Using Tom-tom or equivalent as a back-up navigation in the outback

Hi there Gertjan,

TomTom, or an equivalent navigation system works very well in the metropolitan areas of the major Cities and Towns, but the reference maps do not have sufficient detail for outback travel.

The most common solution is a product called OziExplorer which, when used with detailed digital maps from NATMAP Raster or Hema Australia 4WD Raster Map collection (on DVD), will give you a moving map display as you travel, showing your exact position as picked up by the GPS, on the map display.

All products are available for purchase from the ExplorOz shop, or you can download the OziExplorer product from the Australian Website as a trial and purchase it at any time thereafter.

Have a look at OziExplorer for a detailed explanation and download access.

Versions are available to run on a Laptop PC (OziExplorer), or a PDA. (OziExplorer CE)

Some digital maps can be downloaded free at NATMAP Raster

I use a PDA running both Tom Tom and OziExplorer CE. The Tom Tom still knows where it is in remoter areas but the mapping only has major tracks on it, so the little "where am I" arrow is travelling across a blank screen.

Tom Tom is fine for travelling between towns on main roads and a lot of minor roads but once you head down the bush tracks you are on your own.

Regards

Pete

for your information, I have seen a comparison of the Birdsville track coming into Birdsville.
The Natmap and Heema desert map series show the road about 200 to 300 metres different to the Whereis maps. The Whereis maps are produced by Sensis and used in the UBDs, and onsold to various other city mapping navigators like Tom Tom.

Tom Tom and other programmes are good for city and semi populated areas. I use Copilot on my PDA around town and in major areas. It does show every road, as you would expect coming from the same people as UBD. The NAtmaps e.g. 1:250,000 series only show the main roads in these areas, and I have been on roads that don't show on the 1:250,000 but show on Copilot.

I also have been on roads out west that has the Natmap series on one map showing me on the road, and another map showing me over 500 metres off the road. This is because the Natmap series like the 1:250,000, 1:1,000,000 and 1:25,000 are digital information taken from various sources, at VARIOUS DATES. Just as important in digital mapping to look at the date of the information as it is with a paper map. I always check the date on the bottom of the map to see how old it is. MY 1:250,000 maps vary from the mid 80s to only a couple of years old. My 1:25,000 Qld series can have some dated to the 70s.

The UBD maps you know are reasonably up to date (maybe 3 years out of date max), but may be unreliable (varies where you are) in remote areas . However, the Heema desert series maps have had a lot of work put into them by Heema, including field checking. The tracks they have checked are usually shown in purple on the map.
But the Heema maps are touring maps and the 1:250,000 Natmaps are drawn to a scale, so the cartographer makes decisions as to what to include and what to exclude, not every little track is shown. That's why there is 1:250,000, 1:100,000 and 1:25,000 series maps. Lines have to be more than 0.3mm thivk, and text larger than 2.5mm in height, and if all is shown, you wouldn't be able to read the 1:250,000 maps from the clutter.

Jees, sorry, didn't realise I was getting so verbose. Hope you get the idea. Problem with being a draughtsman, using maps all of the time, and just at the moment I am trying to sort out a site from various map sources with just a little bit of fustration.

Hi Gertjan, when you say "as a back-up navigation" what else are you using?