PC software

[Guest Farqhuarson]

hello everyone, i just bought my eTrex about a week ago and i was wondering what kind of software packages that people use on their PC's? For route planning or waypoint storage or whatever.

 

I looked at the MapSource package and while it covered the united states, it only went down to a detail level of 1:100000, is there anything out there that will go down to the 1:24000 level (the 7 1/2 minute USGS quad maps)?

[Guest bob_renner]

I use TOPO! from Wildflower/National Geographic. See http://www.topo.com

The cheapest place if seen if for sale is at REI http://www.rei.com

 

DeLorme also has similar s/w with the 7.5 min topos.

 

There's a review of the 2 at http://www.4x4books.com

 

And for all sorts of other info on GPS check out http://joe.mehaffey.com

 

Bob

[Guest trilobites]

I have check out several packages. Delorme's 3-D topoquads is a really nice package that works with the etrex. They also have a $78 receiver the auto/laptop use that work very well (much better than an etrex sitting on the dash).

They recently updated the package. I use it for mapping historic trails in combination with handheld. The topos are on CD and cost about $99 for most states.

 

For simple downloading there are many freeware and shareware packages. But for $99 topoquads is hard to beat. A negative is that $99 is for a single state--actually some states like NM and CA are split into 2 sets. For me, I work in MO and KS and bought both sets.

[Guest will_m]

For basic routes on highways and streets, I use Street Atlas USA 7.0. Worked great on a recent trip with my GPS III.

 

 

------------------

Will

Now where the hell am I?

[Guest Ron Streeter]

Bought my Magellan 315 a couple of months ago and then one of the Topo! CA map CDs and the 12 volt/data cable. What a joy that is to use...now...the latest and greatest ....

 

I have just purchased a new laptop and am working with two mapping programs (Topo!) and (National Geographic Trip Planner 2000) which allow me to hook my gps to the laptop and to actually track where I am and my movements as I go.(MS Streets & Trips 2001 is another program.) Obviously not as nice as a built-in units in cars, but gives the flexibility of having the laptop for use in other areas.

********

 

Hours later same day....bought the Microsoft program (streets & trips 2001) for $27 at Costco with a $20 rebate from them. So, for $7 a pretty nifty mapping program. Has some good features the others don't, and seems pretty easy to use. Perhaps more clarity at closest map levels of all three programs I'm trying. I think I'd rather be the co-pilot calling out the turns, than the driver !

[Guest scott]

There is a "documented modification" you can make on Streets & Trips that will speed up the GPS update rate from every 15 seconds to every 2 seconds, much nicer for driving with your laptop.

 

I can't remember the details, but if you search around you should be able to find it.

 

(Seems like you needed a hex editor and had to change a couple of values somewhere in the program,)

 

Sorry so fuzzy on the details.

 

-scott

[Guest bob_renner]

BR>> |00060E10 8B 08 BF 98 3A 00 00 53 57 6A 01 FF 76 08 50 FF

> |00060E20 51 4C 85 C0 7C D9 8B 46 04 53 57 6A 02 FF 76 08

> |

> |Disassembling this, is left as an exercise to the reader.

> |

> |You'll need some sort of hex editing software to do the modification. The

> |two bytes starting at 0x60E13 appear to comprise a 16 bit integer in little

> |endian order, specifying the update rate, in milliseconds. So, you can set

> |the update rate to whatever you like. I set it to a Garmin-ish 2 seconds or

> |0x7D0, just to be lame.

> |

> |John Galvin

[Guest Ron Streeter]

Thanks Bob R.

 

That may be a bit more than I want to get into, but I'll print it out and after working with the laptop/gps/car combination see if I need more than once every 15 seconds.

 

I drove around a nearby lake for 2.5 miles and it etched a nice blue line on my map. Of course that was at 25 miles/hour. But then again going down a freeway at 70 might be different, but on the straightaways I don't know that the lag time would be that much of a problem. We'll see..Thanks again.

 

Ron

[Guest bubba232]

Hi guys it's me again.

 

I figured I would throw this out ONE more time. Has anyone used the new 3D software pkg from Maptech? I d/l their demo and it looks really nice. I had a couple of rendering glitches but just restarted the program and everything came back.

 

I am just curious if anyone has extentsive usage of this product.

 

I bought the N.G. TOPO! regional bay-area and it's good. I just called N.G. to see if/when they are going to release a 3D version. Sadly, the salesperson said "no plans for the near future".

Apparently, they don't want to play with the big dogs, and just stay in the shadows...so to speak.

 

Give the Maptech demo a try.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

[Guest bubba232]

Hi guys it's me again.

 

I figured I would throw this out ONE more time. Has anyone used the new 3D software pkg from Maptech? I d/l their demo and it looks really nice. I had a couple of rendering glitches but just restarted the program and everything came back.

 

I am just curious if anyone has extentsive usage of this product.

 

I bought the N.G. TOPO! regional bay-area and it's good. I just called N.G. to see if/when they are going to release a 3D version. Sadly, the salesperson said "no plans for the near future".

Apparently, they don't want to play with the big dogs, and just stay in the shadows...so to speak.

 

Give the Maptech demo a try.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve