Let's talk about such a wonderful program as OziExplorer why do we need it in building your own routes, All in all instructions:

OziExployer– a program for viewing vector maps with rich capabilities. Simply put, this is a program through which we can open a map of Crimea (as an example) in full detail, which will fully correspond to your purchased atlas or map of mountainous Crimea in duplicate.

This program can open any part of the planet (if there is a map), after which you can create your own route, checkpoints or comments.

Why do we need this program, what can it do?

• Viewing the map on the monitor. Those who have ever searched for a map on the Internet may have come across various scanned maps, old maps. They are made as a high image picture. Watching such an image is extremely uncomfortable, I personally do not.
• Building a route and planning it in a convenient way. Sitting at the monitor of your favorite computer, opening the OziExplorer program, you can plan your trip, where you will go, what you will see, how exactly and which route. All this can be planned with this wonderful program.
• Creating waypoints and tracks. You can create waypoints, save them in a separate file and simply share them with your friends. They will open it using the program and see your route and possible comments on it (we’ll look at how this is done below)
• Connection to GPS, if you have a laptop, netbook, PDA, then you can connect a GPS receiver and see where you are now. This is the most important function, because as a specialized program for GPS navigators and PDAs, it works amazingly; anyone who has used it or is at least a little familiar with navigation knows. My acquaintance with GPS came from this program.

How to use

To work you need to buy it. But because If you don’t do this, download the cracked version of the program (may the developer forgive me). I think about how to install the program and crack it, you know, I don’t want to talk about it and I won’t.

The program looks like this:

And where map you ask.

Maps format ozf2, ozfx3, map you need to download separately. To find good maps of Crimea, I had to spend a couple of days in Yandex and Google. I found not bad maps of the General Staff of the entire Crimea, but as you understand, they are old and, unfortunately, black and white, I will not post them.

You have downloaded the maps, now you need to open it using the program, this is done extremely simply and trivially.

“File” – “Download” – “Download map”

In the window that appears, select a map on your computer, there are four files: Eastern and Northwestern Crimea (two for each). It happens that you don’t immediately get to the selected map :)

If you have not done this yet or are in doubt, then look at the screenshot of the program with this map loaded (as you can see on the map - Ghost Valley):

The map is very detailed, which is a great success for OziExplorer maps.

I briefly told you the theory of the program, let's move on to practice.
The program is needed, in my opinion, for three needs:

• View map
• Creating a track on the card and recording it in a separate file with distant transfer
• GPS connection to find out your location, speed, altitude, azimuth.

You already understand how to do the first, it’s as easy as shelling pears. But to figure out the second one you need a lot of clicks to nowhere, and now I myself often end up in the wrong functions, because there are a huge number of them. Who wants to spend a couple of sleepless nights, you can tinker with the program and tell me or subscribe to so as not to miss a review of the program’s functions.

Creating a track occurs by clicking on the icon. After which you can indicate on the map points and subsequent ones (they will be connected by a red line) and another, third.
For example, I made the track “Radiant” - “cow path”:

If you suddenly did something wrong, labeled it in the wrong place, or generally messed up, there is a solution. Remove dots you can: “Select” – “Select track points” – select the points of the newly built track on the map (if you selected points, they will be highlighted in blue) and click on “Delete selected objects”

Here's a note right away. The coordinates are recorded, so if your friend does not have this particular map, but has another one, the track will (should) show the right road, regardless of which map is loaded at the moment.

OziExplorer for PDA

Owners of PDAs running Window Mobile (WM) 5-6.5 can install a simplified version of the program.
I personally have two of these PDAs of different models, WM versions, resolution and screen size - it works with a bang!

This means that my PDA becomes a full-fledged GPS navigator (complete with a GPS receiver). I have OziExplorerCe 2.17 Russified on it, it can open maps (as for a desktop computer), and with the help of the built-in GPS or Bluetooth receiver you can find out your coordinates and location on the map in real time.

My kit:

Communicator Samsung I710 + BT GPS. It works great, I checked the performance, endurance and maps during the X-Crimea multi-race. P.S. At night without it you could just sit in one place :)

OziExplorer for Android

Now a version of the program for Android has begun to be released, I personally am not particularly familiar with this OS, but I managed to install the program on it (they asked me once). Now they seem to be releasing betas, but they are functional.
You won’t get any specific details from me because you don’t know, but I’ll give you a download link.

Install, test and tell us (how to send an article)

That’s all that is not clear - write in the comment and don’t forget so as not to miss the next publication of interesting and useful programs for tourism.

P.S. The answer came from Tkachuk Vladimir:

Hello. I looked at your website and article about creating routes using OziExplorer - I liked it. I recently purchased a Sony Ericson ARC S and there is no such program on the market. I downloaded your link for Android, but this is a trial version and is buggy. There is a replacement name on the market. Androzic works great. I downloaded the maps of Crimea, they work great, there are no slowdowns. I compiled a route on my computer at home and uploaded it to my phone. Shows everything perfectly. I found topographic maps of Ukraine immediately with permission for these programs, uploaded them, and they show everything perfectly. Thank you for the article. Good luck in tourism.

– a navigation program that allows you to use raster maps for navigation purposes. Designed for Windows CE- and PocketPC-compatible devices, such as car navigators and PDAs, and belongs to the OziExplorer family of programs.

The OziExplorerCE program (Ozi Explorer CE) shows the location of the GPS receiver on a raster map and provides a number of additional features that make navigation using raster maps clear and convenient.

You can either create raster maps yourself - by scanning a paper map and linking it to geographic coordinates, or use ready-made maps in digital format.

The OziExplorerCE program implements the ability to lay out your own routes in manual mode - by specifying intermediate route points and then guiding the OziExplorerCE program along the laid route with voice prompts about approaching the next route point. Due to the peculiarities of storage formats for raster maps, it is impossible to implement the function of automatic routing (automatic routing) from point A to point B in navigation programs for raster maps. If you need to use the automatic routing function, you must use navigation programs for vector (routable) maps.

A car navigator with OziExplorerCE can be used when traveling as an electronic map that displays your current location, facilitates visual orientation and helps you choose the direction of further movement. Also on the OziExplorerCE maps you can mark with dots places of good fishing, mushroom spots, forest paths, fords, dangerous swamps, the location of a car in the forest, a route through the forest or around a reservoir. The OziExplorerCE program is indispensable for those places where there is no cartographic coverage of roads with navigation programs for vector (routable) maps.

To use all the features of OziExplorerCE, you must have a registered copy of OziExplorerCE and a registered copy of OziExplorer for a personal computer (PC). Unregistered versions of OziExplorerCE and OziExplorer for PC are functional, but have limitations in capabilities.

What is a map for OziExplorer family programs?

A map for OziExplorer is a graphic file with a map image, calibrated (linked) in such a way that each pixel on the map corresponds to real geographic coordinates.

Thus, a map for OziExplorer consists of two files:

1. a graphic file in raster format with a map image (in one of the graphic formats .ozfx3, .ozf2, .ecw, .sid, .rml, .tiff, .jpg, .png, .bmp, etc.);
2. .map file - calibration file, contains the following information:

• Link to graphic file.
• The type of map projection used.
• The coordinate system used.
• Calibration information for the card.

Loading a map into OziExplorer means copying graphic and .map files to the folder with maps for OziExplorer, opening a .map file (for example, World.map) in OziExplorer. In this case, OziExplorer will read from the .map file:

• Name the graphic file and open it;
• Map coordinate format;
• Map projection;
• Calibration information and calculates the geographic coordinates corresponding to the image pixels.

Requirements for maps for programs of the OziExplorer family:

• You can create your own maps for OziExplorerCE, download them for free online, or purchase them in digital format.
• OziExplorerCE understands maps in many different graphic formats. However, when using cards of large size/volume, to increase the performance of the program, it is advisable to convert graphic files in the formats .jpg, .png, .bmp to the .ozfx3 format using Img2Ozf converter(the converter is available on the official OziExplorer website). The .ozfx3 format is specially designed for use in OziExplorer; this format loads the image page by page from the hard drive and requires a minimum of RAM.

Card format converter "Img2Ozf"

• The .ecw format, as well as the .ozfx3 format, allows you to load an image into RAM page by page, but for OziExplorer this is a third-party format and the program performance with it is slightly lower than with the .ozfx3 format.
• The .ozf2 format, as well as the .ozfx3 format, was developed specifically for the OziExplorer family of programs, but it is now considered obsolete and the OziExplorer developers recommend using only the .ozfx3 format.

Compatibility of OziExplorerCE with car navigators and other devices

The OziExplorerCE navigation software is compatible with the following platforms based on the Windows CE operating system:

• Car navigators (PNA), handhelds (Handhelds), personal navigation devices (PND) - with the Windows CE operating system versions 4, 5, 6.
• Devices on the PocketPC platform - PC2000, PC2002 (with Windows CE versions 3.0 and higher)
• Devices on the PocketPC platform - (Windows Mobile 2003) PC2003 (with Windows CE versions 4.2 and higher)
• Devices based on the PocketPC platform - Windows Mobile 5
• Devices on the PocketPC platform - Windows Mobile 6, 6.5 Classic and Professional. But devices based on Windows Mobile 6 Standard (phones without a touch screen) are not supported.

The following types of processors are supported as part of the above platforms: ARM (SiRFatlas), MIPS, SH3, SH4, Intel PXA2xx (Xscale). Please note that the executable files of the same version of OziExplorerCE for different types of processors differ and an executable file that is incompatible with your processor type will not run.

Main features of the OziExplorerCE program

• Ability to use maps in a variety of graphic formats: .ozfx3, .ozf2, .ecw, .sid, .rml, .tiff, .jpg, .png, .bmp, etc.;
• Ability to use in OziExplorerCE any maps created in OziExplorer for a personal computer (PC)
• Supports various exchange protocols with GPS receivers from different manufacturers
• Automatic map movement according to navigator movement
• Automatic selection and use of the most detailed map for the current position of the car navigator, automatic loading of the next map
• Using multiple maps with different levels of detail and automatically changing them depending on the scale selected by the user
• Search for all existing maps in the navigator for the position indicated by the cursor
• Mode “Rotate the map in the direction of movement”
• “3D perspective” mode, increasing map visibility:

• Supports various types of objects on the map - Waypoints, Routes, Tracks, Comments, Object Symbols:

• Creating various Events when objects approach an area, creating the boundaries of Dangerous Zones
• Laying and editing a driving route on the car navigator screen using a stylus
• Automatic guidance along the route laid by the user, using sound prompts: turn left, turn right and others
• Loading and simultaneous display of up to five user tracks (previously traveled points)

• Automatic recording of tracks to a file
• Display on the screen of the car navigator speed (speedometer), direction of movement (compass), distance traveled and time (odometer)

• Sound indication of exceeding specified speed thresholds: Minimum speed, Set speed, Maximum speed
• Search for objects by name, maintaining search history:

• Using various "Toolbars" to facilitate operations:

• Designing an interface for OziExplorerCE using the OziExplorerCE Screen Designer program for PC:

• Much, much more

Where can I download OziExplorerCE?

The latest version of the OziExplorerCE navigation program can always be downloaded from the official website of the developers: http://www.oziexplorer.com.

How to install OziExplorerCE on a car navigator?

You can install the OziExplorerCE navigation program on your car navigator yourself. To do this you need:

1. From the official OziExplorer website (http://www.oziexplorer.com) download the archive with the OziExplorerCE installation package and the executable file corresponding to your processor type.

2. Unpack the archive with OziExplorerCE system files into the root directory in the internal Flash memory or memory card of the navigator into the “OziExplorer” folder (instead of the “OziExplorer” folder name, any other name can be used, you just need to reconfigure the configuration accordingly). All additional files (common files) will be installed in internal subdirectories located in the OziExplorer directory.

3. Copy the executable file for your processor type to the "OziExplorer" folder.

4. Copy the required raster map (in one of the graphic formats .ozfx3, .ozf2, .ecw, .sid, .tiff, .jpg, .png, .bmp + calibration .map file) to the "Maps" subdirectory in the "Maps" folder OziExplorer" (or any other folder, then setting the paths to graphic files with map images in the OziExplorerCE program settings).

5. Buy a license key and register the program to remove all restrictions of the demo mode.

6. If necessary, Russify the program.

7. Launch the OziExplorerCE program and configure it by specifying the paths to the graphic files in the “Image File Path(s)” and “Map File Path(s) & Data File Path” sections.

Other program settings are optional.

How to register OziExplorerCE and remove demo mode restrictions?

To remove restrictions from the OziExplorerCE program, you must enter a license key (registration). You can buy an OziExplorerCE license key both in our online store (for rubles, without the need for an international plastic card) or directly from the program developers (you will need an international plastic card and registration in the PayPal electronic payment system).

After entering the license key into the program, all restrictions of the demo mode will be removed and you will be able to use OziExplorerCE without any restrictions.

OziExplorerCE program interface

The OziExplorerCE program is controlled using the “Menu Bar” located at the bottom of the screen:

OziExplorerCE is based on multi-page concept. In the standard version of OziExplorerCE, the program developers have designed 17 pages. Each page is a “blank screen canvas” on which various objects are placed: Map, Menu, toolbars, Indicators of various “sensors” (geographic coordinates, date, time, speed, altitude). The appearance of each Page can be created or changed to your taste using the OziCE Screen Designer program - additional “sensor” indicators can be added to each page, or unnecessary indicators can be removed or the location of objects can be changed. You can also add or remove entire pages.

Pages are accessed using the Page Select menu:

Overview of the OziExplorer program

OziExplorer is one of the most important programs for owners of any GPS navigators. Manufacturer's website - www.oziexplorer.com. Descriptions of this program are present on almost all sites dedicated to GPS navigation. The Realbiker website is rightfully considered one of the best in terms of describing the principles of working with OziExplorer. There you can find a lot more interesting information on a variety of issues - from equipment to ready-made maps and routes.

However, I will briefly tell you about the main features of this wonderful program.

It is designed to work with raster maps. The same ones that are obtained after scanning and with which editors such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel PhotoPaint, etc. work. Formats - BMP, TIFF, JPG, PNG, GIF, CAP, KAP, OZI. As you can see, the downloadable map formats are quite versatile and convenient. I didn't notice any restrictions on file size. Navigators with which the program can work are Garmin, Lowrance, Eagle, Magellan, MLR, Silva, Brunton, Tripmate, Earthmate and others that support the NMEA data transmission format.

General sequence of working with the program.

In some way we obtain a raster map of the area of ​​interest to us. We load it into the program in the mode of creating and linking a new card. We set the datum parameters of the loaded map. Next, the most important operation is linking the map using points that have known coordinates and are geographically located on this map. Save the linked map in MAP format. Now we actually start working with the navigator. The program allows you to perform all the necessary operations with waypoints, tracks and other navigator data - download from the navigator to the program and back, create, edit, save on your computer disk, etc. All data is displayed on the map. However, to work with the program you simply need to understand some very important points regarding many issues of cartography. You can find all the necessary information on other sites. Fortunately, a lot of information on this topic has appeared over the past 2-3 years.

You may have a completely reasonable question: where can you get such a wonderful program? First, of course, on the manufacturer’s website - www.oziexplorer.com. However, in this case, you will either have to pay the required amount, or be content with the demo version, which is practically pointless to actually work with. However, some irresponsible comrades may try to download a fully functional Russified version. The choice is yours.

Pavel Borovsky
[email protected]
December 2006

Techniques for working with OziExplorer

Introduction

Currently, more and more of our fellow citizens are choosing travel as a vacation pastime - on foot, on horseback, by bicycle, by car and along the waters of our vast expanse. Being an enthusiast of road trips and sailing trips myself, and having quite a lot of experience in using electronic navigation tools, I decided to write this article. The timing for this work was not chosen by chance. The fact is that as I communicate with people like me, I have to encounter the ignorance of travel enthusiasts with the available technologies associated with the use of GPS receivers, and I often have to explain the basics to my colleagues. I've set a lot of teeth on edge, I'll report to you. And so I decided to do it “the right way” - having written such a guide once, I save myself from having to repeat the same thing over and over again to different people. So, let's start in order.

Brief overview of technologies

First, let's immediately define the terminology. There won't be much of it, but let me emphasize it. This will save us from confusion later.

Global Positioning System. This system is based on the presence of a constellation of satellites, each of which at any given time has clearly defined coordinates. Much has been written about this system on the Internet with varying degrees of detail. Currently, there are two systems - the American NAVSTAR and the Russian one. Due to the fact that at the time of writing this article the Russian system is not yet sufficiently accessible to civilian consumers, we will further focus on the American NAVSTAR, and for brevity it will be called GPS.

This is a device that allows, using a constellation of satellites, to determine the location of the observer with an accuracy sufficient for most amateur navigation tasks. Now on the market there are many professional and amateur GPS receivers with different capabilities, but they all have one thing in common - the ability to determine the coordinates of the receiver's location.

Classes of GPS receivers

I would like to highlight three main classes of GPS receivers. I divide them not so much by cost, but by the capabilities provided. I assure you that receivers in each of the classes I have identified can differ in cost significantly, so from my point of view there is no point in classifying them according to this parameter.

1. Modular receivers. They are characterized by compactness and the absence of their own means of displaying information, that is, they cannot be used separately from a computer. There are different ways to connect to a computer - via a USB port, via a CompactFlash socket, via a BlueTooth wireless interface, etc.

Figure 1 Example of a modular GPS receiver with USB output

2. Receivers without the ability to load a map. It was with such receivers that the “GPS era” began. Can be used as a standalone device. They often have an outdated interface for connecting to a computer via a serial (COM) port, which forces them to purchase additional conversion devices, for example, COM-USB, if the computer does not have a COM port. They have several important functions that make navigation easier in offline mode - the ability to enter waypoints and routes into the receiver’s memory, the ability to go back along the route taken, and some other functions

Figure 2 Garmin 12 GPS Receiver	Figure 3 Screen appearance (using the example of a Garmin 12 receiver)

3. Progress does not stand still, and here is the third class of receivers - with the ability to load cards into the receiver’s memory. Such receivers also include serious stationary systems called chartplotters. Such receivers themselves represent a full-fledged navigation system that does not require additional hardware and software. These receivers have the same functions as those described in paragraph 2, plus the ability to work with vector maps loaded in a certain way into the device’s memory. Such receivers, as a rule, are more expensive than those described in paragraph 2, and, in addition, the card market for them, especially in Russia, is not yet developed enough to ensure their full use, although progress is obvious. This class of devices also includes cell phones equipped with a GPS receiver.

Figure 4 Magellan SporTrak Color GPS Receiver

4. GPS receiver paired with a PDA. The main difference from class 3 devices is the ability to independently select the software that will be responsible for processing signals from the GPS receiver.

Figure 5 PDA with built-in GPS receiver

So, the presence of a GPS receiver provides us with a determination of our coordinates in terms of latitude-longitude-altitude above sea level. But knowing the coordinates alone will give the user little. Our main task is to overlay the coordinates received from the receiver onto the map. By the way, please note that in our case the task differs from the classical task of terrain orientation. In the classical problem, we are faced with the need to determine our coordinates on the map using existing landmarks, but in the case of using GPS, we know our coordinates a priori, and this greatly simplifies the solution of the problem.

There is nothing difficult in plotting a point on a map with coordinates received from a GPS receiver; it is enough to have a paper map, basic knowledge of cartography and a set of necessary tools - a compass, a ruler and a pencil. But any task that is sufficiently formalized can be automated. Automation requires some hardware and software. In particular, in class 3 GPS receivers according to our classification, the entire complex, as we have already said, is built into a single device. In addition to the navigation system itself, electronic maps are required.

Types of electronic cards

Electronic maps are traditionally divided into two main types - raster and vector; let’s look at each type in more detail:

JPG, GIF, etc.maps (from the word raster - a discrete image presented as a matrix of points on the screen; an important characteristic of a raster is resolution - the number of points per unit length). Such cards represent a regular image, like a photograph from a digital camera. Typically, such maps are obtained by scanning a paper map and then referencing it to some coordinate system on the Earth's surface. The main features of such cards are an exact match to the original card (if you do not take into account scanning errors) and low manufacturing costs. The disadvantages include the relatively large volumes of the high-resolution graphic file of the map, and the inevitable loss of image quality when it is enlarged when working with the map. Such cards can be made independently at home; all you need is an original card and a scanner connected to a computer. Raster maps are saved as a regular graphic file -

Maps do not consist of points, but of objects - a river, forest, road, settlement, road sign and much more. Objects are described by their characteristics, such as size, position on the ground, and others. Vector maps, unlike raster maps, do not have a resolution characteristic. This means that the map is scaled without losing image quality. The main problem with such cards is the complexity of production, hence their high cost. You are unlikely to be able to make such a map yourself - this is the work of entire teams. One of the advantages of vector maps is the ability to update a collection of maps online, for example, via the Internet. But at the same time, the probability of human error when producing such a map is much higher than when producing raster maps. The main difference between vector maps and raster maps is that during the navigation process the system can understand where you are at the moment - whether on the water, on the road, how many feet are under your keel, etc., and can signal the helmsman when you have reached, for example, threshold depth. This is the main and undeniable advantage of vector maps.

For each type of electronic map, there is appropriate software that can combine the signal received from the GPS receiver with the map, displaying your current location, and allowing you to solve basic navigation problems - route planning, monitoring deviations from a given route, calculating the estimated time of arrival at the final destination. waypoint and much more.

In this article I would like to talk about the navigation system that I have been using for the past few years. The complex was built using a Garmin 12XL GPS receiver, a Fujitsu Stylistic 3400 tablet computer and software OziExplorer. Below are the main reasons for choosing such hardware and software:

1. Garmin 12 XL - receiver without the ability to load cards (class 2 receiver according to our classification). It can handle 500 waypoints and 20 routes simultaneously, each route containing up to 30 waypoints. In addition, at the time of choosing a GPS receiver, it was the most affordable GPS receiver that had the ability to connect an external antenna, which was a critical condition for me. The receiver is extremely unpretentious to external power supply, and operates normally at an on-board voltage in the range of 6..36V. At the time of purchase, the cost of the receiver was about $150 plus an external antenna of $35. I abandoned the idea of ​​purchasing a modular receiver, since the possibility of using it autonomously, for example, for hiking trips, is lost. The purchase of a chartplotter was not considered for two reasons - the high cost of the receiver itself and the lack of a normal market for vector maps of Russia for downloading to the receiver;
2. Fujitsu Stylistic 3400 Tablet PC is an ordinary laptop, but with the ability to disable the keyboard. Has a touch screen for stylus control. The choice fell on him, since there were similar devices at auction There were quite a lot of them on ebay, and the manufacturer’s brand was well known. Including shipping from the USA, the computer cost me about $500. The main advantages of such a device are versatility (this is a regular computer with the MS operating system Windows 2000, which can be used to solve a wide range of tasks, including specialized ones, for example, pairing with new devices, such as a meteorological complex, log, echo sounder, etc.), the resolution and screen size are larger than even those of modern PDAs (800x600 pixels, 10-inch screen). The characteristics are as follows: Intel Pentium III 400 MHz, RAM - 192Mb, HDD - 5Gb. I abandoned the idea of ​​using a regular laptop because of its bulkiness, although it sounds a little strange. In addition to the operating system, the MS package is installed Office, Internet browser, email client, and, in fact, a set of cards.
3. - de facto standard software for working with raster maps. According to the manufacturer (www), more than 500,000 people have already downloaded a trial version of this program.

   I have been using this navigation system for several years now; it has easily survived several trips to different water areas, as well as a number of road trips in Russia and abroad.

Such a navigation system, of course, is not ideal; it is given as an example, as one of the possible options. My navigation system also has shortcomings. For example, I don’t like the large number of wires, and the brightness of the computer screen seems insufficient, which manifests itself in bright sunlight, etc. But everything is in your hands - there are always opportunities to improve our imperfect world.

Let's take a closer look at the details of use. I will list its main functions:

• Recognizes a number of the most common graphic file formats (BMP, JPG, TIF, PNG) plus several specialized card formats (MrSID, ECW);
• Provides the ability to import maps from navigation systems such as Digital Raster Graphic (DRG), BSB, NOS/GEO, Kompass, Maptech (PCX, RML, Terrain Navigator, AER), QuoVadis;
• Interacts with GPS receivers that support exchange via the NMEA protocol (this includes most currently produced receivers);
• Supports most common projections, including the Mercator projection (as a rule, this projection is used in the production of nautical charts), Transverse Mercator (often used to represent topographic maps, in particular, maps of the General Staff of the Russian Federation use this projection), and many others;
• Supports most common coordinate systems (more than a hundred), including those used in the compilation of domestic maps “Pulkovo 1942”, and the most common GPS receiver system WGS 84;
• Allows you to calculate magnetic declination anywhere in the world. Magnetic declination can be set manually by the user for each map, or can be obtained from a GPS receiver, or calculated directly by OziExplorer based on built-in algorithms;
• Can exchange information about points, routes and distance traveled with receivers of several dozen models, including many common receivers of the 2nd and 3rd classes. Data exchange can occur in both directions;
• In real time, displays the location of the GPS receiver, its current speed, direction of movement (true and compass courses), altitude above sea level. Speeds and distances can be displayed according to the user's choice in various units of measurement - km/h, knots, mph for speed; kilometers, miles, nautical miles for distances;
• Allows you to take measurements on the map, replacing the navigator's tools such as a ruler and compass;
• Records and displays the distance traveled, which allows you to subsequently analyze parameters - speed, direction of movement - at different stages of the route traveled;
• Allows you to provide maps with additional information in the form of comments and photographs;
• Allows you to use search tools for geographic objects by name;
• Provides ample opportunities for printing the selected map with various scale options, with printing of selected types of objects (points, routes, comments, etc.);
• The latest versions have developed a number of functions for collaboration with the program Google and Google Earth, and the exchange of waypoints and tracks between these two programs;Earth- it is possible to view the current location simultaneously in OziExplorer
• Provides the ability to create and navigate 3D maps based on elevation data using stand-alone OziExplorer3D software;
• Allows you to control the ship's onboard autopilot;
• And many other useful features, some of which I use regularly, and others I use for fun - this applies, for example, to 3D maps and the integration function with Google Earth;
• Finally, there is a whole family of programs, both from the OziExplorer developer itself and from third-party manufacturers, designed to implement additional functionality, often not directly related to solving navigation problems.

Working with OziExplorer

Let's consider the typical actions of a navigator when working with.

Pre-laying

1. Launch OziExplorer. The main program window will open with an empty map area (unless it is indicated that you want to automatically load the last used map or the option to automatically load the Project is not specified);
2. The map is loaded in one of the ways the user chooses:

· Manual loading from the menu “File - Load from File - Load Map File”

· Automatic loading of the map after the start of a session with GPS receiver. In this case, the program itself will select the most detailed map.

In our case, if we are talking about preliminary plotting of a course at home, it is most convenient to use the second method of selecting a map - using an index map. The index map window is called up by pressing Index buttons(Index) on the standard toolbar.

1. Once the map is open, you can begin to plot your route. The route consists of waypoints arranged in the order you need. First, let's set up waypoints. Typically these are turning points or prominent places along the route:

To add waypoints I usually use button "Create"(Position & Set Waypoint on Map) on the standard toolbar. When creating waypoints, keep in mind that all GPS receivers capable of working with waypoints have limitations on the number of them. If you exceed this limit, you may lose some points when loading them into the GPS receiver. OziExplorer itself can work with 10,000 points simultaneously. Another annoying limitation GPS receivers - in the length of the point name. Thus, Garmin 12 allows you to use point names no longer than 6 characters. OziExplorer removes this limitation, but if it is necessary to load points into GPS receiver, you must remember that of the two “eponymous” points, the receiver will be able to save only one. For example, if you have marked two waypoints named STOYANKA NA OSTROVE and STOYANKA POD GOROI, then one of the points will not be loaded into GPS receiver though in OziExplorer both will display correctly. I have not yet found a reliable way to combat this unpleasant phenomenon, so I have to control the process of loading points into GPS receiver based on the number of sent and received points - if fewer are received than sent, then there are points of the same name.

In this example, I would rename one of the points by using the number “0” (zero) instead of the letter “O” or replacing the letter “S” with the number “5” in the first word. By the way, you can create waypoints not only by marking each of them on the map, but also, if necessary, you can use the ability to create one point relative to any previously created one. This feature can be useful when the description of the future route sounds like “leave from point A and go on a course of 337 degrees 5 miles.” Then you can use the “Calculate new waypoint or track point” tool (Project new Waypoint) from the Options menu of the same name

Here you can select any available waypoint or the last point of the path traveled, and specify the bearing (true or magnetic) and the distance from it to the new point.

It is absolutely not necessary to add all the points you just entered to a particular route. There is no relationship between the number of points on the map and the number of points on the route - each point can be included in the route plan any number of times, or not included at all.
The route can be renamed and provided with a brief description by calling the route properties editing window by double-clicking on the selected route or by clicking the “Properties” button:

GPS receiver - not all receivers can display Cyrillic fonts correctly.
Just like points, routes have restrictions. can work with 100 simultaneously loaded routes, each route can consist of a maximum of 300 points. GPS receivers have their own similar limitations, and for supported OziExplorer devices knows and controls these restrictions;

Be careful when using Cyrillic in object names if you plan to upload objects to

Route navigation

1. Launch and load the map. Typically, when navigating, I use the automatic map selection function, in this case OziExplorer itself selects the most detailed map available;
2. Load previously saved waypoints and routes from a file. To do this, select the menu items respectively File - Load from File - Load Waypoints from File or File - Load from File - Load Routes from File)
3. Make sure your The GRP receiver is configured to exchange with OziExplorer via the protocol. Garmin 12XL is configured in the same way as described above, but in the list of available protocols you should select the NMEA/NMEA protocol
4. We begin receiving data from the GPS receiver. To do this, I usually use the button (Start/Stop NMEA Communication), which I previously placed on the user toolbar for convenience. Another way is to use the menu item “Real-time navigation - Enable real-time navigation” (Moving Map - Start NMEA Communication with GPS).
5. I usually use two very convenient panels “Moving Map Control” and “Navigation Control”, which are called up from the menu items of the same name “Moving Map Control” and “Navigation”. " (Navigation) respectively. I call these panels using pre-configured buttons and:
   
   
   The first panel contains information about the current movement parameters - speed and direction of movement (true and magnetic courses), altitude above sea level. This data is supplied by the GPS receiver. The second panel is used to work with points and routes. With its help you can start moving along the route. To do this, click on the “Route Navigation” button (Navigate Along a Route) . After clicking it, in the window that appears with available routes, you need to select the one you need and click “Set”
   
   Then the “Navigation Control” panel will display the name of the first route point, the distance to it, the estimated time of arrival and the approximate travel time, as well as the amount of deviation from the given route and the true course to the point. As you approach the point, the system will sound a sound signal and select the next point on the route as the next point. Please note - after the route is selected and activated, the program displays the distances and courses for each section of the route;
   
   
6. In some cases, it is convenient to use the regional map screen (menu “Real-time Navigation - Show Regional Map Window” (Moving Map - Show Regional Map Window)). Typically, a large-scale map such as a general map of a water area or region is chosen as a regional map.
   
   
7. To quickly measure distances and bearings, I often use a tool that eliminates the need for a ruler and compass.
   Click buttons:
   - a line will be displayed between the place of the last mouse click on the map and its current position;
   - a window will appear displaying the length of this line and its angle.
   Select the menu item "Live Navigation - Attach Cursor Line to Position", this will provide a distance and heading measurement relative to your current location
   
   
8. It is also convenient to use the function of displaying the distance traveled. You can display the path on the screen using the button on the toolbar. If your computer does not have sufficient computing resources and when navigating in real time it starts to slow down when the map is redrawn, try reducing the length of the displayed path. To do this, in the “Real-time navigation control” panel, in the “TT” field, set a value other than 0, then the displayed length of your traveled path will be reduced in accordance with the specified value for the number of displayed points. In this case, the information about the traveled path itself is not lost; the limitation applies only to the display of this path.
9. As you move, the program automatically shifts the map so that your location indicator remains on the screen. This feature can be disabled when you need to view a different area of ​​the map or load a map of a different area. To disable the function, release the button on the “Live Navigation Control” panel. Now you can plot a new route or solve other problems without interference, and the program will not try to “take away” your map while you are working with it;
10. selects the most, from his point of view, suitable card from the ones you have. The criterion for selecting a card is simple - the program calculates how many units of length (meters, yards,...) are contained in one pixel of each card, and selects the one for which this figure is smaller. This will be the most detailed map. On the one hand, this is true, but it may happen that in the coastal zone the program will load a more detailed, but inappropriate topographic map at that time. To avoid this, it is enough to prohibit the program from searching for more detailed maps (button) or force it to search for more detailed maps only in the same directory as the currently loaded map (button). Both of these buttons are also found in the Live Navigation Control panel. Agree, a convenient panel!
11. When you approach the border of the map and cross it, the system will automatically load the next map, also the most suitable one from its point of view. The method for selecting a card in this case is the same as described above.
12. To view the map in more detail, you may need to temporarily hide all objects displayed on the map. To do this, I usually use the context menu, to call which you need to right-click on the area with the map and select the menu item “Hide - All Map Objects”. Another way is to simply drag the map with the mouse, then all objects are automatically hidden from the screen while you drag the map.
13. Sometimes, to quickly assess the scale of distances, it is convenient to use the function of displaying concentric rings around the current location indicator. To display the rings, you need to call the menu item “Moving Map - Range Rings Setup”, after which the dialog box for setting up such rings will open. In addition to rings, you may need to display bearings around the cursor. This function is activated in the system settings window “File - Configuration” on the “Navigation” tab with the “Compass” button.
    
    
14. When approaching a danger closer than the specified distance, the system will automatically open the file specified in the Proximity / Route Attachment parameter and display the picture specified in the Proximity / Route Symbol parameter:
    
    
    In my case, a picture in the form of a “brick” road sign was displayed on the screen, and the music started playing. The danger zone is indicated by a shaded area around the new waypoint. This waypoint may not belong to the current route - the behavior of the system will not change due to such membership.
15. The path traveled can be automatically saved to a file on disk. This feature guarantees the safety of information even if your computer is turned off for some reason. To save the path traveled, you need to select the menu item “Real-time navigation - Write to Log file” (Moving Map - Log Track to File). The file name for saving information can be specified there, in the “Change Track Log File” menu. Please note that if you travel for a long enough time, this file may “swell” to such a size that further work with it becomes uncomfortable. Therefore, we recommend changing the name of this file at least once a week. Then the path traveled will consist of several fragments, which, if desired, can later be merged into one file.
16. If the situation turned out to be such that your computer was turned off (for example, this happened to me on long journeys, when the capacity of the on-board battery was not enough for the entire journey and there was no way to recharge it), depending on the model of your GPS receiver, you can restore the path traveled from the receiver's memory by loading it into your computer after turning on the latter. Of course, for this, the GPS receiver must be turned on the entire time the computer is turned off.

"Debriefing"

Here we will look at techniques for working with at home at the end of the route. Debriefing is useful when, for example, you need to clarify what time your ship was at a particular point on the route, or to analyze the speed at different stages of the route.

1. Open the desired map and download the file containing the route you have taken. The path traveled is loaded from the menu “File - Load from File - Load Track from File (Multi)”
2. Open the “Track Management” window, to do this, select the menu item “View - Tracks - Track Control”. In the window you will see a list of all downloaded tracks. In this window you can:

Here I would like to finish the review of the main functions, since, in my opinion, this is quite sufficient for solving everyday navigation problems. In addition, it offers an interface that is easy to learn and intuitive enough to focus on all the functions it provides.

The included help file is quite complete and detailed, but the user must have basic knowledge of the English language, although there are several Russian translations of the help file on the Internet. But it’s difficult for me to judge their quality, since I use the original certificate. We haven't covered much of the making and use of 3D maps in this review, but as I mentioned earlier, I view them more as entertainment than as a serious navigational tool. Also, no attention has been paid to the issues of self-production of electronic cards, but I would like to cover this topic in a separate article, since the subject itself requires a different, more academic style of presentation, and does not fit well into the concept of this article, which is intended to give a general idea of ​​the use .

Original article

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