MICROPLOT MARINE 7 manual ecdis 74

Sea Information Systems Limited Microplot Mariner ECDIS Operators Manual Oct 2004 Ver 7.4 Email: Manual@ecdis.co.uk Contents Table of Contents Chapter 1- Introduction About Microplot ECDIS ECDIS Start- up On screen Help Chapter 2- Program control Screen functions Range controls 14 Hotkeys 17 Keypad 18 Screen save, print & log 19 Chapter 3- File system 21 Introduction 21 Back- up & Copy 21 Files dialog box 22 Chapter 4- SENC- Official vector 25 Legal equivalence to paper systems 25 Installing 27 Using 29 Corrections 42 Chapter 5- Editing user data 47 Man Overboard 47 General information 48 Lines 51 Marks 54 Chapter 6- RNC- Official Raster (ARCS & Seafarer) 57 Introduction 57 Contents Installing 58 Loading 66 Chart Overviews 72 Licence & permits 73 Chapter 7- Routes & Route monitoring 75 Routes 75 Importing routes 81 Waypoints 83 Marker main functions 85 Marker additional functions 88 Track save & display control 91 Route verification 96 Route monitoring 102 Chartwork 113 Alarm controls 118 External alarm unit 124 Voyage plan report system 124 Marker formulae 127 Chapter 8- RNC- Official Raster (BSB/ NOAA) 131 Introduction 131 Installation 131 Loading 132 Chapter 9- Unofficial vector (C- Map) 135 Installation 135 Ordering 138 Updates 142 Using See Also Chapter 144 Chapter 10- Targets 149 Targets 149 Display control 149 Target Alarms 153 Contents AIS Targets (Automatic Identification Systems) 154 Chapter 11- Echo Sounder 157 Sounder 157 Echo sounder features 158 Chapter 12- Backup system 159 Introduction 159 System description 160 Contents Chapter 1- Introduction Chapter 1- Introduction About Microplot ECDIS Microplot Version is 32 bit software package written in Delphi (object orientated visual Pascal) and certificated for the Windows XP platform Built on over 15 years experience in plotting and electronic software systems, Version has been designed and coded to ISo9001 TickIT standards, audited by SGS Settings Microplot retains settings in a file called micplot.ini In addition, every minutes during a session, a save of configuration is made to micplot.ini in the program directory This is deleted on normal exit when a save is made automatically (see also manual save) to the Windows directory as normal On restart, if micplot.ini is found in the program directory, this is loaded This system ensures that, after power failure or computer crash, the configuration (within minutes of the failure) can be reloaded ECDIS Software Version control Click on Help > About MP7 from top menu bar Note version number, compare against type approval certificate For S-57 charts (cells), load an official SENC chart and choose Charts> Chart Information Check details concerning the ‘last update’ installed Ensure current For RCDS charts, if installed, open a chart e.g click on Charts > RNC (ARCS); click on selected chart and then on ‘Open’ Click in Charts > Chart Information and note the date/number of the last update CD Ensure current Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7.4 Microplot Your distributor will provide users of Microplot with technical support and electronic charts of the formats supported by SIS Check in on www.ecdis.co.uk for latest details ECDIS What is an ECDIS ECDIS is an acronym for Electronic Chart Display and Information System At its simplest, an ECDIS consists of a database of electronic charts, together with the hardware and software needed to display simultaneously the charts and the ship’s own position (obtained from a GPS or another positioning sensor), and to perform navigational tasks such as route planning, route monitoring, measurement of distances on the chart, etc One of the most important features of ECDIS, that makes it a unique aid to navigation, is the capability of generating alarms (anti-grounding, off route, etc.), based on input from sensors and analysis of chart information Type Approval Of ECDIS It is the responsibility of Classification Societies (in the case of this product Dent Norske Veritas- DNV) to test electronic charting systems that claim to be ECDIS, and assess whether they are compliant with all relevant standards The publication known as IEC International Standard 61174, issued by the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC), provides guidelines for testing Chapter 1- Introduction Legal Equivalency With Paper Charts In order for an ECDIS to be the legal equivalent of paper charts, the following conditions must be true: The ECDIS must be type-approved There must be a back-up It must be capable of showing official ENC data The ENC must be up to date IEC 61174 Maritime navigation and radio communication equipment systems— Electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS)—Operational and performance requirements, methods of testing and required test results Systems that comply with all requirements get a Type Approval certificate from the Classification Society, and can be legitimately called ECDIS Approval- Hardware All the Microplot Mariner system hardware listed below has been approved by statutory bodies as suitable for ECDIS systems:Cert No A- 7627 Microplot Keypad Navaid Interface Unit External Alarm Unit Hewlett Packard Vectra Barco monitor Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7.4 Start- up Startup sequence To avoid un-necessary alarms the following sequence is recommended Switch on all navaids, radar gyro echo sounder etc Switch on the computer, which will boot and log on straight to Microplot Switch on External Alarm unit Shut down To close Microplot, choose File> Exit Microplot off the top menu bar When choosing this option, Microplot will shut down you computer as well as the software This is a requirement of ECDIS systems There is a “double gate exit” (are you sure and then are you really sure) Installation Microplot will be fully installed by a qualified engineer by the time you come to use the system Re-installation in an emergency should only be attempted with direct communications support from qualified personnel Other aspects for integrating bridge equipment into Microplot are detailed elsewhere in the manual On screen Help Description The Help file consists of a table of Contents and an Index (You can also use the Find option, but this should only be used after the Index or Contents options have not taken you to the right point The information symbol can be pressed for information on the heading subject and always opens a window underneath the main help window The Tab symbols at the top can be clicked on and open the listed subject Clicking on the browse button when on the first tab of a section will take you to the next section Sometimes there will be more tabs- click on the arrow icon to move left or right The Help windows always stay open, unless they are pop up hypertext links However most pop up windows are also accessible as right hand windows either through the index or the scroll bars Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7.4 Echo sounder features Depth correction for draft & depth alarm If you wish to have the true depth displayed, as opposed to depth under keel, then you should input your draft To set depth correction:1 Choose sounder menu as above (Shift F11) Click on draft and type in your draft and hit ENTER For depth alarms choose the alarm icon and input the depth setting for the alarm Set to to switch off Scales setting This can be set to manual or automatic To change scales the following:1 Choose Echo sounder menu as above Click Depth Min (and Max) and type in your required numbers If you are setting it automatically tick the option auto scale Sounder display automatically resets for depth Click on Close to remove window Depth alarms Echo Sounder alarms can be set using Selections> Menus> M7 settings and choosing the Alarm settings button, or from the icon in the sounder menu A timeout alarm can be set (in seconds) Zero disables this alarm A low-depth alarm, also off when zero, can also be set Note that the depth used is the sum of depth as read, and draft Units setting Units are always set to those in use by the charting system Depths in the track record are always saved as metres, irrespective of any units setting on the output of the echo sounder Draft units are as for depth units at the time they are changed If depth units are then changed, draft is converted also Draft is added to depth for display, and for recording to track file Track display by depth When the Echo Sounder Menu is selected, ownship's track is displayed as well astarget's track, subject to the setting restricting track to a recent period The track is displayed in its recorded colour which may be colour coded by depth Microplot features to review and reanalyse track by colour are available ECDIS track display is switched off whilst in this display mode 158 Chapter 12 Backup system Chapter 12- Backup system Introduction For ECDIS to be used without paper charts a full backup system is required In the case of SIS Microplot this will be another complete Microplot Mariner ECDIS system Annex G of the ECDIS standard makes no mention of connecting the two machines in any way, but SIS sees no reason why this should not be the case The purpose of the Microplot backup is solely to provide simultaneous display of exactly the same chart, user data and route display as that shown on the main machine, so that if main machine fails a seamless transfer is possible without having to load charts, routes or anything else To achieve this, the backup software must behave differently when it is a backup from when it is the primary (ie the primary has failed) For example the backup cannot load a route that is different from that in use at the primary, unless the primary is off With respect to user data the route is particularly important Even with no chart if a vessel sticks to a route previously verified with charts, then it is in a better position following that route with no chart on the screen (or an uncorrected chart) than with an up to date chart and no route This avoids the scenario where, on the backup machine, someone had changed the route (for route planning purposes for example) and then the main machine breaks down Which route was in use on the main machine is not immediately apparent As a result, the software on the backup machine is different to that of the main machine, in that it restricts what files and charts the user may load, in the event that the backup machine is switched on and working 159 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7.4 System description Connection The system will be connected via a direct network cross over cable The main machine will named “Microplot” on the windows network and the backup will be known as “Microplotb” Both machines have drives mapped so that when the primary saves a file to D:\MP7\GLOBAL.A, (itself) it can also save it to G:\MP7\GLOBAL.A (the backup) The backup will have a drive mapped to the primary purely as a means of finding out if the primary has failed; it will not have the capability of copying files anywhere other than to floppy Independence The backup will be as independent of the main machine as possible Parallel position, heading, ARPA etc feed (at least) from primary and secondary position systems through a Navaid Interface Unit There will be Backup TCPIP feed from primary ECDIS In all other respects identical to main system complete with NIU, EAU, and keypad The backup is not to be used as a planning station and therefore no transfer of data from the backup to the primary would be possible, other than by floppy Charts in use Charts are already on CD (i.e backed up) Therefore charts should be loaded at the primary and the backup machine separately, rather than relying on transfer from the primary There seem few advantages of allowing the backup to run a different chart system to that being used by the primary One disadvantage is that if the primary chart system is official ENC vector and the backup is using ARCS, then in the event of failure at a critical moment the (possibly inexperienced) user may have to switch chart formats 160 Chapter 12 Backup system Backup user files Whenever a user file (either lines, marks, chartworkings, or routes) is loaded on the primary machine (including at start up) it should be backed up on the backup machine, and loaded automatically at the backup No editing of user data will be permitted at the backup unless it has gone into primary mode Track files will be loaded and named independently File comparison The backup machine should make a comparison between its own charts and those being used on the primary (and vice versa, in case someone loads charts onto the backup and not the primary) If there is a mismatch (which will only apply to charts, because of previous item above) a warning should be given to indicate that its charts are out of synch Primary mode activation The backup will go into primary mode if (a) It cannot find the primary drive (or else an "I'm in control" message from the primary has timed-out) or (b) the user hits a control to confirm the mode (to avoid this happening if the primary is rebooted) 161 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7.4 162 Index Index < 47, 48 drift 48 12 12 hour track log 91, 96 A A/r ON (OFF) 10 AIS communication interfaces 154 AIS Display 155 AIS Symbols in use 156 Alarm lines for ECDIS 123 Alarms- see also waypoints and routes 102 Alarm indicators 122 alarm zones- drawing controls 122 alarm zones- Look ahead 120 alarms zones- Circular 122 alarms zones- Complex 121 controls 119, 124 CPA alarm (for a geographical position only) 153 event log 123 Look ahead alarms- Cat C 121 Own ship 122 selections 118 Targets 154 Alternate Route 78 loading 79 Approval- Hardware ARCS 58 description 58 directory structure 59 system summary 57 ARCS Best Scale 68 ARCS- display- Overview charts 72 magnify tile 72 zoom control 72 ARCS- display- see also ARCS overview 58 brightness & palettes 13, 72, 134 corrections 61, 62 Dimming- Program & Dialog boxes 13 display errors 67 double zoom 14 information by border 69 warning- Off Arcs chart 63 ARCS- installation 59 CD 58 corrections 59, 62, 68 deleting 132 licence and permit files- loading 73 Index one chart or many charts 62 permit & chart verification 74 permit file into Voyage file 73 PIN number- ARCS 74 security 73 voyage files- Editing using Rastin 60 ARCS- Loading 58, 66 automatic- note 71 borders 68 borders- info 69 CD 58 CD refresh 60 finding 68 list 67 marker 67 plans 67 zoom 69 zoom- note 69 Areas and Locations (See also Files) 21 ARPA- marker position 117, 150 ARPA- targets 149 acquire window 151 clear 149 display width 152 information 149 lost ARPA target 150 Note- no CPA TCPA alarms 154 receive details 150 switching out names 150 track save 151 vectors 153 window 149 Auto reset of screen 10 Auto save (of user data) 48 Available files 23 B Back-up files 21 Backup system 159 Bearing and distance 85 EBL 87 Great Circle 86 ownship or offset 86 Rhumb line 86 Bearing lines 116 clearing lines 116 transferred 116 Block Edit 48 BSB 131 BSB system summary 131 Chart corners BSB 133 chart overview 131 drives (CD etc) BSB 132 installing BSB 132 reading from CD 134 regions 132 using borders 133 Index Using BSB 131 using the chart list 134 Voyage files- Using to load charts 134 C C- Map- display 135, 144 base layer 37, 146 base layer information 37, 146 contour colouring and shading 40, 144 other information layer 38, 148 spot Information 36, 147 standard layer 38, 146 Standard layer information 38, 146 standard layer- note 14, 38, 146 status 137 C- Map- installation 135 C- Map- ordering 138 areas- A-type 140 areas- B-type 141 areas- C-type 141 catalog 139 CD's annually 140 collection 141 Encrypted charts 140 Encryption change 140 Grace period 137 Order processing 138 polygon 139 route 139 subscription 141 Un- encrypted charts 140 C- Map- updates Collections 143 display & storage 143 Note Update log file 143 registration 142 subscribers 143 Cell availability 32 Chartwork alarm lines 53, 123 clearing lines 116 critical Point & caution note 114 danger areas 53 danger highlight 115 danger highlight- text description 53 expected position 114 light visibility 115 manual corrections- chart symbols 54 parallel ruler 117 position lines 116 position lines transferred 116 tide indicators 114 Circles & Arcs 53 Copy files 21 Corridor verify and cross track limit display 96 Course calculate window 111 Course line 75 Index CPA alarms 149 Cross- Track window 75 composite GC 78, 109 cross track limits display 96 ETA values 109 information 109 route verify and XTE display 98, 112 waypoint- auto change 111 waypoint- auto change rules 111 waypoint XTE limit 101 Current files setup 22 Cursor 85 D Date display tracks by date 91 Datum mismatch- Navaid 105 Days run calculations 93 Dead reckoning 112 Deleting data 50 Depth alarms 158 Depth profile 157 Display- see also Screen depth values in track 92 display control- raster charts 58 display control- SENC 37 display control- user data 49 filename of user item 85 ranges 14 Distance calculations 93 E ECDIS description ECDIS Software Version control IEC 61174 legal equivalency with paper charts standards 25 Type Approval Of ECDIS Echo sounder 157 scale 158 track display by depth 158 units setting 158 Editautosave 48 deleting 50 display in edit 49 exiting 50 input 90 Mouse- right click repeats last left click 18 Editable files 48 ENC 26 Erasing (deleting) data 48 Estimated Position (Position fix) 102 ETA information 77, 80, 109 Event log all alarms 102 Index look ahead 102 Event mark 56 Exiting edit 50 External Alarm unit alarm acceptance 119, 124 failure states 124 F Filename of displayed items 85 Files back up- note 21 backing up 21 closing 23 Copy 21 dialog box 22 merging 23 opening 23 properties 24 Saving data 48 type select 23 Fix (manual) 116 G Great Circle 86 Composite 75, 78, 109 route leg defined as 77 Grid 14 H Heading compass error 113 Help system 4, adding your own notes description hypertext links using the system window description Hotkeys 17 Hotkey sets 17 setting up with the mouse 17 I Ink or pencil 23, 48 Installation directory (User & program files) 21 Instant Marks 56 K Keypad 18 hotkey control 18 with Version 18 L Lat/ Long 48 decimal 86, 88, 90 moving marker and screen to required 90 Layering of user data Index changing marks range inhibitor 54 Light visbility- see also chartwork 115 Lines 51 Clearing lines 116 creating 52 deleting data 48 EBL 87 position lines 116 search lines 80 52 Text description 53 types 52 widths 52 Logs Alarm event log 123 track 93, 96 Look ahead alarm 120, 121 M Man Overboard 47, 48 drift 48 Mark type 55 Marker control 85 bearing and distance input 90 co-ordinates (formats) 86, 88, 90 EBL 87 Marker- Constant read out from other targets 89 Marker- Constant read-out from own ship 89 Marker- Keyboard movement 88 Marker toggle right click 90 moving 88, 89 track data read 91 Marker formulae 129 Marker formulae Rhumb Line 127 Marks 54 changing text and layer 55 creating 54 deleting data 48, 50 idents 54, 56 Instant 56 text tick box 49 Menu structure MOB 47 N New range (marks) 55 New text 55 Note- Temporary save 49 O Object (spot) information 29 Off (cross) track alarm 102 Offsets Positional 105 On-screen text 54 Other information layer 137 Index Overview chart (ARCS) 58 Ownship input automatic screen reset around ownship 10 DR 102 EP 102 Ownship track 151 P Palettes & Brightness 58 Parallel ruler (manual posn fix) 102 Permit file (Skipper or Navigator) 58 loading 66 permit file into voyage file 59 PIN (HCRF) 58 Position filter 96, 106 manual position fix 102 Note- navaid position shift 108 Planned position 113 time-out alarm 103 Position- Datum shifts correction for chart datum 105 Navaid datum convert 105 On indications 108 raster charts 108 user defined 107 Position- Primary/ Dual Navaid alarm Primary/ dual 104 Position- status 104 Primary route 75 Printing Screen (&screen utilities) 20 Prsentation Library and test data 30 R Range control 14 block scale 17 circle and rings 14 in ARCS (and other HCRF) 58 Range scale Go Back and Go Forward 14 scale- Latitude scale bar 13 scale- mile scale bar 15 Read file (in Marks edit) 56 Redraw 103 Rhumb line calculations 86 Route planning with official vector data 96, 113 acceptance 99, 100 category A 99 category B 99 category C 99 colour coding 99 corridor search width 98, 112 group edit 97 log file 102 results- initial 98 search parameters- default 97 status- tick 101 Route- Time zones 80 Index Routes 75 Alternate Route 79 approach and Xtrk alarms 102 course line 81 creating 75 creating- from waypoint list 85 description 76 display all 81 DR and EP Window 102 great Circle 77 leg speed 79 table 76 table display 83 turn arcs 79 turn arcs- at alter course positions 79, 110 S Safety contour 41, 145 Safety depth 42, 146 Saving data 48 Scale bars- see also range scales 13, 15 Scale- cell usage levels in ECDIS 35 Screen control auto reset 10 log 20 Mouse- right click repeats last left click 18 movement palettes & brightness 72, 134 print 20 save to.BMP 19 scroll bars 67, 134 user defined scale (vector charts) 17 view 19 Scroll 67, 134 Search lines 80 See del 48 Select 87 in ownship window 87 in target window 87 SENC 26 ordering 27 SENC- Display 29 base layer 37, 146 base layer information 37, 146 Cell availability and scale warnings 32 cell boundaries 31 cell information 34 cell names 35 contour colouring and shading 40, 144 corrections- highlighting 45 corrections- information about 45 corrections log 44 other information layer 38, 148 Presentation Library 30 safety contour 41, 145 safety depth 42, 146 Spot Information 36, 147 Index standard layer 38, 146 standard layer information 38, 146 The SENC database 26 SENC- Installing conversion from S-57 35 corrections 42, 44 transfer standard 26 SENC Layering 30 SENC Layering- Mariners controls 38 Shapes at ownship Startup sequence Status Bar 12 Support Services Symbol sizes 31 T Tests for systems ECDIS Software Version control Text changing mark text 54 creating on screen 54 with marks 54 Text points 56 Time & date 92 Time out alarms 119 Time zones 80 To Near menu ticks 89 To ownship- Screen Movement 88 Tool bar Track 12 Hour Log 96 display by date 152 Distance calculations 93 information table 92 Past voyage track file display 95 target save 151 Voyage Log 93 Track display by depth 158 U Undelete 50 Units Marker 85, 86 Sounder 157 User data 48 V Verifying route 96 View voyage charts 60 Voyage charts add by border 66 Voyage file 61 copying permit information 59 deleting 59 editing in Microplot 60 Index Voyage plan report 125 Voyage report File handling 125 Voyage report graphics 126 Voyage report- route table- time zones 127 Voyage Track file 93 VRM 14 W Waypoint list- adding uisng waypoint list dialog box 84 Waypoint- add to routes 83 Waypoint- display 84 Waypoints 83 abeam in cross track 75 adding from a route 84 alarm- approach distance 110 alarm- contour 84 alarm- note 111 create 83 display 84 insert 83 move 83 multi select 84 quadrant 84 Sequence 83 Undo 83 XTE limit 101 Z Zoom 14 ARCS (and other HCRF) 14 autoload of ARCS 66 User defined zoom area 17 [...]... conditions of light normally experienced on the bridge of a ship by day or night All text on the ECDIS is readable from at least a metre Text uses sans serif non italic type fonts throughout Microplot Mariner does not use the strike through zero symbol 1 077 7 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 Menu structure Microplot has been designed to sound ergonomic principles reflected below, with one screen acting... need the Microplot ECDIS system in that case Official SENC Vector data Chart data is delivered using the IHO transfer standard for digital hydrographic data (S- 57 and S-52/3.1 (a)) Microplot Mariner uses the S 57 Import program to accept (Verify) and convert official HO data (ENC) to the CM93/3 format IHO Recommended colours and symbols are used throughout in accordance with IHO s52 and IEC 1 174 The specified... and performance requirements of the ECDIS itself Performance standard IMO Resolution A/8 17, IMO Performance Standards for ECDIS, December 1995 (formalised in IEC61 174 ) It describes the minimum performance standards for ECDIS, with reference to hardware, software, ENC and updates, user interface, integration with positioning sensors, radar and other devices, etc.) This Microplot Standard system as a whole... ownship The screen is forced to reset using the toolbar button Auto-reset is switched OFF and then ON 1422 11 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 Status Bar This is situated at the bottom of the screen and displays:• error information on chart systems • general information on the status of Microplot 1 077 b These two modes are operated by the reset and clear buttons Status-Bar hints are used to clarify each item's... the selected Voyage 535 29 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 SENC Layering Layers are required to establish the priority of data on the display The general rule for the priority between different categories of information is given below 1 ECDIS visual alarms/indications (e.g caution, overscale); 2 HO-data: points/lines and areas plus official updates; 3 notices to mariners, manual input and radio navigational... screens, the same format is looked: file quality variations do not matter 19 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 Screen print (Not with ECDIS locks) Use Selections> Screen print [Alt PrintScr] to print the whole screen, including ownship's panel etc Orientation defaults to Landscape In the Print Tab accessed with the (or Selections> M7settings, the following two settings default ON: PRINTER DIALOG: Always display... digital chart data it is not the most efficient means of storing, manipulating or preparing data for display Microplot Mariner uses the CM93/3 data structure to allow its system to meet the IHO performance requirements The resulting database is called the system ENC (SENC) 25 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 The precision of HO supplied data is maintained In addition point reduction and/or smoothing operations... to load charts for which you have no permit, Microplot will let you know 27 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 To view what permits you have installed, choose View The drop down at top left allows you to select by country Your User ID Permit number is located at bottom left of this dialog box If you wish to install individual permits manually, you may do so here as well ENC load logs Use View off the top menu... dimmed for marks text or on buttons as it otherwise becomes unreadable 1 475 Range scale- Grid display A Lat/ long Grid may be displayed by choosing Selections> Switches> Screen Grid 13 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 Range controls Range scales Range is changed using the icons provided The range scale indicator is at top left next to the Microplot Icon A scale bar is also available When in miles mode, these... facility permits some files to be opened pencil-only, and some including ink The setting is preserved on restart of MP7 However, all files will then be loaded under the same mode Use Selections> Switches> Hide Pencil to temporarily (until screen reset) to switch out 23 Microplot Mariner ECDIS 7. 4 File properties Click on a file, Choose Options, and choose properties to give you more information on the file