This course covers the basics of boating with a GPS receiver. This comprehensive course includes definition of GPS, explanation of how GPS works, installing and operating a GPS receiver, and navigating with marine GPS. The course includes a short land-based walk to practice with handheld GPS receivers. Although the course touches on chartplotters, Electronic Charting goes into them in more detail. A final examination documents that students have successfully completed the course.
Course 2: Electronic Charting
This course takes over where Navigating with GPS leaves off. It builds upon the information taught in Navigating with GPS and teaches the more advanced features of electronic charting (EC). Learn the different kinds of electronic charts, how they were developed, their advantages and disadvantages, and how to use them in a practical manner. Learn about connecting your GPS to a laptop, desktop, PDA or tablet computer. There is information about the use of navigational programs for computers. Practice EC using a program included on the accompanying CD.
The CD includes over 200 electronic charts, and an EC program that displays and uses these charts. Put your PC computer to work as a practical learning tool by running this program
Next Courses:
During the winter of 2007-08 Blue Heron Squadron will offer a two-part package of the new CPS-ECP electronic navigation courses. Take one or both, but we encourage those who have not taken Navigating with GPS to do so prior to taking Electronic Charting. The second course builds on the first, and Navigating with GPS is very comprehensive, covering a lot of territory.
Prior to Christmas: Navigating with GPS.
After Christmas: Electronic Charting.
Discounts:
Package discount: Students who register for both courses will receive a discount (CPS-ECP members and non-members).
Member's discount: There will be an additional discount on these courses for CPS-ECP members, as usual.
Free audit for prior graduates who are members: CPS-ECP members who have taken either course from CPS-ECP in the past may audit Navigating with GPS for free unless they wish to purchase course materials or choose to write the exam, in which case limited fees apply. But there will be no cost for prior graduates to simply sit in on the classes.
Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for these two EN (Electronic Navigation) courses, which are open to the public. However we encourage students to take at least the Boating course first. These EN courses assume and do not teach basic knowledge of traditional navigation. Electronic navigation devices cannot replace basic navigator's knowledge taught in the core CPS-ECP courses: Boating, Piloting and Advanced Piloting.
To express interest in registering for either or both of these Electronic Navigation courses: Click Here.
