Hiking in Canada with the Pocket PC

lbendlin

Just returned from a two week hiking trip in the Canadian Rockies and wanted to share my experiences, both in the preparation and "on the rocks". Read the mini review here.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

Privateer · Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 10:54 pm Post subject:

Hi Lutz,

Good review. Great country as well.

I think I know where the time capsule is, so I've sent you a PM. Mind you I don't know if moderators are allowed to enter your competition! Wink

Regards,
_________________
Robert.
iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 14.0.1: iOS CamerAlert v2.0.7
TomTom GO Mobile iOS 2.3.1; TomTom (UK & ROI and Europe) iOS apps v1.29
Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D

bezerker · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 16, 2004 Posts: 2

The time capsule pictured is in the Chinook Centre. Thumbs Up

lbendlin · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:12 pm Post subject:

That's correct! (Was it that easy?) Congratulations, I'll send the otter box out today.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

Oldie · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:43 pm Post subject:

Lutz,

I enjoyed reading your article. You certainly had a lot of preparation to do, but clearly it was well worth it.

Recently I did a similar thing, albeit on a much smaller scale, for a walking holiday on the Greek island of Samos. However, I could not find any digital data and I had great difficulty in finding suitable topograhic maps to scan. Getting reference points for calibration was even more difficult. Since returning home I have recalibrated the maps, but I am still not satisfied with the agreement between tracks and maps.

Do you have any good references on the subject?

Richard

legless · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 04, 2004 Posts: 6

Hi,

perhaps I'm missing the point about Oziexplorer CE only loading one map. I use it a lot and as you cross a map boundry it loads the next relevant map. The whole map can be shown in the map view window. You could stich lots of maps together I suppose but you'll always have a boundry edge. Have I missed the point?

Looks like you had a great time, have to consider planning a trip there.

Regards
Jon Smile

lbendlin · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 4:26 am Post subject:

As you can see from the screenshot one of the trails extended from one map to another. It would be nice when both maps would be displayed so I can judge the overall trail better. Technically this is extremely easy to do - simply draw the surrounding/neighboring map first, and then draw the map that is closest to your position. (the technical term is Z-Order) There are some programs out there that actually do that (including LocBrowser)
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

Blackbird · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 27, 2004 Posts: 11

Hi Lutz,
Fantastic ! Exactly what I needed... and very well explained ! Thank you.
Thumbs Up

Departure to Canada (British Columbia) is just a month away. I hope to have my very first PPC on time (new HP generation)... and some time left to prepare it all in time.

I will probably be more on the road than meeting the grizzly bears in the wild. For this routing purpose I ordered Microsoft's "Streets ans Trips 2004" , which is very difficult to order from Europe. It will provide GPS guidance, as far as it might be necessary. Roads seem to be very well indicated, as I was told.

I hope to get this routeplanner on time to download all the routes on PPC. However, topographic charts might be usefull as well. Would you be so kind to give me some advise : Today, would you still buy the same software and charts, or would you prefer other choices ?

I don't know anything yet about those softwares, but I know that the market is growing and moving very fast every day.

Any suggestion for a performing USB GPS-receiver is welcome as well.

As for a wife, this has been taken care off since very long time, but as for patience is concerned... I think we have something in common.

Thank you.
merel469@hotmail.com

lbendlin · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:27 pm Post subject:

Blackbird,

- Microsoft Streets and Trips (and it's pocket pc equivalent "Pocket Streets" is useless for road navigation. (Road navigation being defined as voice instructions and automatic rerouting)
You should get Mapopolis, they have the best road coverage for West Canada. Or Routis, if you want to have both PC and Pocket PC component (but map coverage is not as good)
- USB receiver and Pocket PC do not play together. You will need to think about serial, BlueTooth, or CF receiver - depends on what Pocket PC you get. If you want to use the receiver both with your laptop and Pocket PC then you either go with BlueTooth or with two receivers.

I would still go with LocBrowser, but I would also look at alternatives to OziExplorer (for example Fugawi).
My main takeaway is not the software - that worked rather well - but the map coverage (i ended up having too few maps with me) and the power supply. I am seriously looking into building a crank type manual emergency charger...
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

markd · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:13 am Post subject:

Lutz said "If you want to use the receiver both with your laptop and Pocket PC then you either go with BlueTooth or with two receivers. "

I have very successfully used a Garmin GPS II+ to simultaneously drive a PPC (Ipaq 3870) and a laptop with serial port. It's just a matter of making up a suitable lead to split the GPS signal to a D-sub connector and an Ipaq connector.

Why should you want to do this? I run TTN3 on the Ipaq, but my wife likes to follow where we are using MS Autoroute (or Streets & Trips when in the US) on the laptop.

Mark

AlunS · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:56 am Post subject:

Love the photo ... Peyto Lake isn't it?

AlunS · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:04 am Post subject:

Blackbird · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 27, 2004 Posts: 11

lbendlin ,
Thank you very much for additional info. (I was thinking of course using a "BT-mouse" to connect to a PPC, but typed USB by error).

You wrote:

Blackbird · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 27, 2004 Posts: 11

To my surprise you didn' have much help from it. I imagine that either you did use this charger before with some satisfaction (otherwise you would have cared to take it on this journey), either you didn' t know what to expect before starting.

Maybe it wasn't operating according the specs ? Or maybe it didn't catch enough light because your itinary in canyons and woods ? Two units can be coupled together for more charge power. Maybe this helps.

A very honnest GPS vendor in my region, very experienced and very selective in the choice of his products, has taken this iSun in its product range. I'm sure that selling and putting confidence in a product that does meet the goals, would not be in his attitude.

It could be interesting to check your unit against specs and make some measurements, before you proceed to work on other solutions ?

ajdelore · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2004 Posts: 16

The Toporama maps are nice free maps but not the best topo maps available for Canada.

You do mention that the paper maps are very expensive, but there are a number of vendors who sell licensed high-res scans of the actual 1:250K and 1:50K paper maps which are better quality images than Toporama.

Price is usually about $100 per province on CD or DVD. The three northern territories generally cost more.

I use the ETopo map set for the Yukon, which set me back $300 CAD for a total of 12 CDS full of maps. The maps are 150 dpi full-color scans and come in .PNG format with .MAP and .JPR files for calibration.

I use these maps with PathAway for PalmOS. Saved in 256 colors with compression, they end up around 4 MB per map, allowing me to have four complete 1:250,000 sheets (including all the 1:50,000 maps) on one 256 MB card.

Regards,
Anthony

	PocketGPS
	Web