GPS for map making?

[pathfinder]

Hello,
I would like to map the local trails and was wondering if anyone could recommend a gps with that capability.  We have a fairly extensive trail network but no map.  It would be nice to be able to create a printable map for the unfamiliar users.  
Thanks!

[Siskiyou]

Pathfinder:

I have been very successful in creating "tracks" or trails with my Garmin Legend gps unit.  I create waypoints along with the tracking mode.  These can translate to stands, rubs, deer tracks, ect.  I download this to my computer using Garmins MapSource Topo USA software.  In fact I did it for a friend last weekend.  The road into his rual house is not shown on maps.  I was able to create a map with his road, spring(waypoint), and house(waypoint).  He was very happy with the hard copy.

Recreational gps units will not give you a map as accurate as a surveyed map.  They are designed for navigation.  Trimble gps units and correctional software are used for surveying.

For my use I would keep my Garmin Legend, if I was to upgrade I would get a Garmin GPSMap76S.  You can get a Legend for around $169.00.  I am guessing you can get the other unit just short of $320.  Remember the software is another $90.  Either unit will create a good track for hunters.  If you have a lot of bucks get and GPS V.

Hope this helps.


Siskiyou

[pathfinder]

Siskiyou,
Thank you!  That was exactly the information I was looking for.

Is there a limit to how many waypoints you can create?  Do the units you list work well in dense forest?  Do either of the units indicate elevation?

Thanks again!  I'll see if I can find a dealer near my home.

[Siskiyou]

The Legend started out with the ability to contain 500 Waypoints.  The software download from Garmin has upgraded it to a 1000 Waypoints. (I think)  That is a lot of waypoints.  A few weeks ago I create a large number of waypoints and a couple of tracks while fishing on a major lake.  I maynot fish that lake again for a year.  I deleted the information off my gps.  That information can be save on a pc.

Dense Forest are a problem.  I believe a GPSMAP76S will provide better results in that enviroment.  You can attach an external antenna to it.  I have seen the external antenna mounted on a packframe.  Then you add more wieght with batteries to power the external antenna.  I doubt if you want to go that way.  But for improved performance I "think" the GPSMAP76S is the way to go.  The "S" stands for sensors.  It has an electronic compass and also measures the barometric pressure.  Battery life is shorter with this unit.  In heavy cover while in the bottom of a steep canyon I have had to move to a more open are to get reception.  

I played with the GPSMAP76S along side my Legend this summer.  I was helping a friend learn to use his.  In the open the results were the same.  At the time I was unable to try it in the timber.

Using the mapsource topo software I can tell my elevation within about 20-30 feet.  With the appropriate topo maps loaded on the Legend I can always check the nearest contour line.  It provides an elevation reading but it bounces up and down depending on the reception.  For my hunting it is all that I need.  I try and carry a map for the area I am hunting.  It provides the big picture.

I suggest that you take a look at internet sources to buy a gps.  Unless somebody has a real sale going you will save a least $50 on the net.  The prices that I showed in the earlier post came off the net.  

 :jeep:

[pathfinder]

Thank you again.  Your insights are VERY helpful.

[MI VHNTR]

I use a Magellan SporTrak Pro for a GPS. It's extremely accurate and easy to use.  I've carried it all over and never had signal loss problems. I also have the MapSend Topo program for it, along with a Maptech mapping program for my state. The Maptech program can be used to print some very detailed topo maps. MI VHNTR

[Siskiyou]

Kind of following up on the current thread, a need to take the dog out, and to keep playing with the gps I took a short hike in the woods today.  Most of the hike was a couple hundred yards downhill from the crest of the ridge.  When I parked my pickup I created the first waypoint for the hike.  I labeled the waypoint PKUP.  I then went to the main menu and went to the TRACK function.  I started a new TRACK.   I started down an old mining road that had been blocked years ago.  The road is overgrown and going back to nature.  There are large pines and oaks in the area blocking over 90 percent of the sky.  The old road shows on the loaded topo mapping software and my track proceeded down the road.  I was aware of the elevation because of it being identifed on the contour lines on the gps screen and general elevation provided by the gps unit.  When I hit private land I created a waypoint and labeled it PRIV.  I then cut back on a trail into an area that was primarly covered by 30-50 feet tall oaks and heavy brush.  Reveiwing the screen I could see my TRACK being created.  

I jumbed off on a game trail and followed it a short distance until I was fighting heavy brush and poision oak.  Retreated.

I backed tracked to my orginal contour and continued the hike.  When I came to the location I was going to turn around I went back to the main menu, tracks,save, and then to the back track function.  I also went to the menu and find, waypoints and selected PKUP. The screen then showed the back track and the most direct routed to PKUP.

During the hike I carried the unit in a shirt pocket the antenna up, and facing out.  At no time was there a break in the TRACK.  Meaning I never lost contact with the satillites.  

If this had been in the Redwoods or two hundred foot tall timber in a canyon bottom I could have lost contact.

Siskiyou

[Grunthunter]

Pathfinder,

I bought a Garmin Etrex Ledgen earlier this year and my son gave me a software package called MapTech  Terrain Navigator.   It covers the entire state of Florida for me (includes every USGS map for the state).  This is a great combination for what you want to do.  I'm a member on a 6,000 acrea hunting lease locally and used this to do the same thing you want to do.  Instead of using Waypoints, I just used the Tracking features.  You can only save 10 Tracks at a time though.  I would record 10 tracks at a time and then download then to my computer ( I had 24 tracks to initially record so it took me several trips but I wanted to do a nice neat job).  They then pop right up on my map.  The best approach is to plan ahead a little.  Make a rough sketch of the roads and/or trail you want to map then do one full track at a time WITHOUT DOUBLING BACK ANYWHERE and save each one individually.  The customer service at Mapteck are very responsive and helpful if you need assistance.  I am now in the process of Marking every feeder and stand on our lease with waypoints.  Hope this helps some.

Florida Grunthunter

[pathfinder]

More excellent insights, thank you.

You've all given me some excellent ideas.   Next year I'll use the gps I purchase to mark especially productive crab pot settings and try plotting where we hook into salmon.

This GPS may prove to be more useful than I anticipated. :grin:

[Siskiyou]

Grunthunter:

Can you upload the MapTech topo maps to your Legend, or just download data?

Besides the Garmin Topo MapSource software what is loaded on my pc, I also use National Geographic California USGS Topographic Maps.  I can downloaded data, but I cannot upload the maps to the Legend using this software.  It is great companion mapping software.  This software is used by Type I National Incident teams on fire emergency's, and other disaster relief efforts when providing support to FEMA.  I also have the DeLorne Topo software.  At this time I like the National Geographic software because of the great maps it produces. National Geographic has a State series.  I have the California Software because that is where my hunting and fishing occurs.  There is software for most States.

I like your program of downloading your tracks to your pc.  I have done a little of that.

My primary hunting partners and I have hunted the same general areas of National Forest and BLM public lands for years.  During those years we have seen a lot of changes.  Contruction of logging roads and more hunters in the area, to the roads being closed off by the government or thru the lack of maintence.  We have always used FS or BLM maps along with topo's for our hunting.  But we do hunt new areas or jump around to spots that we have not hunted in a long time.  For years we would photo copy topo maps to carry in our day packs.  Because of my background I can also draw a fair map for hunting purposes.  On those I might included hazards such as mine shafts, hornets nest, and known snake dens.

GPS units, laptop computers, and a printer has changed that.  I can now put that information on a topo map, and print it out.  Even if the hunting partner does not have a gps he benefits from the information.  On some of these hunts we have a driver pick us up  miles from our jump-off point.  Other times we will pre-position a vehicle to get back in.  This requires a little bit of planning.  On one side of the mountain we may gain a thousand feet of elevation and then drop two thousand feet of elevation on the otherside.  Normally we work it so that we are doing a series of mini drives.  One of us will bee line to a rock outcropping while a couple of others will work around the mountain side pushing to the saddle below the outcropping.  This all requires cordination.  It is very lose, but we have found that it works.  When we have a quest with us the maps help keep from getting them lost.  

Unlike some others you will not heard a bunch of shouting and screaming at each other.  When we spot the other we try and use hand signels.  If they can hear the shout so can the deer.

The thing that is going to slow this business down is the aging process.  

Pathfinder:  If you have read some of my other post you know that I love the Legend gps and its tracking/waypoint features for improving my fishing.  When I start fishing in the morning I put my two gps units in the track mode.  On my boat I have a Matrix 55 with a gps reciever.  I still find myself using the Legend more then the gps on the Matrix because I shut down my main motor and operate the 9.9 on the stern for trolling.  When I pickup a school of fish on the fishfinder or get a hit, I create a waypoint on the track. (I have the Legend hanging from by neck so that I can push the stick to create the waypoint)  After bringing in the fish and getting my line back into the water I can track back to that school of fish.

or

I may look for another school.  I have found that the size of the fish I keep has gone up.  Some schools have larger fish in them.  I prefer to fill my limit with larger fish when I can.  

While the gps reciever with the Matrix is a very strong unit, I feel I made a mistake of not buying a Garmin fishfinder/gps unit which could use the same software for freshwater fishing.  I would have realized a cost savings.  I point this out because Most gps units will not upload everybody's maps.  They will download to a number of software makers mapping programs.  It is a little like trying to marry a pc to a mac.  I know that I have limited bucks to spend on toys.  I recommend to others to do what I failed to do.  Do a little long range planning so that your software will work across the board.  

If you want a gps unit for a number of duties buy a handheld unit.  You can use it in the field, in the car, and on the water.  If you buy one built into a fishfinder you will have a great screen, but carrying the 12 volt battery all day in the woods will kick your butt. :roll:

Siskyou

[Grunthunter]

Here is the home page for Mapteck software:  http://www.maptech.com/index.cfm  .  I haven't tried uploading data from my PC to the Garmin but the menus indicate you can do it.  I was basically creating a map of all the roads and trails on the lease onto my computer so I can print out hardcopies.  I can color code the tracks to represent either roads, trails, cow paths etc ;-) and also have my waypoints show up with different symbols for feeders, ladder stands, tri-pod stands etc etc.

Check with the folks at Maptech, they are very helpful.

[Siskiyou]

Grunthunter:

I just checked their website.  You can up load waypoints, and tracks to a Garmin but not the maps.

Siskiyou

p.s.  I followed the link to you photo's, as the kids say "cool."

[chj]

I've used the Garmin Legend in conjunction with the OziExplorer mapping package.

If you have access to the digital orthophoto quads (aerial photos corrrected to match USGS topo maps) you can inport a section of the photo and plot the points or trails from the Garmin (or other unit) onto the aerial photo base.