Mapsource Topo USA

[+Gadget_Cacher]

I have city navigator, which is very nice, but i do like having topographical i was thinking about getting getting Topo USA, but i have heard lots of bad things about it. Can i get some of your opinions?

 

Thanks

[+Miragee]

I have the Garmin Topo maps. They don't have a lot of detail and don't make "pretty" maps when you print them out like National Geographic topo does.

 

However, they are the only Topo maps (unless you make your own) that can be installed on your GPSr.

 

I switch back and forth between Topo and CN 8 on my Vista C.

[+Gadget_Cacher]

I have the Garmin Topo maps. They don't have a lot of detail and don't make "pretty" maps when you print them out like National Geographic topo does.

 

However, they are the only Topo maps (unless you make your own) that can be installed on your GPSr.

 

I switch back and forth between Topo and CN 8 on my Vista C.

 

how would you make your own to install on the 60csx?

[+JanniCash]

how would you make your own to install on the 60csx?

 

You can start with one or the other Tutorial on making custom maps.

 

After a while you either get hooked and join the Map Authors Yahoo group, or you get frustrated, kick the dog and spend $100+ on maps that are worse quality than you could produce yourself (if you could only figure out how). You are allowed to do this without kicking your dog, but you have at least to shout some profanity at your spouse or (in case you have none) your neighbor.

 

Or you can check on Mapcenter if someone who got hooked earlier already made free maps for the area you're interested in.

 

Jan

[+Gadget_Cacher]

how would you make your own to install on the 60csx?

 

You can start with one or the other Tutorial on making custom maps.

 

After a while you either get hooked and join the Map Authors Yahoo group, or you get frustrated, kick the dog and spend $100+ on maps that are worse quality than you could produce yourself (if you could only figure out how). You are allowed to do this without kicking your dog, but you have at least to shout some profanity at your spouse or (in case you have none) your neighbor.

 

Or you can check on Mapcenter if someone who got hooked earlier already made free maps for the area you're interested in.

 

Jan

 

Much thanks i will check that out....since i dont ahve a dog or a spouse how about i kick the stray cat while cursing the random birds that fly by and bite the head off a fish?

[+JanniCash]

Much thanks i will check that out....since i dont ahve a dog or a spouse how about i kick the stray cat while cursing the random birds that fly by and bite the head off a fish?

 

That'll do.

 

Jan

[+Gadget_Cacher]

Another question....other than topographical info does Topo USA have any advantages? In other words would i get anything beneficial from TOPO USA other than topographical info that i wouldn't have gotten from City Nav?

[Birdbath]

I have city navigator, which is very nice, but i do like having topographical i was thinking about getting getting Topo USA, but i have heard lots of bad things about it. Can i get some of your opinions?

 

Thanks

 

All of the topo map systems I've had an opportunity to look at are pretty poor in my estimation. This includes the Garmin topo stuff. One of the problems I've noticed is that almost all of them are out of date, some by years. On Google Earth, some of the areas I'm interested in have terrible resolution at close-in zoom settings, so they are useless. Maybe I'm just used to working with military map systems but until I see a truly good system, I won't waste any bucks on what is out there now.

[+JanniCash]

Another question....other than topographical info does Topo USA have any advantages? In other words would i get anything beneficial from TOPO USA other than topographical info that i wouldn't have gotten from City Nav?

If you go to the Garmin product page for the Topo 24K and click on the link in the little MapSource Map Viewer box in the top-right corner, you can see what those maps include. As it looks to me they have the elevation contour lines, streams and waterbodies (with names) as well some trails (who knows how up-to-date or accurate). However, those map sets do not cover the entire U.S., but only selected regions like State Parks. I don't have that product, so I can only speculate from that preview.

 

The maps I am currently trying to produce will be composed of the USGS 1/3 Arc NED elevation model together with the High-Res hydrography data on subbasin level. So it will only have elevation contour plus streams and waterbodies (with names too, where the NHD shape files contain them). There will be no trails, roads or POI's. However, since trails change quite often, my personal opinion is that they should not be on a topo map anyway but on a separate transparent map with a higher draw priority so that it displays on top of the topo map. Note that one single 30'x30' square topo map tile like I currently compose will take about 2-3 hours to compile with cGPSmapper, and I'm doing that with an Intel E6400 (not that cGPSmapper takes advantage of multiple cores, but one can do other stuff like preparing the next compile while one is running).

 

My maps will be available for free from Mapcenter. I currently have a little problem with cropping the polygons from NHDArea and NHDWaterbody shapefiles. As soon as I can figure that out I will roll a couple of maps for discussion on the map author group.

 

Jan

[DogFleazJR]

I have city navigator, which is very nice, but i do like having topographical i was thinking about getting getting Topo USA, but i have heard lots of bad things about it. Can i get some of your opinions?

 

Thanks

 

I have the Topo USA maps for my 60CSx. I don't find them particularly helpful. It is not the map or detail level per se, but rather the difficultly of using a topo map on a 2" x 3" limited resolution screen.

 

A topo map is supposed to show contours and water courses. Take any paper topo map and then cut out a rectangular "window" from a piece of paper the size of your GPS screen and place it over the map. This will give you a good idea of how hard it is to visualize topography on the GPSr.

 

I use detailed topo maps on my PC for trip planning - I will plot out my expected route as a track, include as many waypoints as necessary to identify key points and intersections, and then download this data to the GPS. When I get back, I like to upload the track data so I can evaluate it on the detailed topos.

 

When I'm way off grid I still carry a paper map and compass with me in addition to the GPS. My own preference.

 

Happy trails,

[+Uncle T K]

What does 1:24,000 mean and what does 1:1,000,000 mean?

 

Which is better?

[CenTexDodger]

What does 1:24,000 mean and what does 1:1,000,000 mean?

 

Which is better?

 

That is a ratio that was used to create the map. On a 1:24,000k 1 inch on the map represents 24,000 inches of land. On a 24K map one inch equals .38 miles, and on a 100k map 1 inch equals about 1.6 miles. The USGS created these two sizes, one for larger areas with less detail (100k) and one for smaller areas with more detail. Garmin used these USGS maps to create the Topo USA (100k) maps, and the Topo 24K National Parks series. As far as maps for you GPS the answer to which is better depends on where you are going. If you are going to a National Park, then the 24k is better, if you are not, then the Topo USA is your only option.

[+JanniCash]

The maps I am currently trying to produce will be composed of the USGS 1/3 Arc NED elevation model together with the High-Res hydrography data on subbasin level.

 

chandljl,

 

in case you're still at it, the first 4 (new style) map segments completed compiling on mapcenter:

 

http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/maplist.php?author=4639

 

It's only the top 4, the other 6 are still in the old format, but will get replaced soon.

 

Jan

[+Gadget_Cacher]

The maps I am currently trying to produce will be composed of the USGS 1/3 Arc NED elevation model together with the High-Res hydrography data on subbasin level.

 

chandljl,

 

in case you're still at it, the first 4 (new style) map segments completed compiling on mapcenter:

 

http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/maplist.php?author=4639

 

It's only the top 4, the other 6 are still in the old format, but will get replaced soon.

 

Jan

 

Thanks for the update Janni, i appreciate it.