WinGPS 5 2018, expected for release in February, will receive a functionality which will enable the loading of ENC charts. During the Christmas holidays we were able to make a test version of WinGPS 5 with ENC charts loaded. Below you will find a few examples.

In the past, WinGPS could only read raster charts. These raster chart sets consisted of our own DKW charts and BSB charts from a.o. NOAA and NV-Verlag. The advantage of vector charts, comparing them to vector charts, is the relatively small file sizes and the ease with which updates could be processed and made available for our users. For example the weekly BaZ updates from the Dutch Hydrographic Services.

In 2012 we produced our first hybrid chart set, the DKW Friesland. This was a raster chart based on the depth images from the Frysian province. On top of the chart images new layers were added with different waypoint groups, such as buoys, harbours, bridges, etc. These groups could be made visible separately from one another. Not only did the process of creating the chart sets evolve with this new style of chart sets, WinGPS too had to evolve to show all new available data. Updating WinGPS changed the waypoint group manager and made it possible for chart sets to overlap seemlessly thanks to new transparency settings for chart borders.

A lot of rules for commercial inland shipping have been altered in regards to digital navigation. For example, in Germany it is now required to use inland ENC charts. This was the perfect opportunity for us to make the step to update WinGPS in to being able to read vector charts.

For the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany ENC charts are available for free. Soon, these charts will be able to be loaded in WinGPS 5 2018. It will then be possible to turn the different chart layers on or off, such as the depth lines and numbers. When you enter the depth of your ship, your coverage area will be shown in a different color.

The development of WinGPS 5 2018 is still in full swing. We plan on showing a test version during Boot Holland 2018 in Leeuwarden. If you have any remarks or tips please contact us.