Newbie - Mapping

[+DiSiGot]

I received a Magellen Explorist 500 for Christmas and I did a little geocaching yesterday with it. GREAT FUN!! I've heard that Garmen is a better unit but I'm excited for the gift (Magellen) and look forward to using it a lot! I do a fair amount of backpacking and don't know exactly how the maps work that I can purchase. Here are my questions...

 

1. If I buy the maps (Magellen - pricey) are they helpful on the GPS unit itself or just on a computer?

 

2. Are there other ways to get maps on the GPS unit -- free maps through Google, etc?

 

3. Do purchased maps do anything that can't be done with Google Earth?

 

4. I'm using a Mac and a PC but I prefer to use the Mac for GPS stuff. Does anyone else use a Mac and, if so, how do you get your Mac to work with all the PC apps for GPS?

[+Miragee]

You'll probably get more responses to your post after it is moved over to the GPS and Software Forum, but I'll give it a stab.

 

I'm not familiar with that GPS unit, but if it is like the Garmins, the maps are very helpful. I don't know if that unit can auto-route with the correct maps installed, but if not, the Topo maps will be useful on hikes.

 

Google Earth printouts of the area are useful if you don't have maps on your GPS unit, but then you are using up paper and ink . . .

 

If you become a Premium Member in order to get cache waypoints in bulk with Pocket Queries, I believe you will be able to use MacCaching on your Mac, although I'm not sure it has all the capabilities GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) has. That is a great database program for the PC from which you can Export the waypoints in the correct format for your Magellan.

[+DiSiGot]

Thanks for the info. If I enter a destination coordinate, do maps show established forest trails leading to that destination or do I have to put the coordinates into the GPS myself for all the waypoints for the trails? I guess I'm wondering what the maps really do other than showing topo lines and elevations.

 

You'll probably get more responses to your post after it is moved over to the GPS and Software Forum, but I'll give it a stab.

 

I'm not familiar with that GPS unit, but if it is like the Garmins, the maps are very helpful. I don't know if that unit can auto-route with the correct maps installed, but if not, the Topo maps will be useful on hikes.

 

Google Earth printouts of the area are useful if you don't have maps on your GPS unit, but then you are using up paper and ink . . .

 

If you become a Premium Member in order to get cache waypoints in bulk with Pocket Queries, I believe you will be able to use MacCaching on your Mac, although I'm not sure it has all the capabilities GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) has. That is a great database program for the PC from which you can Export the waypoints in the correct format for your Magellan.

[+Miragee]

It depends on the detail of the Topo maps. For the non-autorouting maps, after selecting "Go To," you will have a straight line to the location. Sometimes it might be right next to a Forest Road, but when you get closer, you find out it is a Fire Road with a locked gate. Then you have to figure out where the trailhead is, unless the cache owner has provided that trailhead information on their cache page, which I always appreciate.

 

The auto-routing maps will auto-route you to the closest location to the cache, giving turn-by-turn directions. Sometimes auto-routing will bring you to a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood that is adjacent to the Park behind people's back yards. Then you are on your own to find the entrance to the Park . . .

[+DiSiGot]

Interesting. How about if I'm heading to a spot (not a geocache) that's in a wilderness area? Is it the same principle? Even if I have auto-routing (don't know about that yet) it seems like it would be too good to be true if the GPS would find trails on the map that lead to the destination and then guide me along them. Sorry I sound like such a rookie -- I am!

[+Miragee]

On my Garmin Vista HCx, I have it set to "Prompt" me when I hit "Go To" for whether I want to "Follow Road" or go "Off Road."

 

The auto-routing maps can only get you to the nearest point on a road or highway. After that, you switch to "Off Road" navigation and you are on your own. That is when switching to the Topo maps on the GPSr comes in handy so you can see the contours.

[+DiSiGot]

Cool! You've been very helpful. Thanks for your information. I'm hoping I can also get some responses from Magellen users so I can learn if the maps work the same way you've described them for your Garmin. Thanks again.

[+mizdeeds]

I received a Magellen Explorist 500 for Christmas and I did a little geocaching yesterday with it. GREAT FUN!! I've heard that Garmen is a better unit but I'm excited for the gift (Magellen) and look forward to using it a lot! I do a fair amount of backpacking and don't know exactly how the maps work that I can purchase. Here are my questions...

 

1. If I buy the maps (Magellen - pricey) are they helpful on the GPS unit itself or just on a computer?

 

2. Are there other ways to get maps on the GPS unit -- free maps through Google, etc?

 

3. Do purchased maps do anything that can't be done with Google Earth?

 

4. I'm using a Mac and a PC but I prefer to use the Mac for GPS stuff. Does anyone else use a Mac and, if so, how do you get your Mac to work with all the PC apps for GPS?

 

Welcome to the game/sport/obsession!! It's wonderful fun!

 

I use a Magellan Meridian Color, but I don't have the topo maps, so can't answer your questions about that. I'm not a Mac user so can't help there either. The DirectRoute street maps are definitely necessary in my opinion! They are very detailed and will even show the "roads" in some cemeteries on them. Two-track dirt trails in some park areas also show up, but not walking trails. I would assume the topo maps would show the trails.

 

As far as I know, the only maps that will work on it are Magellan's.

 

Street routing with the unit can be an adventure in itself. I tested mine when I first got it by having it route me to somewhere local that I knew the best/easiest way to get to. It came up with a rather "unique" way to arrive at the destination. NOT the way I would have taken. It's certainly not like the units designed just for driving, but hey, it gets me where I want to go!

 

[+briansnat]

Moving to the appropriate forum

[+embra]

As a rule of thumb, you'll get more responses to manufacturer-specific questions by including that information in your topic title. Garmins are the most popular here, so lacking any information most would presume you were asking about a Garmin GPS until they took the time to read your actual question.

 

There are two programs you would want to consider for your Explorist. Mapsend DirectRoute is the one that has detailed street data and the capability of giving you turn-by-turn directions (autorouting). Mapsend Topo3D has the same street data (but no autorouting), contour data, and some trails. Unfortunately, most GPS map software is pretty sparse on trail data, and T3D is typical in this regard. It has some big trails like the Appalachian Trail, but not much else. So you would probably have to create a lot of your own trail data.

 

There is a program that allows you to add a track you create on your GPS to Mapsend maps as embedded roads or trails which I can point you to if you're interested . But in general you will be best off looking for online libraries of GPS tracks that other hikers have uploaded.

 

Also, Mapsend programs are *very* useful for generating detail maps for your GPS, but not very useful as computer-based mapping programs. I think this is so for most GPS-related programs. I used to use a 500, but last year began using the Delorme PN-20 because the Delorme Topo7 software is an exception to this rule. It's easy to edit the maps to include tracks and roads that you draw in or add as tracks, and then export to the GPS. Not only are the roads routable, but so are the tracks. There are more trail data than most programs, although even here it's very incomplete.

Edited January 7, 2008 by embra

[+DiSiGot]

You are very helpful. Thanks. Can you point me to more info about GPS to Mapsend maps as embedded roads or trails? Also, where do I find online libraries of GPS tracks? Thanks again for the help. I do have one more opinion question... Do you think I would be happier if I returned the Magellan Explorist 500 and got a Garmin? If so, what Garmin would you recommend?

[+embra]

The program that adds tracks to Mapsend maps is AddMagMap. I just noticed on the page that it is freeware as of last August. The last version that I tried was a little kludgy, but I can verify that it works.

 

There was a great collection of track libraries in this gc.com thread. As you can see, there's no one place that covers it all, although you'll likely identify a few favorites in the list.

 

It's hard to say whether you'd like a Garmin more than your 500 (and I don't know enough about Garmins to make a particular model recommendation). You kinda have to own and use a GPS for a while until you discover what you like and don't like with the one you have, and identify what features are high priorities for you. It's a bit of a gamble as to whether or not you would need any customer support with Magellan (there are certainly many of us who don't have a personal beef with Magellan support because we've never had a problem with our devices). If there's something about a particular Garmin model that attracts you, that could be reason enough to trade it in. But there's nothing about the Explorist line that would make me urge you to avoid it.

 

Personally, if I were in your situation I'd accept the gift as your fated introduction to GPS. If and when you get a sense of a different GPS that you'd much rather have, sell the first one in garage sale section here or on eBay (or give it to someone else or keep it for backup) and step up to the one that you can make an informed decision about. I more or less did that myself: bought a used eTrex Venture, used it for a couple of months until I identified a Magellan Meridian as the best fit for me. I bought the Meridian and sold the Venture for only a little less than I paid for it. It worked out well for me.

Edited January 7, 2008 by embra