Re: Active 10 GPS

mr p wrote:

As I understand it, at the moment the vector maps don't have all the
paths, etc.

Yes that does seem to be the case, I have often been tempted by the
Garmin 'Topo' DVD, but for all the bad reviews.

I don't see why people are so bothered by the lack of paths. Sure, it would
be nice, but it's hardly essential in the hills. I mainly navigate by
contours anyway. I currently use only roads and free contours, and that
alone is more than good enough for my general navigation needs, even with no
other details and contours that aren't even all that accurate.

Why are so many people obsessed with all the details necessary for
micro-navigation when in practice, most people never do that anyway? Who
really walks along a path staring at their GPS to check that that all the
twists and turns in the path match up precisely?

I've looked at the Garmin Topo and it's superb IMO. I'm really not that
bothered by the lack of paths. The contour and stream detail alone is more
than enough for hill walking IMO.

OS 25k maps are obviously the best.. I just don't see any technical
reason why Garmins topo could not be just as good in the future.

The reason is what happens when you zoom in. Even the OS 25k just isn't that
accurate at high zoom. If you've ever used road mapping on a GPS you'll know
that different carriageways on the motorway are shown differently, and the
GPS shows which one you are on. Even more detailed are roundabouts and slip
roads, and again, with a good signal the GPS will show exactly where you are
on it. Even the 25k maps aren't that accurate, with their exaggerated road
widths.

For vector maps to compete they actually need to be more accurate than 25k
maps, because GPS accuracy these days tends to show up the errors in 25k
mapping, no matter how accurate they may look to the eye.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/pic-of-the-day/henrhyd-falls/


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