Free National Geographic Topo!

1.4k · August 13, 2003

I am also a reporter. My brother also participates. I really enjoy hiking and sharing my experiences with others. Here's my list of hikes:

http://localhikes.com/getHikes.asp?Search=1&getreporter=jeffj&getHikebyReporter=Yes

I have one more that I need to list and will try to get done this weekend. Cheers!

Jeff

http://www.StarsFellOnAlabama.com

http://www.NotAChance.com

If you hide it, they will come....

1.4k · August 13, 2003

I forgot to mention that if you are a Topo! user, take a few minutes to visit:

http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/topo/

and download version 3.3 upgrade as it adds some very nice features for Topo!, as well as, fixing some bugs. Cheers!

Jeff

http://www.StarsFellOnAlabama.com

http://www.NotAChance.com

If you hide it, they will come....

August 13, 2003

This sounds really exciting. I love writing, I love sharing hiking experiences, and I love NG! Thanks so much, Brian, I just completed my application.

August 16, 2003

Anyone else had a delayed response from them? They are clear to indicate that you will hear from them within 24 hours. It's been 3-4 days since I applied, and sent in my photo, and I haven't heard anything. Nor did they respond to a follow up email asking about the status. Perhaps they've been flooded by requests, but then I'd expect the site to update.

2.3k · August 16, 2003

It took them about a week at least to get back to me.... Have a little more patience...

I doubt they are refusing anyone because the service is quite new, I believe.

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

Free your mind and the rest will follow

4.4k · August 16, 2003

Thanks again for the link.

been aprroved.

got the topo software.Entered my first hike. and yes This is another from this thread.

Love the program so far.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS *GEOTRYAGAIN*

TAKE PRIDE IN AMERICA

http://www.doi.gov/news/front_current.html

**1803-2003** "LOUSIANA PURCHASE"

http://www.lapurchase.org

"LEWIS AND CLARK EXPADITION"

http://lewisclark.geog.missouri.edu/

Initial Points Page

http://www.True-Meridiansubscribe@yahoogroups.com

August 16, 2003

It took them close to a week to approve me as well, just wait. It will come soon. I am still waiting to get the software though.

-stroh

-Technology...I have no idea what I would do without my GPSr, my TiVo, or my Computer with a DSL connection. I guess I would spend more time with my wife!

August 20, 2003

It only took 3 days for me which included a weekend. My area already had 3, but I got lucky and got approved anyway.

August 21, 2003

I just got my Texas Topo and a very nice welcome package. You can imagine how hard it will be to find a place to hike in Houston...the flatest place in the world.

Hey it will give me an excuse to geocache MORE!

My first report begins when :

1. It is under 98 degrees for more than 2 consecutive days.

2. The mosquitos take a break.

1.4k · August 21, 2003

We got approved but have heard little from them since. I was hoping for the suggested hikes emails but they have never come. Oh well we will just choose some of our own favorites for now. I was hoping to save our favorites for a "rainy day".

When in doubt...hit it with a big hammer.

August 21, 2003

Signed up. thanks for the info

Good Luck Cache Baggers

- Paul Ag

5.3k · August 22, 2003

They got around to approving me within 24 hours...pretty impressive (maybe I got lucky fitting into their schedule).

Thanks for the tip...this looks waycool.

Max

Often wrong but seldom in doubt

August 23, 2003

Took about 10 days to get the topo software, which is what I really wanted Approval is quick, and you can download the JikeReporter s/w from their site.

This TOPO! software program is very addicting to just sit down and play with! They also have a mapxchange site with community trail layers you can download and contribute to.

August 23, 2003

I was accepted on the 19th and got my software today.

August 26, 2003

Got approved on August 13th and received my start-up kit 10 days later on the 23rd. Spent the past few days learning the software, but plan to file my first hike by the end of the week. Neat stuff!

2.3k · August 26, 2003

Approved 8/12 and got my software yesterday 8/25. Now gotta learn what to do with it and what the format for the reports are going to be like.

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

Free your mind and the rest will follow

2.7k · August 28, 2003

It seems that I can not say anything about this subject. The other forum area when you can post General "If you have a topic that doesn't quite fit anywhere else, post it here"

Was not accepted in this topic Is this the future of the forums?

Tahosa - Dweller of Mountain Tops.

1.1k · August 28, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Tahosa:
It seems that I can not say anything about this subject.

Seems like you're perfectly capable of saying nothing about this topic.

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

9.4k · August 28, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy (admin):
Although an interesting concept, this topic has been discussed enough in the forums. Considering that this is a commercial entity and the web site does not relate directly to Geocaching, please refrain from further discussions. If you wish to debate the merits of Localhikes.com policy, feel free to do so in their forums.

I think Tahosa means, why didn't you lock this thread, too? "This topic has been discussed enough...please refrain from further discussions"

Took sun from sky, left world in eternal darkness

38.2k · August 28, 2003

This is on topic, sort of. What geocacher doesn't want to be able to use NG Topo and even better, to get it for free (sort of)? And since many geocachers are nature lovers and hikers first, they have a lot to contribute to a website like LH.COM. The webmaster of LH.COM was blown away by the response from the geocaching community and is grateful for it.

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on his hind legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" - Max Beerbohm

February 25, 2004

Any reviews on the NG Topo? Is it superior to the Magellan and Garmin type Topo software? -Dan Team Kender - "The Sun is coming up!" "No, the horizon is going down."

No I don't think it's as good as Mapsource for Garmins. That is in transfering,editing,saving waypoints. I've found the NG's Topo can give problems in that respect. I've never had problems loading,or saving with Mapsource.

I use both programs mostlly. I find one can't do what the other can,and vice versa.

Too bad we could make a program that we would like to see. If they talked the same language maybe we could build one with pieces.

Someday we'll look back at these Topo's like I do now at the first Atari games,like Frogger,PacMan,etc.

1.3k · February 26, 2004

Any reviews on the NG Topo? Is it superior to the Magellan and Garmin type Topo software? -Dan Team Kender - "The Sun is coming up!" "No, the horizon is going down."

No I don't think it's as good as Mapsource for Garmins. That is in transfering,editing,saving waypoints. I've found the NG's Topo can give problems in that respect. I've never had problems loading,or saving with Mapsource.

I use both programs mostlly. I find one can't do what the other can,and vice versa.

Too bad we could make a program that we would like to see. If they talked the same language maybe we could build one with pieces.

Someday we'll look back at these Topo's like I do now at the first Atari games,like Frogger,PacMan,etc.

Get GPSBabel - it'll convert .loc or .gpx files (or just about any map format you can think of) to just about any format.

I have no problem loading waypoints into Topo.

sd

38.2k · February 26, 2004

No I don't think it's as good as Mapsource for Garmins. That is in transfering,editing,saving waypoints. I've found the NG's Topo can give problems in that respect. I've never had problems loading,or saving with Mapsource.
I use both programs mostlly. I find one can't do what the other can,and vice versa.

Huh? I find that it works just great with my Gramin. Of course I can't use the map on my Garmin, but as far as transferring waypoints between the GPS and my PC, it's great. And the maps are far better than Mapsource. More detailed and up to date.

4.4k · February 26, 2004

Mine are great as well I have had no problems but I am a newbie yet.

I have 13 hikes now.

I also got the TOPO SYNC USA it is great you can put pictures and notes to a waypoint and....and....and... :huh:

I use it to keep track of Caches as well,as Benchmarks and PLSS Corners,and many other things as well it has all kinds of options.

Edited February 26, 2004 by GEO*Trailblazer 1

February 26, 2004

I just applied tonight. Did a quick search and found no reporters within about 200 miles of me and only a hand full of trails listed.

February 26, 2004

Thanks for the information -- I may give it a try. I'm just starting this sport, and hiking is one of the main things that I like about it. Of course topo maps of south Florida are not that interesting -- since everything is flat down here. We have a 'mountain' that is 88 ft high!

February 26, 2004

I joined LocalHikes shortly after first reading Briansnat's posting last year. Now I'm one of the top 10 hike reports. Now, I've done much of that by breaking down the 100 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail (McKeesport to Meyersdale, PA) into about a dozen bite-sized chunks.

Hikes by Kordite

I like the NG Topo software. I got the Pennsylvania software for joining LocalHikes but have also purchased the North East and and Mid Atlantic software as well, logging a few bike trails on Long Island and planning to cover the C&O Canal Towpath from Cumberland, MD to DC this spring.

I also use it for geocaching. Plotting a series of waypoints on a topo map allows one to easily plan a circut or series batter than using the maps online which only show roads and waterways. My MapSend Topo software isn't quite as accurate and is missing many other landmark features like woods boundries and buildings. I only wish that I could download the 1:25,000 scale maps to my GPS. I expect that to happen soon as the tiny hard drives in things like the iPod get put into GPS units.

Translating waypoints between geocaching.loc or .gpx files and the NG.tpg files can sometimes be tricky. If I have too much trouble I just use my GPS as a middle-man, uploading from one app to the unit and then downloading to the other app.

There are some caches and bike rides I want to do in Ohio but I can't afford to buy that mapset just yet. Anyone want to loan me some disks?

February 26, 2004

That is in transfering,editing,saving waypoints. I've found the NG's Topo can give problems in that respect.

Ive found that NG Topo wants to read coordinates in as decimal degrees. If you create a text file with coordinates in DD MM.mmm it interpretes them as DD.ddddd and, of course, scatters them all over the place. I haven't had this problem when I use my GPS as a "filter", uploading to the unit and then downloading into the software except maybe one instance last night where for three waypoints the decimal minutes dropped a zero. That is it was something like 39 0.014 and the Topo waypoint came up as 39 0.14. I'm not sure where that anomaly came from but it only seemed to happen with the 0.0 minute coordinates. It may have even been my fault having mistyped coordinates in. I'll keep an eye out.

2.7k · February 26, 2004

NG TOPO is a very useful software application for maps that are separate from your GPS.

When I purchased my Vista it was with the intentions of using the mapping software that was available for Garmins. But when I did a cost / benefit analysis the Topo was the best bang for the $100.00. And I still had the older version that only did a section of CO that cost me about $50, so I purchased the newest version of TOPO mainly because it covers the whole state of CO.

I've used it to pre-plan several areas for cache placement before I even went into the hills. When it comes to looking for caches it can be very useful putting waypoints into the GPS by plotting them as waypoints on a current map, then its upload the waypoints and if you so desire you can print out a map of your cache hunt.

I'll even put links of the trails I've marked for Local Hikes on my cache pages so the cacher can have good idea of the terrain they are traversing. And that is my 2 pennies worth.

February 26, 2004

I sent my app in, I may be the first person in Iowa signed up!!!

February 26, 2004

I checked it out with the first post here and somebody had already signed up for my area. He has posted one report since June. And that report was for a trail in a fee based park/zoo, which he didn't mention in his original report.

Since June, in the normal course of my leisure activities, I've hiked at least one main trail in every park within 15 miles. Correction, every park except the only fee based one.

Too bad their isn't some accountability.

2.7k · February 26, 2004

I checked it out with the first post here and somebody had already signed up for my area. He has posted one report since June. And that report was for a trail in a fee based park/zoo, which he didn't mention in his original report.
Since June, in the normal course of my leisure activities, I've hiked at least one main trail in every park within 15 miles. Correction, every park except the only fee based one.

Too bad their isn't some accountability.

Well there is more than 1 reporter for

Illiniois that does hikes. If I were you I would contact them and try any ways.

And if one looks at a local hikes description of hikes notice the nice link that they have for Geocaching, it shows the nearby caches, nice of them to do that.

February 26, 2004

There is only one spot for my area - ie not Chicago. I wonder if they are proportioning by population rather than opportunity.

I saw last night an opening for Bloomington/Normal. I may try for that spot, then likely list my east side of the river treks under it.

Edited February 26, 2004 by Gazza&Girls

February 26, 2004

I checked it out with the first post here and somebody had already signed up for my area.

There's no restriction on how many people can be reporters for an area. There were already three for the Pittsburgh area when I signed up. However, none of them had made any postings. And since then (last summer) I am the only one that has made any postings at all.

Nor are you limited to your area. I have posted several bike trails on Long Island, NY. I, of course, checked to see if someone else had already posted the trails or if there were a series of active people that looked like they might get to it soon. There wasn't so I went ahead. I also logged some along the D&R Canal on the Delaware River.

The guys at LocalHikes have said that they were going to pass out "assignments" to prompt people to map certain trails. This wasn't a requirement but a way of encouraging people to get out. Now, I don't know if it was because I was active reporter but I've never received such an assignment.

I've also never received any goodies aside from the Topo. There was an introductory program where if you posted so many hikes you got a box of business-type cards. Log some more and get a t-shirt, and so on. When the program ended in December I had received an e-mail sayin I was entitled to something like the t-shirt (I don't remember what) but I haven't received that. I haven't followed up to ask why because I didn't get involved in this for the stuff. It was the Topo software and the chance to gloat about the trails. :huh:

38.2k · February 26, 2004

I've also never received any goodies aside from the Topo. There was an introductory program where if you posted so many hikes you got a box of business-type cards. Log some more and get a t-shirt, and so on

I received the business cards, the Cooolmax T-shirt and a box of NG Adventure paper.

Maybe its changed?

2.1k · February 27, 2004

I got the software for the northeast, but never got a chance to use it for a hike...now I'm in the southeast....dagnabbit....maybe I need t oresign up or send the software back to him and ask for the southeast now....

38.2k · February 27, 2004

I need t oresign up or send the software back to him and ask for the southeast now....

I think you are required to send the software back if you aren't going to use it, so yes, let them know and they will switch it for you.

4.8k · February 27, 2004

I just finally bought a PC laptop that can run the Topo software, so I signed up! I already have a few hike reports in mind when they approve me.

February 27, 2004

I forgot to mention that if you are a Topo! user, take a few minutes to visit: <A HREF="http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/topo/" TARGET=_blank>http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/topo/</A> and download version 3.3 upgrade as it adds some very nice features for Topo!, as well as, fixing some bugs. Cheers! Jeff <A HREF="http://www.StarsFellOnAlabama.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.StarsFellOnAlabama.com</A> <A HREF="http://www.NotAChance.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.NotAChance.com</A> If you hide it, they will come....

I personally don't care for the upgrade. I prefer to have my waypoint files separate from my map files. There are so many trails in my area that I keep a lot of tracks on one map for a given area and bookmark each trail. This way I can keep individual files of waypoints for each trail separate from each other. This makes it easy to upload only the waypoints that I need for my particular outing. The Western States Trail (100 miles long) also runs through my area and has numerous trails intersecting with it. There would be way too many waypoints for the WST and it's offshoots if the files were mixed as they are in the upgrade. It just works better for me to have them separate. It's a personal choice.

1.3k · February 27, 2004

This is cool. I just signed up. The hardest part was finding a decent picture of myself! There are only a couple hikes listed in my area, so hopefully they will approve me! Thanks!

February 27, 2004

I received the business cards, the Cooolmax T-shirt and a box of NG Adventure paper.

I received an e-mail saying that I was on the list to get something and that the deadline to submit hikes and earn stuff was coming up. Nothing since then.

I personally don't care for the upgrade.

I also didn't like the upgrade. In addition to the waypoints being separate files issue, I had issues with the way the controls behaved. Having seamless panning across various state maps would be nice but it wasn't enough to overcome what I didn't like. I also didn't like that people with the older versions would not be able to read the files I created without them upgrading. I don't like that there are files created with the new version that I can't read with my old version.

Perhaps if I load the newer version on my laptop I can find a way to convert the data back to the older version. With waypoints I could load them up to my GPS and then download them back to the older version. I haven't played with converting routes to tracks and, of course, all the points of interests and text would have to be done manually.

They really should have a way to export these files to a legacy format. Even the newest MS Word allows you to specify saving the file in a Word 2.0 format.

None of these are fatal flaws. The software is still very good and I much prefer it over my MapSend.

March 3, 2004

Woo Hoo, got my e-mail that I had been approved to be a reporter!!! y packet should be on the way. :lol:

4.4k · March 3, 2004

Kordite,

Just give Lawrence a little time we have overwhelmed him.

If he said he will send it to ya,he will,

I got all my goodies it just took a little while,

I think that he did not expect such a big # from all us Geocachers.

I am working on Hike 14 now,I have doubled up,and am 6 months ahead. LOL

Maybe I should slow down so you guys can get your stuff(joking)

1.3k · March 4, 2004

Yay! I just got my approval email 2 minutes ago! Hooray! :D

4.8k · March 4, 2004

I just got my approval email too.

Free National Geographic Topo!

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