I am new to RM and have just downloaded the trial version. This is my first forum post as well, so my apologies if my request has been covered already. I would like the ability to create custom maps for my Lowrance HDS Carbon units. I would like to have Sidescan mosaic onto a Google Earth with some semi-transparent contour lines overlaid on the Sidescan mosaic. Can someone provide the steps necessary to do this? As I said, I am new to RM, so some of the terminology (rasters, vectors, .at5, etc.) is a little confusing to me. Here is my intuitive thoughts on how to do this, with questions inserted where I am unsure. Everyone feel free to chime in with corrections.
1. Import sonar logs
2. Add sonar log tracks to new Sidescan Mosaic.
3. Adjust swaths appropriately to get good image of the bottom. Does the color palette have to be set in stone at this point, or will it be editable later?
4. What is the best export type to make this easy to calibrate in Google Earth?
5. "Add Image Overlay" in Google Earth of of the exported file from Step 4, and calibrate appropriately.
6. What is the best way to export the overlaid Mosaic and Google Earth, would it be .kml?
7. Import the recorded sonar log tracks to a New Map Project.
8. Import the file created in Step 6 into the New Map Project.
9. Add Background Image of the Google Earth and Mosaic overlay.
10. Set major contours, minor contours, and isobaths appropriately, Generate Map, and adjust opacity. Obviously this may take several iterations to get results I want.
As I mentioned, I am completely new to RM (literally didn't know the software existed until 3-4 days ago), so I'm sure there are a lot of things I'm missing. I have messed with the Map Projects and Sidescan Mosaics, but since you can't export files in the trial version I have a bunch of questions about how to do certain things. Also, is Insight Map Creator the only other software needed to do this type of map and be able to export? That is a free download, correct? One last thing, if anyone has any screenshots of a map similar to what I have described I would greatly appreciate them sharing it.
Thanks in advance. I look forward to getting more acquainted with Reefmaster. So far I'm pretty excited to give it a shot.