Help with Setting up SeaClear II

[Bradley]

I obviously need some help setting up Sea Clear. Could someone give plain English directions on how to download NOAA charts and get SeaClear to read them. Thanks.

[Tropic Cat]

Go here:

Obtain Charting Products

Download the charts you want. When the download is complete you need to unzip the file. This tool is embedded within Windows. Put all of the uncompressed files in a chart folder under the Seaclear Folder.

Next run MapCal_2.exe. Select 'tools' -- 'set directories' and type in where these files are. Then Select 'tools' -- 'Autoload lists' --- 'scan for new charts'. When this finishes, close MapCal_2.exe.

Then open Seaclear. If your GPS is connected Seaclear will autoselect the correct chart. if not you can select 'Files' -- 'open charts' and select a chart from the list.

I recommend reading the manual. All of this is covered.

[Bradley]

I must be an idiot because I can't get it to work.

Went to NOAA and downloaded a number of FL charts to the desktop. Then unzipped them and sent them to c:\program files\seaclear\charts.

Then went to mapcal_2.exe and set the directory for charts the same as above. When I go to autoload lists and ask it to scan for new charts, nothing happens. It just shows the 5 main charts that I think came with the SeaClear download.

Any help would be appreciated. I have read the manual.

[S/V_Surya]

Go to charts > not listed >and point to the directory where you saved the noa charts.

[edsailing]

I am glad that I'm not alone in struggling with Sea Clear - I have exactly the same problem. I have to say that this program is not exactly intuitive in its use.

I'll keep on trying!

[gonesail]

make sure you have the right directory when doing the scan .. it will not look in sub directories and the noaa zip files have each chart in its own directory. also I think you may need to do a mapcal save calibration before you exit.

[edsailing]

It's a total mystery to me...............

[PaulM]

Edsailing,
I also have had problems with getting Seaclear to reconize charts. One thing is to besure you downloaded the RNC charts and not the ENC Charts. Ask me how I know.

PaulM

[gonesail]

right it has to be the RNC charts. but I was trying to explain that when NOAA zips up the charts that you selected they put the KAP files in a numerical sub directory (the same number as the chart). if you point your mapcal to the directory that you unzipped the charts in .. it won't see them.

[gulfstar37]

I looded seaclear II a couple days ago and am very impressed so far. Problem I am having is setting up routes by using waypoints (positions). There is two ways this is explained in the text manual. One by standard mode which will move you to the closest waypoint. ie. setting up a race triangle of waypoints ABC with B being between A and C. I want to start at B go to C then A then back to B. Starting at B as the first waypoint, I then enter way point C then waypoint A then back to B. The route will come up as C-B-B-A.

As per the directions I should use the extend mode to get what I want. However I still get the same output as above.

As always most of the confusion is in the person using the program doing something wrong.

So any ideas on what I am missing?

[blewett_john]

HI All,

I can't get my Garmin GPSmap 60CS to talk to Sea Clear II. I am using a usb cable, windows 7. My device manager says the gps in on comm port 2 but I can't find how to look at my comm ports with windows 7 (help tells me about tabs that don't exist). The Sea Clear has no settings for USB so I set it to comm port 2 with 4800 baud. All I get is a missing file error and unable to communicate with comm port 2.

ARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Can anyone help.

Thanks,
John B.

[W32PAMELA]

John,

I just took a look at the Manual for the 60CS and it looks to me that the GPS will only communicate using the Garmin data format when the USB cable is plugged in. SeaClear cannot read this format. It can only read NMEA 0183 which is only available through the Serial port of your GPS.

[Nicholson58]

Yahoogroups has a Seaclear group. You will probably have to join the group.

seaclear_mapping : Seaclear GPS Navigation User Group