[cyberhusky]

The latest German YACHT magazine (#23 31.10.2006) has published a very short review of GPSNavX which they tested for several weeks on sailing trips.
They write that it is the only solution for Mac computers and don't even mention MacENC.
Though basic functions are good to very good, they find that selecting charts is unnecessarly complicated.
OTOH they weren't able to connect SIMRAD IS-12 instruments to our favorite navigation software and the mag had problems connecting a BT GPS under OS X10.3.9 but it worked under 10.4.
The biggest issue they found was that GPSNavX only shows coordinates instead of course and distance from the boat position to the cursor position.

Also no mention of GPSNavX homepage but only the German distributor who sells the prog for 130 Euro, that over 2 times the regular price when bought online.
OK to be fair one has to say that in Germany applications must be in German and have to be sold with a German manual.
But having the program localized for free as can be seen by our member Francis Fustier http://www.francis-fustier.fr/navigation.html


Here my comments to this review:

* it looks like they didn't really test the application or are Windows spoiled users
* course and distance is clearly shown selecting the right icon
* I never had problems running BT GPS with 10.3.8
* selecting charts is no problem because the charts are numerated as the paper counterparts, also selecting the red square icon, shows connected and related neigbour charts
* IMHO a sailor should be able to use an English application, as the international charts, VHF/DSC communication codes etc. are all done in English.
* saying the application has basic function isn't true. All Windows progs I used are less intuitiv and do lack many functions GPSNavX has. I'm even saying GPSNavX equals MaxSea (Beginner version) and has more functions. OK MaxSea can be upgraded with special moduls, like GRIB waether data, route precalculation etc. but each modul costs 250 Euro and more.

I already wrote somewhere in this forum, that GPSNavX gives the best value/performance/features for the price it is sold.

At the moment I'm writing a review of GPSNavX for a French mag and will send a German version to the above mentioned mag.

Regards,

Manou

[GPSNavX]

It always amazes me how few take a short moment to review the built-in help. Had the help been accessed this short section would have been found.

GPSNavX offers several ways to open charts
- Double click on a chart file (.kap,.cap,.nos) in a Finder folder.
- Use the Chart List window via "Open Charts..." menu-item on the "File" menu.
- Use the Chart List window via "Open Charts..." [Control] [click].
- [Control] [click] and select "Open Detailed."
- Select "Chart Bounds" tool on the Chart Settings panel and double click inside or outside bounds.
- Select "Auto Open.." menu-item on the "File" menu.
- Select a "Previously opened chart from the "File" menu.

The help is easily accessed on the "Help" menu or here
http://www.gpsnavx.com/help/

As far as connecting to BT GPS receivers we offer an easy to follow guide that has seperate sections for 10.3 and 10.4
http://www.gpsnavx.com/pdf/TN-206OSX.pdf

And lastly if some one cannot figure something out, an email to gpsnavx@mac.com will be promptly answered. The writers of this article never contacted us.