Mapping info

First of all you have to get a copy of Oziexplorer CE and Ozf (the program to convert the maps to a format that CE can use.)
Alternatively some of the maps are available already converted or someone may already have converted them.
I just use a few 512 cards for different areas so that you are not searching through ahuge space trying to find what you want.
I used to use a laptop too but find that the PDA is much easier to use in the vehicle.

You use the same maps you use now and as said above you convert them to ozf2 files and copy them to the PDA. I use several different map types Vicroads, Austlig 1:250000, NRE 1:25000. Oziexplorer will also read the ozf2 files.

Ozi CE is a buy from the website, but the ozf converter is a free download and you access it via your normal Oziexplorer menus under File>Save Map to Image File>Run Img2Ozf program. Works a treat.

I would go the 1 gig SD card, theyre only about $100, and about $40 in Singapore if you have a friend going thru there like I have. I already have a 256 card and a 64 card and the 256 has a couple of Hema Desert maps, all of Vic and Broken hill on it as well as all Vic for the Destin8r program, which is another Ozi like program for the PDA with voice turn commands, with the 1 gig card I should get all of Oz onnit.

Hello – The maps you have used on your laptop will work on you PDA so unless you need more detail no need to get others. I use a 1 gigabyte SD card in my PDA– it is currently holding about 70 maps and is less than half full. I can not see why you would need a 2gigbyte card unless you were going away for a long time and the maps you need will not fit onto a 1gb card.

I tried the Natmap Mosaic (250K scale maps all joined together - ~700MB ecw file) on my PDA …worked ok, a bit slow when panning but bearable …never tried it in moving map mode so not sure how it would update? It would be easy to cut it up into smaller bits and it is a better option than having all the separate maps …IMHO. But as you already have the separate maps sheets I suppose you don’t want to go buy the mosaic edition?

There are some 25K, 50K and 100K maps available for various regions - how much extra you spend on more maps will be determined by how much you really need the detail they may (or may not) provide (eg 10 or 20m contours, less traveled tracks). A lot of the bigger scale maps (ie 100K, 50K, 25K) can be out of date …sometimes a good thing sometimes a bad thing. Here in SW WA I use mainly 50K maps, a few 25K maps, Airphotos (calibrated ecw from DLI West Aus)…and 1K, 2K scale development plans for subdivisions etc. I don’t use Natmap 250K/Hema/Westprint/ GSWA 250K Geology maps much except when I go to the goldfields.

Check out exploroz Shop for good selection of digital maps of various areas at various scales.

Cheers
Greg
PS In contrary to what others have said - the latest version of OziCe can utilise ecw format maps also...so there is no need to convert ecw files to ozf to use them (you still need associated OziExplorer map calibration file though)....however ozf files load quicker so if you have problems in this regard you may wish to convert. Also ozf files may be smaller in (memory) size, depends on compression level of ecw file..so converting to ozf may save you some space.