Marine navigation using Blackberry Playbook / Tablet

'Gps Nautical Charts' app for Blackberry Playbook provides quite a few options to aid in marine navigation.

 

  1. Voice activated roue assistance using AutoFollow (NEW!!)
  2. Track Distance/Bearing to a waypoint using  Distance/Bearing tool and Auto Follow.
  3. Auto Follow 

 
 
Voice activated route assistance For Marine Navigation
 
The app supports quite a few way  to import an existing route in the app. These are available as part of Import Manager.

  • Import an existing route in GPX/KML format using the Import Manager
  • Create new routes/edit existing routes.

 

To turn on voice activated route assistance do the following:

  • Open chart, swipe down bezel and select "Import Manager"
  • Select specific route, you want to follow and tap on "Follow Route"

Initially you would get a notification that says "Scan". Once the device locks to satellites, voice prompts would start.

  • Track distance to the next marker/way point
    • When voice activated marine navigation is on, please watch the top status bar. It is continuously updated with  distance to the next marker. You would also get voice prompts as you approach the marker.
  • Ensures that that you stay on route
    • The app automatically keeps track that you are following the route accurately. If you go off route, you will be alerted with a voice prompt.
  • Ensures that you are siling in right direction
    • The app automatically make sure that you are sailing in the right direction. If you lose sense of direction and start sailing backwards, you would be automatically alerted by the app.

Blackberry Marine Navigation - Auto Follow Mode

 

Track Distance/Bearing to a waypoint using Distance/Bearing tool and Auto Follow
This is a two step process

  • Center map on target way point and start Distance/Bearing tool.
  • Start Auto Follow

The best way to center a map on target way point is via the following:

  • Open chart, select "View Waypoints" -> Touch/Click the way point you are headed to.
  • If you've imported a way points into the app,  Open chart -> select Import Manager -> Imported Waypoints -> Touch/Click the way point you are headed to.

Once the chart is centered on the waypoint, start Distance Bearing tool by swiping down bezel and selecting Distance/Bearing Tool.
Now start Auto Follow.
 

  • Start Auto Follow
    • With the chart open, swipe down bezel and select "Auto Follow"
    • Initially you would notice "Scan" at the bottom right of your screen. It would turn to "Auto Follow" once the device locks to satellites.

 

Auto Follow

This is the traditional navigation using moving map. Simply open the chart, swipe down bezel and select "Start Auto Folow".