Dlorme Topu USA 7.0
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Don't bother Jack...see my reply to another similar thread below. I have Delorme 5.0 and 6.0 (you're welcome to try 6.0 out if you'd like...I can show you why it doesn't function all that well for off-road navigating). National Geographic or possibly OziExplorer are your best bet. I really like the overall features and usability of NG. Yes it is certainly more expensive especially if you need multiple states. But it works and is real world 4x4 useable for off-roading.
FYI: After living/being frustrated with the short comings of the Garmin I recently purchased a Sony VAIO UX-490N/C to set-up a dream system for off-road nav'ing in the hundy. It came with Windows Vista; didn't function properly right out of the box and is going back for refund (thank God it came with a 30-day return policy!!!). It's hard to believe, for the incredibly high price they get for these things, they don't function properly out of the damn box! I thought I had my off-road nav system figured out.
At this point I am probably going to get the Lowrance Baja 540C and be done with it as running even a small laptop in the cockpit is just too darn big for me.
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Crap, I didn't realize how bad I typo'd my title. Sorry about that.
Anyway, thanks Dan. I am working on something for mine also, I do have access to NG maps, so that is probably what I will end up using. I will fill you in on the plan on the DV trip.
I just saw some pretty interesting features on the version 7.0 that looked promising.
Jack
Anyway, thanks Dan. I am working on something for mine also, I do have access to NG maps, so that is probably what I will end up using. I will fill you in on the plan on the DV trip.
I just saw some pretty interesting features on the version 7.0 that looked promising.
Jack
I wish someone with a 540c baja would do a somewhat thorough review- i have searched the net high and low and everyone seems to say its good--but never really elaborates on what it does well- what it does poorly- and thorough comparisons to other TOPO systems for offroad. Apparently the Overland Journal did a review of a few systems but i havent heard feedback from any subscribers as to which truly is best for offroad capabilities.
From research thus far- id say the Google EArth Plus with PC and hockey puckGPS sounds like the ideal system with the caveat of a somewhat large learning curve......versus the 540c which everyone says is "good" maybe due to its plug and play-ability.....but not as powerful a tool as Google Earth. But who knows? just my wild arse guess from the limited info and detail-less reviews.
From research thus far- id say the Google EArth Plus with PC and hockey puckGPS sounds like the ideal system with the caveat of a somewhat large learning curve......versus the 540c which everyone says is "good" maybe due to its plug and play-ability.....but not as powerful a tool as Google Earth. But who knows? just my wild arse guess from the limited info and detail-less reviews.
I bought it simply because I found that I could run all my old 3D TopoQuad State data on it. Probably the same with the older versions but I never tried them.
The OJ review was somewhat topical and not a real detailed review. Ditto on wishing someone who is using and knows the 540C would do a comprehensive review of plusses and minuses related to 4x4 use. I don't think the 540C would be a good candidate for motorcycle use due to the large form factor...and that is why it was devalued somewhat by OJ. It seems the 540C is the only real candidate to date for: Large enough screen for real off-road 4x4 nav'ing and 1:24,000 scale maps; ease of toggling between routing and non-routing map on the fly.
I wonder how simple it is to save a track to the flash card memory...and also how simple it is (or isn't) to import the track/route via the flash card memory to the 540C.
One thing I heard it does not do is Topo route nav'ing. But I think the only thing that will do this is a PC, NG (maybe other topo map software too) and Topo maps...
FYI: I like the form factor of my new Sony Vaio UX490N/C. We are in the middle of determining if we can remove Vista and install XP Tablet (like the former UX's used) along with all the processor choking junk that came with it. Even if we can get it set-up the way I want it definitely is nothing less than $$$ spendy.
One thing that Delorme's Topo USA does that I cant find on other mapping software is route profiling. You can highlight a route or trail and it will show you the elevation changes. You can profile a proposed route or trail and see if its just a flat road or if its has lots of up and downs. A bonus feature if you are a hiker.
I've used the DeLorme software sincev2.0 running on a old Itronix with win95. I use it primarily for locating old ghost towns, mines, and other features in the Nevada desert.
Since getting this software and moving away from paper maps it has changed the way we go on trips. I've found the listed trails to be accurate, GPS tracking excellent, etc. What is nicest for me is the search function, which allows you to find most ghost towns, mines, and other features by name. We can now leave with only a basic idea of what we want to see, and make/change routes on the fly. Usually we can find a mine or town in the software if the only thing we have heard is a passing reference on a forum. Even finding the GPS coordinates for these places via google canbe impossible, but they are almost all in TOPO. It almost makes it too easy.
V7.0's new features seem to be mainly on-road based, finding nearest gas station, etc., kind of like merging street atlas and topo into one product.
While the routing piece works well enough, I generally like to find my own routes using the 3d piece, as I am usually after the most interesting route, not the fastest.
If you are off/soft roading in large open areas like NV, I would consider it indespensable.
If you have 6.0 already, and do not need the POI database of hotels and gas stations I would skip the upgrade.
I have not tried OZI, but will try to soon, looks interesting
Since getting this software and moving away from paper maps it has changed the way we go on trips. I've found the listed trails to be accurate, GPS tracking excellent, etc. What is nicest for me is the search function, which allows you to find most ghost towns, mines, and other features by name. We can now leave with only a basic idea of what we want to see, and make/change routes on the fly. Usually we can find a mine or town in the software if the only thing we have heard is a passing reference on a forum. Even finding the GPS coordinates for these places via google canbe impossible, but they are almost all in TOPO. It almost makes it too easy.
V7.0's new features seem to be mainly on-road based, finding nearest gas station, etc., kind of like merging street atlas and topo into one product.
While the routing piece works well enough, I generally like to find my own routes using the 3d piece, as I am usually after the most interesting route, not the fastest.
If you are off/soft roading in large open areas like NV, I would consider it indespensable.
If you have 6.0 already, and do not need the POI database of hotels and gas stations I would skip the upgrade.
I have not tried OZI, but will try to soon, looks interesting
One more thing, if you are getting a hand held anyway, note that DeLorme's PN-20 comes with Topo 7.0, a nice handheld unit, but nowhere near as nice as a laptop it terms of what it can do. At least you get the laptop software for free with the unit...