The Garmin HomePort application has been discontinued: support.garmin.com/.../
The replacement app is Garmin ActiveCaptain where waypoints and routes can be managed using Navionics maps on a either a phone or tablet.
In my opinion AC should only be a backup solution to HomePort as complex editing of many waypoints and routes are way better performed either on a desktop or laptop computer.
Complex waypoint and route management requires:
- A large high resolution screen
- A keyboard (for naming waypoint, routes)
- A mouse for precise marking of waypoints
- Waypoint and route folders and lists
- etc ...
Another area of concern is that AC requires a peer-to-peer WIFI connection to the chart plotter to update its maps. With a bluetooth connection was not used for this purpose (maybe transfer speed issue)?
WIFI peer-to-peer connection requires a lot of steps:
- To turn ON WIFI on the chart plotter
- Disconnect from your current WIFI network on your phone or tablet
- Connect to the chart plotter WIFI SSID with your phone or tablet
- Perform the map updates
- Disconnect from from the chart plotter SSID on your phone or tablet
- Reconnect to your WIFI network on your phone or tablet
- Turn OFF WIFI on your chart plotter
To summarize, given the identified weaknesses of AC,should Garmin develop a desktop/laptop HomePort replacement to interact with the latest generations of chart plotters / fish finders sonars?
