Auto Chart, Auto Chart Pro & Auto Chart Live Information Resource

[caskey_b]

I have noticed on my Helix 10, you CANNOT zoom in all the way and still see the depth contour... you have to zoom out a little

[Saskcat420]

When I was using auto chart live it would be recording fine and showing what it was charting and then it would quit showing the charting. It seemed like I had turned auto chart off. I would turn auto chart off then back on and it would show all the charting that it missed. It did this probably 6 times. Any ideas why it would quit showing what I was charting? It was still charting because when I would turn the charting off and back on it shows all the missed.

[caskey_b]

When I was using auto chart live it would be recording fine and showing what it was charting and then it would quit showing the charting. It seemed like I had turned auto chart off. I would turn auto chart off then back on and it would show all the charting that it missed. It did this probably 6 times. Any ideas why it would quit showing what I was charting? It was still charting because when I would turn the charting off and back on it shows all the missed.

Not sure on that issue... but there is a thread going on right now with A LOT of people having 2D issues when running AutoChart Live... erratic depth readings... I have had no issues YET

[Team Colibri]

I'm sorry if this has been covered already.
If i create a map with AC, I understand I need the ZL-card to view that map on a Humminbird-unit. But does that card need to have the map transferred directly from the PC with AC? The reason I'm asking is that I want to put AC-maps from my region online so any Humminbird-owner can use them. That idea will not work if there is any sort of encryption aside from the end user needing a ZL-card to download to.

[CamoHunter]

I'm sorry if this has been covered already.
If i create a map with AC, I understand I need the ZL-card to view that map on a Humminbird-unit. But does that card need to have the map transferred directly from the PC with AC? The reason I'm asking is that I want to put AC-maps from my region online so any Humminbird-owner can use them. That idea will not work if there is any sort of encryption aside from the end user needing a ZL-card to download to.

That was my understanding of how it works. It could be different now though.
Other way to accomplish sharing, would be to just share the edited .acd files you used to create your map. Other users would just import your .acd files, and create the map in their program to upload to AutoChart SD card.

[Cain Roberts]

Hope this isn't a stoopit question... Want an answer, but don't want to wade through 26 pages to find out that I'm barking up the wrong tree. Are there guys who use Auto Chart to map lakes/rivers, and then share/sell the maps? Is that legal, or does it run afoul of software licensing?

[sfw1960]

You didn't read your software EULA? LOL

I bet over 99% of folks don't.
I recall a video with Kolodzinski saying "share your maps" so it makes sense you can't copy the software or licensing.
As far as you privately surveying your home waters, you put in the hours and it's your work.
I didn't pick over the software license but don't think there's even a way to enforce use of your own data.
I got no secrets and surprised a buddy one day by loading around 150 or so waypoints on his machine...
I bet Doug would love to read through it for the nitty-gritty!

[Cain Roberts]

Soooooo.... How would a fella go about finding someone with a particular body of water mapped? I'm looking to buy or borrow, not sell.

[Team Colibri]

That was my understanding of how it works. It could be different now though.
Other way to accomplish sharing, would be to just share the edited .acd files you used to create your map. Other users would just import your .acd files, and create the map in their program to upload to AutoChart SD card.

Great, thanks for answering. I have Autochart on the way, so guess I`ll find out for myself in a few days as well. :)
Those other users will not hace AC, just the ZL-card. There are about 80 guys in this project sharing data, at this point we make maps for 58 lakes here in Norway.

[CamoHunter]

Great, thanks for answering. I have Autochart on the way, so guess I`ll find out for myself in a few days as well. :)
Those other users will not hace AC, just the ZL-card. There are about 80 guys in this project sharing data, at this point we make maps for 58 lakes here in Norway.

I don't think you can just copy the map from one card to another. I believe it is tied to the serial # on the card.
It might be possible, I just haven't had luck doing that with my two ZLCs.

So, the way you could share data between everyone, would be to share all the .acd data files.
Best thing would be to have them all saved somewhere online, and share the link with everyone. Or just have one person be the 'mapping expert' and be the one everyone sends their recordings to for processing in AutoChart.

It's not extremely easy to share maps with AutoChart, but doable for sure.

The other issue though, is that AutoChart maps are only readable on Humminbird depthfinders. Do all 80 people have Humminbirds?
AutoChart can now import some other file types, but .sl2 logs from Lowrance would still need to be converted to another data type before they could be imported into AutoChart.

Just letting you know you'll have a few things to sort out.

[Team Colibri]

From the info I have the .ACU-files should be "sharable" as long as the end user has a ZL-card and puts them in the acdata-folder.

Of those 80, only two use Humminbird. But I still want to make the best possible maps for those. There are four admins in our project. We use Reefmaster as our main software and handle data from all brands that can log data (Lowrance/ Simrad/ Humminbird/ Garmin/ Raymarine). Through testing I know the ht-files output through Reefmaster can be used in AC, so our main use for AC is just to get the .ACU-fileformat. (Sort of like when we use Insight Map Creator for converting shapefiles from RM into at5-files for Lowrance/ Simrad.)

Here you can see an example of what a lake look like on our site: http://dybdekart.no/Map/View/654
All in Norwegian, sorry. :) But the point is that the files are easy to download for the end user. Only the four admins can upload to the site, when those 80 send in ther data we use a file-sharing service. We have been doing this for a few years now, and the system itself works pretty well. When a map is updated, it is anounced on our Facebook-page, and automatically on the front page of our website. (Thanks to one of the other admins beeing a lot better at HTML then me.)

[CamoHunter]

I'll have to try the .acu file transfer on my 2 ZL-cards, and see how that works. It'd be great if it's an easy share method!

Your group sounds AWESOME! Would love to have something like that for all our unmapped bodies of water in my state!

[Pathornton]

Can auto chart live maps be made while on plane. Is there a max speed. About to buy a helix 10si for console. Already have a di transducer for it. Was gonna get a switch so I could have si and dedicated di. Have batteries and pumps out of boat right now and was thinking of epoxying the di transducer in the hull. Will the di images be as good as they would be mounted on the transom? And would I be able to make autochart maps while on plane? Thanks

[CamoHunter]

Autochart has no max speed limitation. As long as you can maintain accurate depth readings while on plane, you can make a rough map.
That being said, data points are taken every 1 second. Obviously the closer your data points are, the more detailed your map will be. Slower speeds are better for mapping detail and specific fishing areas.

[sfw1960]

Well said Mike!

[Scampbell]

i'm going to get one of the autocharts programs, what i'm wondering if the pro version has the zero lines , which to my understanding is the outlines of lakes, how will i know if our lakes will be on the outlines? they are all private lakes i have access too, so should they be on a zero lines chart? just don't want to waste money. any help would be great. thanks

[Bob B]

i'm going to get one of the autocharts programs, what i'm wondering if the pro version has the zero lines , which to my understanding is the outlines of lakes, how will i know if our lakes will be on the outlines? they are all private lakes i have access too, so should they be on a zero lines chart? just don't want to waste money. any help would be great. thanks

They will probably be on there .....but if they aren't, you can create the outline yourself.

[Scampbell]

If not there do I need the pro version to make my own?

[ba11]

Has anyone had issues with Autochart Live after downloading the 2.7 update for Onix. I can't get my data to show up while I am in the boat. Everything was working great when I put it away last winter unless I forgot how to use it, which is possible. I have tried with the Zero Card in and with no cards in. I am just going to Autochart Live and turning it on. Is there some other setting that I could have off? Thanks

[eyedrvm]

I have a helix 10 and will be getting autochart pro when available in mid may. Until then I plan on recording some data logs to sd cards so I will have some of my lakes mapping done before it arrives. Went for a little drive in the boat last pm and tried to scroll through the menu but couldnt find how to start the recording. Also looked through the book that came with the helix and no luck. I have a navonics plus card in the other slot if that matters. What menu tab and other of selections do I need to select to start and then stop recording? One other question I have is do I need to have the unit on si and does the width of coverage matter for botttom hardness or imaging mosaic?