C-MAP Charts

Night Mode & Display Palettes [F7] & [F4]

Use the [F4] function key to scroll through different chart display "palette" choices. Several palettes are possible, including High Contrast Green & Black, Grey Scale, CM93 chart colours, Pale colours, and Deep colours.

The different palettes should improve visibility under certain conditions and with particular display types. eg: to enhance visibility of the Navigation tools (as opposed to the chart display) the Grey-Scale palette can provide good contrasting from a grey chart to the full colour SOB tools; or certain LCD colour screens work well with the Deep-colour palette; etc.

The [F7] function key cycles through a range of bright-to-dim screen luminescence. Select a bright one for daylight navigating, or darken the display for dawn, dusk or night-time navigating.

The split graphic of a SOB Window (below) shows the various night shading that is available by continuous pressing of the [F7] function key.

Use the [Shift] key in conjunction with [F4] and [F7] to reverse the direction of the choices.

C-MAP's "NT/PC Chart Selector" program

The NT+/PC Selector program supplied on the
C-MAP Chart CD-ROM disks as an auto-installing application.

The C-MAP USB Key (or Dongle)
allows your purchased C-MAP Charts to be used on any
computer that has this Key plugged in to.

C-MAP NT+/PC Chart Selector program is auto-installed from the C-MAP CD-ROM disks.

This program allows you to easily examine, and price, the chart regions available for your area. Simply click on the chart for your area to see a red-bounding-box appear to indicate the coverage area. Any grey-bounding-boxes on this display indicate regions that you have already purchased.

Fine-tune your selected area using the alternate chart portfolios listed in the Charts selected from Map window. Generally, a certain area will be covered by both Wide+ and Superwide+ chart portfolios.

If you have internet connection, you can immediately continue with the Shopping Cart and purchase a Licence Code for your selected chart via the in-built online shopping, or use the call centre option to purchase your charts via the telephone.

Also use the Selector program to back-up and restore all C-MAP chart Licence Codes that have been purchased.

These Licence Codes can then be backed-up to CD-RW or transferred to another computer for use if you have a C-MAP USB Key.

To transfer your Licensed chart codes to other computers, use the Selector program to back-up the codes, then (using a floppy disk, CD-RW or USB drive, etc) restore them onto the other computer(s).

SOB will automatically display any licenced charts providing they have been successfully restored, and the USB Key is inserted when SOB starts up.

... see also Tech Page - Installing Charts

C-MAP Chart Types Compatible with SOB

The C-MAP Charts are available on CD-ROM or on the MAX & NT+ Cartridges. Either of these charts, indeed both in combination, are suitable for use in SOB.
	C-MAP MAX Charts (CD-ROM and C-Cards) This latest update to the award winning C-Map charts was released in 2005, and SOB is the first general purpose navigation program to be compatible with them. The MAX cartography represents a significant leap in coverage, clarity and features. Our new version SOBvMAX seamlessly integrates the new MAX features including Perspective View, Animated Navigation Lights, Tidal Stream & Current Indicators and imbedded photographs of key locations and points of interest.
	C-MAP NT+/PC Charts (CD-ROM version) The CDs containing all the World's C-MAP charts are given away freely by C-MAP (registered SOB users had the option of having these disks posted to them at the time of registering, otherwise they can be ordered direct from C-MAP at any time). Specific charts on the CDs must be selected and licensed prior to use. A simple program NT/PC Selector is included on the C-MAP CDs to allow easy chart selection and immediate on-line or call-centre ordering. C-MAP will only supply you with a Licence Code which will unlock the purchased chart allowing SOB full access to it.
	NT+ and MAX C-MAP Cartridges Commonly used in chart-plotters from a variety of manufacturers, these cartridges can also be used by SOB on your computer. An accessory, supplied by C-MAP, is the USB C-CARD Reader which connects to your computer via a USB port, and will permit use of any NT+ C-MAP Cartridge within SOB. The Card Reader can take two C-MAP cards at one time, and further chart cards can be "hot-swapped" without the need to close or re-start SOB.
	What about CM93 charts, do they work? CM-93 format charts are now very old and have been superseded by the NT+ (cartridges) and NT/PC (computer CDs) format C-MAP charts. Most C-MAP offices have generous upgrade offers available, please discuss your options and pricing with www.c-map.com. SOB uses the absolute latest version of C-MAP charts, the NT+ and NT+/PC formats, and is not compatible with the CM93 format.

Using C-MAP MAX & NT+ Cartridges and the USB Card Reader

see also Quick Start Page, C-MAP Electronic Charts

MAX & NT+ C-MAP Cartridges
Commonly used in chart-plotters from a variety of manufacturers, these cartridges can also be used by SOB on your computer. An accessory, supplied by C-MAP, is the USB C-CARD Reader which connects to your computer via a USB port, and will permit use of any MAX and/or NT+ C-MAP Cartridges within SOB.

The USB Card Reader can take two C-MAP cards at one time, and further chart cards can be "hot-swapped" without the need to close or re-start SOB.

The USB Card Reader is supplied with the C-MAP PC Planner program, or can be purchased separately from your local C-MAP Office - www.c-map.com

C-MAP Chart Legend

C-MAP Cartography - Detailed C-MAP Information

This is quite a large (3.5Mb) and detailed, single A3 page, colour PDF file. Suited best to be printed at A3 size, it can also be printed across two A4 pages, however your print driver or PDF program must support this feature.

This file contains general information about C-MAP Electronic Charts and specific detail about chart coverage types and C-MAP media, etc.

Although none of this information is necessary to use SOB, it nevertheless is relevant and interesting.

C-MAP Chart Legend - List of all Chart Symbols

Excerpts from the C-MAP Chart Legend PDF file:

All symbols, features, marine and ports detail displayed on the charts are listed on this C-MAP Legend sheet.

A few sample cut-outs are included in the images at left and below.

We recommend that you print out this PDF file and keep it near the chart table (ie: computer table). This single page file can be tricky to print, ideally your printer should be able to print A3 size, or print a single page tiled across 2 pages.