I'd like a printed manual.  Do you have one?
There is an extensive, updated Help system within Voyager.  Select Common Tasks from the Help menu to begin.

In addition, a comprehensive User's Guide, suitable for printing, is available in PDF form.  Click to download the complete Voyager User's Guide.  Last updated: May 21, 2008, based on Voyager 4.0.0.30408.

Tip: The printed manual is fairly large (about 20 MB) so we suggest you download it and save it to your Desktop rather than browse it on the Web each time you need it. To do that, use your mouse to right-click the download link above and select Save Target As rather than just click the link.

How do I improve performance?

The quick solution is to use the Fast Draw theme to have Voyager draw the Charts in a lower-resolution mode.  It's about 2 or 3x faster than the Sectional theme.  When you're almost done planning, you can click Sectional or IFR Enroute to switch to a more detailed view.  You can also have Voyager default to Fast Draw mode by selecting Options from the Tools menu and, in the Default VFR/IFR Theme drop-down lists, select Fast Draw.

But adding more RAM is the best, and still inexpensive, way.  Although Voyager runs acceptably on most 512 MB systems, it runs considerably faster when it runs on a machine with 1 GB or more of RAM.  The difference is more dramatic than you might expect and it helps not just Voyager but every other program on the computer.  And, as of this writing, 512 MB of additional RAM is only about $50.  The CPU speed is also important, obviously.  Check System Requirements for more details (in a nutshell, we suggest a 2 GHz Pentium IV for desktop machines and a 1.2 Ghz Core Duo or Centrino for tablets and laptops).  For laptops and tablets, the hard drive speed can also be a factor (esp. if RAM is low).  Many laptops and tablets come with relatively slow 4600 RPM hard drives to save power or cost.  Desktop machines typically have 7200 RPM drives (50% faster) although few laptops have this even as an option.  For laptops/tablets, therefore, try to get one with a 5200 RPM drive (IBM/Lenovo ThinkPads usually offer this an option).

What email address am I registered under?
Open the Voyager Help Menu, and click on "Change my email contact info."  This will show the email that Voayger is currently registered under.  If the email address is incorrect, you may use this command to change the registration both on your PC and on our customer databases.

How do I copy my settings from one machine to another?

Use Web Synch (File | Web Synch) or Memory Card Synch (File | Memory Card Synch).

I get an error saying that my configuration database is corrupted.
Database files, such as the database we use to store your aircraft and pilot information, occasionally become unreadable (corrupted).  We can normally repair the file and send you back the repaired file.  Please read how to find the file and send it to us.

How do I Uninstall Voyager?

From the Windows Control Panel, use the Add/Remove Programs feature.  This removes virtually all of Voyager except for user-settings and, of course, any flight plans you've created.  If you continue to have trouble, you can perform a "full uninstall" as follows:

Full Uninstall Summary

Running the standard Windows Uninstall removes the vast majority of Voyager but does not remove all of it.  This procedure removes all program files, user settings (plane and pilot information, etc), registry keys and other configuration.

Symptoms

Registry entries, flight plans and user-configuration information are left behind.  Occasionally, this causes a problem when trying to install a newer version of Voyager.  If this is the reason for doing the full uninstall, please contact Seattle Avionics support at +1.425.806.0249 before using this procedure as we are usually able to suggest a solution that does not involve erasing configuration information.

Workaround

1.  Close Voyager if it's running.

2.  Do a standard Windows Uninstall, using the Control Panel (Start/Control Panel)

3.  Using either My Computer or Windows Explorer, go to c:\program files\Seattle Avionics and delete the Voyager folder, if it's still there (might not be).  You can even delete the Seattle Avionics folder if you like.

4.  Delete the user-configuration information

Quick version: Open c:\documents and settings\<Your Name>\Application Data\Seattle Avionics.  Delete the Voyager folder.  You could also delete the whole Seattle Avionics folder if you want to delete all your IFR procedures (they're in the Common folder).

Detailed version:  Open c:\documents and settings then open the folder with the name of the current user.  Usually that's your name or, sometimes, Admin.  Within that folder, you may see an Application Data folder.  If not, it's because Windows normally hides the folder.  To see it select Tools/Folder Options while the current folder is open.  Pick the View tab and scroll the list down to see something like Hidden Files and Folder.  Set it such that these folders are displayed.

5.  From the Windows Start button, click Run and type the following: regedit [enter key]

6.  Expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER node (click the + before this name) and expand the Software node under it then the Seattle Avionics node.  Delete the Voyager node.  Close RegEdit.

7.  If you want to delete the flight plans, too (they are small so there is no real need to):

Open c:\documents and settings\<Your Name>\My Documents\Flight Plans

From the View menu in Windows, select Arrange Icons By Type

Delete all the .FP (Flight Plan) and .WBS (Weight and Balance) files.  You can also delete any .PlatePack files if you no longer use the SmartPlates module.

I'm having trouble uninstalling an old version of Voyager.

If the standard Windows Add/Remove Programs method fails for some reason, there is a simple manual removal method.

Windows Install Cleanup Utility Summary

Sometimes the built-in Windows Uninstall program fails to uninstall Voyager correctly.  Microsoft has a provided a tool to correct the error.  Running this tool and manually deleting a directory should correct the problem but simply deleting the directory will cause problems -- this Uninstall tool must be run first.

Symptoms

If the Windows Installer (MSI) has a problem uninstalling a problem, it may be left in a state where the program can neither run nor be uninstalled.  The Microsoft program MSICUU2.EXE corrects the problem so the application can be manually removed (that is, directory deleted).

Workaround

1.  Download and run http://www.seattleavionics.com/downloads/msicuu2.exe

2.  From Windows, click Start then select All Programs and select Windows Install Clean Up.

3.  In the list, find (All users) Voyager to delete any Voyager version prior to 3.0.  To delete version 3.0 or later (including a beta of 3.0), find (All users) Voyager Flight Software System.

4.  Click Remove.  Click Exit.

5.  Manually remove the files by clicking Start from Windows and selecting the Run command.

6.  Type \ <Enter Key> to go to the root of your C: drive.

7.  Select c:\Program Files\Seattle Avionics\Voyager (for any shipping version of Voyager) or, for the version 3.0 beta, c:\program files\Seattle Avionics\Voyager 3 Beta.  Press the DEL or DELETE key on your keyboard.

The application has now been removed.  If you want to also remove any Windows Registry keys and program settings (NOT recommended if you're uninstalling an old version of Voyager so as to allow installation of a new version!), see the previous FAQ.

I need to download Voyager again.  What are the download URLs?

Server 1 (preferred) ftp://downloads.seattleavionics.com/VoyagerSetup.exe
Server 2 (backup) ftp://seattleavionics.fileburst.com/pub/VoyagerSetup.exe
Server 3 (backup) http://seattleavionics.fileburst.com/VoyagerSetup.exe
Server 4 (backup) http://www.seattleavionics.com/downloads/VoyagerSetup.exe

Please Note:  A current ChartData subscription is required to install a newer version of Voyager than the one you got when you purchased.

Product Registration: If you are re-installing Voyager on a PC that was already registered with Voyager, then the re-installed Voyager will retain the same registration. If you are installing Voyager on a new PC, then the first time you run it please be sure, when prompted, to enter the same Email Address as you previously registered. This will cause the new installation to register correctly.

Can I customize the Chart settings?
Absolutely!  Voyager allows very precise control over the Chart.  Right-click on a Chart window and select Customize Chart, select Customize Chart from the Chart menu or click the Customize icon on the Chart toolbar.

You can turn any or all layers off then click OK to see the results.  Use the Weather tab to show/hide the weather layers.

Click Advanced for further customization options, including the Range at which each item becomes visible (in other words, even if an item is checked for display, it may be suppressed for clarity if the range is too large.  The Advanced button lets you tailor the suppression point.)

Tip:  Once you customize the Chart, you can save all these settings combined as a Theme.  Later, you can immediately apply this theme to any Chart just by selecting its name from the Themes menu  at the top of the main window.

Click Save as default to use the current settings whenever a new Chart window appears.

Note:  If you'd like to revert to the original default settings, click Advanced then use the Restore presets button.

How do I get Voyager to default to my personal Chart settings?
When a Chart opens, Voyager examines whether it's an IFR or VFR flight to determine which theme (Chart settings) to use.  If no flight plan is involved, it uses your default preference for IFR vs. VFR (Tools/Options/Plan Type).  You can tell Voyager which theme to use for IFR and VFR modes individually with the Default VFR theme and Default IFR theme drop-downs.

Additionally, you can customize each theme or add new ones.  Simply set the Chart settings as you like them select Edit from the Themes menu and click Set.

I don't see any satellite or radar overlays
Ensure that the time period indicated on the time slider is in the recent past or very near future.  That is, unlike METAR/TAF and Winds Aloft displays, Radar and Satellite are not predictive so we can't show data for the future.  However, as a convenience, we do 'ghost' the last radar and satellite image for a few hours after it was processed.  Be sure to look at the message area above the Chart for the time that each was processed.  Also note that we process NexRad radar data every 15 minutes based on government data that is no more than 15 minutes old.  However, satellite data is at least two hours old due to government processing.

Also, Seattle Avionics processes data from NOAA servers.  From time to time, the NOAA servers go down.  During that time, we cannot process satellite or radar data.

How do I get the latest airspace/procedure data?
Essentially the same procedure as above except choose Update Data,  then Download All Data from Tools menu for a manual check/update.  Airspace and Procedures are updated every 28 days.

I'm getting an error when I try to update the airspace data
Occasionally, Voyager's automatic data update system fails.  In those cases, you can easily manually update the data as follows:

Summary

On occasion, Voyager's automated data update system fails to properly load new airspace data.

Symptoms

You have a current ChartData subscription, but the monthly update will not download.   Or, after an update, Voyager states that the update was downloaded but not installed correctly or the data appears to be corrupted.

Workaround

Download and install the full North American Air Database.

1.  Close Voyager if it's running.

2.  Download http://www.seattleavionics.com/downloads/data/na.air.zip to a place you'll remember, like your Desktop.

Note: The file is about 24MB.

3.  Unzip the file's contents, which will be just one file (na.air.mdb), to the directory below.  Say Yes if Windows asks if it should replace an existing file:

For Windows XP/2000

C:\documents and settings\<your name>\Application Data\Seattle Avionics\Voyager\Chart Data

Note:  If the Application Data directory doesn't appear, it's because Windows is hiding it.  To unhide it, select Folder Options from the Tools menu within the Windows folder.  Then click to the View tab and find the Hidden files and folders option and set it to Show hidden files and folders.  Click OK.

For Windows Vista

C:\Users\<your name>\AppData\Roaming\Seattle Avionics\Voyager\Chart Data

Note:  If the AppData directory doesn't appear, it's because Windows is hiding it.  To unhide it, click Organize then select Folder and Search Options from within Windows.  Then click to the View tab and find the Hidden files and folders option and set it to Show hidden files and folders.  Click OK.

Note:  If you're not sure how to unzip a file, see the detailed steps below:

For Windows XP/2000

• Right-click the mouse over the zip file (na.air.zip)
• Click Open With
• Click Compressed (zipped) Folders
• You'll see na.air.mdb.
• On the side of the window, under Folder Tasks, click Extract all files to open the Windows extract Wizard
• Click Next to start the Wizard
• In the next step, called Select a destination, click the Browse button and select the directory mentioned above (it differs depending on the version of Windows) and click OK.
• Click Next to extract the file then Finish to complete the Wizard.

For Windows Vista

• Double-click the mouse over the zip file (na.air.zip)
• You'll see na.air.mdb.
• Click Extract all files.
• Click the Browse button and select the directory mentioned above (it differs depending on the version of Windows) and click Extract.

4.  Restart Voyager. It should now be using the latest data.

I'm getting an error about an unhandled exception and something called a Process ID.  What do I do?
That's a very low-level error that basically means that Windows is confused.  Unfortunately, you'll have to uninstall your copy of Voyager and install again from a fresh download.  Uninstall by using Add/Remove Programs from the Windows control panel. 

How many computers can I install Voyager to?
Our license allows Voyager to be installed, for no additional charge, on up to three computers THAT YOU OWN.  Our registration system uses the email name you provided when you purchased Voyager as your "customer ID" so be sure to use the same email when you install to your second and third machines.  If you need to install on more machines, because you've retired older machines, please contact Customer Support.

I just got a new computer and want to transfer my license.  How do I do that?

1.  Do a Web Synch (File | Web Synch) from the current machine to copy all your settings.

2.  Download the current version of Voyager from one of the URLs above (that is, never install from an old CD).

3.  Run Setup on the new computer.

4.  Run Voyager on the new machine.  When Voyager asks for your email address, be certain to use the same email you used to purchase Voyager.  This is your customer ID.

5.  During the First Time Setup Wizard, Voyager should detect the settings you saved during the Web Synch and copy them to the new machine.

I am connected to the Internet but Voyager doesn't seem to think so.
Ensure that any firewall, anti-spyware or ad blocking program is set to allow Voyager access to the Internet.  For example, Norton Personal Firewall defaults to blocking all applications, including Voyager.  The firewall that comes with Windows XP SP2 poses no problem in the default settings.

Additionally, if you're connected to the Internet via a proxy server, you might need to supply Voyager with proxy connection information.  Select Options from the Tools menu then choose the Internet tab.

For more details on specific firewall and spyware vendors, please refer to the vendor:

Firewall and Spyware Vendors

Voyager communicates with the Internet for a number of reasons including downloading TFRs and weather, airport diagrams and approach procedures and more.  Sometimes, overly aggressive settings on security products may block Voyager from communicating with the Internet even if other applications, such as Internet Explorer, can.  Unfortunately, each application from each vendor is different and changes frequently so we can do little more than point you to each vendors' Web site.

Symptoms

When Voyager begins, it gives an error saying that there was a problem accessing the Internet although you can communicate with the Internet using Internet Explorer or other software.

Vendors

Microsoft

• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/internet/sp2_wfintro.mspx
• http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
• http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-us/default.htm?sc_cid=sah

Symantec / Norton

• http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=os&pvid=n3601
• http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=is&pvid=nis2007
• http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=is&pvid=npf2006
• http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=is&pvid=nav2007
• http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/support/index.jsp

McAfee

• http://us.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=272
• http://us.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=274
• http://us.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=284
• http://us.mcafee.com/root/support.asp

When I run the Setup program, I get an error about it not being a valid Win32 executable.

This simply means that you got a bad download.  You might want to try another location.  See the Re-install question above.

How do I know when my ChartData subscription expires?
Select About Voyager from the Help menu and click the ChartData expiration date link.

How do I get the latest version of the product?
Voyager checks for updates once a day (by default, you can change the frequency with the Internet tab of the Options dialog box).  If it finds one and you have a current ChartData subscription), Voyager describes the update and asks to download and install it. Just click the Update button and Voyager should take care of everything.  If necessary, you can also download a full copy from the Re-Install Quesiton above page or manually check for a new version at any time by selecting Update Application from the Tools menu.

How do I know which version I have?  How do I know what the current version is?
After you start Voyager, choose About Voyager from the Help menu.  The version number (something like 3.6.0.30369) of your copy of Voyager is just below the Voyager logo.  The current version number is shown on the Downloads page.

I'm running Windows 98 or Windows Me and having problems.
Voyager does not support Windows 98 or Windows Me.  It requires Windows Vista, XP or Windows 2000.

I'm running Windows 2000 and having trouble opening a database or getting an error message that says something about a Process ID.
Voyager uses some Microsoft-supplied database components that are built into Windows XP and beyond but may not be on all Windows 2000 machines.  Please download and run  http://www.seattleavionics.com/downloads/DBSetup.exe if you're having trouble.

What does the button do?
When you're looking at a screen to quickly gather information, as opposed to editing the information, you generally want an uncluttered screen.  On the other hand, even while looking at information, you sometimes need to make a change and need more editing "tools" available.
To make it easy to switch between "view" and "edit" modes, Voyager has a button called (Command) on the bottom toolbar.  When pressed, it tells each item on the screen to switch between "view" and "edit" modes.  "Edit" usually means showing more toolbars and buttons than "view".  Some screen items ignore this (the Profile area, for example) and others change dramatically (the Chart area for example, see the two pictures below).  The button is a toggle so pressing it twice switches back to the original state.

The initial state of Command Mode varies depending on what you're doing.  For example, if you're using SmartPlan to edit a flight plan, it's reasonable to assume you want to edit so Command Mode begins on.  But, if you're using a GlassView layout, the system assumes you want a clear and simple screen so begins with Command Mode off.

What does the button do?
The Voyager Flight Software System shows information relevant to each stage of flight from checking the weather, to pre-flight planning to enroute use, and more.  It does this by displaying one or more widgets.  A widget is a portion of the screen dedicated to showing a specific type of information.  For example, there is a Chart widget that shows a map, a NavLog widget that shows a standard navigation log, a Wind Optimizer widget that shows in-flight winds aloft, and so on.

As there are many widgets and each can be displayed in a variety of different sizes and locations, Voyager contains many pre-defined combinations of widgets, each ideal for particular tasks or stages of flight.  These are called Layouts.  If you're familiar with GPS systems, you can think of these as pages or screens.
Switching from one layout to another is very easy; simply click the button on the bottom toolbar to see a list of all layouts.  Select a layout just by clicking it.

Layouts are grouped by primary use -- in-flight or desktop.  That is, layouts designed mainly for desktop pre-flight use are grouped together while the many in-flight layouts are grouped together. When you click , the other layouts designed for the same function (desktop vs. in-flight) are listed first.  Below those, under a dividing line, are the other layouts listed alphabetically.  This makes it easy to find related layouts, especially while in the air.

Refer to Voyager's Help system for more information about Layouts.  Select Common Tasks from the Help menu and click What does the Layout button do?

What does the button do?  What happened to the weather tab?
Clicking the button brings up an oversized menu of all the Voyager weather options.

The first four options use themes to quickly change the type of information on the Chart.  The middle three add or remove weather items from the current Chart.  The other items bring up static weather graphics and text and control real-time weather reception.

What is this new ASP.Net user account on my machine?
When the Microsoft .Net Framework (which Voyager installs since we require it) is installed on a machine that is running the Microsoft Web server (IIS), the .Net Framework Setup creates a new account for applications that you might run on your Web server (these are called ASP or ASPX files).  IIS's ASP subsystem uses this account; it is not accessible from any other context, including over the Internet and does not present a security risk.

What hardware do I need to use GlassView?
Any GPS that supports the NMEA standard data format,  which is to say virtually every GPS on the market*, should work.  GlassView supports connections via Bluetooth (wireless), USB and serial (COM).   We offer the GlobalSAT GPS receiver for sale on our hardware page but most similar GPS receivers should work.  Unfortunately we do not have the ability to test all brands and models.  * Units connected via a USB cable may need an appropriate USB-Serial driver available from most manufacturers.  Some new Garmin units, such as the 396 and 496, may require a very inexpensive software 'bridge'.  Contact Sales for further questions. 

Can I use Microsoft Flight Simulator or my GPS to 'drive' GlassView?

Summary

Voyager's GlassView module can be 'driven' by another computer running Microsoft Flight Simulator.  The article describes how to do this.

What You Need

Two computers, at least one with a standard serial port.  Note: You may be able to find a way to do this strictly using a network connection but that is not discussed here.

For two desktop machines: A Null Modem Cable or a Null Modem Adapter + standard serial cable.  These should be easily and inexpensively found at any computer store but ask to make sure you get a null modem, as opposed to normal serial cable, if you aren't sure.  The difference is that some of the pins are reversed in the Null Modem case and the system won't work with a normal cable.

For one desktop and one laptop:  A USB-> serial cable and the Null Modem cable (or a Null Modem Adapter and standard serial cable -- see above).  Belkin makes a USB->Serial connector that has been tested with Voyager and is assumed here.

Installation

Note:  If you're using a desktop and a laptop, be sure to run Voyager on the desktop (that is, the machine with a serial connector) and Flight Sim on the laptop (i.e. the machine with just USB connectors).  We'll refer to the Flight Sim machine as FS and the Voyager machine as V.

1.  Download and unzip Peter Dowson's GPSOut from http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html to the FS machine.  The zip file includes installation instructions and you'll need to read and follow them.  For Voyager, use Sentences=RMC,PGRMZ,GGA in GPSOut.ini

2.  Connect the machines

A.  If you're using two desktop machines:  Simply connect the serial ports of FS and V together with the Null Modem cable (or Null Modem Adapter + standard serial cable). 

B.  If you're using one laptop and one desktop:  Run FS on the laptop and V on the desktop machine (that is, the one with a real serial port).  Connect the Belkin USB -> Serial adapter to the laptop and install the Belkin software.  The laptop will probably have to be rebooted.  After the reboot, connect the USB connector to the laptop and the Null Modem cable (or Null Modem Adapter + standard serial cable) to the serial side of the Belkin adapter.  Connect the other side of the cable to the desktop machine's serial port.

Using Flight Simulator

1.  Restart Flight Sim if it is currently running as the GPSOut.dll is only loaded when Flight Sim begins.

2.  Open a flight plan on FS or otherwise begin flying.  Data flows only when FS is 'flying'. 

Tip:  Remember that Voyager can create Flight Simulator flight plans.  In Voyager, while a flight plan is open, select Send to GPS/PDA from the File menu and select the Microsoft Flight Simulator option.  After Voyager creates the file, you'll have to copy it to the right directory on the FS machine (usually My Documents\Flight Simulator Files)

3.  Open Voyager and select the Fly option (GlassView).  If data is flowing, Voyager will automatically center on the correct location and you're good to go.  If a map of the entire US comes up, Voyager isn't getting the data and you should review the installation instructions in GPSOut.

How do I see two Charts at the same time?
Assuming you have the GlassView module, click and select the Two Charts Side by Side or Two Charts Stacked layout.

How do I see a Chart and a Procedure at the same time?
Assuming you have the GlassView module, click and select the Chart and Procedure Side by Side or Chart and Procedure Stacked layout.

How do I see my current GPS position on the Procedure?
Simply purchase the EFB-level of our ChartData subscription.  At that level, the monthly data update includes geo-reference information for most approach procedures and airport diagrams.  As you 'fly' onto the procedure, your aircraft's position will be indicated with a plane icon and/or a green circle.  You can control whether you see a plane, a circle or both via Tools/Options/GPS/Overlay the following on Procedures.

How do I see my current GPS position on the Procedure?
Simply purchase the EFB-level of our ChartData subscription.  At that level, the monthly data update includes geo-reference information for most approach procedures and airport diagrams.  As you 'fly' onto the procedure, your aircraft's position will be indicated with a plane icon and/or a green circle.  You can control whether you see a plane, a circle or both via Tools/Options/GPS/Overlay the following on Procedures.

I'm having trouble with getting my XM receiver to work with Voyager.
Voyager, when used in conjunction with the XM Link module, can display near real-time weather while in the cockpit.  This requires an XM WX satellite receiver connected to the laptop or tablet via either a USB or Bluetooth connection.

Under normal circumstances, Voyager will autodetect the XM receiver (once it's properly connected, see below) and, by clicking the button on the main toolbar or after clicking the button, will automatically display XM weather as it arrives.

If you're having trouble, please contact Support.

Where are the plates stored?
In the desktop version of SmartPlates, procedures and airport diagrams are stored in a directory for each airport by FAA identifier.

Under Windows XP:

c:\documents and settings\<name>\Application Data\Seattle Avionics\Common\Airport Information\US\<FAA>\

Under Windows Vista:

c:\users\<name>\AppData\Roaming\Seattle Avionics\Common\Airport Information\US\<FAA>\

How do I know which version I have? How do I know what the current version is?
SmartPlates is no longer a standalone product.  It's now a Voyager module.  Therefore, its version number is the same as the rest of Voyager.  Select About Voyager from the Help menu.

How do I know that the plates are current?
Assuming you don't go out of way to disable default settings, Voyager will never let you print outdates plates without a warning.  Each time you start Voyager, it checks for newer data and asks if you want to download it.  Then, when a plate is displayed on the screen, Voyager downloads a newer copy if the plate has changed.

The FAA is currently changing about 2,000 plates every 56 days so Voyager will ask to download about 2,000 plates every 56 days.  They also change about 100 plates in the in-between 28 day cycles.  However, they have recently started added a date/time stamp to the side of each plate.  This date changes every cycle even if the contents of the plate is unchanged.  This can lead to the incorrect belief that a Voyager plate is outdated even when it isn't.  If you want to be see the latest dates on each plate, you can manually download all 13,500+ plates each month.  See below.

Can I download all 13,500+ plates?
Yes.  Select Update Procedures, then Download All Procedures from the Tools menu and choose the All US Procedures and Diagrams option.  The file is about 650 MB so, even with a fast connection to the Internet, this might be something you want to do before you go to bed.

SmartPlates seems to select too many procedures to print.  How do I limit the printing?
There are many ways to suppress printing with SmartPlates.  Select Print Settings from the File menu and choose Procedures and Diagrams.  One checkbox, Skip recently printed suppresses printing of any plate printed within a user-defined number of days (14 is the default).  Another option, Only changed or added, limits printing to any plate that has changed in the last cycle.  Finally, for Plate Packs created based on a flight plan, checking Skip 'Other' for route-based Plate Packs tells Voyager to only print airports with a Takeoff, Landing, Fuel or Alternate icon.  See Voyager's Help for more information.