+Airmapper Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Anyone use ExpertGPS? I have EasyGPS, which was free, but do I have to pay for ExpertGPS? Is there a trial period that times out, or just a nag screen I can ignore. As a general rule I don't buy things off the internet, and I'm not going to pay for something I've never seen. Quote Link to comment
+Redwoods Mtn Biker Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Anyone use ExpertGPS? I have EasyGPS, which was free, but do I have to pay for ExpertGPS? Is there a trial period that times out, or just a nag screen I can ignore. As a general rule I don't buy things off the internet, and I'm not going to pay for something I've never seen. I assume they still have a 31-day free demo. It times out after that. Personally, I like TopoFusion better, but it has some restrictions on the free demo too. If you want a free program that uses TerraServer imagery, check out USAPhotoMaps Don't buy things off the internet? Man, you must not live in the boonies like I do! Rich Owings www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com www.GPStracklog.com "We were desert mystics, my friends and I, poring over our maps as others do their holy books." - Edward Abbey Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted October 13, 2005 Author Share Posted October 13, 2005 Thanks, I'll check those links out. I do buy online, but only rarely. I'm out in the boonies too. Ordering online shure beats the heck out of driving 50+ miles. I use my parents Credit Card, so I'm REAL picky about who gets it. I stick to brand name or well recqonized companies. (So far Auto / ATV part places and NewEgg.) I don't buy a lot of stuff anyway, but I will go the online route if needed. Quote Link to comment
+Chuy! Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Thanks, I'll check those links out. I do buy online, but only rarely. I'm out in the boonies too. Ordering online shure beats the heck out of driving 50+ miles. I use my parents Credit Card, so I'm REAL picky about who gets it. I stick to brand name or well recqonized companies. (So far Auto / ATV part places and NewEgg.) I don't buy a lot of stuff anyway, but I will go the online route if needed. I started with EasyGPS and reviewed GSAK and ExpertGPS when I was ready to upgrade. GSAK won me over with all its conversion files and off-line webpages. And downloading Google Earth more than compenates for the missing topo maps in GSAK. Quote Link to comment
+NomadVW Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 For folks with ready topo maps available, Google Earth would probably do the trick. The reason I bought ExpertGPS was its ability to do better than average map calibration of electronic map images of my own. I don't use the downloaded imagery/topo maps from ExpertGPS because I'm overseas. Even on a recent trip to Oklahoma, I found the ExpertGPS map data to be really lacking compared to the more up-to-date imagery from Google. Additionally, I use ExpertGPS to do map plotting for aviation procedure development because I like the way it imports CSV files that I give it from Excel. I've heard other programs do similar things, but since I've already paid for ExpertGPS, I make it do what I need it to instead of paying more money for software that does the same. I also use GPS Trackmaker and purchased it because it handles track creation better than ExpertGPS. ExpertGPS trackmaking is only like drawing with a pencil - though you can export "routes" to your GPSr as a track. GPS Trackmaker works differently enough and also calibrates imported images ( though not as well as ExpertGPS because it's only 2 point calibration instead of 3 point calibration on ExpertGPS ) All that to say.... ExpertGPS has been worth the money for me and my individual uses and I've had good support from their staff. VW Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted October 13, 2005 Author Share Posted October 13, 2005 Just to check it out I downloaded USAPhotoMaps. For what I'm doing it works fine. I am taking GPS readings of all the property corners and markers and putting over the aerial photos to see where they are in the "big picture." It would be nice to measure acreage and similar features, but my results are far from legally accurate. One think I don't like is it only lets you see one track log at a time, I mapped out a trail system, but all the trails are different track files. Quote Link to comment
+Sputnik 57 Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 (edited) You may be able to use your GPSr to measure the acreage. Many of them will compute the area of a bounded track. For example, the Garmin 60C will do this as explained on page 36 of the manual. As you mentioned, it wouldn't be accurate enough for a legal description. Edit: Actually, in USAPhotomaps, if you draw a route, and the start and end points overlap, then when you save the route, the program gives you the acreage. Maybe just download your track, and then make a route over the top of it. Edited October 13, 2005 by Sputnik 57 Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted October 13, 2005 Author Share Posted October 13, 2005 (edited) I'll try that in USAPhotmaps, My Garmin 72 will do acerage, but in order to get a tracklog, I'd have to bushwhack through heavy cover and walk about 2-3 miles. -------- WOW, that worked, the acreage was pretty darn close to what it says on the deed. Edited October 13, 2005 by Airmapper Quote Link to comment
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