Load S-57 and S-63 ENC charts into SonarWiz

Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) are vector data sets that support all types of marine navigation. Originally designed for large commercial vessels using a sophisticated navigational computer called an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), ENCs are now also being used on simpler electronic chart systems and “chart plotters” on many types of ships and by recreational boaters. ENCs help provide real-time ship positioning, as well as collision and grounding avoidance.

SonarWiz supports ENC in two standard formats: S-57 and S-63.

Loading S-57 ENC charts

S-57 files are used by many hydrographic agencies around the world to store vector marine chart data. SonarWiz can load S-57 charts. Load the chart by pointing to the *.000 file, or load the entire zipped directory with a *.tar.gz, *.tgz, *.zip, *.7z extension.

SonarWiz will display S-57 charts utilizing S-52 symbology. A subset of the symbols is displayed below.

The user can customize individual drawing styles of lines, points and areas from the SonarWiz Map Manager

Load S-63 charts

S-63 files are essentially encrypted S-57 charts. In order to use them, the user must pay for a license and receive a key to unlock the chart before loading into SonarWiz (the PERMIT.TXT file).

When you purchase an S-63 chart, the data provider will ask for your User Permit Number (UPN). You generate your UPN from inside SonarWiz:

To Generate a User Permit Number (UPN)

Open Map Manager.
Click Create S-63 Permit File.

3. Locate the S-63-User-Permit.txt file in the root folder of your project.

S-63-User-Permit.txt contains your UPN number. Share this file with your data provider.

When you receive your S-63 charts, you will also receive a PERMIT.TXT file. This file is used to unlock the chart when you first load it into SonarWiz:

To load an S-63 Chart into SonarWiz:

Click Add Basemap
Find and Open the *.000 file in the ENC chart folder
SonarWiz will then ask for the PERMIT.TXT file.

Click OK to proceed.
In the next dialog, find and Open the PERMIT.TXT to unlock this chart.
Select to display the map as a single layer (recommended).

You can store PERMIT.TXT in the same folder as the ENC *.000 file. SonarWiz will automatically detect and load the permit file when needed.