JDMC

Yes (but not the map itself, of course).

Re the cryptic code in EasyGPS: You can save the data in XML or GPX (the same) format - which can be read with Notepad or any good Internet browser. USAPhotoMaps also reads and saves waypoint data in XML format.

Re the cryptic code in EasyGPS: You can save the data in XML or GPX (the same) format - which can be read with Notepad or any good Internet browser. USAPhotoMaps also reads and saves waypoint data in XML format.

I use: USAPhotoMaps Mapsource EasyGPS

I use: USAPhotoMaps Mapsource EasyGPS

My (fairly new) 315 came with 3.15 software, but the upgrade is worth it, and should be like walking in the park (or whatever).

I have a Magellan 315 and Windows 2000, and have no problem with the combination. I also have to recommend USAPhotoMaps, since I wrote it...

Nope. It's at Auto. But that's a good idea. Instead of Auto, I'll set at a higher resolution, and it should show more roads.

That's the setting I always use.

I have both the Great Britain and Europe MapSource Roads & Recreation CDs (I bought the Europe one because I might go somewhere else in Europe besides Great Britain), and they both seem the same. The main thing is that Europe is mostly finished building new roads (and towns). I said "mostly". And see my post on June 13 about England and a 12Map GPS.

My guess is that they use the same method of saving Lat/Lon information as they do in the GARMIN GPS Interface Specification (available on Garmin's Web site). It's called Semicircle type.

Yes.

Last week I used my Garmin 12Map GPS with Garmin's Europe Mapsource software and my laptop computer in the English countryside. The Mapsource software was very accurate and complete. However, I wouldn't want to drive there on anything but the major motorways using the GPS without a laptop, because the map detail necessary to drive on small country roads doesn't show up (at least on my 12Map GPS) at any zoom level above about 800 feet, which is too close-in to use while driving. And in towns, once again, the GPS by itself was barely useable while driving, but fine while walking. But with my laptop displaying my location on the Mapsource map, driving in unknown territory was a real pleasure. And using just the GPS while walking (at 500 feet zoom level) was equally pleasing. Sometimes I used my GPS by itself while driving with my aunt (a native there) to record my tracks, and then downloaded them later to my laptop to see where I'd been. I'm not sure whether a PDA would show enough surrounding detail to be nearly as useful as a laptop computer while driving...

Does Central California Coast mean near Palo Alto? If so, I have an extra GPS I could lend out.

There is also USAPhotoMaps at http://jdmcox.com/

There are 2 different terraserver Web sites: This one isn't free: http://www.terraserver.com/home.asp This one is free: http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/default.asp One has more up-to-date aerial photos, but not by much.

"Also, good source of (free) areial photos?" http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/ and USAPhotoMaps from http://jdmcox.com/

I like the least squares method. But are there any real mathematicians in this forum (e.g. John Nash)? Because the Garmin GPS will send an estimated position error for each transmission of position to a computer, and the NMEA GGA line sends (to a Magellan, etc) the number of satellites being tracked and the horizontal dilution of position. This data should be somehow factored-in (mathematically) with each reported position - and I sure would like to see a good formula for this!

Very nice summation, DonnaG.

Try: http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/ If you had my program USAPhotoMaps (http://jdmcox.com), it would download the aerial photos and make a big map. It doesn't do topos (yet), but ExpertGPS does (for a price).

quote:Originally posted by Warm Fuzzies - Fuzzy: Do you want info on what you need to export those maps so they're usable with GPSPilot Tracker for the Palm? I've recently reverse-engineered the format for that program's images for my own purposes, and I'd be happy to share. Sure, my e-mail is jdmcox@jdmcox.com. I was thinking about trying to program a Palm, too.

My program USAPhotoMaps (http://jdmcox.com) downloads the jpeg aerial photos from the Terraserver Web site and makes scrollable, zoomable maps from them (also GPS enabled). If your GPS has a good signal it will show you at the exact location you're at.

Very nice Web site!

USAPhotoMaps will show your location on a map made from aerial photos downloaded from Microsoft's Terraserver Web site (free).

And USAPhotoMaps is free. And you can save the screen to a .jpg file, and print that with any image managing program.