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Archives for August 2006

CD-based mapping software: National Geographic TOPO!

August 14, 2006 By Leave a Comment

Choosing_mapping_software_1

We’ll start this series off with CD (or DVD) -based mapping software to use with (not on) your GPS. In this category, you typically buy a package that has all the topo maps for an entire state, usually for around $100 retail. This is a great deal for your home state, but could get expensive for those with a serious case of wanderlust! Most of these programs are relatively simple to learn, and most produce great printed maps for field use as well.

National Geographic TOPO!

My favorite software in this category is National Geographic TOPO! (Amazon). It is fairly straightforward and easy to learn, and a number of common features are well designed. One example is that you can construct routes from existing waypoint names. You would think that would be a no brainer for the designers of these programs, but sadly, too many software packages lack this feature.

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Filed Under: Software

Choosing the best mapping software

August 14, 2006 By 9 Comments

Choosing_mapping_softwareToday we’re going to begin a series of posts that look at mapping software choices — a complex decision that can befuddle the most rabid and tech savvy GPS enthusiast.

Much of what I say here will be opinion; I’ll tell you what my favorite mapping programs are, but I’ll also tell you why. It may be because they do an outstanding job meeting everyday needs, implement popular features exceptionally well, or use intuitive interfaces that dramatically reduce the learning curve. I’ll also highlight programs that do what the others don’t, giving you powerful tools for atypical needs.

These programs were all featured in my book, GPS Mapping – Make Your Own Maps, in more detail. Consider this a short course. So check in frequently over the next week or two. I’ll cover a wide range of options that will help you meet your mapping needs.

Other posts in this series:

Filed Under: Software

SiRFstar III reception under dense canopy

August 7, 2006 By 14 Comments

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UPDATE: Here’s my 2010 take on SiRFstar III, which is rarely available these days.

My wife and I went on our weekly mountain bike ride today, and of course we took our GPS receivers along for the ride!  I was kind of excited about it; we were going to ride a trail in dense redwoods that I had never been able to map due to poor satellite reception. But today I had my Garmin 60CSx along, which has the SiRFstar III chipset on board.

Now when I say dense, I do mean dense. Redwoods are actually a low biodiversity plant community; very little grows on the forest floor due to their dense shade. I’ve heard it said that native Americans here didn’t like the redwoods — that they are downright spooky. More likely it was just the lack of game and edible plants, but you get the idea.

Manly_gulchThe trail we rode, Manly Gulch, is as challenging as it sounds — narrow and technical, with steep dropoffs. The photo at left is of me coming around a tight curve between two redwoods. The trail section pictured is a narrow perched run set between a cut redwood stump on the upper side and a retaining wall on the lower side.

But to make a long story short, the 60CSx and SiRFstar III performed admirably, as can be seen in the map posted at right. I’ve seen my 60CSx get a lock inside, and I knew it had greatly improved reception over the 60CS, but it was still nice to see it all work so well where it counts.


Filed Under: Garmin, Hardware, Trip report (TR)

GPS Tracklog turns one year old

August 6, 2006 By 2 Comments

One year ago today, I launched GPS Tracklog with this simple post…

Welcome to GPS Tracklog. This weblog is devoted to the convergence of GPS and the personal computer. With your help, I’ll be exploring mapping software and all things GPS. If you use the cable that links your GPS to your computer, you should feel at home here. One other thing — I’m going to focus on user-friendly applications here. I don’t know an API from a hole in the ground. This site isn’t about code, this is mapping for the masses. I’m not a programmer, but I might occasionally try some simple hacks. When I do, I’ll try to lead you through them step-by-step.

Little did I know where it would lead and just how popular it would become.  But here we are, over 100,000 visits and nearly 300,000 page views later. I thought about doing a little retrospective, but I keep links to the most popular and useful posts in a sidebar (now on the left), so if you haven’t been here since the beginning, why not take a look.

The blog has become quite a balancing act, as it is a popular site for people looking for GPS reviews. But I’m also trying to carve out more time for content that will appeal to GPS veterans. In the next couple of weeks, I plan to begin a series on mapping software, and I hope it will prove useful to long-time readers and newbies alike.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has supported GPS Tracklog and my book, GPS Mapping: Make Your Own Maps. The blog is a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun, and it’s been truly wonderful to hear from other GPS enthusiasts out there. So here’s to year two…

Filed Under: More GPS News
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