C-Plot to C-Map

[Aussie123]

Hi Guys
A while ago TMQ saved the marks off my old JRC JLU-121 plotter onto disc in C-Plot format.
I recently bought another boat with a Northstar Explorer 538i Chartplotter in it and I would like to somehow upload these marks into it.
The Northstar uses C-Map so does anyone know what I need to do to get these marks into it.
There is over 1700 marks so manually doing this is out of the question.
This is the info from the disc and a sample of the mark format that was written to disc.
Thanks
Lance

TMQ CPlot Chart Type 2
Description: M1234 ÿÿ
Bounds: 31.52.000S,152.30.000E,29.20.000S,154.25.240E
Format: Nm3
Rev. Date: 2001
Scale: 1
Mag. Variation: 0
Cautions:
NWU-800
<EOH>
mark PXYCS 153.19.306E 30.53.515S Red Cross

[jm82]

Hey Lance ,

I have just done the same thing with my Garmin and Converted all my marks to a Lowrance.usr file for uploading to my Lowrance Elite 5m

try loading them into www.gpsbabel.org , see if that helps, this converts most gps file formates

Make sure you check out the Navman /Northstar Website for there Format details

I got tips from another Ausfisher who was more than happy to share a few pointer


Cheers
Josh

[Aussie123]

Hi Josh
Thanks for the info mate.
I have just installed that program so I will see how it goes.
There must not be many people familiar with C-Plot on here.
Thanks
Lance

[SatNav]

1. You are correct, there would be very few people here familar with C-Plot as it's more a professional big boat thing capable of using seafarer charts.

2. This is basically a waypoint solution not a chart problem and really has little to do with C-Map. Waypoints can be uploaded to the Northstar from a user card

3. The C-Plot format be it .usr or .trk or .mrk is a very simple format but has quite a few different options as far as lines, marks, colours, fill, icons etc as does the Northstar. So to do this properly is a customized solution to properly match options

4. Does this TMQ file only have "Mark" points? Is this file a trk, mrk or usr file?

5. Provide an example of the Northstar waypoint format file. Input a couple of waypoints manually then export these to a user card (**NOT** C-Map card) and post the file contents

[Aussie123]

Hi SatNav
Thanks for the info mate.
I just checked the disc that the marks were burnt to and it is a .USR file.
I just recently bought this boat with the Northstar GPS already in it so at this stage i do not have a user card or any programs to do anything with and that is why i thought i would post here to try and find out what I would need to buy to convert/transfer/upload these marks into the Northstar.
I cannot remember if there was any track marks on the old JLU-121 when this was done but i am presuming this disc only contains marks and not tracks and def no routes.
I also have no idea at this stage what file format the Northstar uses.
All I have atm is the C-Map local map card (Tweed to Mooloolaba).

[SatNav]

1. .USR files will generally have MARK & LINE types, .TRK file is the track data. Makes no difference as the format of these are known and easily read.

2. You need to get a blank (user) card onto which the explorer can read/write data (waypoints etc) format/options. No extra software required to do this.

3. The conversion can be as complicated or simple depending on how you really want to map the point attributes (colour, symbols etc) from one system to the other. This stage is where you might need customized format software?

[SatNav]

1. .USR files will generally have MARK & LINE types, .TRK file is the track data. Makes no difference as the format of these are known and easily read.

2. You need to get a blank (user) card onto which the explorer can read/write data (waypoints etc) format/options. No extra software required to do this.

3. The conversion can be as complicated or as simple as you like depending on how you really want to map the point attributes (colour, symbols etc) from one system to the other. This stage is the tricky part where you might need specific customized formating software?

[testlab]

(**NOT** C-Map card)

If your C-MAP is on SD card then NEVER put it into a computer as it will be rendered unusable, even if you don't access it. Just putting it into the SD slot will corrupt the C-MAP data.
.

[Spot82]

I have a program called GPS utility which allows me to convert from any GPS format to another, I use it for converting Furuno to Garmin Mapsource and back! Very useful program but there is no free version available... If you need it converted shoot me a PM

Anthony

[Aussie123]

Thanks again guys.
I think i will just buy a copy of the C-Map PC Planner and have a play with that.
Thanks for the offer Anthony but I wont allow a copy of these marks to end up on any ones computer as they are too valuable and many years of commercial fishing and charter work has gone into compiling all these fishing grounds.
Cheers
Lance

[SatNav]

"Very useful program but there is no free version available...'

1. There is a freewaare version but limits the number of waypoints, then again who has 65,000 waypoints to convert?

2. In Aussie's case the origin data is TMQ C-Plot.

[Spot82]

"Very useful program but there is no free version available...'

1. There is a freewaare version but limits the number of waypoints, then again who has 65,000 waypoints to convert?

2. In Aussie's case the origin data is TMQ C-Plot.

Well Limits you to 500 waypoints and as far as i am aware there isn't really anyway of splitting the waypoint file without a mapping program. Being that I have over 3000 marks it was just easier to buy the program For $70 or what ever it was if i was Aussie I'd be spending the cash.

Now days I keep a updated copy of all marks on my computer and only put the marks in the gps in the boat for where I am going fishing for that trip. Makes life so much easier.

[Aussie123]

Hi Spot
Does that program do the C-Plot format as every program I have looked at so far has no reference to C-Plot at all.

[John Buoy]

Hi Spot
Does that program do the C-Plot format as every program I have looked at so far has no reference to C-Plot at all.

Ol post but for those wanting to convert files inc C-Plot
Gps Utility Freeware will do the job.

http://www.gpsu.co.uk/download.html

Regards Frank