Electronic Maps - What's the most useful ?

Yip I have this one and have been happy with the detail of these maps

Thanks, that will help seal my choice as it has everything I need.

Cheers...

Another vote for the Hema DVD. It also has the Geoscience 1:250,000K set for Autralia on it as well.

Topo! Which Topo are you referring to?

Personaly, I have found Natmap Raster to contain everything I need.
When comparing it to the hard copy Hema Maps I have in spiral book form, they are both very similar.

Street Navigation has nowhere near the detail that Natmap Raster, or Hema has when you are in more remote areas, or even many closer country areas.

I agree with your last comment that more than one mapping option is a good idea.
Perhaps different areas of Oz are covered in more detail on some maps than others.

I also have Hema Great Desert Tracks which give a little more detail sometimes, but generally, I'm happy with the Natmap series.

Bill.

i'd have to go out to the car and have a look at the SD but I think it is V2.27 I also have Hema in spiral bound and individual sheets and Raster is similar but I reckon the Topo is not as "Gumby". But that is a personal opinion. I flick between what software I want to run and after about 5 minutes of watching it I start thinking about other things and therefore only glance at it occasionally. See I also reckon that we are only living on an island and eventually we'll get to the beach! I kind of know where I am going, well in the travelling sense maybe not in life direction, so the GPS and mapping software is an accessory not a manditory item.
In any case, the ability to read paper maps is far more important than what mapping software we use. The ability to have simple co-ordinates and place these on the paper map in front of you is what we need to be able to do along with the knowledge of NSEW!
All the gadgets I have are great fun but if I didn't have them I could still get by. I did in the 80's and 90's!

I am not sure what you mean.

Basically there are 2 types of mapping data - Raster and vector.

Systems such as OziExplorer use raster, many gps receivers with built in mapping use vector as do most GIS systems (Though they can also uses raster data).

Neither system is intrinsically more accurate, that depends on the mapping data used to create the maps.

The 1:250k geoscience maps are just one source of raster maps (If you look at the web site you can also download vector versions - I regularly use this data to produce my own maps with a GIS. This data is still however 1:250k accurate.

I also have lots of 1:100k and 1:50k raster maps - better for more detailed work but not so good for driving as they have too much detail.

Finally you can use photo type data - either air photos or satellite. Again at different scales and accuracy, but really just another form of raster data.

Hi John,

I'm not sure what you mean about the central area 100K maps.

Are the central areas being released on CD?

I am aware the 100k:1 maps exist, but have not yet been published though available at special request as line drawings.

If they are being released, that would be great!!

Cheers
Alan

Hi Alan, sadly no.

What I meant was that the central areas weren't ever formed into proper maps from the data.

The 1:100k sheets cover about all of Oz except the centre. In these areas the mosaic will default to the current 1:250k series sheets.

Even so, I'll be getting a set. Most of my 4wd'ing is in areas other than the centre. Will only cost about $100 for all of Oz I believe,

No worries John,

The 100's have an extra contour here, sandridge there...I can make do with the 250's for a while longer :))

Hi John

Alan you beat me to asking the same question.

John when the new 1:100K' series comes out would you mind posting the info. I would be keen to get a copy. I'm always on the lookout to add to my electronic mapping arsenal.

cheers
Phil

PS I really enjoyed your article in the latest Western 4WD - great bit of country that!

Hi Phil, thx for the feedback.

Yes, I'll be letting everyone know when the product comes out. Mind you it's been coming for a long time - when I first made inquiries in May last year the prospective release was for July 2008.

Keeps drifting for various techie improvement reasons.

Cheers.