Manual PC-Navigo 2008

Contents

A fast start with PC-Navigo
File
New
Open
Save
Save as
Close route
Close all routes
Printer
Preferences
GPS
Import
Export
ENC
ENC Settings
Post voyage plan
Close
Edit
View
Algortihms
Options
Logbook
Help
Boat data
Departure
Destination
Add via-places
Interruptions
Add avoid-places
Cancel all via-places
Cancel all places to avoid
Time planning
Survey map: controls
Survey map: lay out
PC-Navigo ENC     *1
Pictogrammes
Voyage Plan
Level Graph
Dimension graph
Browse
Authorised Dimensions
Hour Specification
Operation on demand
Areal Map
Area List
Notices to Skippers
Obstructions summary
GPS-monitor
Fuel monitor
Dynamic voyage planning
Fastest Route
Shortest Route
Optimum Route
Tourist Route
Area
Nearest...
Criteria
"Shrink-to-fit"
Find
Browse
Actual dimensions
Language
Circumstances
Download stoppages
Delete temporary stoppages
Log book
Chart notes
Arrival date and time
Time correction
Operating hours
No itinerary found?
Distance
Copy control
New in PC-Navigo 2008
ENC's and S-57 files *1
Import S-57 ENC's *1
Navigating with an ENC    *1
Full screen chart *1
Intelligent chart      *1
Info
Help

     *1) Only in PC-Navigo-ENC

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Congratulations on purchasing PC-Navigo, so far the only Route Planner for all the European inland waterways. A huge database containing all the facts of these particular waterways, bridges, locks, ports and so on. It makes lots of complex puzzling by the skipper unnecessary. It is not only a complete encyclopaedia on inland waterways, it also serves as a fast tool to trace the whole navigable area for a certain boat or the estimated time of arrival at the place of destination.

Comparing, measuring and calculating, which are as much part of inland navigation as of maritime variety, are all turned into peanuts: one can compare dozens of alternatives within minutes, and thus make the trip more economical, easier and more relaxed. Just as PC-Navigo takes a lot of the statistics (laid back mileage, navigation hours, covered distances and so on) out of the hands of the captain, it leaves him or her more time for other -and perhaps more enjoyable-tasks.

The various presentations in PC-Navigo, built in as standard features, make the use of this software worthwhile for every type of waterway user. Both the commercial skipper taking two thousand tons of oil from Rotterdam to Vienna and the proud yacht owner touring from Calais or Dunkerque to Bordeaux, will get all the relevant details needed for their trip, presented in the way that serves them best: be it the precise sequence of the route, a VHF-channel or telephone number of a certain lock, the operating hours of a lift bridge or the choice to take one canal instead of the other, all questions are neatly analysed and answered, so that the skipper knows exactly what he is choosing.

The data are assembled with utter care and precision. They are regularly checked and compared to all available data, both public and private (waterway boards, commercial barge companies data, census bureaus, waterway guides and maps etcetera). Nevertheless a mistake is always possible, which is the reason why the makers cannot accept any responsibility for damage or liabilities directly or indirectly caused by the use of PC-Navigo. A good skipper always minds about his or her own safety and that of his or her crew!

System-requirements for PC-Navigo

PC-Navigo is written for WINDOWS 2000 or "higher". The program can be used on any Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows XP or Windows Vista computer, that contains at least a Pentium-II processor or a comparable processor. The Program requires 30 Megabytes during installation; part of that is given back after the installation is completed. An SVGA graphical chart is needed. For the optional installation of the picture gallery of locks and bridges, another 180 Mb disk space will be needed. The installation of ENC chart cells requires approximately 2,5 Mb per cell (about 500 Mb for Europe).

PC-Navigo and Windows

The user of PC-Navigo is supposed to be familiar with the use of Windows. See also your Windows manual or instruction book. The indications in this PC-Navigo manual are only about the specific use of PC-Navigo. The given examples refer to PC-Navigo-Europe; the use of the regional versions is fully analogue.

PC-Navigo and it's copy protection

PC-Navigo comes with a hardware key (dongle). The software is "copy protected". Payment for the software entitles the user to the use of ONE simultaneous copy. If the software must be used on another computer, it can be installed, but it will only work if the dongle is connected to that computer. Simultaneous use of PC-Navigo on more than one computer is not allowed.

Getting started with PC-Navigo

The first time you start PC-Navigo, you will find that operating the software is very similar to any other Windows program. On top of the screen you'll find the menu bar containing the main menus of PC-Navigo: File, Edit, View, Algorithm, Options, Logbook and Help. Before you start with these menus it may be good to learn some things about the general structure of PC-Navigo.

PC-Navigo contains a huge database in which all WATERWAYS of continental Europe are defined, complete with detailed information like current, maximumspeed, allowed dimensions, waterlevel and distances. On top of that, a second database contains details on objects IN the waterways: bridges, locks, safetygates, quays, ports, villages, cities, tunnels, aquaducts and so on. All of these objects are completely known, with their sizes, operating hours, telephone numbers, VHF channels and so forth.

PC-Navigo can sort out, recalculate, compare and count these data in a superfast manner. The program only needs microseconds to compare the dimensions of a certain boat with all the dimensions of every lock, bridge or passage on a certain route. Thus PC-Navigo can establish the navigability of such a route within seconds, whereas a skipper might need long nights of hopeless puzzling to do the same work. Likewise, adding up seconds and minutes of all the sections that make up a route, allows PC-Navigo to establish your estimated time of arrival in seconds, taking into account currents, waiting at locks and lift bridges and closing time at night and on particular Sundays or public holidays. It can even find out if you will be able to pass a certain lock or bridge on a certain date! Using these data PC-Navigo can answer all sorts of questions quickly, not only "what is the fastest route from Rotterdam to Paris?" but also "What regions can a barge, now moored in Frankfurt, Germany, reach without being lifted out of the water?" and "If I leave Calais on the first of August and I want to navigate some six hours every day, what day and time will I get to Avignon?".

We wish you lots of fun with PC-Navigo. And if you get stuck somewhere - not your boat, that is, but your use of the computer - then simply put the cursor on the topic you need help with and press F1: the help screens will explain anything there is to know about that topic.

Copy control

PC-Navigo is protected against illegal copying and multiplication. The copy protection uses a hardware key or "dongle", or - in some updates of older versions - a copy protection software program on a key disk. The copy control ensures that the program is used by a license holder. Therefore each user only pays for his own license and not for the illegal use of others.

The copy control is designed to interfere as little as possible with the normal use of the program. The only requirement is the insertion of the dongle (AFTER the first installation of the CD-ROM).

License rights

The user license of PC-Navigo is personal. It does not allow the owner any form of reproduction or multiplication of the program. The user may however sell or give away his software to others, but only if he stops using it him-/herself.

As all data of users are registered by NoorderSoft, all changes of property must be made known. If this is not done, the new user will not be entitled to the normal service and to updates of the software or the data.

Updates of the software and the data will only be made available to formal license holders. Updating older versions by users who are not known by NoorderSoft will not be allowed.

Each license entitles the holder to the use of one version of PC-Navigo. This means in practise, that the software can be installed on an unlimited number of computers, but it can only be used in the computer that has the dongle connected. If you wish to use PC-Navigo on more than one machine simultaneously, you'll need more than one license.

Companies that use PC-Navigo commercially will need a license per user. It is recommended to contact NoorderSoft to see if arrangements can be made for a collective license.

Dongle loss and key damage

The dongle represents the TOTAL value of the license! Each dongle has a unique ID number, registered by NoorderSoft. If a dongle has been damaged or if it is malfunctioning it has to be returned to NoorderSoft, in order to be replaced by a new one.

The dongle can be attached to a key ring or to a floating object, to prevent it from falling overboard and sinking.

Installation of the dongle-version

To install a dongle-protected version of PC-Navigo one only has to install the CD-ROM on the computer. It contains a fully automatic installation software that will guide the user through the process. After installation of the CD-ROM the dongle must be inserted in one of the USB ports (or in the printer port in case of an LPT dongle).

The dongle must be present while PC-Navigo is STARTED. As soon as the software runs, it can be removed (e.g. is another USB port user must be connected to the same port).

Different types of dongles

Two types of dongles are available: the common type is the USB dongle, a very small USB connector that fits in one of the USB ports (of which there are several on modern computers).

Besides the USB dongle one can also ask for an LPT dongle, which has to be connected to the printer connection. This dongle is bigger and heavier than the USB type, but it can be attached to the computer with little security screws so that it may be more apt to withstand "heavy duty" situations. A printer connector can be inserted in the back side of this dongle, so that both the dongle and the printer can use the same port at the same time. An LPT dongle has to be applied for separately: a standard delivery contains a USB dongle.

Error codes and repair

A dongle may occasionally cause problems because of malfunctioning. If the LED (the little green light) at the end of the dongle is on, the dongle works correctly. If it flashes, the dongle driver is not installed correctly. You may ask instructions via e-mail (dongle@noordersoft.com) how to (re-)install this driver. If the LED is NOT on, the dongle is faulty and must be replaced.

Error codes that may occur can be the following:

error code 110: the dongle is for a "Europe" version, while the software is a "national" (Netherlands, France) version. You must contact NoorderSoft to change (re-code) the dongle.
error code 120: the dongle is for a national (Netherlands, France) version, while the software is a "Europe" version. You must contact NoorderSoft to change (re-code) the dongle.
error code 255: a programming mistake has been made during the production of the dongle: You must contact NoorderSoft to replace the dongle.

Other error codes must be communicated to NoorderSoft, preferably by e-mail to (dongle@noordersoft.com).

Copyright

The copyright of PC-Navigo (versions 1.0 till 2008) is owned by P.L.Feenstra/J.C.R.Kouwenberg. Exploitation rights were granted to NoorderSoft on the basis of a long term agreement from 1992 till 2007. License holders may use the software freely for all functions and possibilities it contains. The use of the implemented technologies, formats and systems for other purposes requires explicit permission in writing by NoorderSoft, as far as these technologies, formats and systems are not the intellectual property of others. Without such a written permission the use of specific solutions used in PC-Navigo is explicitly forbidden. The software has been registered and the trade mark and all other rights have been reserved.

© 1990 - 2008 by P.L.Feenstra/J.C.R.Kouwenberg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands/Ray-sur-Saône, France.

File

The FILE menu contains the principal sub menus PC-Navigo has to open, save, store and adapt the various files and results. Under FILE you will find:

New
Open
Save
Save as
Close route
Close all routes
Preferences
GPS
Import
Export
ENC
ENC Settings
Post voyage plan
Close

New

With the submenu NEW you may open a new route, without erasing all data of an established route, in order to start anew with a completely different route or boat. The route that you were previously working on remains active in the background. Each route is depicted on its own divider in the detail screen at the right of the survey map. Each of the routes can be closed with the menu Close route.

The first time you do not need to use NEW, as the program's memories will all be empty.

Open

A defined route that has been saved earlier can be opened with this submenu. <OPEN> simply reloads the stored file and also the settings of your specifications (date and time, e.g.) Clicking OPEN will show a dialogue window, in which you'll have to look up the required file. Double clicking it opens the file and allows you to work further with it.

A reopened route will revalidate ALL aspects of this route, including the original departure date and time, the navigation hours, place of departure, destination and so on. After opening the route you may adapt or amend these data by redefining them in the various menus, such as Boat data, Time Planning, Departure or Destination and so on.

Save

Once a route has been calculated you can store it in your computer's memory by clicking SAVE. A dialogue window will appear, allowing you to name your route. Once you have given your route a name and you want to SAVE the same route again after alterations, no dialogue window will appear, but the altered route will be saved directly under the same name, unless you click SAVE AS...

Save as...

SAVE AS allows you to save the route under another name while also keeping the former route stored in the computers' memory. In the dialogue window you enter a different name. Both the original file and the altered file will be saved, the first under the old name, the second under the newly given name.

Close route

With the submenu CLOSE ROUTE you may close one of the routes you are currently working on, without erasing all data of other established routes. The routes that you were previously working on remains active in the background. The divider of the route you close disappears from the detail screen at the right of the survey map.

Close all routes

With the submenu CLOSE ALL ROUTES you may close all of the routes you are currently working on. The divider of the route you close disappears from the detail screen at the right of the survey map.

Print functions

PC-Navigo has a limited number of printing functions for various subjects in the program. The Voyage Plan may be printed, and also most of the little help screens containing phone numbers, operating hours a.s.o.

All the print functions show a print preview, which can be printed with a click on the PRINT button.

ATTENTION. The Pictogrammes and the Survey Map can NOT be printed directly: they are composed from numerous items in PC-Navigo's data files. In order to be able to print the map, it will have to be exported to a readable format first. This can be done by means of the export button, at the top of the screen. The picture shown in the map is exported to "bitmap" format (.bmp), which can be read, edited and printed by most graphical programs (like Windows' PAINT, Photo Shop, Paint Shop Pro a.s.o.)

The Print functions in PC-Navigo are not very elaborate: if you wish to edit or modify your route files more thoroughly, we advise you to export them to either .html format or to .txt format. The result can than be edited, modified and printed in any browser or text processor.

Preferences

Many settings and configurations in PC-Navigo can be stored in the submenu PREFERENCES. Storing these settings allow you to get to the core of PC-Navigo quicker every time you use the program. The possible choices concern:

1. chart settings:
the radius of the automatic search function that searches the chart for objects and places;
chart settings of location names you can switch the visibility of city and village names on and off to avoid cluttering of the chart. Apart from this switch, the zoom factor of the chart itseld also influences the visibility of the name labels: the labels will only become visible at a certain zoom;
chart settings of the "format" of the latitude and longitude data: either in degrees, minutes and seconds or in dregrees, minutes and decimal minutes or in degrees and decimal parts of a degree;
the presentation of stoppages and/or chart notes; if this option is switched on, icons will appear on the location of a stoppage or note, that can be clicked on to reveal their information;
the setting of font sizes for chart texts that originate from PC-Navigo's database.

2. Searh proces settings:
One can choose to hold three settings of the search process in the memory: the place of departure and the date of departure and the destination;

3. Object filter settings:
Setting the details in the voyage plan, in the pictogrammes and in the area list: choose which type of object you want to see and which type you want to hide;

4. The GPS-Monitor:
The GPS-Monitor is the representation of the main values of the GPS-signal: Latitude and Longitude (Lat and Long), Speed-over-Ground (SOG) and Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) can be switched or off;
The visibility and the transparency of the monitor window itself can be set;
The font of the values and their colours can be set separately in order to ensure a good visibility, even if the computer screen is a bit further away from the navigator;

5. Some secundary view options:
The presentation of distances and dimensions can be switched from "metric" to "imperial"; please mind the difference between (statute) miles and nautical miles!
Between versions 4.5 and 2006 the representation of operating hours was changed considerably. For those who prefer the old way of showing the operating hours, a switch has been added to use the view from version 4.5. Those who prefer the new style, leave the check box empty;
The fuel reset dialog boxes may have been switched off in the fuel management module (with the "don't ask again" checkbox); the dialog boxes can be switched back on here.

6. The dynamic voyage planning:
The voyage planning process in PC-Navigo 2008 can be connected to the GPS readings. If a GPS is connected and working, it can check AND correct the voyage plan accuracy. Those who choose this option use the GPS to control the deviation from the original voyage plan.
If the deviation between the GPS readings and the original plan gets bigger than a certain amount of time (set to 10 minutes as a default) the software will propose changes to the plan. It recalculates the final ETA and the route to follow: the deviation MAY result in advice to change the route;
If the user does not want to confirm the proposals of the dynamic planning process every time, he or she can choose to carry out the corrections automatically.

Import

Routes that have been planned with one of the former versions of PC-Navigo, version 4.5, can be imported into PC-Navigo. During the import procedure the program checks if all data are available. Sometimes certain data will have to be given again (mostly the vessel dimensions, if the planned vessel is not present in the newest version of the program).

Because the data model of PC-Navigo 2006, 2007 and 2008 differs from the one in PC-Navigo 4.5, an export via an intermediate format can be used: this converts .nrf files of the older versions to export files (.ner) which are then imported. This export format increases the chance of a succesfull conversion.

If versions can NOT be succesfully converted, one can always simply redefine the place of departure, destination and time and date of departure, and the recalculation will be made in seconds.

Routes that have been planned with PC-Navigo 2006 can almost always be opened directly. Only if the departure position or the destination have disappeared from the data files (like when a wharf has been closed or broken down) the route will cause problems. Fortunately, the changes in the infrastructure are fairly limited.

Attention! Altered circumstances (like changed stoppage planning, modified dimensions etc.) may change a planned route completely. Due to the impossibility to "restore" old obstrcution plannings and old dimensions of navigable passes, it will not always be possible to generate exactly the same route. With "via", "avoid" and/or with the deletion of stoppages one may try to reconstruct the old route.

Export

PC-Navigo allows the EXPORT of routes and voyages to the data format of Google-Earth. With this export file one can present the voyage (INCLUDING the estimated times of passage at each way point) on the satellite images of Google Earth. Since this is a generally accessible exchange format, the voyage can be sent - attached to an email, for example - to others, providing them with a lot of detailed information on the supposed whereabouts of the boat at any given moment in time.

A voyage has to be planned first. If one clicks on <EXPORT> a file tree is opened, in which one can select the appropriate file to store the voyage data into. If the right folder is defined, a click on OK exports the voyage to the Google Earth (.kml) file format.

In Google Earth the route can be opened by simply selecting the complete content of the file (consisting of a voyage line and a long series of waypoints) and opening it. The voyage appears as a white line with waypoints. A click on one of the waypoints shows the supposed moment that the boat will pass there.

Visitors, friend and others who may be interested in knowing the whereabouts of the boat have an easy access to this simplified voyage plan: if they want to know when they must be at a given place to find the boat there, they only need a look in Google Earth.

Exit

Clicking on <EXIT> closes down PC-Navigo and erases everything in the program that has not been saved or stored. It resets all the settings that have been altered for PC-Navigo. It stores some functions in memory for your next use of PC-Navigo.

Edit

The main menu <EDIT> contains all functions of the user's choices in the various processes: the choice of boat, its dimensions, the date and time of departure, the amount of hours reserved for navigating, the choice of departure place and destination, places to visit and places to avoid. All of these data are necessary to make PC-Navigo do its job...

To understand the route calculation algorithm of PC-Navigo it is important to know which data are obligatory:
the boat's data (dimensions, speed and type) are obligatory to allow the program to establish the navigability of each section of waterway;
the place of departure and destination must be given to define the route;
the date and time of departure and the daily navigation hours must be given to allow the computer to calculate daily progress and operating of locks and bridges.

As soon as PC-Navigo has enough data available to start calculations, it will do so: it will calculate the type of route you will have selected under the ALGORITHM menu or in the detail screen of the survey map. You may however keep adding data (like "via"-places or places to avoid): the program will simply redo its calculations until you're through.

Within this menu the following submenus are available:

Boat data
Departure
Destination
Add via-places
Add places to avoid
Delete all via places
Delete all places to avoid
Time planning

Boat data

<BOAT DATA> opens a window with a few dividers, in which all boats you ever described are listed, with all relevant dimensions and data. You may select a boat from this list, or you may define one of the boats as your 'usual' (standard) boat, keeping it in the computer's memory untill you choose another boat. With ADD and REMOVE you can edit the list of boats: removing one or more boats or adding a new boat. If you click the ADD button, a picture window is opened in which every possible type and category of boat is depicted. By clicking on the type that matches your boat best, you select this type of vessel with all it's characteristics and store it in your fleet list, on the first divider, in which you can make as many amendments and alterations as you like. Once all your data are correct, you can close the window.

On the second divider, NAVIGATION, you can choose the category your boat belongs to (pleasure craft or commercial) and some specifics of your navigation habits: do you or do you not navigate on Sundays, which daily navigation scheme do you usually maintain, how many hours may you sail maximally in accordance with european crew requirements. The standard rules of the crew requirements are implemented in the software, so that a corresponding number of daily hours can be generated with each scheme. Changes in daily navigation schemes are passed on to your time planning automatically.

You must indicate whether or not the boat is suitable for navigation on open seas. If not the maritime connections will be disregarded in the route planning process. Mind that this can lead to the impossibility to establish a navigable route: if two places are NOT linked by inland waterways, no route will be found!

The choice to allow or prohibit navigation over the open seas can also give a "limited" permission for maritime stretches. This serves to indicate a certain "handicap" for sea navigation: the greater the value in the "handicap" field next to the <Limited> button, the more reluctant the program will be to allow maritime sections in the route. A "handicap" of 1 or 2 will mean a slight preference for inland routes, while a "handicap" of 8 or 9 will only result in a sea crossing when there is really no other way to reach the destination. The user can set the handicap after his/her own liking.

The third divider, FUEL, lets you insert the fuel consumption statistics and the content of the tanks. During the voyage, an estimate can be made of the fuel consumption and a warning can be issued if the calculated left over fuel gets critical.

The fourth divider, BOAT SHAPE, is meant to define the representation of the vessel in the screen. An indication of the bow and stern shape (over which distance is the boat getting narrower) is used to redefine the drawing of the vessel. The screen also contains fields for the definition of the GPS antenna position (the distance of which, calculated from the port side and stern of the boat, can be inserted). This is vital for larger vessels, because the vessel's position depends on it.

Finally, the distance rings in the chart can be switched of or on for each individual vessel seperately. One can indicate how many rings one wants to see, and at what distance. These rings make the estimation of distances in electronic chart navigation a lot easier.

After filling in all the fields you can close this screen. The following data will actually be used in the voyage planning: length, beam, air draught, draught, cruising speed, commercial or leisure craft, sunday navigation, suitability for maritime waters and the amount of daily navigation hours.

Once you have entered a specific boat's data, this boat is automatically stored in the BOAT'S LIST. A second time you want to select this same boat you can select it directly in the list by clicking the BOAT LIST button on the bottom left side of your screen.

Departure

A window is shown in which you can type (part of) the name of a city, village, quay, port, or even bridge or lock , where you want to depart from. Don't worry about capital letters, accents and so on: PC-Navigo compares them all: (A=Ä=a=á=à=ä=â). If you don't know the correct spelling of a name, just type only part of it: typing Frank will result in Frankfurt am Main and Frankfurt am Oder, and if you type bourg one of the places in the list will be Strassbourg.

Your place of departure can also be determined at many other places in the program, by clicking the right mouse button and "marking" the particular place as your departure place (e.g. in <OPTIONS>, BROWSE, FIND etc).

In the detail screen at the right of the survey map you also have the opportunity to change your place of departure: by means of the "LOCATION" button under departure.

The place of your departure is needed for ALL calulcations PC-Navigo makes, both for routes and for areas. Without a departure place PC-Navigo can only be used to browse through the data.

Destination

In the same way as you selected and determined a place of departure, you can determine your destination, both by typing (part of) the name in the dialogue window and by "marking" any selected place in the program as your destination with the right mouse key.

A destination is only required for the calculation of routes; if you only want to calculate the navigable area of a certain boat, only the place of departure will do.

In the detail screen at the right of the survey map you also have the opportunity to change your destination: by means of the "LOCATION" button under destination.

Add "via"-places

Exactly the same way as you selected and determined your place of departure and destination, you can determine places you want to visit on the way, so called "VIA"-PLACES. As applied to the other variables, you may also "mark" a place as a "via"-place anywhere in the program. In the detail screen at the right of the map you may add via-places by clicking on the plus sign and filling out (part of) the name you're looking for in the dialogue screen.

Mind you, more than one "via"-place always has to be given IN THE ORDER OF VISITING THEM! The route that is established will depart from your place of departure, then visit Via-place 1, then Via-place 2, then Via-place 3, and so on until only the destination is left.

You must pay attention to remove via-places after you have stopped working on a certain route. If you forget to do this, a next route will be calculated along all the via-places that are still in memory, resulting in completely irrelevant routes. Removing via-places can be done either by using the submenu DELETE ALL VIA PLACES or in the detail screen at the right of the map, by putting the cursor on the place to be deleted and click on the minus sign. Once your via-places are removed you can reestablish via-places anew.

When no via-places are given, PC-Navigo will calculate the most direct route (either the fastest, the shortest, the optimum or the most tourist route, after your choices) between the place of departure and the destination.

Interruptions or breaks

Planned interruptions or breaks in a voyage can be predefined. The voyage is then interrupted at the given position, for the duration of a certain number of hours and/or days. Contrarily to the time correction function (where the moment of the continuation is defined) the planned interruption maintains its duration independant of the moment of arrival at the indicated spot.

Interruptions can be given for all pauses, of which the duration depends on activities that have to take place there, like visiting attractions or loading/unloading activities, shopping or bunkering or necessary repairs underway. Upon arrival the interruption clock starts ticking, untill the indicated time has elapsed, after which the voyage is continued within the given navigation hours.

Interruptions can be entered by means of the || button at the right of the Via field: in the dialogue box days and/or hours can be specified.

Add places to "Avoid"

If there are any places you want to avoid on the way, you can type them in the dialogue window the same way as the other places, or "mark" them anywhere in the program with the right mouse key. You can also sum up the places you want to avoid in the detail screen at the right of the map, using the plus sign to add a new place.

The order in which you type in "avoid"-places is irrelevant. But just as with Via-places, you must remember to erase places you want to avoid: if you forget this, any future route will be calculated avoiding the indicated places, which is not what you would have wanted.

To erase the places to avoid, either use the submenu DELETE ALL PLACES TO AVOID or use the minus sign in the avoid places field of the detail screen at the right of the map.

Specifying places to avoid may be handy to express your personal preference for a certain area or waterway. E.g. if you navigate from Amsterdam to the Med, you may want to avoid the Rhine (due to the current or the license requirements). To do so, just define any place between the Dutch border and the first junction of the Rhine in Germany as Avoid-place: the program will now look for alternatives.

Delete all "via"-places

After several route planning activities, it may be practical to cancel the whole list of places to visit in ONE click. This can be done with this submenu, DELETE ALL VIA-PLACES. This action removes the complete list of places, both in the list at the right of the map and in the memory of the computer.

Delete all places to avoid

After several route planning activities, it may be practical to cancel the whole list of places to avoid in ONE click. This can be done with this submenu, DELETE ALL PLACES TO AVOID. This action removes the complete list of places, both in the list at the right of the map and in the memory of the computer.

Time planning

To make the computer aware of your time planning, you must insert your departure date and time (OR your required arrival date and time) in a dialogue window. If your trip will presumably take more than one day, you may also insert your daily navigating hours, so that PC-Navigo knows at what time you will continue your journey in the morning and at what time you want to moor up for the night.

PC-Navigo contains the algorithms for the calculation of daily navigation hours corresponding with the restrictions on most of the european waterways. If a navigation scheme is specified in the boat's data screen, the corresponding daily hours will be filled in automatically.

ATTENTION: The data of a navigation scheme will overrule previously given hours!

New in PC-Navigo is the possibility to calculate backwards from the destination of the voyage: by defining at what time each point in the voyage will ultimately have to be passed in order to make it to the destination in time, the required time of departure can be generated.

ATTENTION: Note, that a slight change in the time of departure or in the RTA does not always show a corresponding change in the ETA or in the time of departure. This is due to the fact that operating schemes of locks and bridges often cause delays, which spread the optimum duration of the voyage considerably. For example: a bridge that's not operated on Sundays will result in the same ETA for all those departure times which cause the boat to get "stuck" in front of that bridge.

Apart from daily navigation hours the user must also choose which type of operating services he or she wants to use: only "normal" operation, or also operation that has to be especially requested - usually after an early notification. Of the latter, the choice must also be made whether or not to use special operation for which extra payments are due.

The distinction between commercial boats and pleasure craft is also taken into consideration: a professional barge will be allowed to pass at all hours for commercial boats, while a yacht will be restricted to the hours pleasure craft is allowed passage.

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ATTENTION: Keep in mind that a slight change of navigation schedule may result in huge changes in your route: the differences that can be caused by sunday closings and by operating hours can make a route from Rotterdam to Marseille vary as much as twenty percent in arrival time! The schedule differences also cause 'hidden blockades": a pleasure craft with a mast, that can only sail through the city of Amsterdam at 02:00 a.m., will never be let through if the skipper indicates to sail between 09:00 and 19:00 hours. Keep these possibilities in mind while planning a route!

View

All types of data presentation and viewing are assembled in the menu <VIEW>. Some forms of viewing data require that a route is calculated first (like Pictogrammes and Voyage Plan), others can be used continuously, like BROWSE and SURVEY MAP.

The core of PC-Navigo is the survey map : all data generated by the route calculations can be shown in the map, either as chart object, or as a symbol in the detail screen at the right. Unlike in the older versions of PC-Navigo, which had a strict separation between chart presentation and data presentation, these two types of presentations are combined in PC-Navigo. It provides a total overview of all relevant data in one screen.

Apart from the survey map, you have the following sub-menus available:

Pictogrammes
Voyage Plan
Level Graph
Dimension graph
Browse
Authorised Dimensions
Hour Specification
Operation on demand
Areal Map
Area List
Notices to Skippers
Summary of stoppages
GPS-Monitor
Fuel monitor

Survey Map - controls

The SURVEY MAP - or OVERVIEW MAP - is the most important screen of PC-Navigo. It shows the total network of inland waterways. Once a route has been generated, it is shown in the map with contrasting colours; as long as no route has yet been laid out, the whole network is blue.

ATTENTION! The survey map in PC-Navigo is NO navigation chart! If you want tu use PC-Navigo to navigate in waters you're NOT acquainted with, you MUST use PC-Navigo-ENC with the appropriate electronic nautical charts, OR you must make sure you have enough detailed paper chart material available!

An itinerary is automatically established as soon as all necessary data have been filled in: departure place, destination, boat's choice and date and time). The itinerary is shown in contrasting colours in the chart. Further details - the boat, the used 'criteria', the place of departure, places to avoid and via-places, the destination and the type of itinerary calculated, are shown in the detail screen at the right

Once a route has been established, the survey map offers the fastest and most complete look of the route. Should any part of the route need adaptation or improvement, you can always add "via" places or avoid places to adapt it to your needs and recalculate the route.

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Above the map area you will find a row of seventeen buttons:

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The first four buttons from the left are for the opening, saving and storing of routes:
The first button opens a New Route. In the detail screen on the right a new divider is added, on which the details of the route can be shown. Other routes remain accessible on their own respective dividers.
The second button allows you to (re)open a previously stored route.
The third button lets you store (save) a route. A dialogue window is opened, in which you can give a name to the file in which the route is saved.
The fourth button lets you save the map image as a "bitmap" file (.bmp): this is the graphical format that can be edited in most graphical software. The vectorised map, that is shown in PC-Navigo, would not be compatible with such graphical software and it would also require large amounts of space on your disks. The bitmap format is easily accessible and can be processed in most editing programs, like Windows' PAINT.

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The next seven buttons are the actual controls of the map:
the first allows "zooming in", or the enlargement of a part of the map. A click on the plus sign button, followed by a rectangle, drawn with the left mouse button (where you push the button in the left top corner and holding it down you "drag" the mouse to the right bottom corner, where you release the mouse button) will enlarge the selected portion of the map till it covers the whole canvas. A step-by-step zoom is also possible with the "+" sign button on your keyboard.
the second button allows "zooming out" or the diminuation of part of the map: as in the zooming in function, you draw a rectangle in the map area. When you release the mouse button, the map will be zoomed out with the factor that equals the relation between the canvas size and the rectangle size. You may also zoom out step-by-step by using the "-" button on your numerical keyboard (the numbers keyboard at the right).
Aside the zoom-out button a small button to set a treset scale allows you to set the PC-Navigo charts to a preset scale between 1 : 5.000 and 1 : 15.000.000.
The fourth button is the information button: a click on it allows the mouse cursor to open a photo icon or a message icon, so that the information behind it is revealed.
the fifth button with the "grabbing hand" allows you to pan the map: clicking this hand button, then pushing the right mouse button somewhere on the map and, with the button kept down, dragging it in a certain direction and releasing it, the map will be panned over the same distance as your mouse drag.
the sixth button, the "pointing finger" allows you to search the map interactively: a click on the map will result in a list of all places and objects that were found in a certain distance from the appointed position. In this list, you may want to define a place as your departure place or you destination. The RADIUS with which you want to carry out these searches can be defined under PREFERENCES. The marking of the found places as departure point, destination, "Via"-place or place to avoid can be done with a click on the RIGHT mouse button and a choice from the menu that appears. If no list appears, no places or objects have been found within the indicated radius: you may either enlarge the radius or shift your search location and click again.
the seventh button, the arrow pointing at your route, defines the cursor position as the pointer to the details of a specific point in the route: if the map screen is in the "navigation" mode (see below), this button makes all the details of the route appear in the detail screen on the right: waterway name, class, level, authorized dimensions, distance laid back, distance ahead, name of the place or object, time of passing, available dimensions, VHF-channels, phone numbers and operating hours.

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The next button switches the computer screen to an appropriate brightness:
this button controls the brightness of your screen. To avoid blinding in a wheel house when navigating at night or in the dusk the screen can be "dimmed" to colours that are less blinding in those circumstances. There are three values: daylight, dusk and darkness. They correspond with the regulations of the Central Rhine Commission. Using this possibility allows a skipper to consult his or her screen even in low visibility circumstances.

ATTENTION: The brightness control functions directly in the Windows operating system. Therefore, not only the screens of PC-Navigo, but also all other active screens will change colours. Clicking on untill you're back at the daylight colours - and also shutting down PC-Navigo - restores the default colours and birghtnesses. If, however, two applications are active simultaneously which both have this brightness control function, they may interfere with one another. A restart of your systems will restore the default values in this particular case.

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The next three buttons switch between "manual controls" and "GPS-controls" and between "north up" and "course up" mode:
The blue arrow switches the controls to the mouse: in the "navigation mode" (see below) it is the position of the mouse on the map that indicates, of which particular place you will see the details depicted in the screen on the right.
The satellite switches the controls to the GPS coordinates: if a NMEA-GPS is connected to the computer, the detail screen on the right will automatically follow the coordinates generated by the GPS, thus keeping the detail screen continuously at the real position of the boat.
The rotation button automatically adapts the orientation of the chart to the course of the ship, in such a way that the course always points at the top of the screen (the so called "Course Up Orientation"). The heading of the GPS is used to turn and rotate the chart in function of the course.

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The last two buttons switch the detail screen from "plan-mode" to navigation-mode":
The button wihout the picture of the boat switches the screen to "plan-mode": in the detail screen all particular details, needed for the planning of a route, are visible: place of departure, destination, criteria, via-places, places to avoid, and the type of route. All of these may be modified in order to enter all the particular data that describe the route you plan to navigate.
The button with the picture of the boat switches the screen to "navigation-mode": instead of the planning data of your route, the detail screen is filled with resulting data: waterway name, class, level, authorized dimensions, distance laid back, distance ahead, name of the place or object, time of passing, available dimensions, VHF-channels, phone numbers and operating hours.

Just under the row of buttons, you will see the position (of the cursor on the map and/or of the GPS). If a GPS device has been connected to the computer and if this is working, the latitude and longuitude of the real position of the boat is shown, as are the GPS time and the GPS speed and the navigation time and distance till the next object or place on the route.

Users who have a PC-Navigo-ENC version and the appropriate ENC cell at their disposal, will notice an abrupt change of the chart image at a certain zoom factor: th survey map turns into an electronic nautical chart (ENC). If one zooms in still further, more and more details become visible, until finally all that is relevant for the navigation is shown, when the zoom factor approaches the setting used in computer- and GPS-aided navigation. See also PC-Navigo-ENC.

Survey map - lay out

The SURVEY MAP - or OVERVIEW MAP - is the most important screen of PC-Navigo. It shows the total network of european inland waterways. Once a route has been generated, it is shown in the map with contrasting colours; as long as no route has yet been laid out, the whole network is blue.

ATTENTION! The survey map in PC-Navigo is NO navigation chart! If you want tu use PC-Navigo to navigate in waters you're NOT acquainted with, you MUST use PC-Navigo-ENC with the appropriate electronic nautical charts, OR you must make sure you have enough detailed paper chart material available!

The survey map consists of two parts: on the left, the actual map is shown, with the result of a route calculation drawn in contrasting colours. Should any part of the route need adaptation or improvement, you can always add "via" places or avoid places to adapt it to your needs and recalculate the route. To the right of the actual map is a screen that contains details, either details needed to define the specifications of the planned route, or details describing the resulting route itself.

The plan process - that is the actual definition of a route plan - can easily be carried out in the detail screen on the right: in the "planning mode" this screen shows all relevant choices neatly grouped together: the selected boat, dimensions with which to reckon, (planned or calculated) date and time of departure, place of departure, destination, via-places and places to avoid, (calculated or planned) date and time of arrival, and the type of route calculated (fastest, shortest, optimum or tourist).

Modification you can make in this screen are:
the choice of boat: a click on the "select" button allows you to define another boat than the one that is actually selected;
the search criteria": by the activation of the check boxes in front of the signs with authorized (red) and/or available (blue) dimensions (length, beam, air draught and draught) the respective dimension is - or is not - regarded in the calculations of a navigable route;
the place of departure, the destination (both with the "location" button) and the via-places and places to avoid (with the plus and minus signs next to the respective fields);
the type of route to be calculated: the fastest (in time), the shortest (in distance), the optimum (in engine hours) or the most tourist route (following the smallest and most picturesque waterways).
the planned (or calculated) date and time of departure and the calculated (or planned) time of arrival: if one of the two is filled in, the other is automatically recalculated.

Once a route has been planned and calculated, the detail screen on the right can be switched to the "navigation mode" by means of the button on the right of the row of buttons. In the "navigation mode" the detail screen on the right shows the characheristics of the route itself: waterway name, class, level, authorized dimensions, distance laid back, distance ahead, name of the place or object, time of passing, available dimensions, VHF-channels, phone numbers and operating hours. The exact location of which the details are shown can be established manually - by pointing with the mouse - or (if a GPS-device is connected) automatically by the GPS coordinates. You can switch between the manual and automatic positioning by means of the row of buttons above the map. If the GPS controls the position, the details shown in the right screen are always the details of the place where the boat is navigating.

Dialogue screens with phone numbers of the bridges and locks, dialogue screens of the operating hours and a dialogue screen allowing time corrections in the route plan can all be opened directly from the detail screen.

From "behind" the detail screen, the little button on top slides the Pictogramme screen into the picture (this may also be achieved with <VIEW>, <PICTOGRAMMES>). The pictogramme is a schematic representation of all objects and constructions in the itinerary, like bridges, locks, quays, harbours and other objects. Both with a GPS and with a manual pointer - by clicking at the right position - the specifics of that object can be made visible in the details screen at the right: dimensions of the passage, operating hours, communication channels and so on. The complete integration of the chart, the details screen and the pictogramme screen assures that you will always be able to see all relevant information on any particular point in your itinerary.

Users who have a PC-Navigo-ENC version and the appropriate ENC cell at their disposal, will notice an abrupt change of the chart image at a certain zoom factor: th survey map turns into an electronic nautical chart (ENC). If one zooms in still further, more and more details become visible, until finally all that is relevant for the navigation is shown, when the zoom factor approaches the setting used in computer- and GPS-aided navigation. See also PC-Navigo-ENC.

GPS

PC-Navigo allows you to connect a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to the computer, which can display the boat's position, measured in latitude and longuitude, in the survey map, and which can follow the progress of the boat during the trip. The GPS-device must be connected to one of the COM-ports of the computer and the various parameters (dataspeed, bitratio etcetera) must be properly adjusted. The format of the produced latitude and longuitude must be NMEA.

If the GPS system is properly connected and adjusted, the signal can be represented in the survey maps of PC-Navigo. The position of the boat in the European waterways is shown as a contrasting point. The progress of the boat along the route can be "guarded" by means of the extremely accurate atomic time which is sent along with the GPS-signal.

Operation of the GPS-Module

The GPS-submenu starts the GPS-module in PC-Navigo. The GPS-screen pops up, showing four tab pages: satellite, log, settings and NMEA.

On the <SETTINGS> page you have to choose the right COM-port and the databit, stopbit and parity settings (see also the manual of your GPS). If all settings are right, the START button will result in the code "NMEA" in the status label. You may then save your chosen settings and you can click the "AUTOSTART" function in order to start the GPS-receiver each time PC-Navigo is started.

As finding the right settings for GPS signals is sometimes quite cumbersome, a button <Automatic Detection of GPS-Settings> has been added, which automatically checks and investigates all the available com ports and all possible settings of the GPS, in order to establish which settings are the right ones. Please note that most GPS devices take a couple of minutes to initiate: to use the <Automatic Detection of GPS-Settings> function, you should switch your GPS device on and make sure it's connected to the computer, then wait a couple of minutes for the devide to iniate itself, and THEN click on the <Automatic Detection of GPS-Settings> button. Once a connection has been made, make sure you click on SAVE SETTINGS and on AUTOSTART to store the connection and to make sure the GPS starts itself the next time.

The page <LOG> allows you to record all positions in a log file, which can be saved under a chosen name, to review the specific route at a later stage. The START button begins the actual logging of the positions.

The page <SATELLITES> is the actual operation of the GPS signal. In the "star map" the sitellites that are received by the GPS are shown: the more satellites, the more accurate the positioning. The signal strength of every satellite is represented too. Pushing the START button sends the GPS signal to PC-Navigo, where it is translated into a dot on the map. The STOP button erases the signal again.

The page <NMEA> offers two alternative reading functions, in case your GPS device does not emit the (default) RMC-sentence but one of the (older) other two senteces: GLL and GGA. You may look up the emitted sentence in your GPS manual or you can simply try out which choice has the best result.

The page <Tracks> regulates the "traffic" between the chart and past (or current) routes: it saves the navigation track of such a route for later viewing, e.g. to remind the navigator how a certain stretch was navigated an earlier time. A track is saved with the name of the voyage to which it belonged, or under any other name. The line size and line colour with which the track is depicted can be altered.

Representation

If all settings and functions have been chosen and if the computer detects the GPS signal, the boat's position is made visible in the Survey Map, and the boat's progress is automatically followed in the Pictogramme view: the pictogramme line and the detail screen "follow" the boat along it's route. The GPS-Monitor shows four data of the GPS in a clear, transparant screen that can be put anywhere on the computer screen. The font size and colour are sizeable to allow a clear reading even if the screen is a bit further away from the navigator.

The voyage plan process in PC-Navigo 2006 can be matched with the values of the GPS. The GPS position can control AND correct the voyage plan. If this option is used a regular check is carried out at the passing of each point in the route to see if that point is passed at the calculated time, or later, or earlier.

If the time of passage deviates more than a default time (set at 10 minutes by default, but one can change it under <Preferences>) the computer will propose to amend the voyage plan, taking the current position as a basis. The voyage is then recalculated to see if a change of route has become desirable; a new ETA at the destination is calculated too, of course.

If the repeated proposals of changes are not wanted, one can choose to have PC-Navigo carry out the changes without special confirmation: the software then simply recalculates at each point on the route.

GPS and the realiability of the position

ATTENTION! The latitude and longuitude of the GPS and the maps originate from different sources and may not always be completely identical: the maps of the Netherlands, Belgium and France come from official local sources and will be accurate enough, those of Germany and the UK may still need some adjustment, and those of Poland and the Balcan countries will sometimes deviate substantially from reality. PC-Navigo-ENC does not only use its own overview maps, but also the official electronic nautical charts of the waterway authorities. They are another independant source of data, and therefore again differences are possible.

The quality of your GPS receiver has also an influence on the position of the boat in the map and charts: a normal GPS device reaches an accuracy varying from some meters to hundreds of meters; a so called differential GPS (DGPS) can reach an accuracy within the meter range.

Faults in the maps and in the signal can cause the representation of the boat to be ALONGSIDE a waterway instead of IN it. In waterways that are close together it may be impossible to establish in which waterway the boat navigates (e.g. in parallel waterways, on junctions and in double lock chambers). This deviation makes navigating on a GPS signal in poor view situations (at night or in fog) uncertain; and because the GPS signal will only show your own boat and NOT the other vessels, the use of radar is indispensible under those circumstances.

If you have a (reliable) GPS or DGPS and if you find a deviation between your map position and the map, we would appreciate being informed about this in order to improve the local map. If you can log the specific stretch of waterway, we would be happy to receive the log file in order to serve as comparison. You may send this attached to an e-mail message to info@noordersoft.com.

Post voyage plan

PC-Navigo is able to collect so called "dedicated information" based on the route one wants to navigate. This information is provided by River Information Services (RIS), the standardaised information services of the European Authorities. This RIS information contains, amongst others, Notices to Skippers. In order to allow a correct selection which of these Notices are relevant, the voyage plan must be posted to one of the NoorderSoft servers, where the voyage will be used to compare all published notices with the route of this voyage.

The menu <Post Voyage Plan> sends the voyage plan to these servers via the internet; on the servers the correct selection of all published Notices to Skippers is made, and this selection is immediately sent back to the sender of the plan. In the menu <Notices to Skippers> the selected Notices can be viewed; they appear on screen immediately after reception too.

The voyage plan will be treated as "confidential information". This means that NO parts of this information shall be provided to other parties and that it will NOT be used for other purposes without previous consent of the sender.

With the button <IP-Settings> the IP address and the port of the voyage plan server can be modified. In the course of 2008 a new voyage plan server in France will be set up. On the longer term a modification of IP address will therefore be necessary. The IP address of the "old" voyage plan server in Amsterdam is 62.251.1.160 (Port 9081).

Pictogrammes

Apart from the detail screen on the right of the survey map, the clearest and most detailed way of looking into your route is offered by PICTOGRAMMES. Pictogrammes are schematised graphical views of the waterway objects. In older versions of PC-Navigo the pictogrammes were series of drawings in which 'traffic signs' contained the lock and bridge sizes and other data. In the newer versions the pictogrammes became a schematic drawing of a waterway segment with all the objects in it, situated at the proper side of the waterway, and with the 'traffic signs' and other important data in the margins. In this most recent version the pictogramme scheme is fully integrated into the chart and details screen: in one view you can see the position of objects in the waterway, the relevant dimensions, and so on, and you're only one click away from available data like telephone number, operating hours and VHF-channel.

The screen shows the schematic line of the itinerary, with (in the detail screen at the right) specifications of all bridges, locks, safety gates, tunnels, cities, villages, harbours, quays, fuel stations, turning basins and of course junctions. If a lock or bridge has a VHF channel this is shown too. Some general data on this stretch of waterway are also shown: the name, the class, and the local water level compared to the Ordnance Datums of WGS84, and the authorized dimensions and the speed limit.

The available dimensions of the channels: length, width, headroom and depth of the primary and secundary channel (if available) are all specified. The panel contains the buttons that give access to the operating hours and telephone numbers of the lock or bridge. If a bridge will have to be operated to allow the boat to pass, the operating hours button will blink. When a route has been calculated, a time correction button is also placed in this panel. If there are Vessel Traffic Services channels for traffic control in the area, these are shown in the international style signs: compulsory reporting and control channels in a red and white panel, info channels in a blue panel.

If a GPS-device is linked to the computer and working, the pictogrammes will be shown in such a way, that it reflects the actual position of the boat, and move when the boat's position changes. This function can be switched off in the FILE and GPS menu's.

To adapt the types of object you wish to see in the pictogrammes scheme, you can click your right mouse button over the chart, and click on the OBJECT FILTER: in the dialogue screen you can indicate which of all the object you would like to see and which of them do not interest you. It allows you to amend all the information to your purposes.

Voyage Plan

Many situations require the availability of on-screen or printed lists of details of the waterways, or of a certain route. PC-Navigo produces such a list under VOYAGE PLAN. It contains the position in a route of every object, the names of the waterways and all the objects in it, the relevant data like dimensions, depth, lock hours and bridge hours, telephone numbers, VHF channels and so on. Selections of what to include or not, can be made by the user by means of the buttons at the top of the table: clicking each button switches the concerning column "on" or "off".

Likewise, the objects and places you want to have included in the table can be chosen: for this choice you must use the <Filter> option under <FILE> and <Preferences>, in the last tab sheet. If you only want to know which towns and villages you'll pass, you activate the checkboxes for towns and villages, and you leave all the others blank. But if you want to know exactly at what time you'll pass which lock, you insert the locks (and maybe mobile bridges) in your list choice.

Remember that some routes contain huge amounts of objects: plan a route from Paris to the Black Sea, and before printing anything you had better make a carefull selection of what to include in your table, if not, you will find yourself with hundreds of pages, which is hardly helpful for a good view of the ins and outs of your route! You may also decide to plan portions of the route as seperate routes, in order to limit the amount of paper.

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The buttons at the top of the table control the following columns:

Time of passage.

Distance from the origin.

Position in the direction of the route (left or right).

Mile Marker or (on the continent) Kilometer sign (or if no such signs are available: distance from the origin of the concerned waterway).

Type of place or structure (e.g. city, village, quay, bridge, lock etc.).

Name of the place or structure.

Legend of footnotes and/or particularities.

Current locally (average at normal flows).

VHF-channel of bridge or lock or harbour.

Phone numbers of bridge or lock.

Available length, beam, height and depth.

Normal water level locally.

Operation required (for bridge or lock). If the closed bridge offers enough headroom or if the lock is a stop lock that is normally open on both sides, no operation is required.

Legend of footnotes and particularities of the operating schedule.

Operating hours of the bridge or lock on the day of passage.

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The last three buttons control the printing process and the exportation of Voyage Plan files:

Printer-settings. Opens a dialogue screen in which the printer settings can be modified: borders, margines, fonts and headers and footers can be altered.

Printer. This button opens a print preview screen, showing the (first of the) pages of the Voyage Plan. If the lay out is all right, a click on the "print" button starts the printer dialogue; if alterations are required, you can return with the "Close" button.

Exports the table to a .html or .txt file. The (digital) table can be exported to be read or modified in an internet browser (such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator) or in a text processor (such as Word, Office, Star or any other text processor). It allows further modification and/or the use of the table in an internet environment.

Level Graph

Once a route has been established, PC-Navigo 'knows' the level variation between departure and destination. To show you on which parts of your route you are going upstream (with all the regulation consequences) and on which parts you're descending, you may consult the <LEVEL GRAPH>, indicating the level of every section compared to sea level (EOD or NAP or NN or NGM or OSDN). The LEVEL GRAPH shows you where you're locked UP and where you're locked DOWN, whether your mooring is at the upstream or downstream end of a lock, and where the water sheds in your route are situated.

Clicking on a certain point in the graph shows you the exact position on your route by presenting the name of the place or object at the bottom. You may run through the level graph by means of the left and right arrows or with the mouse.

Dimension graph

In the <Dimension graph> the relation between the vessel dimensions and the waterway structures is shown. The vessel dimensions (top to bottom: beam, air draught and draught, and length) are represented by a scaled blue line leaving some space between the widths of channels (the black lines) and the authorised beam in the waterway (the red restrictions).

In the middle scheme the same space is shown for air draught and draught (combined): the available headroom and depth at bridges is indicated by the black lines, the authorised height by the red borders. The space between the blue line and the black stripes indicated the amount of space above the wheel house/highest point and the bridges and the space between the lowest point/keel and the bottom.

ATTENTION: the available depth in rivers and some canals is often given as AUTHORISED depth, simply because the REAL depth figures are not known everywhere. These reals depths can be considerably larger than the indicated values!

The bottom scheme shows the relation between the vessel length and the available chamber length and authorised vessel length in a similar way.

Browse

The VIEW main menu offers you a possibility to BROWSE through all sorts of data on the waterways and their objects. You may "mark" places as departure, destination, "via"-place or "avoid"-place.

<BROWSE> allows you to enter directly - so without planning any route at all - into the data of PC-Navigo. A list of waterways is produced, in which you can select one by clicking it. In a so called PICTOGRAMME SLIDE SCREEN (that is a screen in which many details are represented by schematic icons) details of the selected waterway are made visible, while many more are 'hidden' behind special 'buttons' (such as operating hours, VHF-channels etcetera): one click is enough to get these data on screen.

Browsing gives access to the following data:
VHF-channels;
lock chamber length;
lock chamber, bridge or passage width;
available headroom;
available draught;
the same dimensions for a secundary channel if there is one;
speed limit;
maximum vessel length;
maximum vessel beam;
maximum air draught;
maximum draught;
suggestions and hints for navigation;
phone numbers;
operating hours;
current;
water level;
VHF-sector channels;
VHF-information channels.

Maximum dimensions

Once a route has been established its authorized dimensions (as allowed by the authorities) are often an important feature. Clicking on <MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS> provides you with a list of those sections of your route where the dimensions were the most critical, indicating length, beam, height and draught per section. Both the AUTHORIZED and the AVAILABLE dimensions are shown.

Please note that the dimensions are all belonging to objects IN the calculated route. If you want to use this knowledge for analytical reasons, for example to establish if you can reach a certain destination with boats of larger dimensions, you may use the menu <"SHRINK TO FIT> under <ALGORITHM>. That function examines in little steps, which boats can only just pass a certain waterway, and it can establish the largest possible vessel with which you will be able to sail from A to B.

Hour Specification

Once a route has been established you may calculate some details: the total amount of kilometres covered, and the total amount of navigation hours. But also the hours the engine has been running, the hours the engine has been on idle, the hours spent waiting for lockage, the number of locks in the route, the number of times that locks and bridges had to be operated, and so on.

Operation on demand

Once a voyage has been calculated and its route has been established, the necessity of a previous demand to operate certain locks and bridges can be established too; operation on demand is quite common on some of the waterways. Certain waterways in France, tunnels, winter opening of some structures and some large commercial vessel locks outside office hours in England require a previous notification anyway.!
The data that PC-Navigo collects contain the phone numbers of these locks and bridges; the menu <operation on demand> shows the complete list.

Attention! Sometimes a demand for operation can result in operation of a whole series of locks and bridges (e.g. in the same canal). Nevertheless ALL different phone numbers of locks and bridges are provided in the list. Check with the first lock or bridge in a row how far the arrangements of a granted service will stretch!

Area Map

While your boat is moored at a certain place PC-Navigo can calculate which waterways are navigable from that place onwards. You get a map of the navigable AREA that has taken the specifications of that particular boat into account. The navigable streches are indicated in contrasting colours in the survey map. From this map you have direct access to the AREA LIST.

Area List

In the AREA LIST the details of your navigable AREA are neatly grouped together. Clicking on the header of each column sorts the list in the order of that colomn (e.g. if you click on distance, the various objects appear in order of their distance to your mooring point; if you click on waterway, the list is sorted in alphabetical order of the waterways). The object type you want to include in your list can be selected in PREFERENCES. Like the Voyage Plan, the AREA LIST may confuse you if the amount of selected details is too large!

Please note that the sorting of long area lists may take some time, in particular on slower computers: an enormous amount of data must be compared and rearranged.