BLUEMOMENT

Has the EEE got a CD reader?

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eastcoastpilot.com - No, not that East Coast.
Anglian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Dalriada and Alba

I don't know this unit myself, but sticking it on to a decent sized (esp. thickness) bit of ferritic material (soft iron for preference, mild steel more available) should significantly reduce external magnetic fields.

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Probably not, but as these files have been extensively checked, scanned and tested on XP, Vista & 7, Ash can safely transfer them onto USB, external HD or a network without any issue. I will also bring my N45P to have a look at (if req) plus an external for transfer just as long as there is a Tea involved.

Sorry for the delay in replying - I've been working away from home (in Dusseldorf) so didn't have access to the internet.

I'm sure that a CD in a poly bag will survive fine in the cockpit. I'll be at the boat fairly often between now and beginning of April.


I can use the Sony Viao and a memory stick to get the files onto the netbook.



Mistral is bereft of supplies at the moment, but will be re - provisioned nearer the launch date. I would hope that I am able to set it up myself, but will keep your kind offer in mind if I get stuck, and will ensure that tea is available.


The unit is designed to be stuck on the roof of a car - or more likely, an off road ute.

A bit of mild steel, encapsulated in plastic to prevent rust, would be easy to arrange if I find that I have problems.

I still wince at the memory of the effect that the sea-searcher magnet had on the tiller pilot - http://www.bluemoment.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2497

Cheers guys

Ash

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"This is a sailing Forum"

I bet that had you going round in circles.
It did me.

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eastcoastpilot.com - No, not that East Coast.
Anglian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Dalriada and Alba

So what's the consensus? Is one option significantly better or cheaper than the others?

I'm in the thinking about it stage of having a plotter and access to weather forecasts (internet) while on the boat.

I could get a dedicated plotter and rely on the Coast Guard for the inshore forecast, or find out what the number is to ring and pay for an inshore forecast those days where the CG is too busy working casualties to broadcast them.

It sounds like a laptop is more power hungry than I would be comfortable with. I'll need to find out the difference between a netbook and a tablet and a laptop first I suppose, then I have an idea what you are talking about. I know what a dongle is. How power hungry are plotters, I'm assuming the megga bucks ones with a wide screen telly attached use fantastic ammounts and the 5" display ones don't but are rubbish?

Chiron has 2x100ah batteries so there is some capacity to work with.

I suppose I could get a pencil out and plot the lat and long off the GPS onto those paper maps you can get so I can tell if Kiells or Danna rocks are near when I turn into Loch Sween, that doesn't get the forecast though.

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Chiron: Westerly Centaur.
Cheers Bob.

I tried to find a cheap netbook for onboard use, possibly as a plotter but more planner as well as email and a bit of light surfing. I can't find any that have SSD. A few expensive ones have both hard disk and SSD but that won't help if it's the rough treatment we want to save it from. Does anyone know if they are still available?

Derek

I have got hold of a Netbook.

The Open CPN and chart thingy is loaded. I'm still playing with it to see how to zoom and scroll at the moment.
I have asked a man on't tinternet to send me a GPS thing like Ash's and I'm going to get a 12V to 19V power supply from Maplins on Wednesday when I go to my mates for tea.

Never having had anything other than a desktop PC before the pointing device is getting right up my nose 'coz I'm not used to it. It sounds like a good idea to have a remote mouse anyway, what should I avoid or what's good?

I'm off to find out if you can get a condom for a Netbook like I have seen for mobiles now.

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Chiron: Westerly Centaur.
Cheers Bob.

Bob, pointer thingy is rubbish except emergency. get a wireless mouse.

I use a neoprene slim cover which is fairly waterproof, but isnt a condom.

My next best buy was my internet dongle from '3'. £5 a month for 1Gb.

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eastcoastpilot.com - No, not that East Coast.
Anglian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Dalriada and Alba

The pointing device was a choice between a normal sized wireless one and a mini laptop one, I was already prefering the normal size one.

the sort of thing I was thinking of wouldn't work on a Netbook, all those little holes in the back to let the heat out would be covered so I have binned that idea after realising it wouldn't work.

An internet dongle will come eventually, I'm just taking it one step at a time.

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Chiron: Westerly Centaur.
Cheers Bob.

Instead of paying an extra fiver per month (plus the 15 squid purchase price) for a dongle, why not just connect your phone to the PC & use its internet allowance. Works well for me, but only for the odd week or two/ month or I will bust my 1gb monthly allowance.

Steve, I quite like to brag about my brick, it does phone calls and only cost £25 with 10 quid credit on.
I was gob smacked when my daughter who is constantly skint came in with a brand new iPhone 4, different priorities I suppose.
I'm now looking at getting a phone that will do the business to get the Netbook online but if it's dear and I would be worried enough to need insurance I will go with the dongle.

Anyroad, I came to ask another question. I thought I would test the setup in mobile mode, in the car. It was doing OK untill we got near Ikea @ 40 knots or so, then it had a fatal error and crashed. Open CPN won't start now, a couple of seconds of egg timer then nothing. Has anyone else had the same or similar?

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Chiron: Westerly Centaur.
Cheers Bob.

Haven't had any problem, but have only tried Open CPN once in 'live' mode.I had the netbook on 'normal' power saving settings and it went to sleep and stopped tracking.

I have opened the programme many times to study the charts.

Can't think why Open CPN would crash.

If it won't fire up, and you still have the disc, then remove the program and reload it.

Ash

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"This is a sailing Forum"

I've got Navionics on my iphone which is very handy unless it's sunny but that's seldom a problem... If it is sunny I can see well enough where I am and where I'm going

There is a rumour of an ipad on the horizon which will also have the Navionics on it - as well as a ton of music and the odd movie to curl up and watch of a dreech evening

I thought I would end up reloading it. Time to get the SD card out again and copy the DVD onto it, I don't think I will delete it when I have put it on the Netbook this time.

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Chiron: Westerly Centaur.
Cheers Bob.