GPS maps - what are you using?

[grazza]

Just a query to see what maps people are using with their laptop/PDA GPS using OziExplorer, etc?

I have been looking at the available products on CD and some are raster, some topographic, some ariel photos.

Scales fom 1:1,000,000 to 1:4000.

I am interested in maps covering the whole Australia but I spend most of my time around SE Qld and northern NSW, and doing the Cape in July.

If I have to, I will spend the time scanning maps if that is the best way to get a good scale.

I am particularly interested in people's real-world experiences, especially with the readability on PDA screens between the raster and photopgraphic maps.

I have just purchased second-hand Ipaq Rx1950 ($200) and Magellan 315. ($133) plus a combined data/power cable ($99)

thanks,
Grazza

[robjohno]

hey i use OziExplorer on a laptop with the old Raster 250K Release 2 (2000). i find that 1:250,000 scale topographic maps are quite detailed enough. but thats my opinion never needed anything more detail. not sure about the readability of maps on pda's would require alot of panning through as you can only c a small area on screen. laptops are perfect they have the right screen resolution and size.

i would recomend getting Raster Premium - provided on DVD-ROM
covers all of OZ
if ya want more detailed of queensland areas Sunmap Raster 25k 2 CDrom set- South East, Central and North Queensland may be of interest to you.

[wrksux]

im just using discovder aus topo on my eXplorist 600

[Utemad]

I use the Natmap CDs (don't know the revision).

If I require more detail I buy the appropriate paper map and scan it. That way I can take the paper ones for backup.

As much as I love to use digitial mapping I would never leave home without the appropriate paper maps. Too much to go wrong with the digital setup to trust it 100%.

Doesn't take too long to scan and piece maps together using Panavue.

[Bush65]

To use raster maps with ozie on a pda, they need to be converted to the ozi format ozf2 or ozf3. The img2ozf software is free download from oziexplorer site (optional extras page).

During the conversion it is best to reduce the file size by setting the "initial resize" to say 50% and reduce the "number of colours" to the minumum colours used on the raster image. You need to do some trials to find what works ok with your raster maps.

These reductions are necessary for reasonable performance with pda's.