Tell me about mapping GPS...

[kite]

We've already got a yellow eTrex, but I'm curious about models with mapping capability. How much map can one get in 8MB or 24MB of memory? What would it take to hold, say, the entirety of San Diego county? I'd care about having as much detail as possible -- the smallest streets, topo maps. Come to that, how well can one even see a topo map, on a GPS screen? Can you load both street and topo information, and if you do, do you get to select which to display at any given time? I know topo maps are often indifferent when it comes to keeping up with street changes. The higher-end eTrex models apparently have finer resolution on the same size screen as the yellow; is the print then very, very tiny?

[+apersson850]

First, some Markwelling. Take a look through the older posts. There is a lot about mapping in there.

There are also many examples of how much you can cram into a certain amount of memory. I'm not sure if you are in the US of A, but whichever, you may get some idea from this review.

 

Visibility is good on the screen of my Vista, when it comes to MetroGuide maps. Topo maps are of course a little more messy. The Vista is virtually useless for BlueCharts.

 

If you load more than one type of maps, they'll be layered, according to an internal priority list. Also, some maps disappear when you zoom out far enough. You can also disable singel map tiles, or entire map titles all together.

 

All maps are old, all the time. They simply don't hit the market before nature changes/is changed.

 

The print on the screen of the higher level eTrex units is not very, very tiny, but it is very tiny...

 

Anders

[+ZingerHead]

You can switch between MetroGuide and Topo on a Vista through the *Setup Map* option on the Map page. It's very handy for geocaching: use the MetroGuide maps to drive to the cache, then switch over to topo to navigate the trails. But a word on those topos - the contour interval is much coarser than those found on high quality USGS quads. I don't have the specific numbers, but I find the topos of limited use here in Connecticut. Not useless, just not as detailed as I might wish.

Metroguide is absolutely indispensable as a geocaching tool, in my opinion. You can plot routes at home simply be clicking on Point A and clicking again at Point B. Metroguide then autoroutes between them, and you can download this route to your GPS. In the car you just select *Navigate* and the GPS will guide you, turn by turn, to your destination. My Vista's pointer will bend in the direction of the next turn when I'm about 15 seconds away.

As far as print size goes, it's a tiny screen with very high resolution. I can't see a thing on it when the lanyard is around my neck - I have to hold the Vista at arm's length so my 40+ year old eyes can focus on it. While driving it is sometimes difficult to make out the name of the street for the next turn. Playing with the screen contrast can alleviate this somewhat, but you do pay a price for a GPS that can fit in your pocket.

For a larger screen take a look at the GPSMap76. That thing's screen looks enormous when compared side to side with the Vista. And if you do any boating the Map76 has tide tables and other useful boating features, plus it floats.

As far as storage goes, my Vista has 24MB of memory, which allows me to store all of the topo and metroguide maps for CT and still have several MB left over. It takes something like an hour to upload a full 24Mb of maps to the unit.

One nice feature of the Mapsource product is the free upgrades provided by Garmin, just like the firmware upgrades for the GPS units. They have added a great deal of functionality over the last few months, at no additional cost.

[+Alan2]

Metroguide has tide tables too.

 

Garmin's Mapsource Topo is OK in the Vista if you print out either their Topo or Topozone or other 3rd party 24,000 quad map. The location in the GPS while looking at the screen in topo helps locate the actual location on the hard copies.

 

If you find Etrex yellow fun, mapping untits are really funny.

 

aln