Explorist 500 Topo Software

[cgtthomson]

I purchased Magellan's MapSend Topo 3D software and was very disappointed in it. I was expecting more detail on trails, etc. What is a good Topo software for the Explorist 500? New to this - can you down load free stuff? Is all software compatible with Magellan's?

Thanks!

[+JohnnyVegas]

That is the only TOPO software that you can load into the explorist 500.

The only other software that can be loaded in the exp 500 is map send direct route.

Keep in mind the topo maps are maps of topography, they are not trail maps. Even USGS topo maps are not going to have a lot of trail information.

Edited December 30, 2005 by JohnnyVegas

[+embra]

I share your frustration at not having topo software that *does* include better trail information. Not only is JohnnyVegas right when he says your choice for topo maps that will load onto your 500 is limited to the MapSend product, but there just isn't much else out there with what you want.

 

The best I have found so far are the web sites that have libraries of GPS tracks that have been uploaded to online libraries. Localhikes.com is one such site, and the National Geographic Topo! site also has such collections. There are others that may be organized around particular geographic areas. You can usually download the track into your unit and use that as a guide.

 

Delorme TopoUSA allows you to "permanently" install a track into its mapbase, and to create routes from these trail-tracks that can be dowloaded to the GPSr. Unfortuanately, the program is not yet capable of communicating directly with the explorist (and the last time I checked with them they were not in a hurry to add the function).

[+D0T-C0M]

I guess I'm lucky because here in Canada, the mapsend topo canada maps include almost every trail/logging road/ dirt road in Atlantic Canada except of course the very latest ones.

[+GOT GPS?]

You can try out some of the websites that offer downloadable tracklogs of trails, that you can then convert to a format, that can be put on the SD memory card of the Explorist.

 

I have tried National Geographic TOPO!, and it is almost imposible to trace, and convert trails from that to something I could use on my GPS units.

[+gpsjeep]

Not that this will help you any. Actually it won't. But I read somewhere and I thought I read about it in in these forums along with a link, but I can't find the page or the link to the article. Delorme was in the process of manufacturing a handheld GPSr. Not that that initself is a big deal but what is a big deal is that youl'll be able to load the Delorme Topo maps into it. That's huge because for the outdoor person who really enjoys hiking the trails, they'll all be there. Not only the trails and lakes but much better Topo information than what Magellan and Garmin can ever hope to offer.

If I can find the link to the article I'l post it here.

 

-Jeff

[+gpsjeep]

I found the link. Quite interesting.

http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklo...view_delor.html

 

-Jeff

[+Porkchop61YD]

If you want to hack your GPSr and upload custom maps, check out the book GPS Mapping, Make Your Own Maps, by Rich Owings. You can find a review of it on Today's Geocacher site: http://www.todayscacher.com/2005/dec/reviews.asp. Comments from the review below:

 

"The final section of the book is probably the most interesting. Many geocachers are not satisfied with the proprietary mapping programs offered by the various GPSr manufacturers. Owings’ book provides detailed instructions about how to "hack" your GPSr and load your own mapping program. It’s not an easy process and not for the computer illiterate, but if you follow the detailed instructions you can load your own maps to your GPSr."

[+JDandDD]

I guess I'm lucky because here in Canada, the mapsend topo canada maps include almost every trail/logging road/ dirt road in Atlantic Canada except of course the very latest ones.

I've found the Mapsend Topo Canada to be pretty good as well. As a general statement though, don't necessarily blame Magellan/Thales for the lack of trail info. The biggest problem with most trails is that they are not surveyed like roadways are. I built portage trails when I was younger and the only parts truly spotted were the trail heads and even they could be off by a lot. After all all you had to really know was roughly where to start and look for the trail head sign then the trail itself took you the exit.

 

Without a true survey a trail and trailhead on a map is a bit of a guess estimation process and I would never trust its representation fully. You can do the same by researching the trail and put a waypoint at roughly the trailhead spot.

 

JDandDD