. Indeed, the government ASF tables do not cover land areas. A DGPS or WAAS waypoint is the best source of Lat/Lon, whereas a standard GPS waypoint is little better than Loran in accuracy. DGPS and WAAS can provide 15 ft. accuracy where it is available. Whether or not you use non differential GPS, take several waypoints so that the program can average the ASFs calculated from them and the Loran numbers and get better results.
When using the Loran program to convert Loran chain numbers, it is possible to achieve an accuracy of better than 0.2 microseconds for "C" waypoints (about 100 ft.) and 2 microseconds for old "A" numbers. Keep in mind that the old "A" numbers were never very accurate to begin with and the calculations do not improve on that accuracy even if they are carried out to lots of decimal places. The same caution applies to Loran C waypoints.
Care should also be exercised when comparing our LAT/LON conversions with those of your Loran or GPS or other sources such as published lists and maps. Only if they are using the same ASFs and the same formulas will they be in close agreement. Only if the source specifically says that these were measured with both a GPS and a Loran can they be trusted. Since different Loran or GPS sets may use different ASFs and different methods of calculating, they will not necessarily agree with this program, other Loran sets or a GPS. Some older Lorans and plotters used simplified conversion formulas that have a significant error when used near the loran stations. For this reason, most fishermen preferred to record waypoints by their Loran numbers rather then by computed LAT/LON. GPS waypoints are in LAT/LON and are very accurate providing that you use Differential GPS (DGPS) or Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).
To recap, the reason ASFs are needed is that the Loran waypoints you get at any point differ from the theoretical predictions by an amount that depends on how far over land and over water the signal travels getting to you. Basically, this means that the signals do not travel at the speed of light in a straight line, as radio waves should, but travel somewhat slower and curve around the Earth. As they travel over the Earth's surface (which is slightly conductive), they are slowed down. The equations used in this program are corrected for an all sea water path. The Additional Secondary Factors (ASFs) provide the additional corrections for propagation over dry and moist land, lakes and cities.
For further information on Loran C and the conversion issues for US and Canadian waters, see: Canadian Coast Guard Radio Navigation This site offers information on radio aids to marine navigation and part 6 is on Loran C and has the charts of coverage and ASFs. Readers are cautioned that the accuracy tables therein show what you would get if you did not use ASF corrections. Another reference for Europe is: New ways of looking at Loran-C ASFs .
We cannot recommend calibrating your conversions based on data taken from dubious sources or over land, so be sure that calibration waypoints are from real measurements at sea.
If you have waypoints falling in areas where no ASF tables exist, then you will see an increased error in the conversions. You will also see a note at the top of the screen indication that no ASF table was found (for some waypoints). If the ASFs for that area are, for example, 2 microseconds and the Loran line spacing is 10 microseconds per mile, then you will have an error of 1/5 mile if 0 is used for the ASFs. In this case, you can use the single ASF per file method of applying ASFs and that will eliminate most of the error. Here, you set the ASFs for the whole file area. You can use the nearest good ASF from the tables or you can derive the ASFs by calibrating on some known reference points in the area. It is good practice to keep these waypoints in a separate file from those that fall in areas where the calibrated ASF tables exist. The ASF examiner will show you what tables do exist (or you can check the graphic link below), so you can make that determination. Also, the program shows a warning when, during conversions, it encounters waypoints in a file falling outside the area covered by the tables. One other aspect of this problem is that if waypoints fall very close to the boundary between an area having ASF tables and one that does not, then the conversions may fail. If you get a file where some points just do not convert, then sort the file by latitude and split out those points that did not convert along with any that fell outside the tables completely. Then change the conversion method for the file with the bad points to use "one ASF per file" and recalculate the Lat/Lon. This file of points can then be recombined with the rest as long as you do not do a "recalculate LL" or calibration on the file afterwards.
The file structure used by the LoranGPS program is based on dBASE III which is a very widely recognized data base structure. This program, however, is not tolerant of variations in the file structure. If you have a data base of waypoints in some other form and want to import it into the LoranGPS program use the built-in import routines described here or use the EXCEL technique described at the end of this section. If you can restructure your file to have the LoranGPS dBASE structure, then use the normal File_Open routine. In Version 7.0 three more fields were added to improve the ability to handle data imported from GPSs. Older versions of the LoranGPS program that use DOS have a different file structure but it is recognized by the normal File_Open routine. Version 6.x files will be automatically updated for the three new fields as they are opened for the first time.
If you have a Garmin, Lowrance, Eagle, Furuno, Magellan, NorthStar, Sea-Nav, Simrad, or Raymarine GPS, you should be able to use the built-in upload/download or import/export capability of the program in lieu of using another program to upload and download the GPS. Most new GPSs have the ability to load and save the waypoints as files onto a memory card of the SD, FP and CF varieties. The program has import/export utilities to handle most of these files. The following list shows the GPS track Plotters known to be compatible with this program.
GPS Track Plotters: C-Map XML or userimg.bin for any GPS that uses C-Map cards Eagle USR Furuno GP30 serial cable connection Furuno DMX Furuno NavNet 2 RAT/ROU or BIN Furuno NavNet VX-2-3D CSV Garmin serial cable connection Garmin/Mapsource GDB or MPS Garmin USERDATA.ADM Lowrance USR, WS1 Magellan serial cable connection Northstar NMEA NTI or userimg.bin Northstar 941 series serial cable connection Raytheon NMEA WPL Raymarine archive.fsh Raymarine TXT Raymarine Waypoint File RWF Simrad userimg.bin Simrad USR, XML Sitex userimg.bin Standard Horizon NMEA WPL
Using this capability, you can move your waypoints between brands and models when upgrading your GPS. An attempt is made to match Icons between brands, but this cannot be guaranteed.
If, however, you are trying to work with another program or data source to import or export data, this list shows other the programs that handle waypoints and that the LoranGPS can exchange data with.
Programs and file types ASCII (pure text in CSV format) with selectable fields C-Map PC Planner Garmin PCX5 Gardown10 G7TOWIN GPSUtility GPX Humminbird PC Loran Locator LX or AX Lowrance GDM6, LS1 MaxSea (for Furuno) Mapsource MPS, GDB for Garmin Maptech marks.rec or mark32.txt NMEA GLL, RMC, GGA, GLC, WPL, RMA, CLF, NTI, and FEC Northstar WinDBLoad Offshore Hunter text export Ozi-Explorer DMX P-SEA WindPlot Raytech Navigator XML Others; using GPS Babel
The following are the details on each file type.
IMPORT TEXT (ASCII) (pure text, comma or tab delimited) The TEXT import routines accept files with many different organizations. A dialog is available to let you select the fields and specify where the fields in the file should go. That is, it lets you map the source data to the LoranGPS fields.
The program will show all files (*.*) in the file selection box since the name and extension of the TEXT file can be anything. The structure of these files is called comma delimited and have the name Comma Separated Variable (CSV), which means that all fields are separated by commas (or TABs). A useable file might have rows of data like:
M73 reef, 14235.6, 44123.4, 28 34.567, 83 27.765, " ****", "this is the greatest ledge ever " , 65ft
This would map to: Name, Loran TDs, Lat/Lon, Rating, Description, Depth.
Be aware that extraneous commas can prevent proper reading of the file, so make sure that your text fields do not have commas in them. When importing, you need to identify what fields are in the file and in what order. The import function allows you to easily specify this format. As an aid, the routine shows what a typical line in the file looks like (see above). Remember however, the latitude and longitude must be in a standard form. Some sources put the degrees and minutes in separate columns. This will not do. The program will only accept lat/lon as either dd.dddd, ddmm.mmm, dd mm.mmm, or dd mm ss.ss formats. Symbols for degrees and minutes and N/S indicators are OK. If loran TDs are in the imported file, the original source data is assumed to be loran but you can change that. If loran TDs are not in the file, the data is assumed to be GPS.
Import C-Map files Quite a few GPSs use C-Map cartography and those usually have the capability to save files to the map card in this format. For these units that use C-Map cartography, you can use this program to import/export waypoints to them. For those units using an SD card, the import/export routines will read or write the data to the card. The file is named userimg.bin and is a binary file with the capability of having multiple (up to 60) sub files within the same file. The import routine will show the multiple sub files, if they exist, and allow you to select one or more to import. Each time you save your waypoints to the card with the GPS or PC-Planner, it creates a new sub file. On exporting from the LoranGPS program, only one sub file will be exported. That is, it will delete those earlier sub files. If the unit uses the C-card memory card, then you will have to use the C-Map software PC-Planner to read and write the files. These cards do not have suitable non-proprietary readers available.
IMPORT Garmin The latest Garmin track plotters and combo units use an SD card for maps and data transfer. This makes it very easy to get your data into and out of a Garmin. This has been verified to date on GPSmap 440s, 545s, 4208, and 5212s. Garmin stores waypoints by name, so no two names can be alike. To get waypoints from Garmin GPS to PC: 1. In GPS save waypoints to the SD card by: Home>Information>User Data>Data Transfer>Card>Save to Card 2. Remove card from GPS and insert into PC card reader 3. In LoranGPS, go to Tools>Import File>Garmin>Garmin USERDATA.ADM 4. Navigate to the SD card and fetch the file. 5. done The program can also read and write the GDB files found on CF memory cards, but you need a CF card reader on your computer. Some 76C models do have an SD card, but it is not used for data transfer.
IMPORT Garmin Mapsource Some people prefer to use MapSource by Garmin to upload and download their receivers. In Mapsource, the menu items are: Transfer>Send to Device or Transfer>Receive from Device. If you want or have to use Mapsource to do the upload/download, the Andren LoranGPS program can read/write files that work with Mapsource. That is, you can save GPX or GDB files with Mapsource (using Save As) that the program can import/export. In addition, Garmin has an older program called PCX5 (PC software kit) that could download and upload a variety of old Garmin GPS receivers. The program can read and write these PCX5 waypoint (and GPX) files and Mapsource can also read PCX5 (and GPX) files. So, to get files from the program to Mapsource, just export them as GDB or GPX waypoint format and then open them in Mapsource (Hint, use: Files of Type).
IMPORT GPX This is a GPS exchange format found on the internet. Garmin, Furuno MaxSea, and others have embraced this form in their programs. You can import/export data in this format.
IMPORT Lowrance/Eagle The LoranGPS program can directly upload and download these GPSs through a serial cable. It will also handle the *.USR files found on the memory card of those GPSs. If you have an older GPS that this routine will not work on, Lowrance, has an obsolete program called WS-1 (PC interface kit) that can download and upload the older variety of their GPS receivers. This import routine can read/write the WS-1 files and extract the way point information.
IMPORT/EXPORT to FURUNO (NAVNET) There are two basic ways to transfer data to and from most GPSs. Serial cable connection was the way most older GPSs were interfaced. This requires a direct cable connection between the PC and GPS. This is sometimes complicated by lack of a serial port on the PC necessitating a USB to serial converter. More recently the use of the memory chip or card has become the preferred way as it does not require that the PC and GPS be brought together. It is also easier and in some cases allows at-sea changes in the loaded waypoints without a PC present.
Waypoint transfer from a Furuno GPS to PC for the GP30 line of products must be done via serial cable (7 pin cable (Furuno part # 000-145-612) to serial connector). You may have to solder on the serial connector to make this cable. Use the Furuno loader supplied with the LoranGPS program to effect the transfer. It creates a file in the DMX form that can be imported/exported by the LoranGPS program.
Waypoint transfer from a Furuno GP1650/1850, Furuno NavNet, or GP7000 to PC can be done via serial or by utilizing a memory card in either FP or SD format. The GP1650/1850 cable is a 7 pin cable (Furuno part # 000-136-730) to serial connector. There is a pre-made cable FUR-DWN-CBL. The Furuno NavNet and GP7000 cable is a 7 pin cable (Furuno part # 000-154-028) to serial connector. Gthere is also a pre-made cable NET-DWN-CBL)
To make the hardware connection to your computer from your GP32, you should follow the wiring instructions in your operator's manual. If you have lost your manual, it is available on Furuno's web site under manuals and documents. There isn't a pre-made cable made for the GP32 because the serial connector must be wired to your existing power/data cable.
To use an FP card (as opposed to an SD card) you must be using C-Map PC Planner software and card reader to read and write the card as it uses a proprietary format not recognized by a PC. The LoranGPS can handle the *.UP.WPL format of PC Planner.
Using an SD card is easier as you may insert it directly into any SD card reader. Some laptops come with a built-in SD card reader. The Furuno GPS will read or write two files on the card named: "GP1650B.ROU" and "GP1650B.RAT". These are the default file names. The LoranGPS program can import and export these files directly, so the transfer of data is very easy. If you want to have two or more files available to load in your GPS at sea, you can take several cards along.
Instructions for the GP1650 navnet units.
To load data into a NavNet VX2 GPS assuming files named GP1650B.ROU and GP1650B.RAT are on an SD card use the following string of commands. B stands for Button, SK for soft key, and T stands for track ball or rocker. Key name B Menu SK System Configuration SK Data Transfer SK Upload/Download data SK Load data from memory card T Dn, Dn (to turn waypoints "ON") SK Edit T Up B Enter SK Load B Enter B Enter B Menu
Do the same for saving, but choose Save instead of Load.
This operation will replace all waypoints in the GPS with the new ones. This is the only way to delete more that one waypoint at a time. If for example, you wanted to delete all waypoints, you have two options. You can do a reset and lose all personalized setup information along with the waypoints, or load a file with just one waypoint and then delete it.
MaxSea Planner transfers (SD card) If you want to use Furuno's free software to assist in the transfer,do the following:
First, set up the device identity. Go to Route>Device Upload/Download>Configuration and pick the last transfer protocol: Furuno SD Card. Finally, push Next and Finish. Now the software is set to do all uploading and downloading via the card.
To read what is on the card (download GPS) go again to Route>Device Upload>Download>Download from GPS. This will bring up a screen that allows you to show it where the SD card is in a browse window. Open up My Computer and then click on Secure digital storage device. Then push OK. The data from the GPS should then appear on the screen if you are scrolled to the right area. You can see a list of the data by using the menus: Display>Center>Waypoints. Don't ask why. Verify that your waypoints have been captured either on the map or the listing. Now, use the menu commands: Route>Export and you get a Save As screen that allows you to save the file as a GPX file in a location of your choice. Put it into the C:\LoranGPS folder with an appropriate name like: "Furuno-download-070831.GPX". In the LoranGPS program go to File>Open File. Change the Files-of-Type to all files (*.*). The Furuno file should show up and you can double click on it to open it. The TDs columns will be unfilled. If you want them filled with computed loran TDs, go to Tools>Convert loran and pick the appropriate loran chain. You can now combine this data with any other file if you want and otherwise manage the data. If you are not planning to change what is in the GPS, then I would suggest you print the listings and charts of this data so you have a hard copy of what is in the GPS.
You can take any LoranGPS file and export it to a GPX file format and reverse the above procedure. Keep in mind how many waypoints will fit into the GPS and how you want it organized.
C-MAP PC Planner transfers (FP card) In PC-Planner we use the File>File Manager function. This form shows two panel pairs with transfer arrows between them as shown below.
C-Map screen
HTML clipboard
We can set each panel to the appropriate location to do a
transfer. For example, the above figure shows us ready to
transfer a file from the LoranGPS program to the PC_Planner
memory (internal database). Files for PC_Planner have a strange
naming convention. They have a name followed by .UP.XML. Once
files are in the PC_Planner memory, they can then be transferred
to the FP card. In navigating on this screen, the folder with two
dots following it is an old style shortcut meaning go up one
level in the directory tree.
Naming conventions
Furuno uses the following naming conventions. The short name in
the GPS is 6 characters long and there can be no duplicates. The
only allowed characters are those that can be entered from the
keyboard of the GPS. These include the numbers and upper case
letters. The only punctuation allowed is the hyphen, the
underscore, and the pound sign. With these facts in mind, the
LoranGPS program will go through a file and make sure there are
no duplicates, replacing any non allowed characters by allowed
ones. Spaces, for example are filled with hyphens. I use these as
they are the only common punctuation across brands such as
Furuno, Garmin, Lowrance, Raymarine, and Humminbird.
When you export a file from LoranGPS, you will be using the Name
field for the GPS short name. The Name field can be derrived from
the first N characters of either the Description or the Comments.
In these cases, you can check a box to avoid duplicates. Some
GPSs allow duplicates but not Furuno. Alternatively, you can use
the waypoint number assigned by LoranGPS. I prefer this latter
choice since I can then coordinate my book with the display in
the GPS more easily. If the file to be exported is longer than
will fit in the GPS, it can be split on exporting. As an example,
my file is 2563 waypoints and only 1000 will fit. So, I split it
as the first 950 in one file, the middle 950 in another and the
last 950 in a third. This gives me about 200 waypoint overlap
between files and leaves 50 waypoints free for at-sea capture.
So, you ask, how can I put these three files on the SD card if
they are all named the same? The answer is to load three or more
cards. Then label the cards as to their contents. These cards can
be pretty small and therefore cheap as the files are small. Old
camera cards will do.
To upload to the GPS, go again to Route>Device
Upload>Download>Upload to GPS. This will bring up a screen
that allows you to show it where the SD card is in a browse
window. Open up My Computer and then click on Secure digital
storage device. Then push OK.
Problems
John McWhite has discovered an issue with the new Furuno Vx2 GPS
plotters. They will not transfer the total number of waypoints
written to a chip. There is no pattern to it as they have tested
multiple units. Everything is right on the chip, and the
conversions made by the LoranGPS software work in other units --
1650, 1850, and GP-7000 units. Seems those Vx2 units running
software versions ending in 07 have this transfer issue. If you
have this problem, check Furuno for a version ending in 08.
GP7000 transfers
The Furuno GP7000 uses a file structure with the file name
userimg.bin (developed by C-Map). This unit can store 2000
waypoints. The maximum length of the Name is 12 characters and
for the Comments is 13. You have a choice of 8 colors and 16
icons. For the SD and CF card types, you can use the
Furuno>GP7000 import/export capability. Keep in mind that the
names should be unique. Colors and icons will be translated to
the program's set as applicable.
IMPORT LORAN LOCATOR
The program imports the files of the obsolete LORAN LOCATOR
program in either the original version (LX) or the advanced
(AX50) version. The Loran Locator has not been available for many
years due to the death of its' creator. These files will have one
of the following types of names: LOCATION.DAT or: LX50BOOK.DAT
where the [DAT] may be replaced by a user specified three
characters. You may have to use RECALCULATE LAT/LON after
importing to get the Lat/Lon fields filled.
IMPORT MAPTECH
The program will import either the MARKS.REC files or the
Mark32.txt export files of RESOLUTION MAPPING's NAV PRO or
MAPTECH programs. The Symbol, Event fields are placed into the
RATING field, the Date and Number are placed into the DATECODE
field, and the Time field is put in the comments field.
IMPORT NMEA 183
NMEA standard text sentence structures like: GCL, GLL, GGA, WPL,
and RMC from standard LORAN and GPS receivers have navigation
information that is of interest. If these data outputs are put
into a file on the disk, they can be imported into this program.
The basic data is Lat/Lon and is placed into the L/L fields. Some
of the other information is placed into the RATING, DESCRIPTION
and COMMENTS fields as appropriate.
IMPORT NorthStar PNTI
One NMEA proprietary sentence structure "PNTI" is
output and input by Northstar's DB_UNLOD.EXE and by the 6000i
GPS. These data outputs are downloaded to a file that can be
imported into the program. The basic data is Lat/Lon and is
placed into the L/L fields. The NorthStar 962 uses a proprietary
file structure that is not handled by this program. You can use
NorthStar's own software to save waypoints to a file, but that
file is not readable by our program. Those Northstar units that
use C-Map cards can use the C-Map transfer method described
earlier.
For the 6000i, the file name must be:"nstar_db.dat"
. In addition, you should also keep in mind that most GPSs do not
like very large capacity cards. So, in this case, do not use a
card over 2 GBytes in size. A 128 MByte card is way more than
enough to fit the data.
IMPORT Northstar M series
This unit is basically a Navman GPS rebranded. For those units
using an SD card, the import/export routines will read or write
the data to the card. The file is named userimg.bin and is a
binary file with the capability of having multiple (up to 60) sub
files within the same file. The import routine will show the
multiple sub files, if they exist, and allow you to select one or
more to import. Each time you save your waypoints to the card, it
creates a new sub file. On exporting from the program, only one
sub file will be exported. That is, it will delete those earlier
sub files.
Those Northstar units that use proprietary C-Map cards can use
the C-Map transfer method described earlier.
IMPORT Offshore Hunter
The program will import the text file export of Offshore Hunter.
These are comma separated variable (CSV) files.
IMPORT P-SEA WINDPLOT
The program will import the older MARKPNTS.DAT files of this program.
It places the first 32 bytes of the 71 byte description into the
DESCRIPTION field and the rest into the COMMENTS field. It places
four parameters, comma delimited, after the description. These
are the RBon, Symbol, and two numbers. You can add to this file
using LORAN TDs which will be converted to Lat/Lon. We recommend
also writing TDs in the description field so they will be
retained if the file is later exported to the P-SEA program. You
need not be overly concerned with the five parameters following
the description as they can be fixed in the P-SEA program if
needed. The color white is shown as dark gray. Be advised that files of over 32500 waypoints cannot be imported.
IMPORT RAYMARINE
We have incorporated the C/E series format (ARCHIVE.FSH), which
is a proprietary protocol. The program can import and export this
file structure for direct import/export to those units that use
SD cards. If that does not work for some reason, you can work
with the RayTech Navigator Utility's RWF file export. Use
TOOLS>Import/Export Routes and Waypoints>export to
File>Export to Raymarine Waypoint File to save as a file in
the Raymarine Waypoint style. Then use LoranGPS TOOLS>Import
file>Raymarine RWF and import the file.
IMPORT Raytheon
One NMEA 183 standard sentence structure "WPL" is
output and input by Raytheon NAV 398 receivers. If these data
outputs are put into a file on the disk, they can be imported
into this program.
IMPORT OTHER
Through the use of the GPSBabel utility, a large variety of GPS
data formats can be converted from one to another. Of these, the
GPX format is a good one to use to get the data into the LoranGPS
program. A copy of GPSbabel is included with the program. Those
GPS units that use C-Map cards can use the C-Map transfer method
described earlier.
EXPORT FILES
The LoranGPS program will export files which can be imported by
the routines listed above. It will export NMEA in only the
Raytheon and NorthStar varieties.
In all the exports that target loading waypoints into a GPS,
an Export Options dialog comes up to help you select what is to
be exported. The first choice is how many waypoints to export
assuming that the file has more than the GPS can hold and the
second is whether or not to include the reference Inlet.
For Garmin/Mapsource exporting, assuming you don't want to use
the direct upload/download capability, you would use the
userdata.adm, GDB, MPS, or GPX capability. The Garmin software
will alphabetically sort your file and will reject any duplicated
names.
For Eagle/Lowrance if you do not use the built-in uploading
capability, you can create USR files to write to an MMC/SD card.
EXPORT OTHER
Through the use of the GPSBabel utility, a large variety of GPS
data formats can be converted from one to another. Of these, the
GPX format is a good one to use to get the data into the LoranGPS
program. A copy of GPSbabel is included with the program.
USING EXCEL TO TRANSFER DATA
If you cannot easily format your data into comma separated
variable text files, you can use Microsoft Excel (2003 or
earlier) to transfer data from any data base into a LoranGPS
file. When importing and exporting data with EXCEL or any other
program which recognize dBASE files, the following considerations
should be understood. The LoranGPS program uses the universally
recognized dBASE format for its files but does not have the
format flexibility of the more general purpose data base
programs. It will refuse to load them if there are not 11 or 14
fields of the expected type and the expected order. Additionally,
Excel does not seem to handle the file length right and sometimes
loses the decimal places unless you reformat the columns.
For this operation, you do not use the regular LoranGPS Import
routines but instead paste the information into the right kind of
file using EXCEL. The easiest procedure for importing is to have
the LoranGPS program make and save a sacrificial file with at
least as many waypoints as you are importing. You can Combine the
test file with itself repeatedly in order to get a big enough
file. This insures that the structure of the file is correct and
it is big enough to hold all the data. Then open this file with
EXCEL. In Excel, you will need to change the file type to dBASE
(*.DBF) in the "list files of type" part of its' open
file dialog box. Also open the source file that has the data you
want to import. Then copy the data from the source file columns
and paste it into the columns of this LoranGPS file. Start at the
second row as the first row is used by the LoranGPS program for
file specific data that is not displayed. This is the data
normally found in the File Properties dialog. Do not overwrite
the first row! You can correct the data in the first row if
necessary. Use the Window menu to toggle between the files. If
you do not have data for the Latitude and Longitude or Loran TDs
fields (or any other fields for that matter), erase what is there
to leave them empty. The minimum fields (columns) required for a
waypoint are the Lat & Lon, or TD1 & TD2 and Chain. All
other fields can be blank or filled in. Erase any information
that you do not want in the new file. After you have cut and
pasted the field information into the LoranGPS dBASE file, you
should fill in the Chain column with the appropriate numbers. Use
0 for Lat/Lon entries, a number from 1 to 8 for TD entries and a
double digit number like 92 for simultaneous loran and GPS
numbers (calibration data). Once the file has your data added,
highlight the columns that have numbers in them like TDs or
Lat/Lon. Then go to Format>Cells>numbers and make sure it
has sufficient decimal places. Then close the file in EXCEL and
open it with the LoranGPS program to verify that it is all there.
Note that if the numbers being pasted into the number columns
have a leading blank or space, they will probably be treated by
Excel as text and will not behave right. Note: Excel 2007 will
not save the file in dBase form so you will need an earlier
program. If the Lat/Lon fields are blank or wrong, you can
calculate them using TOOLS>RECALCULATE LAT/LON. If the TD
fields are blank or wrong, you can calculate them with
TOOLS>CONVERT LORAN. First, however, make sure the center Lat
& Lon are right in the file header by checking FILE>FILE
PROPERTIES. If the newly created file is longer than the imported
information, trim it using FILE>SPLIT or just delete the extra
waypoints one by one.
Remember: EXCEL may not keep the "number of records"
indicator adjusted correctly. This is the reason we recommend
that you start with a file at least as big as the number of
records you are going to import. In addition, Excel sometimes
deletes the fractional part of Loran TDs or Lat/Lons. To prevent
this, make sure that the format of these columns is
"number" and that it has the appropriate number of
decimal places.
An alternative to direct manipulation of the data into a DBF
file is to use Excel to export the data to a comma delimited text
form known as CSV. You would pick the data to be exported and
create a file in a handy location. Since the file is to be comma
delimited, it must not contain extra commas. Use the Replace
function to change any commas to spaces. The latitude and
longitude must be in a standard form. Some sources put the
degrees and minutes in separate columns. This will not do. The
program will only accept lat/lon as either dd.dddd, ddmm.mmm, dd
mm.mmm, or dd mm ss.ss formats. Extra characters normally found
in Lat/Lon are OK. For example, there might be N and W characters
to indicate North latitude and West Longitude or degree and
minute characters. The program can handle them. When you are sure
that the formatting is OK, use the LoranGPS program to import it
as a text file. When doing so, you need to identify what fields
are in the file and in what order. The import function allows you
to easily specify this format. There are three selections for
unknowns and they will be added to the Comments field. As an aid,
the routine shows what a typical line in the file looks like. If
the first selection is not typical, you can try another line.
What does the Northstar upload/download
utility do?
The NorthStar loader is intended to upload and download waypoint
files to and from NorthStar GPS's like the 941/951/9000i. It is a
program that is used by the LoranGPS program as a utility. It can
create a dBase III file of the downloaded waypoints in the format
of the Andren LoranGPS program. It can also take such a dBase
file and upload it to the NorthStar. To use it you will need a
NorthStar loader cable supplied by NorthStar or created by a
technician. See below for details.
It is our understanding that NorthStar has not included the
capability to directly connect a PC to their model 961. They are
relying on the use of a flash memory card to transfer data to and
from their unit. Make sure that the NorthStar model you have can
talk directly to a PC and can be uploaded and downloaded via a
cable to a PC. The flash card should be able to use the NorthStar
export file.
Rules of operation
Several peculiarities of the Northstar must be taken into account
to understand what will happen to your data.
The Northstar stores waypoints by NAME in alphabetical
order. Names are the search key for the Northstar. This
means that no two NAMEs can be the same. NAMEs are 6
characters long and follow certain rules.
Saved waypoints' NAMEs begin with a dash and have a
specific description generated by the unit
NAMEs that are only 4 characters long are associated with
saved routes.
On downloading, the names of the waypoints will be used
as first 6 characters of the Comments field and can be
re-uploaded later.
If, on uploading, the "use Comments for Name"
box is not checked or the Comments are blank, the
Northstar loader program will create NAMEs that are the
waypoint number in your LoranGPS list. i.e. 001, 002,
003,…….999
This will keep the waypoints in the same order as your
printed list and look good on the display.
However, if there are residual waypoints in the
Northstar, the waypoint numbers will start at that number
and increment upwards from there.
If, on uploading, the "use Comments for Name"
box is checked, the Northstar loader program will attempt
to use the first 6 characters to make the NAMES. If the
field is blank, it will revert to the numbering procedure
above.
All names and descriptions must be in upper case. The
program will convert them if they are not. Characters not
available from the Northstar's keyboard are removed
before uploading to the NorthStar to avoid problems.
The uploader will use the first 16 characters of the
LoranGPS description as the waypoint description.
The downloader will store the avoidance radius as the
second 6 characters of the Comments field. On uploading,
if the data in the Comments field is a number from 0.01
to 1.00, it will use that as the avoidance radius.
The NorthStar does not report symbols associated with the
waypoint to the program, so they are lost in the
translation.
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Setting Up
The NorthStar must be set up to see the proper communications
port. Remember to record any changes you make to the
configuration so that you can undo them later to restore the GPS
to its original configuration.
Push the star (*) key enough times to see the "User
Customization" or "Port Setup" tab
Push the Port Setup Options tab and go to the RS232
Setup; edit
Set the RS232 port to Copy Port 1
Connect the interface cable to the computer's serial
port. (COM1 or COM2)
Note: you will not see the waypoint indicator on the
NorthStar change immediately during the uploading process
unless you cycle the view to refresh the screen. If you
wait, it will catch up eventually.
Running the Program.
The program starts when called from the LoranGPS
program's Tools>Upload>Download>NorthStar
selection. You normally enter as either uploading or
downloading.
Select the COM port. Sometimes the mouse is on COM1 on a
desktop computer unless it uses a PS-2 mouse so try COM2
too.
The very first step should be to download what is in the
NorthStar to save it. You will see the waypoints being
downloaded on the monitor screen. This program creates a
file called "north2logps.dbf" and then waits
for further instructions. Quit the NorthStar loader to
return to the LoranGPS program.
For Downloading from the Northstar to the PC:
The steps of operation are as follows: First the LoranGPS
program halts and runs the NorthStar loader program. The
NorthStar loader program reads the waypoints from the GPS
and creates a file called: north2logps.dbf. Then the user
quits the NorthStar loader and control returns to the
LoranGPS program. You un-halt the LoranGPS program
which then opens the file. You should "Save
As" the file to a different name after you are done.
If any of the waypoints were stored as a loran number, be
sure to set the Loran Chain for the LoranGPS. The Loran
Chain is an artificially selected number from 1 to 8 that
only has meaning to the Andren Software Co. LoranGPS
program and your selection of Loran chain stations.
For Uploading from the PC to the Northstar:
The steps of operation are as follows: First the LoranGPS
program saves the current file to the disk as:
logps2north.dbf. It then halts and runs the NorthStar
loader program. The NorthStar loader program reads the
file and writes the waypoints to the GPS. Then the user
quits the NorthStar loader and control returns to the
LoranGPS program.
You may either clear the waypoint storage and add all new
waypoints or just add more waypoints (ADD/REPLACE) to
what is already there. Remember that if any of the new
waypoints have identical NAMES to the existing ones, the
old one will be replaced.
You can upload the waypoints as loran or Lat/Lon by
checking the box. If you upload as loran, the Northstar
will calculate the Lat/Lon itself and that may differ
slightly from the LoranGPS program's conversion. If you
upload as Lat/Lon, the process will use the LoranGPS
program's value for the Lat/Lon.
When uploading as loran, the Northstar needs to be
informed of the GRI or Group Repetition Interval of the
loran numbers. Set the GRI to the appropriate number. For
example, the Southeast US uses GRI number 7980.
If a number (0.01 to 1.00) is found in the second 6
characters of the Comments field it will be used as the
avoidance radius.
When you are done, return the NorthStar back to its original
configuration if necessary.
The cable to connect a PC and NorthStar looks like:
You can get bathy charts for
free from: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/maps/nos_intro.html . However, these, while the same or
improved charts from the ones previously seen here, are a
slightly different format and not compatible with the program.
You can view them instead with a free: MrSidViewer. The capability to work with these
charts in the program is in the planning stage. However, while
they are good for identifying good areas to explore, they are
cluttered with so many lines that they tend to obscure the
waypoints. For that reason, I generally tend to use the simple
charts for my own book.
What Loran chain do I use?
For the USA, the Loran system covers most of North America as
shown below. Loran chains are represented by the Group Repetition
Interval (GRI). This represents the period between radio pulse
groups sent by the master and slave stations in the chain. For
example, the Southeast is covered by the 7980 chain. This chain
radiates pulses every 79,800 microseconds.
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A chain consists of a master station and from 2 to 5 slave
stations. The stations are located hundreds of miles apart and
provide coverage up to 1000 miles. For example, the 7980 chain is
served by a master in Malone FL, and 4 slaves in Grangeville LA,
Raymondville TX, Jupiter FL, and Carolina Beach NC. They are
known as the Wiskey, Xray, Yankee, and Zulu slaves. You need to
use two slaves to get a fix. So, on the East coast between
Jupiter and Carolina Beach, you would use the 7980Y and 7980Z
slaves.
LORAN-C COVERAGE GUIDE
Anomalies do exist in certain areas regarding the selection of
a pair of stations. Local knowledge may suggest that a pair,
other than those indicated below, are the stronger pair.
THE GREAT LAKES
The 9960 chain gives the best coverage in Lake Ontario and in
Lake Erie. 9960W and 9960Z is the preferred pair in Lake Ontario.
9960Y and 9960Z is the preferred pair in Lake Erie.
8970X and 8970Y is the only reliable pair for Lake Superior
and Lake Michigan.
Lake Huron falls in the coverage area of both the Great Lakes
Chain (8970) and the Northeast Chain (9960). 8970X and 8970Y is
the preferred pair but the 9960W and 9960Y pair also provides
strong coverage in the southern part of the lake.
THE NORTHEAST COAST
The preferred coastal LORAN-C pair from the Canadian Border to
Nantucket Island is 9960W and 9960X, close to shore. 9960W and
9960Y give reliable coverage further off-shore.
THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST
From Nantucket to Cape Hatteras, NC, the preferred pair is
9960X and 9960Y.
THE SOUTHEAST COAST
From Cape Hatteras to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. the preferred pair
is 7980Y and 7980Z.
There is some overlapping coverage between the Northeast chain
(9960) and the Southeast Chain (7980). South of Cape Fear, N.C.
to Brunswick, Georgia, 9960X and 9960Y can be used offshore.
Closer inshore from Cape Fear to St. Catherine's Island, GA.,
9960Y and 9960Z is the preferred pair.
SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE GULF COAST
From Fort Lauderdale around to Cape Sable the preferred pair
is 7980W and 7980Z. 7980W and 7980Y provide the most reliable
coverage along the entire west coast of Florida from Cape Sable
to Panama City.
From Panama City to Mobile, Alabama, the preferred pair is
7980X and 7980Y.
In the western Gulf of Mexico from Mobile to Grangeville,
Louisiana, the preferred pairs are 7980W and 7980X. From
Grangeville to Brownsville Texas, the preferred pair is 9610Y and
9610Z.
THE WEST COAST
5990Y and 5990Z is the preferred pair from the Canadian Border
along the Washington State Coast down to about 44 degrees
latitude (along the Northern Coast of Oregon). 5990X and 5990Z
give a strong fix further off the Washington and Oregon Coast.
Off the southern portion of the Oregon Coast and the extreme
northern portion of the California coastline, 9940W and 9940X
provide the best intersections.
9940W and 9940Y are the preferred pair along the northern
California Coast to just below San Francisco. 9940X and 9940Y is
the best pair off the coast of southern California.
OBSOLETE CHAINS
If you have really old data, it is possible that the waypoints
are from a now obsolete chain. For example, from 1966 to 1978,
the East and South East US was covered by the 9930 chain. Data on
this chain is available in the program and it can be converted to
Lat/Lon. Some other obsolete loran C chains are lost in antiquity
and insufficient data is available for them. During that time,
the Loran system was in transition and they were experimenting
with the setup or were stretching the capability to cover more
area with the fewer transmitting stations they had.
For Loran A coverage, consult the following graphic:
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Loran A used two station pairs to get a fix. For example, for
Tampa on the West coast of Florida, the typical pick was 3H0 and
3H1.
The LoranGPS program will help you find the right chain and
slaves for your area.
And, if you have a GPS with a memory card and a computer with
a card reader you may be able to import/export the card's file
format. That way, you do not need a cable at all.
Note: If the COM port number set by Windows is out of the
range handled by the uploader/downloader you are using, then do
the following:
1. Open the Windows Device Manager. In XP: Right click My
Computer Icon--Properties--Hardware--Device Manager
2. Right click on the COM port you want to change.
3. Left click on Properties.
4. Click on the Port Settings tab.
5. Click on the Advanced... button.
6. Use the drop down list to select the COM port number you want
to use.
7. Click OK.
8. Click on OK again and close Device Manager.
Some Lowrance GPS combo units have a recording sonar that has
the capability to log (save) all their sonar (depth recorder)
data to a memory card. This creates a very large file on the card
(for example 300 MB) containing all the sonar data for a whole
day's trip. You can use the free SonarViewer from Lowrance.com to
replay all the sonar data. This gives you the ability to find all
the places where you passed over a ledge or wreck and save that
data to a LoranGPS file. You might not have been watching the
sonar screen when going over something interesting, but it is
captured nonetheless. SonarViewer version 1.2.2 allows you to
play back and adjust the settings of any sonar log file recorded
with the LCX-104C, LCX-110C, LCX-111C HD, LCX-15CI, LCX-15MT,
LCX-16CI, LCX-17M, LCX-18C, LCX-19C, LCX-20C, LCX-25C, LCX-26C
HD, LCX-27C, LCX-38C, LCX-28C HD, LMS-240, LMS-320, LMS-320DF,
LMS-330C, LMS-332C, LMS-335CDF, LMS-337C DF, LMS-480M, or
LMS-480MDF. By pausing and hovering the cursor over the sonar
trace, you get a pop-up box with the Lat/Lon, depth, date, time,
and sounding number. Without the harvester, you have to write
down this data and manually type it into the LoranGPS program.
However, the SonarViewer can output chart information to a text
file in a comma-delimited form. This data is not the sonar trace
itself, but the data in the pop-up window for every sounding.
There are typically around 100,000 soundings in an 8-hour log.
The LoranGPS Sonar Log Harvester can read this file and create a
waypoint when given only the sounding number. It notes the GPS
speed and calculates the ledge height while it is doing the
capture. For this operation is useful to have a large computer
screen or dual monitors so you can more easily go between these
two programs.
A customer wrote: "If anyone calls you with problems
printing the spreadsheets with the new HP Photosmart 6280, it's
the printer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I printed the Andren program
fine for years on my XP powered desktop. I reinstalled my old
reliable HP 2575 and it prints the grid lines as it always did.
The HP C6280 would print the first 2" of the grid lines
(only the first two columns) and stop. All the remaining
columns printed fine, but no grid lines. I bought this C6280
for my new Vista powered laptop which does not like my old
reliable HP 2575. The result with the C6280 was the same for
the desktop and the laptop, no grid lines after the first two
columns. If any of your other customers experience this problem
with HP, I can recommend a Dell "All in One" 926
Printer. I tested my son's on my Vista powered laptop and it
has no problem with grid lines!"
Another customer wrote: You can add the HP Photosmart 7280
All- In- One to this driver problem list.
If your computer is running Vista and it gives an error
message on the opening screen that says a needed file is not
registered properly, then the User Access Control (UAC) may be an
issue. First, try right mouse clicking on the program icon and
picking "Run as Administrator". The next time you run
the program it will probably work without this step. However,
there are cases where even this is not enough. For instructions
on how to turn off UAC, click
here. I suggest the Control Panel method for non skilled
users. This UAC control is the pesky dialog that keeps asking you
if it is OK to continue to run or install a program. It is
intended to keep you safer from malicious software. You can try
turning it back on after the problem has been fixed to see if it
will live with this program.
With a download install, you will get a dialog with the message: "Enter the access code". Just enter the access code that can be found in the e-mail sent to you when you ordered. If it was a CD install, and you get the message: "The User Preferences file is damaged or missing..." , then a needed file called "UserPreferences.ini" is probably missing. You probably pulled the CD out prematurely. A copy of this file is sent on the CD. This file does not get installed with the program, but is fetched when the program first runs. Therefore the CD must be in the drive or you must copy the file from the CD to the LoranGPS folder before you first try to run the program. If you are upgrading, then you can copy this file from your old installation, if needed. This file is not meant to be opened by you but by the program. It simply needs to be resident in the program folder when the program runs.
If the program has been running for a while but now gets the message: "The User Preferences file is damaged or missing..." , then the file is probably corrupted and needs to be re-copied from the CD. If you can get there, there is a button on the Tools>UserPreferences menu to re-fetch the virgin UserPreferences file from the CD. Otherwise, you can manually copy the file from the CD to the LoranGPS folder.
For any other problem, try an uninstall/re-install before
calling.
