How accurate are the 50k maps?

Rogerfrit · Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 7:58 pm Post subject:

Dt
I think it is clear that your particular unit or mapcard are faulty.
The general concensus is that the Satmap invariably places you very accuratly on 1:50k and 1:25k maps. the offset you are talking about is just plain wrong!
Today I drove through the concrete canyons of Wolverhampton and the snail trail never leaves the road!
Please do not give up on Satmap - it is a fine piece of kit.
Sadly you seem to have a Friday afternoon unit or card.
Return both to Satmap (look on the website for a returns form).
My experience with the service people has been exemplary.

Roger

Bosun · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 1:15 pm Post subject:

This probably won't make a bit of difference but might be worth a try.

Have you calibrated the compass as this has some bearing ( ho,ho,ho ) on the mapping.

Ian

AllyCat · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:27 pm Post subject:

Dullthud · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 05, 2011 Posts: 8

Thanks for all the replies.

It's definitely wrong. If what I was looking at was how it was meant to function all the reviews would have laughed it out of the shop.

But as the responders have been generally praising the accuracy of their own units I've decided to back it to Amazon as faulty and ask for a replacement rather than a refund. I do like the way the unit functions in use so I'd be a fool not to try one that works properly.

I shall put the lacklustre e-mail response from Satmap down to a junior staff member due to the poor grammar and less than diligent investigation of my concerns.

Interestingly, I did try and calibrate the compass a couple of times and it wasn't very accurate either compared to a Silva.

With regard to my car satnav comparison I meant it to be more a comparison of bang for buck really, though the distance mine was out would have definitely had you turning at the wrong junctions in a town. I'm quite happy to accept that OS may have to make the odd compromise and even the odd mistake. I've certainly found a few over the years on my Explorers, but a wholesale shift has to be an indication of a fault.

I wonder when I'll get Mark II. I've already had automated forlock tugging e-mails expressing great sorrow at the news of my unhappy experience.

I shall update when it arrives. Thank you all again.

Dt

Rogerfrit · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:30 pm Post subject:

Please let us know how this all pans out......

planetnine · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:39 pm Post subject:

Dullthud · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 05, 2011 Posts: 8

When I got my new one from Amazon it was just the same so I've grown to accept the inacuracy. A shame really. I did think about sending it back for a refund but I dropped it and cracked the cover so I accepted my fate. I will keep an eye out for deals on 25k maps but in the meantime it's pretty good so long as you don't zoom too far in and remain aware of the limitations.

One thing I would really wish for is some kind of 'Declutter'. I doubt it's possible with the image format of the maps, but it would be great if major things remained legible as you zoomed out.

I do like the link up with Google earth and Google maps. I'd love to be able to edit the routes in another bit of software though. Anyone got any suggestions? Maybe I just need to play around more with Google earth. I'm sure it can do it.

Andy

planetnine · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:45 pm Post subject:

I've only noticed the 50k inaccuracy when I've been travelling along a road, and in that case you know you're on that road. OS 1:50k is a kind of pictorial guide when cycling or walking in the countryside; you kind of look where the footpath should go and then look for the signs in the terrain for the actual footpath, using symbols of landmarks to match up with what you can see.

It's not that detailed and you need to look where you're going rather than follow the GPS blindly. If you need to "fly by instrument" (mountain ridge in zero visibility -ask some of our forum members) then you definitely need the 1:25k -it's got every hedgerow and wall on it and I've not seen the 50k urban inaccuracy show up on it yet. (It's not inaccurate -the 50k maps are).

If I'm in London, I use a Garmin Nuvi for navigation, and my Active-10 on 1:50k to get a wider view and show landmarks. Same with motorway driving, those Nuvi maps are pretty featureless. If you need to be sure about what street you're on, you can always zoom throught the 50k map to the street map underneath, or you can complement your Active-10 with a normal satnav -more suited to the urban environment.

I'm afraid you can't de-clutter he OS maps unless you can go to source as they're bitmaps of the OS images. Some users have been campaigning to have some of the blue tourist clutter removed for years, it certainly gets difficult to separate stuff on the London 1:50k ;o)

I'm in the Lincolshire countryside, so I add more clutter, with POIs, lines ans ares -those I can remove at will...

Incidentally, what bit have you cracked by dropping it? The screen covers are user-replaceable, and if you've done more damage, SatMap will do you a service and cosmetic replacement job quite cheaply.

The Active-10 isn't perfect, but it's pretty close. You'll grow to love it if you love maps. Get some 1:25k of your home patch and/or favourite walking areas :o)
_________________
planet nine
Lincoln, UK.

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