Magellan MapSend BlueNav - What do you get?

[Ed2002]

After 1 month of testing the maps, asking and getting more answers from Magellan support i try to give a summary what you really get with BlueNav and what you should not expect:

 

- Without doubt the Navionics charts are good, and the price of 268 Euros (incl.VAT) for 192 charts covering Europe and the Mediterranean sea seems adequate.

 

- the display of the charts on the monochrome screen is quite good (if you want to see examples there is a Photo Album "BlueNav" in the photo section of the yahoo meridian group).

 

- there is no possibility for real time tracking, and it is not possible to download a track to the computer! AFAIK these are the only modern GPS charts without this function.

When i wrote to Magellan that this is quite a limitation and if they plan to include it in future Versions of BlueNav i got the answers:-"The Map Send Blue Nav KIT had made to load chartinto the SD-CARD, it is not a navigation software"; -"if you should want a serious navigation tool you should purchase the FX324" and -"Magellan does not plan to include this function in the future".

 

- the charts cover small regions; you can have only one chart on the SD Card at a time; for a normal sailing trip of one week you will need more than one map, so you have to bring the laptop with you.

 

- for the regions not covered by the standard basemap ( e.g. big parts of the mediteranean sea) you get adequate coastlines from zoom level 3km and below; if you zoom out there are only unusable lines mostly off 12 km and more.

Answer from Magellan:"There are no plans to add a new basemap"; but for the new Sportrak Marine a new "Navionics World basemap with coastlines.." is advertized,so Magellan seems to see this as a problem; maybe Meridian users can get this basemap in the future to overcome this problem (?).

 

- The POI database: Two groups of POIs: ports and services, under services you can choose Fuel,water,repair services,first aid separately or all subcategories together;

The database is accessible only from the GPS (similar to address/street in Mapsend Streets) but not from the Computer Software, and "it is not planned to include this".

 

- Tidal Information: Magellan support told me that “there is no tidal information on the Meridian”.

 

- The first sold Kit includes > 10 defective map files, up to now i did not get the replacement CD with V 1.OOE.

 

Summary: You get quite a lot of good marine vector charts, uploadable to your GPS, but without real time tracking and no possibility to download/edit tracks; no tidal Information with the Meridian;you have to have your laptop with you to change maps.

If you can live without tracking and track download, they are worth the money, otherwise you will be frustrated.

 

Regards, Ed

 

(As there are no examples on the website: if you are interested in screenshots and do not have access to the yahoo group,a can mail a sample .pdf file)

[FelfRik]

Hallo Ed,

i have some questions after your review:

 

1/Could you compare the BlueNav maps with Garmins Blue Chart?

2/Do you know when the new version with all maps working is available?

3/How can i find the screen samples?

 

Thanks, Rike

[Ed2002]

quote:

---

Originally posted by FelfRik:

Hallo Ed,

i have some questions after your review:

 

1/Could you compare the BlueNav maps with Garmins Blue Chart?

No, i could not have a side by side comparison;

- concerning the charts i got divergent opinions, one BlueChart user saying "they seem to be more detailed than BlueCart", another saying "...the Garmin BlueChart wich is based on Transas charts(Much better than Navionics)...."; some saying the Navionics charts contain more POIs for recreational boaters.

I think both charts are of good quality and come from respected marine chart companies.

 

-concerning the features:

-Garmins Blue Chart allows real time tracking on the Computer with the registered GPS; and it is possible to download tracks to the PC;both functions not available with BlueNav

-the Database of the BlueChart is accessible from the PC only when used with the GPSmap76, whereas it is accessible from the GPS only with BlueNav and a Meridian;

-there is no Tidal function in BlueNav with the Meridian, AFAIK BlueChart has this only for the "Americas".

 

2/Do you know when the new version with all maps working is available?

 

-No. I bought BlueNav on Jan 22, my vendor told me the replacement CD will take "about one month", but up to now i did not get it.

 

3/How can i find the screen samples?

 

They are located in the Photo section of the Yahoo Meridian Group

http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Magellan_Meridian/lst?.dir=/BlueNav&.src=gr&.order=&.view=t&.done=http%3a//briefcase.yahoo.com/

I think you have to register; if you do not like this i could mail you a .pdf file with the screenshots.

 

HTH Ed

 

 

Thanks, Rike

---

[FelfRik]

Thanks for your answer; now i am quite confused what to buy. I want to upgrade to a mapping GPSR, had narrowed down to GPSMAP76 and Meridian Platinum or Color, and after reading the groups i thought i would take a Meridian (SD Card, exchange basemap, maybe better reception, price) with MapSend Streets and BlueNav; the street maps seem to be quite comparable between Garmin and Magellan, but it seems the first release of BlueNav has some "early problems" compared to Blue Chart.

 

What would you take if you could choose now?

 

Thanks, Rike

[Ed2002]

Good question.

 

- When i bought the Platinum i wanted it for use with hiking, biking, in the car mainly for vacation trips and for use with recreational sailing, (i am chartering a sailing yacht about two times a year, sailing in the mediterranean sea).

- At the time i bought the Platinum magellan had announced the BlueNav, but it was not available then;

- Of course i was looking around for comparable Garmin units too, but mainly for the same reasons you mentioned i took the Platinum, i thought if Magellan brings out marine charts they will at least give the features of Garmins Blue Chart.

 

Now: the Platinum and MapSend Streets work like i expected, and for all "land" use i am very happy with the unit.

- I would not be frustrated about BlueNav if Magellan or the Vendors would have given enough information what to expect; my vendor e.g. just now added a phrase "BlueNav is made for uploading marine maps to the GPS, for Navigation on the Computer there are other programs like Fugawi and Maptech offshore Navigator" on his website; Magellan did not add information or publish a data sheet with more detailed information, or maybe including some screenshots on their website up to now.

 

- I read a post before buying the Platinum saying: "if you intend to buy a GPS, look at the maps before and then decide", obviously i did not follow this recommendation.

 

What would i take now? If you have time and tend to Magellan i would wait until the new Sportrak marine is out; there is a new special Navionics basemap; maybe they add some features to BlueNav to be competitive with Blue Chart; there will be for sure more user comments when they publish the US Version of BlueNav.

If you want use the GPS with marine charts in the next time, i would take the GPSMAP76S.

 

Best Regards,Ed

[Ed2002]

Yesterday, about 6 weeks from purchase, i got the replacement CD BlueNav V 1.00E from Thales.

 

- All the defective map files from V 1.00d are o.k

- There are no additional software features (no track download, no real time tracking)

- Navaid Database accessible only on the GPS

- A bug concerning map scrolling on the Computer screen is corrected.

 

So if you know that "BlueNav is made for uploading marine maps to the GPS, for Navigation on the Computer there are other programs like Fugawi and Maptech offshore Navigator" and some of the fratures like tidal information do not work on the meridian you will not be disappointed.

 

Regards, Ed

[Ed2002]

-I loaded the Marine Base Map EUM V.1.01 coming with the Blue Nav Kit.

 

-When working with BlueNav, if you place the cursor over a NAVAID (e.g. a Lighthouse) with and type ENTER to see the Information ,you get two separate Items for the same NAVAID on the screen, mostly with slightly different nomenclature, but exactly the same coordinates; i assume one of the Items is from the BaseMap database coming from C-Map,the other one from the Blue Nav detailed map coming from Navionics.

This was quite irritating until i found out, now i switched back to the EU Land base map, to avoid this.

 

Maybe this is one of the reasons Magellan brings a "new marine basemap from navionics for the Sportrak Marine" and hope they will make this map available for users of BlueNav.

(I asked Magellan Europe one week before about this, uo to now no answer.)

 

-Another bug: if you have zoomed >700 m level before inserting the BlueNav SD Card, the unit hangs on the map screen; you have to force

off; take out the card, power on ,zoom out, power off ,SD card in, Power on...So better zoom out before using the BlueNav SD Card!

 

Regards Ed

(For more information on BlueNav before you buy:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Magellan_Meridian/files/Notes/BlueNavEu rope.PDF