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Is US TOPO Better????

Started by insatiable, January 27, 2009, 05:47:07 AM

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insatiable

I'm about a third of the way through trying to build a map of louisiana topo using the tutorial here but it's taking forever to download etc.

The US TOPO is available for $ 89 and I'm wondering if its better than the "homebrew" version here or should I just shell out the money and save all the hassles.??

Thanks
Insatiable

insatiable

Thats what I wanted to here!!
Thanks, I'll definitely stick w/it.

-Oz-

it does take longer, thats for sure; but the detail is way way better.

Always remember; just because the two lines look close that doesn't mean there isn't a 140ft cliff inbetween the two (trust me, from experience with the 100k US Topo)
Dan Blomberg
Administrator - GPSFileDepot
GPS Units: Garmin Dakota 20, Garmin GPSMap 60csx, Nuvi 255W, Nuvi 250W, ForeRunner 110, Fenix 2, Tactix Bravo, Foretrex 401
See/Download My Maps!

erik.the.awful

Not only that but you don't get all of the other nifty stuff such as USGS GNS points and the high res water data. High res water data RULES when doing a long dry ridge trail. Kinda makes finding your water resupply points easy and the 24k res. ensures you don't fall down a 1:4 grade doing it.

deercamp

#4
Quote
Garmin's TOPO 2008 is a 100k TOPO, following the tutorial you will be able to have a 24K TOPO. Also you will have newer road data and I believe better water data... So you will be able to make a better map that is available from Garmin at this point. I own TOPO 2008, I never use it anymore after going to 24K maps.

hello,  i just downloaded the topo map for massachusetts a couple of days ago and i don't believe that it is 24k.  the other thing is that you mention how it is up to date.  well when i took it out in the woods the other day for my first time it showed a store called angelos which is now stop & shop and has been for the past 15 years anyways.  i don't know if i did something wrong or it was just that map fro mass that is so outdated.  i would love to have a 24k map for mass & maine  
and don't want to spend the money on the garmin maps.  do you have any suggestions?

Boyd

Quote from: insatiable on January 27, 2009, 05:47:07 AM
The US TOPO is available for $ 89 and I'm wondering if its better than the "homebrew" version

Coming into this thread a little late... but I like my Topo better than Garmin's. You can do SO much better than Garmin if you try. Keep working at it and you will not be disappointed!  :)



-Oz-

I believe Boyd's screenshot above proves the point.
Dan Blomberg
Administrator - GPSFileDepot
GPS Units: Garmin Dakota 20, Garmin GPSMap 60csx, Nuvi 255W, Nuvi 250W, ForeRunner 110, Fenix 2, Tactix Bravo, Foretrex 401
See/Download My Maps!

deercamp

hello,  i was not trying to say that you said that the ma topo was 24k sorry.  what i was trying to say was that i thought when i downloaded the ma topo from maps on this site that it was going to look like
boyds in the above post.  i guess i was wrong.  if i can get a mass and maine topo to look like that i will be one very happy camper.  i agree that boyds screenshot looks much better than the garmin map.  ok i guess that i just don't download the ma topo and expect it to look like boyds, i have to actually build it?  but it is possible for me to build one and get it to be 24k for ma is this correct? 
my other thing is that i have a mac and want to know if the tutorials are for them also.
thanks again for all of everyone's help & info.

Boyd

Quote from: deercamp on February 05, 2009, 01:38:04 PMi thought when i downloaded the ma topo from maps on this site that it was going to look like
boyds in the above post.

Sorry, but if you want a map that looks like one of mine, it will probably have to be one of mine  ;)

Seriously, I feel mapmaking is an art and each person should find their own style. After you master the basics of getting a working map in your GPS, then you can start thinking about customizing the appearance to suit your own taste. That's what I did anyway, and will continue doing.

I do all my work on a Mac as well - Macbook Pro 2.4ghz core 2 duo with 4GB RAM. But I boot into Windows XP for all my mapmaking. It's unfortunate, but all the tools you need are only available under Windows. I am the most avid Mac person you will ever meet. I have used Apple products exclusively since my Apple ][ in 1978. But when it's time for mapmaking, I restart and hold down the option key :) (I also have Parallels but it's still a little too buggy and slow for my taste).

krellor

Must....not...reply....to....mac...fan.... noooo!!!!

Ok, will failed.  Except for an IBM server tower I bought in the 80's every single computer I have owned has been built by me.  Nothing against Mac OSX, but I just don't feel like paying that much for the hardware they offer.  :)  The operating systems I use the most in descending order are Z/OS, OpenBSD, Ubuntu, Windows XP.

Now, to add something to the OP, the nice thing about making your own maps, is that you can make your maps look like boyds if it is worth it to you in time and effort.  In fact, you might make maps that look better (to you anyway) or that works for your purposes.  Now I should stop here before I start reciting FOSS doctrine...

Boyd

Quote from: krellor on February 05, 2009, 06:46:48 PM
Except for an IBM server tower I bought in the 80's every single computer I have owned has been built by me.

Do you build your own laptops, or just not get out too much?  ;)

krellor

Quote from: Boyd on February 06, 2009, 06:03:40 AM
Quote from: krellor on February 05, 2009, 06:46:48 PM
Except for an IBM server tower I bought in the 80's every single computer I have owned has been built by me.

Do you build your own laptops, or just not get out too much?  ;)

Actually, I do.  :)  I buy used laptop parts and assemble them. So nya:  :P

Boyd

Haha, ya got me there! Whatever works for you is fine with me. I have no interest in starting a "my computer is better than yours" debate. I was just responding to deercamp's question, "my other thing is that i have a mac and want to know if the tutorials are for them also". And the point is that you can do mapmaking on a Mac, but you will need to install Windows on it, which is what I've done.

I suppose your advice would be to get rid of the Mac and build a computer?

krellor

lol, no, my answer would be to do whatever suits you best.  I have had bad experiences working with Apple as a company on a professional level, but wouldn't advise anyone to ditch them if their products are what works for them.  I use IBM's Z/OS because that is what I do at work (Mainframe programmer). I use linux and windows because those satisfy my needs, and I can build my own systems for relatively cheap.  For example, my current laptop is what I call a frankensager, because the main body is from sager.  I pieced together the memory, body, monitor, etc... for about $200.00 from ebay and craigslist and now have a 3ghz P4 with 2GB ram and all the NAS (Network Area Storage) I could want.  But my way is not for everyone, especially since I am comfortable working without a warranty on anything, because I know how to fix it all myself.  Most people aren't like that.  :)  Same thing for a mechanic and a car I guess.  Me, I take my car to the shop for the experts to deal with, even if it is more expensive.

I just like to tease people in general about their computers.  If you passionately talked about linux or Windows I still would have found a way to tease you.  :p

Boyd

Fair enough. Computers are just tools, and I'm happy with mine because they do what I want. But in both your car and computer examples, you have to consider the value of your time as well. If you enjoy tinkering with engines, or building your own hardware, then it's time well spent. If not, then time is too precious to waste doing something you don't enjoy, unless of course you have more time than money to spend  :)