Looking for off-road map software

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:27 pm

I am looking for the best off-road map software. I have Garmin MapSource Topo right now and have been playing with USAPhotoMaps. Both are ok but I was hoping for a more "professional" map feel to what I print out. I was looking at NG TOPO! and like what I have been reading. Does anyone have 1st hand experience with how well this works. Is it worth the $99 for Indiana, Ohio, and MI? Can I install it on multiple computers? Are there other software applicaitons I should also consider?

Thanks

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:13 pm

I'm in the same boat....
post if you find something better
Still trying to figure out how we can finish the project for Badlands.

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:10 pm

I just installed the NG TOPO! and have to say I like it best so far. It has the far superior printing options and I likes its maps. I still need to play with the tracking options but it is winning atm of all the ones I have tried so far.

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:38 pm

linky?
where you got it?

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:29 am

The National Geographic’s Topo mapping software is $99 and comes in packets of one to three states (depends on size). I got the maps for Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. I used my Vista GPS to record a trip to the badland neat Attica, IN and was able to generate the following map:

The software is nice but I still wish I could do more with the print options. I was able to get around this by saving the map as a jpg and them use Photoshop to add additional features.

I also got the full version of Google Earth for $20. Here is the same track on Google Earth:

There were several places that I lost sat signal but I can repair the tracks manually if I wanted.

I have to admit that I am really not 100% happy with any of these software systems. I have tried MapSource, Google Earth, TOPO 4.0, and USAPhotoMaps. None of them seem to be as user friendly as the unit interface on the GPS itself. I really enjoy my Vista GPS unit and its interface. I can operate it with one hand and everything seems very intuative. It is obvious to me they spent some time developing it. The software on my PC is where I get frustrated. Here I have a much more robust system (keyboard, mouse, large screen) and yet the software is very counter intiative and frustrating for me to use. I realize the "selling points" of many of these GPS is the unit itself, not the software that comes with it but I bet Garmin/Magellen could make a killing if they made a better PC interface for their units.

M&P40 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:09 pm

i use maptec terrain navigator, it is kinda expensive but it has all forrest roads, streets, highways, topo, 3D topo easy to print off of and says it works with gps units too. it is not the best at labeling the streets and highways but it lists 4wd and jeep trails (i have not yet figured out the difference between the 2) i also use have MS streets and trips and that lists forrest roads, but nothing else.

Looking for off-road map software

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