TeamOzone

MapSend TOPO does have the complete set of streets. Neither product has hiking trails. At least not for my neck of the woods... (Does anyone's mapping product contain hiking trails.)

Okay, I couldn't resist. I once wrote a floating point math library, and the package to present a decimal interface with the user. I can attest that this isn't the sort of thing one does lightly. It is really tricky to get it all just right. There are zillions of gotchas. Guess some programmer at Garmin didn't realize the land mine he was entering. Probably said, "Oh sure, I can knock that off in a week. Let's put it in the next release..."

quote:...the $50 rebate is after buying the Mapsend Streets & Destinations... Or MapSend Topo, which is what we got with our SporTrak PRO. VERY happy with it.

quote:...the $50 rebate is after buying the Mapsend Streets & Destinations... Or MapSend Topo, which is what we got with our SporTrak PRO. VERY happy with it.

Only rebate that I know of for the SporTrak is the $50 one if you buy MapSend Topo or MapSend S&D with it. This is a different coupon, and is advertised in the banner bars at the bottom of thier home page. This is the one we did. Sent it in, but haven't received the check yet.

Well, while we're on the topic of seeing what's overhead, check out this very cool site: Heavens Above Satellites, Space Station, Star Charts, and Iridium Flares - Oh My!

Careful - If you are trying to take advantage of the Magellan $50 rebate on a GPS and MapSend purchase, you'll need to make sure that the UPC bar code hasn't been cut out of the box. I saw a few MapSend auctions about awhile back where they were great deals, but they were also honest enough to point out that they'd cut the UPC out ('cause they got the rebate already!) You'll also need a sales receipt - the Magellan rebate coupon implies that you need to have the GPS and MapSend on the same receipt... but it isn't toally clear.

We've been very happy with the MapSend Topo maps. The errors I've seen seem mostly due to the compression: The approximations of the streets are sometimes a bit crude (especially on windy roads). But, never so much as to hamper navigation. Sure, they aren't as pretty as a Thomas' Guide. But hey, I've got the entire greater SF Bay area (Sacramento to Big Sur!), with topographic info, in only 1/3 of the available memory of my SporTrak Pro.

We've used NiHM batteries for years. We use 'em in our PDAs, kid toys, clocks, and now our GPS. The only issue is that you have to get used to the fact that devices with built in battery meters won't read correctly: When the batteries are fully charged they show about 90%, and when almost gone empty they still show 40%. I reccomend MAHA batteries and chargers. We've used several different name brand NiHMs and had variable results. The MAHA batteries always work, and they now offer 1800 mAh models ($15 for 4 AA!). Here's a link from where we buy 'em: NiMH Batteries at Thomas Distributing We also use this charger: MAHA C204F Charger Check around on the site, they also sell the charger with batteries for package price. (I have no affliation with this outfit, I've just been a customer for years.)

From all my research: MapSend Streets has the stree database MasSend Streets and Desitnations is MapSend Streets with lots of Points of Interest added (zoos, toursit spots, etc...) MapSend Topo is MapSend Streets plus the topo info (as noted in above post), and some POI added (mountain tops, streams, etc...) We got Topo and are very happy with it. We don't need cooridinates of aquariums in every US city. We do like knowing the elevation profile of our planned hike! And the POIs in Topo are good for cross-referencing hiking maps w/Topo and the GPS. If you're buying a SporTrak Pro or Map, there is a $50 rebate from Magellan if you buy MapSend Topo or MapSend Streets and Destinations. This makes either as cheap as the plain MapSend Streets. And yes, I find Magellan's software product naming confusing. I even think Magellan's "MapSend" and Garmin's "MapSource" are far too similar, though I don't know who was first, so I don't know who is copying whom.

Today we bagged a cache in a local wooded area. It was clear that even the modest number of finders were causing a new trail to be forged right to the cache location. Obviously no one wants to cause that kind of harm. It is also clear that some of the caches we've visited have been around for a while and have accumulated a fair bit of junk. The containers get old and sometimes vandalized. And let's face it, most caches lose their charm after they've been around a while. So I had this idea: Perhaps it should be standard practice when placing a cache to set a removal date. Obviously the location would determine the length of time. For example: In the woods, perhaps a year; in an urban area, maybe six months; in a very remote spot with few likely finders, two years. What do y'all think?

We bought a SporTrak Pro (exactly the same as the Map, just more memory). So far, we love it! We're using MapSend Topo with it and it is just great!

We just went through this process and choose a SporTrak unit. We gave our detailed reasons in another thread on this same topic on this board. That thread is at: Newbie purchasing a unit, what brand?

quote:Originally posted by Jeremy Irish:Which means I'll probably have to add redundant information like lat/lon so if the namespace is used alone, the Groundspeak format can be decoded and used. Eeek, don't do that! Redundant info in a transfer format is the bane of all programmers (which one do you believe if they are different?)! It is fine if your XML namespace is only logical when used in conjunction with a particular document type or types. Consider that your namespace is an augmentation of another set of XML nodes - no one would ever use it alone. If you anticipate the use of the Groundspeak namespace without GPX, then define a "minimal" doc schema (seperate from the namespace) that is what the Groundspeak namespace needs. Then anyone wanting to use the Groundspeak namespace elsewhere has a documented list of what they need to provide in thier "hosting" XML document type. Okay, sorry, now I've polluted this forum with massive XML geek talk. Jeremy, I'd be happy to talk about this this off-line, or happier to talk about it to a seperate publc forum, if you'd like. - Mark (SW architecture kinda guy) from TeamOzone

quote:Originally posted by Jeremy Irish:Which means I'll probably have to add redundant information like lat/lon so if the namespace is used alone, the Groundspeak format can be decoded and used. Eeek, don't do that! Redundant info in a transfer format is the bane of all programmers (which one do you believe if they are different?)! It is fine if your XML namespace is only logical when used in conjunction with a particular document type or types. Consider that your namespace is an augmentation of another set of XML nodes - no one would ever use it alone. If you anticipate the use of the Groundspeak namespace without GPX, then define a "minimal" doc schema (seperate from the namespace) that is what the Groundspeak namespace needs. Then anyone wanting to use the Groundspeak namespace elsewhere has a documented list of what they need to provide in thier "hosting" XML document type. Okay, sorry, now I've polluted this forum with massive XML geek talk. Jeremy, I'd be happy to talk about this this off-line, or happier to talk about it to a seperate publc forum, if you'd like. - Mark (SW architecture kinda guy) from TeamOzone

Okay - I know that I griped before (in another thread), but I take it all back! This is great. I have a small two small suggestions: 1) The tag really has two peices of information in it: the name and the owner. They are connected by the English word "by". To get just the name of the cache, I'd have to reg-exp this apart... Since the owner info is already present, can just have the name of the cache. Then it is up to the presentation software to decided if it wants to add "by" and the owner when showing it. (And it can do the right thing in other languages!) 2) Seems the tag seems to be a duplicate of the tag. Seems redundant. Surely it shouldn't be the title from the document at the .... That could easily change out from under the file. - Mark

quote:Originally posted by fizzymagic:Oh, no! Your Palmable pages are _vastly_superior to the Pocket Queries. I don't understand why Jeremy chose the path he did for those. It seems as if many people are having big troubles with the reader. Here, here! I couldn't agree more! I used the Pocket Queries for about a day - iSilo and your pages win hands down. Please don't remove them. Perhaps Geocaching would/could take your really nice format and host a second set of pages for the caches that are in that format. Then they could have an optional format for the pocket queries be just the index page, with links to those 'reduced' pages. This would be ideal in my mind. Jeremy... are you listening???

The SporTrak Map's & SporTrak Pro's track log includes elevation, can display the profile on the unit, and can upload that info (at least it does to MapSend Topo which does a nice display of both the elevation and the track). I don't know if the low end SporTrak unit does as well.

quote:Originally posted by robertlipe:Look in the 'files' section of the m330 or meridian groups. My open-source program 'gpsbabel' on sourceforge reads and writes waypoint sections just fine. Where are these groups? Not on Groundspeak I assume (I didn't think they had GPS specific groups.) Yahoo? I will definitely check out your program!

Well, guess the Vanns deal was just a ploy to get me to buy now! No matter, I'm still happy - the price was great and the shipping free. (And no tax, as I'm in a different state!)

Well, guess the Vanns deal was just a ploy to get me to buy now! No matter, I'm still happy - the price was great and the shipping free. (And no tax, as I'm in a different state!)

quote:Originally posted by bane221:Ok, now after reading I see you can turn a palm pilot into a GPS, is that a good idea? Better bargain? More bang for the buck? We too are new to Geocaching and just went through the same decision process. We go the Magellan companion for our Visor handheld. After finding 7 caches with it - we returned it. Basically the idea is great (and if you read the board you'll find many who love such a set up), but the negatives were just too great for us: 1) The software that came with it (NavCompanion and MapCompanion) were awful: Missing many features, and buggy. 2) The free 3rd party software wasn't great or crashed. The $ 3rd party software was just okay, and the stopped making it such a bargin. (Note: We couldn't run GeoNiche - which needs PalmOS 3.3 or better - Visor Deluxe runs 3.0.5 - that might be just the ticket.) 3) We worried it couldn't take the abuse even mild geocaching would put on it. In the case of the our Visor model you can't put the hard-shell cover back on when the GPS is installed - we were faced with either holding the unit while hiking or putting it away in a pack unprotected, or removing the GPS to put the cover on. ICK. Even with the case on, one doesn't really want to drop a handheld on a hiking trail! After much reading we concluded: a) a GPS that can map was worth it for geocaching, of the newer, smaller, "out-doorsey-rugged" units the Magellan SporTrak line was better than the Garman eTrex line. The biggie was this: lots of people compalined that the eTrex lost fix under trees. Indeed, the SporTrak has better integral antenna than the eTrex... And if the GPS can't keep a lock, then it doesn't matter how much better the other features are! (Actually, the high end eTrex and SporTrak Pro have about the same feature set!) We went for a SporTrak Pro and the MapSend Topo USA map software. Will let you know how it goes when we hunt our first caches with it this weekend. Lastly, I didn't find that the eBay prices for these newer units were really any better than the on-line GPS stores.

quote:Originally posted by bane221:Ok, now after reading I see you can turn a palm pilot into a GPS, is that a good idea? Better bargain? More bang for the buck? We too are new to Geocaching and just went through the same decision process. We go the Magellan companion for our Visor handheld. After finding 7 caches with it - we returned it. Basically the idea is great (and if you read the board you'll find many who love such a set up), but the negatives were just too great for us: 1) The software that came with it (NavCompanion and MapCompanion) were awful: Missing many features, and buggy. 2) The free 3rd party software wasn't great or crashed. The $ 3rd party software was just okay, and the stopped making it such a bargin. (Note: We couldn't run GeoNiche - which needs PalmOS 3.3 or better - Visor Deluxe runs 3.0.5 - that might be just the ticket.) 3) We worried it couldn't take the abuse even mild geocaching would put on it. In the case of the our Visor model you can't put the hard-shell cover back on when the GPS is installed - we were faced with either holding the unit while hiking or putting it away in a pack unprotected, or removing the GPS to put the cover on. ICK. Even with the case on, one doesn't really want to drop a handheld on a hiking trail! After much reading we concluded: a) a GPS that can map was worth it for geocaching, of the newer, smaller, "out-doorsey-rugged" units the Magellan SporTrak line was better than the Garman eTrex line. The biggie was this: lots of people compalined that the eTrex lost fix under trees. Indeed, the SporTrak has better integral antenna than the eTrex... And if the GPS can't keep a lock, then it doesn't matter how much better the other features are! (Actually, the high end eTrex and SporTrak Pro have about the same feature set!) We went for a SporTrak Pro and the MapSend Topo USA map software. Will let you know how it goes when we hunt our first caches with it this weekend. Lastly, I didn't find that the eBay prices for these newer units were really any better than the on-line GPS stores.

Wow, having decided to buy a SporTrak Pro, I found and read this thread last night at about 10pm. Indeed, Vanns.com had the unit for $227.95, free shipping! Only thing was: It said that this special sale price expired that day. I thought - is this just a ploy to get me to buy now? Well it worked - I bought one and it is on its way. This morning I checked: Yup, the sale is really over. Vanns.com now has the unit for $299.99. Whew! Got just in the nick of time!

Wow, having decided to buy a SporTrak Pro, I found and read this thread last night at about 10pm. Indeed, Vanns.com had the unit for $227.95, free shipping! Only thing was: It said that this special sale price expired that day. I thought - is this just a ploy to get me to buy now? Well it worked - I bought one and it is on its way. This morning I checked: Yup, the sale is really over. Vanns.com now has the unit for $299.99. Whew! Got just in the nick of time!