Posted: 5/14/2014 6:07:26 PM EDT
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I'm posting this here hoping enough folks will read it and know what i'm trying to do, plus it does technically have a survival use, so I'm not off topic!
At work I use ArcGIS software -- using ARC topo maps (others are available but the ARCs are what I'm used to). Its expensive. On my Android I use Back Country Navigator Pro, a $9 GPS mapping app that is the single best purchase I've ever made for any mobile device I own. I can pre-download maps sets to my flash card so I can use all zoom levels when I'm out of cell range. I am looking for a similar product, preferably free, for the desktop PC. The ability to communicate with a GPS receiver is secondary; I simply need a mapping tool that will let me download large map sets (including all levels of resolution) and navigate them on the desktop. Various map sets supported would be great. Any recommendations? |
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Get yourself a home license. That's what I have. $99.
But that's since you're already familiar with ArcGIS. A cheaper alternative is ExpertGPS. I loved this program. Unfortunately it doesn't work well under a VM and I'm on Mac now. It's about $50 I believe. There's another one that's escaping me at the moment but I didn't find it as intuitive as ExpertGPS. |
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Thanks to all.
Paper maps are out simply because I need to be able to bring a large section of data with me (several counties in SE AZ) and I need to be able to create waypoints and points of interest with labels, etc. The (free) online topo viewers are exactly what I am looking for, except I need the functionality offline. So any program that will view GIS data, and allow me to download the data sets for offline use, is what I need. |
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Quoted:
Thanks to all. Paper maps are out simply because I need to be able to bring a large section of data with me (several counties in SE AZ) and I need to be able to create waypoints and points of interest with labels, etc. The (free) online topo viewers are exactly what I am looking for, except I need the functionality offline. So any program that will view GIS data, and allow me to download the data sets for offline use, is what I need.  OP is a coyote! 
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I don't know if this will help but look at this site.
USGS Store, FREE topo downloads You might also look at "TerraGo". A free plugin for Adobe Reader. The link is just below the map display on the site linked above. |
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A few programs and data sources of different types I have used.
Delorme North American Topo 10 ($99) is a good program. The Delorme Street Atlas is often on sale for $49 with A USB GPS that works with most programs. Global Mapper ($499) Can import and export most data types. Try the free download. (used to be limited capacity) Free data: http://gis.utah.gov/data/usgs-scanned-topographic-maps-drgs/ http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ Tiger data (US Census) Good source for roads, streams, boundarys ... |
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I know QGIS is free and have used it (haven't used any other product to compare it too, though... Slightly out-of-date tutorial on basic map making w/ QGIS (more out of date than I'd thought, apparently) |