Compass to GPS to Compass.

Quoted message said:

Anyone out there using GPS to trace new, or existing trails? If so what map software are you
using? What model of GPS are you using?

TJ the wannabe Cartographer

www.gvii.net/hundtoft

the usual caveat is that GPS is no substitute for map and compass skills. That being said, we have
an Etrex summit and software that was purchased originally for my husbands S &R work.

Biking, we use it to upload a map after the ride, ( we ride in a lot of areas that are not well
mapped) and make the elevation profile just for grins. I've been using the software for some trip
planning for AMB-ID too...drawing routes freehand on the map, ( on trails) then looking at the
profile to see just how rideable it might be.

It's great fun to play with the maps. Sometimes we do a trail we've been riding for years, but since
is isn't on ANY map it's just fun to see what it looks like.

I have two sets of software: Nat Geo TOPO!! and Garmin Mapsource. The mapsource does road and
topography, the ng stuff is based on USGS topo maps. The topo! map software provides the look and
feel of the topo maps we all know and love. Mapsource, while doing highways and topography doesn't
look the same at all when you get into the topography: it shows contours but not the details one
gets used to. So I prefer TOPO, tho at $100/state it's not cheap. The only complaint I have about
TOPO is that some of the maps the software is based on are dated.

Here's a map we made riding "rollercoaster" . Note that the elev. profile is broken down in 25 foot
increments so that every little whoopdedo shows up:
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoaster.jpg

Here's the map, an out and back with a little loop at the far end.
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoastermap.jpg

There's a lot of free software out there for organizing waypoints and so on. If you are not in the
US, good mapping software becomes a lot harder to find.

Penny

Penny S. <[email hidden]> spoke thusly...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone out there using GPS to trace new, or existing trails? If so what map software are you
using? What model of GPS are you using?

TJ the wannabe Cartographer

www.gvii.net/hundtoft

the usual caveat is that GPS is no substitute for map and compass skills.

And with that being said, i wonder how many folks forget to take the magnetic north correction into
account when using a map.

I think in maine is is like 14 degrees, but it has been a while since i used it so i forget. most
good topo maps have that grids deviation listed i belive.
--
~Travis

megalink.net~farmersOpen ↗

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone out there using GPS to trace new, or existing trails? If so what map software are you
using? What model of GPS are you using?

TJ the wannabe Cartographer

www.gvii.net/hundtoft

the usual caveat is that GPS is no substitute for map and compass skills. That being said, we have
an Etrex summit and software that was purchased originally for my husbands S &R work.

Biking, we use it to upload a map after the ride, ( we ride in a lot of areas that are not well
mapped) and make the elevation profile just for grins. I've been using the software for some trip
planning for AMB-ID too...drawing routes freehand on the map, ( on trails) then looking at the
profile to see just how rideable it might be.

It's great fun to play with the maps. Sometimes we do a trail we've been riding for years, but
since is isn't on ANY map it's just fun to see what

it

Quoted message said:

looks like.

I have two sets of software: Nat Geo TOPO!! and Garmin Mapsource. The mapsource does road and
topography, the ng stuff is based on USGS topo

maps.

Quoted message said:

The topo! map software provides the look and feel of the topo maps we all know and love.
Mapsource, while doing highways and topography doesn't

look

Quoted message said:

the same at all when you get into the topography: it shows contours but

not

Quoted message said:

the details one gets used to. So I prefer TOPO, tho at $100/state it's

not

Quoted message said:

cheap. The only complaint I have about TOPO is that some of the maps the software is based on
are dated.

Here's a map we made riding "rollercoaster" . Note that the elev. profile

is

Quoted message said:

broken down in 25 foot increments so that every little whoopdedo shows up:
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoaster.jpg

Here's the map, an out and back with a little loop at the far end.
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoastermap.jpg

There's a lot of free software out there for organizing waypoints and so

on.

Quoted message said:

If you are not in the US, good mapping software becomes a lot harder to find.

Penny

Cool. Thanks for the input. I was planning on using the Natgeo TOPO. I don't have the hundred bucks
to drop on the cd set yet, but that is what I am going to do. I may put some of the more popular
high country rides on maps for visiting friends.

TJ

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the usual caveat is that GPS is no substitute for map and compass

skills.

Quoted message said:

And with that being said, i wonder how many folks forget to take the magnetic north correction
into account when using a map.

I think in maine is is like 14 degrees, but it has been a while since i used it so i forget. most
good topo maps have that grids deviation listed i belive.

It gets pretty extreem, especially for those of you close to the northern shores
nwes.comsolar 3.gifOpen ↗

"John Harlow" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the usual caveat is that GPS is no substitute for map and compass

skills.

Quoted message said:

And with that being said, i wonder how many folks forget to take the magnetic north correction
into account when using a map.

I think in maine is is like 14 degrees, but it has been a while since i used it so i forget.
most good topo maps have that grids deviation listed i belive.

It gets pretty extreem, especially for those of you close to the northern shores
nwes.comsolar 3.gifOpen ↗

Not that declination matters for the short distance that most riders cover(particularly because they
have to remain on a trail), but declination changes with time. If you want sub-decimeter accuracy in
navigation (which was called for in my old job) check out NOAA's calculator.

ngdc.noaa.govfldsnth1.plOpen ↗

R

Penny S. said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone out there using GPS to trace new, or existing trails? If so what map software are you
using? What model of GPS are you using?

TJ the wannabe Cartographer

www.gvii.net/hundtoft

the usual caveat is that GPS is no substitute for map and compass skills. That being said, we have
an Etrex summit and software that was purchased originally for my husbands S &R work.

Biking, we use it to upload a map after the ride, ( we ride in a lot of areas that are not well
mapped) and make the elevation profile just for grins. I've been using the software for some trip
planning for AMB-ID too...drawing routes freehand on the map, ( on trails) then looking at the
profile to see just how rideable it might be.

It's great fun to play with the maps. Sometimes we do a trail we've been riding for years, but
since is isn't on ANY map it's just fun to see what it looks like.

I have two sets of software: Nat Geo TOPO!! and Garmin Mapsource. The mapsource does road and
topography, the ng stuff is based on USGS topo maps. The topo! map software provides the look and
feel of the topo maps we all know and love. Mapsource, while doing highways and topography doesn't
look the same at all when you get into the topography: it shows contours but not the details one
gets used to. So I prefer TOPO, tho at $100/state it's not cheap. The only complaint I have about
TOPO is that some of the maps the software is based on are dated.

Here's a map we made riding "rollercoaster" . Note that the elev. profile is broken down in 25 foot
increments so that every little whoopdedo shows up:
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoaster.jpg

Here's the map, an out and back with a little loop at the far end.
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoastermap.jpg

There's a lot of free software out there for organizing waypoints and so on. If you are not in the
US, good mapping software becomes a lot harder to find.

Penny

You really explained the fun of playing with the GPS and maps well. I have found the map GPS and
excellent trail research tool. I have nearly the same setup except I have your basic yellow eTrex.

Bill "I think its that way" Porter www.mountainbikebill.com

"Bill Porter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Penny S. said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone out there using GPS to trace new, or existing trails? If so what map software are you
using? What model of GPS are you using?

TJ the wannabe Cartographer

www.gvii.net/hundtoft

the usual caveat is that GPS is no substitute for map and compass skills. That being said, we
have an Etrex summit and software that was purchased originally for my husbands S &R work.

Biking, we use it to upload a map after the ride, ( we ride in a lot of areas that are not well
mapped) and make the elevation profile just for grins. I've been using the software for some trip
planning for AMB-ID too...drawing routes freehand on the map, ( on trails) then looking at

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

profile to see just how rideable it might be.

It's great fun to play with the maps. Sometimes we do a trail we've been riding for years, but
since is isn't on ANY map it's just fun to see what

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

looks like.

I have two sets of software: Nat Geo TOPO!! and Garmin Mapsource. The mapsource does road and
topography, the ng stuff is based on USGS topo

maps.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The topo! map software provides the look and feel of the topo maps we all know and love.
Mapsource, while doing highways and topography doesn't

look

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the same at all when you get into the topography: it shows contours but

not

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the details one gets used to. So I prefer TOPO, tho at $100/state it's

not

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cheap. The only complaint I have about TOPO is that some of the maps the

software

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is based on are dated.

Here's a map we made riding "rollercoaster" . Note that the elev. profile

is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

broken down in 25 foot increments so that every little whoopdedo shows

up:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoaster.jpg

Here's the map, an out and back with a little loop at the far end.
www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/rollercoastermap.jpg

There's a lot of free software out there for organizing waypoints and so

on.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you are not in the US, good mapping software becomes a lot harder to find.

Penny

I also use the Garmin Etrex summit with Washington and Oregon Topo mapping. It works fine for
setting up routes or doing a route and exporting to the map. There is a nice program called
ExpertGPS that can be downloaded on the net. This gives different views such as satellite photos on
which to export data.

The most useful part of the GPS is retracing if you get lost, but dense woods prevent reading
signals from the satellites. -B