GPS Training

Transcription

1 Maps for your GPS - Maps for your PC Before we move on to discussing the use of Maps - both paper & digital with a GPS - it is worth saying that many walkers have no wish to use GPS beyond a basic level, simply keeping a GPS in the Rucksack for use in an emergency or for simply confirming a position with a paper map is all that they require. We agree that for many users it is a perfectly valid stance to take, and at the end of the day how we go about navigation on the hills is all about what works for us and personal choice. However even if you do take those extra steps and decide to use either Maps on your PC or in your GPS you should still ensure that when on the hill you should always take and use Map & GPS or Map,Compass and GPS and know how to use them, as you never know when you may get caught out and have to revert to traditional navigation. Digital maps for your PC & GPS - The early days Historically many early users of GPS were disappointed when they purchased a device and found that there was little or no map on the screen; so how did GPS users navigate without a map? other questions were; how can I get maps in my GPS and how do I transfer my routes & trails to the unit? In the early days (and we're only talking early 2000's here) even with a top of the range GPS you would only get an enhanced basemap which would be little or no use to walkers as there was no detail other than perhaps main roads like say the M6 or A6. It would be several years before technology provided the tools like colour screens and additional memory that a GPS needed to display colour mapping like OS Landranger and Explorer became available. At the same time as Garmin launched the first greyscreen etrex range; companies like Memory-Map launched Ordnance Survey PC based software. This meant that GPS users could purchase an area of OS mapping at either Landranger and Explorer scale for their PC and use it to plan routes, manage files and send user data like routes etc via a cable to their GPS (early cables used serial connections which were clumsy and slow to transfer data). However it was a huge step forward as users could now create routes & trails on their PC, send them to their GPS and then follow use them to navigate in the GPS mainly by following the directional arrow on the compass page of the the GPS. Many users found that as well as sending a route to their GPS they could print off a paper map showing the route. Basic; but it was the best available at the time! Most users dreamed of having a full OS map it would be many years before the dream was realised. The use of PC based OS mapping combined with GPS in this way became very popular and companies like Memory-Map grew ever more powerful demanding premium prices for OS mapping. Typically whole GB 1:50k was 200 and Explorer 1:25k Lakes was 100 a lot of money for just maps on your PC with no possibility to send the maps to a GPS a continual source of annoyance. All this was about to change. The first big changes came with the advent of Colour Screens, USB connectivity & increased internal memory; initially internal memory offered aroung 30/50mb and could only accept very small areas of limited detail mapping like Topo GB (based on OS map data but the footpath data was based on aerial photography rather then the ROW data from OS). The maps were transfered to your compatible device using Garmin's MapSource software, which was better than no map but still not a full OS map. Here in the UK there was another factor limiting the pathway to full OS mapping; it was Ordnance Survey themselves as they were not keen on releasing map

2 data to GPS manufacturers when they were reaping huge profits from the suppliers of PC based software & mapping. The different levels of map view - from basic as you buy it to full OS map in view Oregon 650 Map Page seen with no map (left) and Worldwide Basemap (centre) OS LandRanger (right) Colour screens were a huge step forward but without a detailed map didn't move us forward a lot Eventually the pressure from users on manufacturers like Garmin and thence to Ordnance Survey themselves became so strong that they released both Landranger and Explorer scale map data on MicroSD cards with 50k map data split in Garmins case into 3 regions (at this stage SD cards were limited in size to 2GB not large enough to

3 take Full GB). All of which was great but still not ideal; as to get user data like routes to be seen on the map we still needed to use our PC based OS software. If you wanted maps on your PC and maps in your GPS; effectively your were paying for your maps twice, which wasn't very popular to say the least. Once again there was increased pressure on Garmin & OS to come up with a solution to these issues. In our opinion the masterstroke on Garmin's behalf was the advent of BaseCamp in 2010 with its new features. In essence Garmin took the basic route planning features on offer in MapSource and added the ability to download chunks of detailed mapping from the Garmin website directly to your PC and or GPS, but better still they introduced one additional feature that has delivered us the ideal mapping package. If you have any Garmin OS Discoverer maps on SD card or BirdsEye Select mapping downloaded to your PC & GPS; you can view these maps on your PC and use them to create, save, manage user data on your PC or Mac (another huge step forward) and send this user data to your Garmin GPS. In other words a complete mapping & route planning package for the Garmin user. Another useful step forward at the same time was the advent of SD cards large enough to accept Whole GB on one card Seen above Garmin GB Discover 50k All in Oregon 600 Most Garmin Outdoors Mapping GPS in the UK are sold bundled with Whole GB 50k maps All Garmin Outdoors Mapping GPS are BaseCamp & OS Discoverer compatible and allow the user to add additional 25k Explorer maps using BaseCamp and BirdsEye Select map credits BirdsEye Select GB vouchers or map credits allow you to download up to 600sqk of OS 25k Explorer maps in multiple areas Going abroad then we can supply you with Open Street maps for an impressive number of countries around the world installed on Micro SD card for just 16

4 How has BaseCamp affected the way we purchase & use digital maps? For those who use one of the new generation Garmin mapping GPS; why buy expensive additional PC based software when you can use the maps you have purchased for your device on your PC or Mac in BaseCamp for free. It's a no brainer!! If you run a Mac then BaseCamp combined with a Garmin GPS & Map could be the only way you can access digital mapping for route planning etc for free. The alternative being to purchase additional software that allows you to run a windows application on a Mac; to our knowledge none of the existing DMS suppliers offer a Mac friendly version. What is BaseCamp? Its a free software package for your PC or Mac that allows you to view and organise your maps, waypoints, routes and tracks and send them straight to a compatible Garmin device. It will display your topographic map data in 2D or 3D on your computer screen complete with elevation profiles and allow you to view and rotate the maps. BaseCamp will automatically read your GB Discoverer map data held on MicroSD card when your Garmin is connected to your computer via USB, and allow you to download additional GB Map data like OS 1:25k in inexpensive chunks using BirdsEye Select map credits. You can plan routes by creating waypoints and routes on your computer and then upload them to your device and estimate the difficulty of your route before you start using BaseCamp s Track Draw feature to trace your intended path. Instantly view the elevation changes over your entire route with detailed mapping such as Garmin GB Discoverer & Garmin Eire Discoverer, Open Street Mapping and other Garmin European Topographical map titles. When your trip is done, BaseCamp shows an animated playback of your routes and tracks over time, so you can see where you ve been. BaseCamp also lets you geotag photos; you can add a photo to any waypoint on the map, so you know exactly what the scenery is like at any given location. You can even transfer these photos to and from your compatible Garmin device as motivation to inspire you to reach your destination! Plus you can transfer Satellite Images - with BaseCamp and a BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription, you can transfer an unlimited number of satellite images to your Garmin device. Not massively popular here in the UK as our mapping is high quality but useful in parts of the world where limited mapping is on offer. To find out how to get the best from BaseCamp & your Garmin GPS go to our BaseCamp Lessons

5 Connect your Garmin GPS to your PC/Mac and view the maps held on your device in BaseCamp How have all these changes affected the way we navigate with a GPS? Gone are the days when you need detailed routes with masses of waypoints; we believe that when you navigate with a GPS loaded with OS Discoverer mapping it won't be long before you see user data as screen clutter; routes displayed on a map obsure your view of map data like footpaths and symbols. I find that my preparation for a walk involves the creation of a few waypoints at key navigational points, whilst on the hill I like to have my map page on view as when locked to satellites my GPS will reassuringly show my location on the map and scroll as I walk. If I wish to navigate to one of my saved waypoints or GoTo another point on the map I can simply Tap & Go. Both these naviagational features will be discussed later in the course. One of the biggest changes to the way we navigate with GPS & OS maps is that we can now easily navigate on the map page by either simply selecting a point on the map we wish to navigate to and using the Tap & Go feature or by creating a route using the map. Both of these features will be described in future lessons Can I still use PC based mapping software? Many users will already own PC based software like Anquet, Memory-Map and Quo ask can I still use my PC based software with my Garmin GPS & OS Discoverer mapping? The simple answer is Yes. However you will not be able to transfer any maps from this type of software to a Garmin GPS and you may experience some issues with data transfer; usually resolved by saving your data files as.gpx.files (international GPS file format) which will open into BaseCamp and you can sent it to GPS from there (covered later in the course). Any user data like routes sent from your PC based software will be seen overlaid on your OS Discoverer map in your Garmin GPS.

6 If we use a Garmin GPS & OS Discoverer maps do we need to purchase additional PC based mapping software? The simple answer is need to No. Our experience is that those who come to GPS & BaseCamp fresh wouldn't see the need to spend addition money when Basecamp does the job. However many people particularily those who are already owners of PC based maps or older generation Garmin devices may still wish use both DMS and BaseCamp alongside each other. Maps with Guidance (turn by turn directions) We're all familiar with the concept of turn by turn routing driven by GPS in the car; what isn't so widely known is that off road routing is available off road as well. It's standard with most Open Street maps and included in some other mapping products like Garmin's Topo Germany. Why can't we have off road routing (Active Routing) with our Garmin GB Discoverer maps with Ordnance Survey mapping data? The simple answer is that at the moment OS don't have required data. If your GPS is capable of delivering turn by turn routing and many aren't; then in theory it makes no difference if the route the device is following is on or off road; the important factor is whether the map includes the data to drive the routing. A good GPS will be enabled to offer routing; most of the current range of Garmin Outdoors GPS are able to deliver both on and off road routing so the problem is not with the GPS if you buy a Garmin device offering this feature, the issue is with the digital mapping! On road routing has been easier for mapmakers to deliver as the complete road data for countries like GB have been available as a seperate map set for some time it's this map set when combined with clever software that allows a GPS to navigate you from point to point and give you turn by turn directions. To enable off road routing mapmakers need a map set based on the off road footpaths, tracks and bridleways etc. Then as with on road routing the map set when combined with clever software can deliver off road routing with turn by turn directions. Unfortunately this map set is unavailable here in the UK. Why? We re told that here in the UK the necessary map set required to provide off road routing can only be provided by OS as they own the copyright to the rights of way network and until they provide the map data then we aren t going to get routable OS maps. Shouldn t our national mapping authority be leading the way instead of sitting on their hands and be content to rake in the money from licence fees without keeping us up with the times. If the German mapping authorities realise how important this map set is for off road navigators why can't Ordnance Survey? Until they do then we are unable to get OS maps with off-road routing (guidance). However if you are thinking of upgrading your device then it's worth taking the routing options on offer into consideration. All Garmin outdoors mapping devices offer routing options

7 General Information about Digital Mapping for your GPS, for your PC. If the UK GPS user had a wish list; it would be to have a GPS that would allow us to have a full OS map in the screen and then be able to see any routes or trails overlaid on the on-screen map. Then of course we would want to be able to create Waypoints & Routes on some clever software on our PC's and transfer the data to the GPS easily, and finally we would want to be able to access routes, trails and Geocaches from Internet sites likewalkingworld, Geocaching.com or Google Earth and upload them to the GPS too - it's not too much to ask is it? Where are we up to now? Most folk when they purchase a GPS device expect when they go to the map page expect to see a map of some sort; most GPS now offer a worldwide base map which will at least georeference you but don't expect much in the way of detail. Most people want/expect a more detailed map. Here in the UK we are used to using Ordnance Survey maps and by far and away the most popular way to purchase a GPS is bundled with Whole GB 1:50k OS maps installed on Micro SD card. If you are going abroad then Garmin offer a wide range of maps from around the world however then can be an expensive option if you're just going away for a weeks holiday. In which case we recommend you think about Open Street Maps for more information about OSM's visit this page on our website So taking into consideration all the latest development where are we up to now? most good GPS units now offer a worldwide base map pre-installed to the internal memory of the device to geo-reference you anywhere in the world they will offer you access to OS & International mapping (generally on plug & play SD cards) at a cost - we think of these maps as Maps for your GPS most manufacturers offer GPS bundled up with a mapping product (her in the UK the most popular bundle is GPS & Whole GB 1:50k OS mapping) these bundles generally offer you access to free computer software for planning and data management.

8 some of these systems are computer based (Garmin) others offer access to maps in the clouds (SatMap) all new generation Garmin devices are compatible with Garmin's free computer software (BaseCamp) which allows them to view any maps installed in the device or installed on Micro SD card in the GPS on their computer or Mac for planning, data management, saving and send to GPS. Garmin offer a wide portfolio of international maps all new generation devices are compatible with Open Street maps and even allow you to create custom maps for your device most GPS will offer fast easy connection to your computer using a USB cable paperless Geocaching is now standard with Garmin devices and units offering wireless transfer are compatible with Chirp the geocaching beacon most new generation Garmin devices allow you to transfer user data wirelessly between compatible devices and geocaches wirelessly Oregon 600 series is the first GPS to offer blue tooth compatibility with smartphone and BaseCamp App most devices allow you to download routes & trails from the internet GPS users who surf the Internet will would be amazed at the amount GPS friendly information there is out there on the net for walkers and cyclists. Check out Pete's list of Walking, Cycling and Mapping websites; it includes a comprehensive list of websites from around the world we think are worth sharing with you. Some offer thousands of walks and cycling trails with clear directions and GPS files like Walkingworld others allow you to upload you tracks and share them with other folk on the internet. Many companies only supply GPS files in the universal GPS format.gpx.files if you think you might want to download routes & files from the Internet then make sure the software you buy easily communicate with the maximum number of file formats. most units are compatible with Google Earth and will accept waypoints & tracks created in Google earth in their.kmz file format The big issue that bugged folk having to purchase maps for both GPS & computer has been resolved for us by Garmin with BaseCamp; now we don't have to purchase and pay map licences for the PC for route planning, printing of maps and to easily transfer data to a GPS, and then again to have a map in our GPS - effectively buying our maps twice and paying copyright fees to map makers like Ordnance Survey twice. Conclusion Our view is that we've reached the point where the current Garmin system that supports all new generation devices is a complete package that can deliver both maps for your GPS and your computer; why complicate things, stick with what's on offer and keep things simple. Our experience is that both hardware & software work better when they are compatible and the best compatibility is when both hardware & software come from the same source. Google Earth Very quick work about this great free resource; it now allows you to create & plan trails (when trails are created in Google Earth they are in effect tracks) anywhere in the world and save them to your computer as KMZ files these files like GPX are compatible with most good computer mapping software like BaseCamp. Coverage can very around the world but in places where coverage is thin it's probably better then anything else on offer. GPST Tip - It's a great resource where maps are unavailable allowing you to plan then save and send to GPS; it's also possible to capture trail & map using the snipping tool Worldwide Access - Download your Routes, Trails and Tracks to Google Earth for Free!

9 Visit Google Earth where you can download your GPS data free (routes & tracks) save in My Places and Fly Visit: Here we've downloaded a route directly from a GPS to Google Earth - the route and all waypoints are visible on the map. Highlight the route and hit the Play Tour tab to fly through your route View GPST Video - Demonstration - How to access the Google Earth GPS, Digital Map & Electronic Compass takes navigation to a new level. You will hear traditional navigators say no serious navigator should leave home without map & compass implying that by using GPS you are compromising your safety; you can be sure that they do not understand or wish to understand the technology as GPS with map & compass takes navigation to a level unachievable with paper map & basic compass. Before we move on let's just consider this question "do we use a paper map or a digital map and what s the difference anyway? The simple answer is that a digital map is an exact digital version of a paper map such as Ordnance Survey (OS) maps used in the UK that can be viewed on your PC/Laptop/PDA or mobile phone. Here in the UK we are blessed with the finest maps in the world that are easy to use with great detail. Why wouldn t you want to combine them with modern technology like Global Positioning Systems (GPS)? GPS TRAINING TIP - OS Maps are available digitally in the formats you are used to seeing when using a paper map 1:250 Road Map, 1:50k LandRanger & 1:25k Explorer scale maps. We advise users to purchase large chunks of 1:50,000 scale (Landranger) as this is the cheapest way to purchase maps. Then you can consider buying any 1:25,000 scale (Explorer) mapping that covers your favourite walking areas. Although the cost of Whole GB 25k mapping is more affordable now ensure when buying software look for the package that contains the features you are looking for. Making the best use of the Map Page As we've found out - in most cases a GPS receiver comes with at best a basemap and if we wish to be able to orientate ourselves in the map as we travel then we will have to import

10 maps from a computer or MircoSD card using compatible OS mapping like Garmin's OS Discoverer range of mapping downloaded either to the internal memory of the unit or to an SD card if your GPS has an SD card slot. Some maps are supplied by the GPS manufacturer pre-loaded to an SD card - making the whole process easy - simply plug & play! All GPS units will allow you to Zoom In & Out and will display the map scale on screen. Zooming in on your GPS the same as in Memory-Map [MM] or Quo as both products & Garmin maps use what is know as Raster Mapping. A simplistic explanation is that it is a single map so that when you Zoom In/Out the map just gets bigger or smaller - it doesn't change scale. Zoom in/out using +/- - note the optimum map view for 1:50k scale mapping of 120m Products like Garmin's Discoverer mapping still use Raster mapping but in a slightly differnet way - when you Zoom In/Out different maps come into play/view as you Zoom. For example if you were using a OS Discoverer BirdsEye Select map download - at the widest view you might see a large chunk of the basemap but as you zoom in then the OS 250K Road Map comes into view (allowing you to navigate using auto routing) zoom in again and OS 50K comes into play - and finally below 200m scale OS 25K comes into view. GPS TRAINING TIP - Set your map to Track Up especially when in navigation mode so that the route generally runs ahead of you Maps for your Computer - Digital Mapping Software (DMS) Life has become much more difficult for the guys who supply computer mapping software in recent years; in the days when there was no availability of premium maps like OS for your GPS then they ruled the roost now when most good GPS manufacturers offer maps for the device in most cases bundled with the product they struggle to be relevant. The only way they can compete is to offer a GPS package themselves. Memory-Map have probably been the most successful in this area but I suspect even they struggle to compete with the Garmin offering.

11 Memory-Map V5 has been around the longest and whilst in the early days there were updates available to our knowledge there have been no significant updates and still no Mac version (Mac users have to run MM on some sort of parallel desktop). The only significant improvements to MM computer software has been access to smartphones & mobile devices and access to more reasonably priced OS Explorer 25k scale mapping. One current issue around DMS is that some of these companies due to lack of sales have stopped supporting their PC software; the result of this is that their software become out of date with the current GPX files being used by the GPS manufacturers. It's not the end of the world it just means you may have to take a two step approach to the import/export of user data by saving to your desktop as a GPX file and then importing with Garmin compatible software (Basecamp). Having said all that I still have MMV5 on my computer and use it a lot; yes there are sometimes data transfer issues resolved by using GPX files but it's still the most user friendly computer software out there. So if you like maps like we do and can afford it why not use the likes of MM as a computer planning tool. What can you do with Digital Mapping Software [DMS]? These are the main features you would expect to find in most digital mapping software products: Waypoint creation and editing Route planning and editing Distance and time calculations Insert text boxes and links to photos Print maps and route cards Download waypoint and route data to your GPS from your computer Plot your real time position overlaid on PC or Pocket PC with GPS connected Review your performance by uploading track data from GPS to computer Save your routes and tracks on computer for review and later editing 3D view of the map Aerial Maps (not included in Quo Pro GB download separately from Map Shop). Before You Buy When buying digital mapping you need to decide on the features you need. Whatever mapping you are considering you need to ensure that your computer is powerful enough to run it and uses a compatible operating system. Many DMS packages are not MAC compatible for instance. These are the main UK players in the Digital Mapping Software market - Need help in deciding which maps are right for your needs then contact GPST GPS TRAINING TIP - One current issue around DMS is that some of these companies due to lack of sales have stopped supporting their PC software; the result of this is that their software become out of date with the current GPX files being used by the GPS manufacturers. It's not the end of the world it just means you may have to take a two step approach to the import/export of user data by saving to your desktop as a GPX file and then importing with Garmin compatible software (Basecamp) Here is a brief rundown of the leading UK mapping suppliers Anquet are a well establisher supplier of OS mapping software - originally they followed the high street retailing route to market but several years ago made the wise choice to become mainly internet based. The company is run by a small team of software specialists mainly UK based, they seem to compete on price quite well with regular money off bargain offers, to keep ahead of the offers we recommend you sign up for their regular newsletter. Website address -

12 Memory-Map is sold under licence in the UK & Europe by Evo Distribution, strangely its a US based software house that is bigger in the UK than in the states mainly on the back of the quality of UK mapping - Once again MM is now largely internet based and usually have good offers on OS mapping. They have a range of GPS (pocket PC with integrated GPS) that come with a range of bundled mapping offers. The software is user friendly and allows easy transfer of data & maps to and from their own range of compatible products. Website address -