Mobility Site - View Single Post - Pros and Cons of PPC/GPS "Off-Road" Systems from Users

dlweston · 04-14-07, 02:55 PM

I originally started with Delorme software. The problem was Delorme's PDA software was terrible. In fact, they do not even even sell the PDA software anymore. I have tried Memory-Map Navigator, GPStuner and OziExplorer before I bought Memory-Map Navigator (MMN). Backountry Navigator came out a while after I bought MMN. I tried Backcrountry for a while, but I went back to Memory-Map. I think I may have been happy with BackCountry if I had not already used MMN. It is hard to switch to another program once you have used what you believe is the best program out there.

As Fsman stated, most topographic software are raster based. The exception was Delorme. One issue Fsman failed to mention is the raster based maps are much larger then the vector based maps. MMN will use both topographic maps and aerial photos. I tend to use topographic maps. If you think they take use storage space on your PDA, wait until you load an aerial photo covering the same area.

I disagree with FSMan on the point that they do not do routing. What they do not do is automatic routing. You have to create the route and make sure you do not have a 40 foot bluff in the middle of you route. It is true that they do not do voice navigation. They will show which way you should be going and how far off the route you created you are or at least MMN does.

Pros
Works great for hiking, canoeing, boating and any other off-road use.
It includes desktop and PDA software.
It will use free automatically calibrated topographic maps and aerial photo.
There are maps available for just about anywhere in the world.
You can also buy precalibrated maps if you want to.
It supports many map formats including nautical charts.
If you can not find a digital map, you can scan a paper one and calibrate it.
It has excellent map management.
It does tracks or breadcrumb trails as some people like to call them.
It will convert a track into a route so you can take the same route again.
It supports waypoints when creating routes.
The desktop program has an excellent 3D display.
You can use the desktop version to print copies of your maps.
It will do area measurements. (You can walk around a corn field let's say and it will tell you how many acres it is.)
It has night colors if you happen to use it after dark.
It has anchor or proximity alarm. (It will give an alarm if you get to far or to close to something.)

Cons
It will not use non-Memory-Map elevation data
I know people use it for GeoCaching, but I do not, so I am not sure how well it works for that.
Large map size makes it hard to keep many maps on the PDA covering large areas. (This is true of all topographic mapping programs.)

Now to explain why some of these pros and cons were important to me. Desktop software is the main reason I love Memory-Map. You can take a laptop in the field and use if wanted. I have not done that yet, but it is an option. I like the fact that the desktop software makes route planning, map management and route and track storage easy.

Map Management is where MMN excells. I bought the maps for my home state of Missouri on sale for about $72. I download free maps for around Albuquerque, NM when I went to BalloonFest. I also bought 250K maps for the entire USA. The Missouri maps are about 5 GB for the 24K maps, 400 MB for the 100K maps and 76 MB for the 250K maps. The USA 250K maps devide the US into 5 250K maps that are about 500MB each. I also have 4 maps around Albuquerque, NM . They cover about 25 mile around Albuquerque, NM and are 20 MB each. I have download other maps, but if they were for a one time trips, I delete them. I have all these maps available on my desktop program along with track and routes when I need them.

When I am going on a trip, I use the desktop program to push any stored maps, tracks or routes I want to the PDA. I actually do not push track files to the PDA. I instead pull them from the PDA after a trip and convert them to a route if I want to go to the same place again. I can also create routes in advance on the desktop program. It is easier to do on my big desktop monitor in advance than on the little PDA screen. I can also view my routes in 3D on the desktop. I make sure I have the 500 MB 250K USA map for where I am going or a big section of it They are low detail, but if I get off the 24Ks I downloaded, they are good enough to keep you from getting lost. If I am in Missouri, I take the 100K of the entire state instead. I push any 24K map and routes I want to the PDA from the desktop program

The desktop program is where OziExplorer and MMN seperate themselves from GPSTuner and Backcountry Navigator. My issue with OziExplore is the multiple programs and utilities you have to use. For Memory-Map everything is in a single desktop program. With Ozi, there is a desktop program and a different desktop program for 3D. There are also all these modules or utilities you have to download for when you need them.

Edit: Oh, one last thing I left out. Here is the link for getting free calibrated topographic maps and aerial photos to use with MMN: http://www.memory-map.com/usgs_seamless.htm.

04-14-07, 02:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
dlweston Aximsite All Star Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 573 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I originally started with Delorme software. The problem was Delorme's PDA software was terrible. In fact, they do not even even sell the PDA software anymore. I have tried Memory-Map Navigator, GPStuner and OziExplorer before I bought Memory-Map Navigator (MMN). Backountry Navigator came out a while after I bought MMN. I tried Backcrountry for a while, but I went back to Memory-Map. I think I may have been happy with BackCountry if I had not already used MMN. It is hard to switch to another program once you have used what you believe is the best program out there. As Fsman stated, most topographic software are raster based. The exception was Delorme. One issue Fsman failed to mention is the raster based maps are much larger then the vector based maps. MMN will use both topographic maps and aerial photos. I tend to use topographic maps. If you think they take use storage space on your PDA, wait until you load an aerial photo covering the same area. I disagree with FSMan on the point that they do not do routing. What they do not do is automatic routing. You have to create the route and make sure you do not have a 40 foot bluff in the middle of you route. It is true that they do not do voice navigation. They will show which way you should be going and how far off the route you created you are or at least MMN does. Pros Works great for hiking, canoeing, boating and any other off-road use. It includes desktop and PDA software. It will use free automatically calibrated topographic maps and aerial photo. There are maps available for just about anywhere in the world. You can also buy precalibrated maps if you want to. It supports many map formats including nautical charts. If you can not find a digital map, you can scan a paper one and calibrate it. It has excellent map management. It does tracks or breadcrumb trails as some people like to call them. It will convert a track into a route so you can take the same route again. It supports waypoints when creating routes. The desktop program has an excellent 3D display. You can use the desktop version to print copies of your maps. It will do area measurements. (You can walk around a corn field let's say and it will tell you how many acres it is.) It has night colors if you happen to use it after dark. It has anchor or proximity alarm. (It will give an alarm if you get to far or to close to something.) Cons It will not use non-Memory-Map elevation data I know people use it for GeoCaching, but I do not, so I am not sure how well it works for that. Large map size makes it hard to keep many maps on the PDA covering large areas. (This is true of all topographic mapping programs.) Now to explain why some of these pros and cons were important to me. Desktop software is the main reason I love Memory-Map. You can take a laptop in the field and use if wanted. I have not done that yet, but it is an option. I like the fact that the desktop software makes route planning, map management and route and track storage easy. Map Management is where MMN excells. I bought the maps for my home state of Missouri on sale for about $72. I download free maps for around Albuquerque, NM when I went to BalloonFest. I also bought 250K maps for the entire USA. The Missouri maps are about 5 GB for the 24K maps, 400 MB for the 100K maps and 76 MB for the 250K maps. The USA 250K maps devide the US into 5 250K maps that are about 500MB each. I also have 4 maps around Albuquerque, NM . They cover about 25 mile around Albuquerque, NM and are 20 MB each. I have download other maps, but if they were for a one time trips, I delete them. I have all these maps available on my desktop program along with track and routes when I need them. When I am going on a trip, I use the desktop program to push any stored maps, tracks or routes I want to the PDA. I actually do not push track files to the PDA. I instead pull them from the PDA after a trip and convert them to a route if I want to go to the same place again. I can also create routes in advance on the desktop program. It is easier to do on my big desktop monitor in advance than on the little PDA screen. I can also view my routes in 3D on the desktop. I make sure I have the 500 MB 250K USA map for where I am going or a big section of it They are low detail, but if I get off the 24Ks I downloaded, they are good enough to keep you from getting lost. If I am in Missouri, I take the 100K of the entire state instead. I push any 24K map and routes I want to the PDA from the desktop program The desktop program is where OziExplorer and MMN seperate themselves from GPSTuner and Backcountry Navigator. My issue with OziExplore is the multiple programs and utilities you have to use. For Memory-Map everything is in a single desktop program. With Ozi, there is a desktop program and a different desktop program for 3D. There are also all these modules or utilities you have to download for when you need them. Edit: Oh, one last thing I left out. Here is the link for getting free calibrated topographic maps and aerial photos to use with MMN: http://www.memory-map.com/usgs_seamless.htm. Last edited by dlweston; 04-14-07 at 03:08 PM.