GPS: downloadble maps or not?

[e9999]

well, I canned my little Magellan Explorist 200 since it had the damnable habit of losing all the info every so often or when I'd drive past a big antenna... Other than that I really liked it. Was a base model, no download of maps.

Now to find another better one!

Uses: main thing is getting back out, knowing where I am and what direction I'm going. Trail maps are distant second priority (so far).

I do have a laptop available so I could just get a receiver or connectable unit and plug that in for real big screen and car navigation plus I would like to use the new one for hiking so I think I'll go with a smallish portable.

Question I have to resolve now is whether to get one with the capability to download maps or not. Truth be told I never really missed the capability. I can use the laptop possibly and I can get access topo maps on the web and print them. OTOH, everybody here is always talking about these topo maps dowloaded to their units. I'm not really sure how useful they are on a tiny screen though... But then again, maybe I just don't know any better?


Sooo, in your experience it is really critical to get a downloadable map type of portable unit or not and why?

 

[Doug_S]

I find is a necessary feature to be able to download maps into my Garmin 60CSx. Since I like a lot of detail, having every part of the US loaded in would cut down on the amount of detail not to mention I probably couldn't have enough memory to have all the US. Also look for a new GPS with memory cards. You can buy a couple of them to use as a quick way of switching from one area to another. I hope this helps you.

 

[e9999]

I find is a necessary feature to be able to download maps into my Garmin 60CSx. Since I like a lot of detail, having every part of the US loaded in would cut down on the amount of detail not to mention I probably couldn't have enough memory to have all the US. Also look for a new GPS with memory cards. You can buy a couple of them to use as a quick way of switching from one area to another. I hope this helps you.

and these maps can actually be used on that (tiny) screen better than if they were on paper separate from the GPS, then?

 

[GeoRoss]

FWIW I find the tiny screens on a handheld to be rather useless with regards to a topomap.

I am lucky in that I have access to a variety of software products, plotter, digital maps/images and a laptop I don't care if it dies.

I use the laptop-GPS for in vehicle navigation. I use a variety of basemaps:24k, 100K, 250K topomaps, LandSat, DOQQ aerials, custom high res aerials. Before I use a new basemap I check it for correct registration. I also use custom maps also. You can't beat a big screen for navigation. I am looking to hardwire in a touchscreen display sometime in the future.

Away from the vehicle I use a combination of aerial and topo maps of a scale dictated by the project. I often print out a 1:24K map with clearly labeled UTM lines to aid in locating precise locations. I can then transfer the location to the small scale maps. I unplug the handheld GPS from the laptop and hit the trail.

Software that I use is ArcGIS, OziExplorer, MacGPS Pro, GRASS, ENVI, plus several others. I use ArcGIS in the office to produce most maps and OziExplorer/MacGPS Pro for in vehicle navigation on the laptop. My big complaints about OziExplorer/MacGPS Pro are their output/printing options, but for the average user they are perfect.

Just my 10 cents.

Ross

 

[ff347]

A thread hijack of sorts but it is kind of relevant, laptop gps-why does it get a bum rap? I have friends who have all of the $500 dollar plus units both handheld and mounted in the car. They just about laughed and had to have oxygen when I said I thought about getting gps for my laptop, everything from "oh the maps suck" to "to slow" blah blah blah.

I have looked at some sites and seems like a good deal to me. Seems like 150 dollars would get you a good system for a laptop.

 

[spressomon]

A thread hijack of sorts but it is kind of relevant, laptop gps-why does it get a bum rap? I have friends who have all of the $500 dollar plus units both handheld and mounted in the car. They just about laughed and had to have oxygen when I said I thought about getting gps for my laptop, everything from "oh the maps suck" to "to slow" blah blah blah.

I have looked at some sites and seems like a good deal to me. Seems like 150 dollars would get you a good system for a laptop.

I use National Geographic TOPO and DeLorme Topo software on my Tablet PC with a $45 SIRFIII receiver...works great. My dream set-up for the LC would be the Sony Vaio MicroComputer with the above receiver and software.

FYI: The DeLorme is about $80 for the entire USA. And the NG TOPO is about $99 per state...

 

[e9999]

one advantage of the "downloadable" gps is that some/most/all? could be used as a receiver for a laptop, no?

but yes, I have doubts about the usefulness of a topo map on a tiny screen, especially when driving...

what to do? what to do?....

 

[ff347]

I guess I was just wondering why all of the bashing, protecting of the he-man factor or what? I do not want it in the vehicle all of the time, just for trips to new places and things like that. Hell my cellphone has it but the screen is of course cellphone size.



I was looking at this
Earthmate GPS LT-20 & Topo USA 6.0 East Region BUNDLE for 139, I just will need to review the specs and make sure the laptop is up to the task.

 

[re_guderian]

USAPhotomaps is free for your laptop. All the USGS topo maps you want...

 

[Coolerman]

Get one with downloadable maps. If you do take it hiking the built in base map will be useless. You will need to create and download more detailed maps.

I have an old Magellan Meridian Green with the 2 meg basemap. It has a SD slot though and will accept up to 2 gig cards. You can save your tracks and waypoints to the card at any time then reload them as needed. I keep detailed maps of my favorite trips on several cards and load what I need when I need it. I also use the Delorme Topo, MS Street and trips, MS Map Point and Magellan Map Send.