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3-D TopoQuads
 Category: Products & Services
Title:
DeLorme -
3D TopoQuads
Earthmate GPS Unit
GPS PostPro for Earthmate
Description of Software Products:
 3D TopoQuads by DeLorme
GPS PostPro by DeLorme
Hardware Equipment Tested:
Earthmate GPS by DeLorme
Palm Pilot IIIe by 3Com
DeLorme 3D TopoQuads
sets the standard for detail in CD ROM topographical mapping software. If your looking for high quality and the most information packed topographical maps on the market, look no further,
DeLorme has brought the solution to the outdoorman once again.
I recently received a boxed set of 3D TopoQuads CD ROM's to review on an
elk hunt I had scheduled in the State of Washington. DeLorme sent out the USGS 7.5-minute Quads for Washington, along with a Earthmate™ GPS
Receiver, which I then attached to a Palm Pilot IIIe provided by 3Com Corp. I was set for the trip, which I had decided to make the drive, instead of flying,
from Salt Lake City, Utah to the National Forest just outside of Carson, Washington.
Not being familiar with the area I was going to be hunting, I quizzed the outfitter
as to the specific areas we would be hunting and loaded then software onto my computer. Once installed, I found a very easy to use interface awaiting my
planning needs. The 3D TopoQuads bring the introduction of 3-D topographical maps for your entire state at the scale of 1:24,000. I quickly located the areas
and began to save the maps I would need, for upload to the Palm Pilot. I selected several small, very detailed views and several larger, more open scale
maps, covering several square miles on the Indian Haven Wilderness area, which was our targeted hunting area.
Upon arrival and settling in, I pulled out the Earthmate and Palm Pilot unit and
took a look at what I had downloaded compared to the actual area I was to hunt. After about 3 minutes, I received a "3D" lock on my position and loaded
the corresponding map for display. Right on the mark! Immediately, the units locked into my position and a mass of information became available for me to navigate this new area I have never hunted until now.
Being located around many lava flow fields, a normal compass fast becomes
excess weight, in this area, due to all the mineral content in the ground. Many areas of this National Forest rarely have a human foot set on them due to the
fact that it is a rugged, thickly covered forest and compasses read false readings more than not. Now, not only did I feel comfortable traveling this new
found country, but could watch "what I was getting myself into" with the extremely detailed maps that I had prepared for this trip. Tracking my
progress was simple with visual display of my location view able at all times on the Palm Pilot unit. I had found freedom to roam in this area, and could now
begin to hike the trails with confidence that I would be easily able to return to my originating location.
Opening morning brought a sunrise that could not be seen, as rain steadily
beat down outside. We loaded up our gear and headed off to the Indian Haven Wilderness area, located several miles from our base camp. As we drove to
the drop off point, I loaded the map that I would be using and got set up to hike. Marking my first location, using a separate program called GPS
PostPro, by DeLorme, I marked my location and headed out. Main trails were easily view able on the maps loaded from the 3d Quads maps and navigating
my way into the Wilderness was as simple as heading to the local convenience store that I have lived by for years. Offering me a up close view,
right on the Palm Pilot screen, of the terrain ahead and the route to get back to my original drop off point. I found this combination of tools to be very easy to use and extremely accurate.
Using this set up, I felt a new freedom to travel into very thickly forested areas
and deep canyons, that my usual method of orienteering (compass and landmarks) would have not been sensible and wise. The GPS unit rarely lost
lock on the tracking statelites, even in thick overhead tree cover and deep ravens.
Combining these software titles and hardware equipment into my daily pack
gear offered me many additional options over the normal GPS unit. When compared in pricing to the high end GPS units available for retail, the Palm
Pilot, Earth mate marriage of technology brings new life to recent advancements and more tools to the hands of the outdoorsman than have ever been available before. Getting lost with this set up, seemed impossible.
I planned, tracked, mapped, kept an expense log, daily journal, wrote down
new friend addresses and phone numbers, logged all routes hiked for later reference and upload to my home computer, wrote a featured article for
publication here on our web site and so much more! All with the use of these new found tools, that I will not be without again.....(We purchased a Palm Pilot
IIIx for my wife and I both on return from my trip, and I plan on adding in another Earthmate GPS for her soon as well). I even used DeLorme's CyberRouter™ to plan the route from my home to the camp, located in the
Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This on-line service allowed me to download the maps necessary, at a street level detail, and provided accurate detailed driving instructions to boot!
I arrived off these directions at camp, in a down pour of rain that made driving
pretty hard to start with, and had no problems driving directly to the camp. I was very surprised, as was the outfitter, that I had made it into camp using the
Palm Pilot/GSP unit combination in such weather conditions.
Overall Ratings:
DeLorme 3D TopoQuads - Provides the most detailed topographical maps
available anywhere, that make navigating into wilderness and off road areas a breeze. Easily print the maps you need in paper form for easy reference or
upload them to you Hand Held Computer for mobile access using DeLorme's Solus Pro 1.5 and track your progress, on screen as you travel.
RATING **** 1/2
DeLorme Earthmate GPS Unit - Taking GPS and Hand Held computing to
new levels, this is a must have for any outdoorsman that get's off the beaten path! The ease of adding this unit to most popular hand helds, makes your
hand held a tool that is truly an invaluable resource and takes your orienteering skills to a whole new playing field.
RATING *****
DeLorme GPS PostPro - Increase accuracy of your Earthmate GPS receiver
to as close as 1 meter. This stand alone program can be used in the field to create DeLorme .raw files GPS Log files or use in conjunction with many of the
DeLorme software titles to create RINEX GPS Log files while using the map interface of your hand held unit. These can then be easily transfered to your home computer for later reference and study.
RATING
*****
3Com's Palm Pilot IIIe - How did I ever live without a Palm Pilot? A question
I asked myself many times over the last three weeks of testing on this unit. When you combine the fantastic software titles and GPS unit from DeLorme,
with the advanced capibilities that become available at the touch of a button with your Palm Pilot, you have a solid package for navigation in the field. To
say nothing of the additional features that come into play... I bought 2, if that says what my money counts for!
RATING *****
For Addition Details on any of these reviewed items, click on any of the links below.
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