OS Map Packages and GPS Interoperability?

Hi all,

I'm looking for personal opinions and experiences in using OS Map packages, specifically Anquet and
Memory Map, in conjunction with a GPS. In general mapping terms they seem both much of a muchness,
with plusses and minuses for both.

I'm looking to buy one or the other and looking for the "definitive" answer (yes, I know there isn't
one ;-) to the question: "which one to buy?".

I've had hands-on with Anquet and have used the demo version of Memory Map (and used OziExplorer)
and have bascially come down to deciding based upon which works better (better=more seamlessly +
functionality cf OziExplorer) with the GPS?

I don't care much for the [limited?] functionality within Anquet as far as handling waypoints,
tracks, routes, etc., (cf OziExplorer) is concerned and would appreciate opinions and experiences of
other folk... for both peices of software (I accept that my limited use of Anquet and my less-than-
fantastic results might be my own doing).

Can anyone help me with my queries? Does Anquet let you worth with your GPS data as well as
OziExplorer (both to and from GPS) and how well does MM let you handle GPS data? Anyone had hands-on
with Fugawi?

Comments appreciated.

Cheors,

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

<Steve Orrell> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all,
>
> I'm looking for personal opinions and experiences in using OS Map packages, specifically Anquet
> and Memory Map, in conjunction with a GPS. In general mapping terms they seem both much of a
> muchness, with plusses and minuses for both.
>
> I'm looking to buy one or the other and looking for the "definitive" answer (yes, I know there
> isn't one ;-) to the question: "which one to buy?".
>
> I've had hands-on with Anquet and have used the demo version of Memory Map (and used OziExplorer)
> and have bascially come down to deciding based upon which works better (better=more seamlessly +
> functionality cf OziExplorer) with the GPS?
>
> I don't care much for the [limited?] functionality within Anquet as far as handling waypoints,
> tracks, routes, etc., (cf OziExplorer) is concerned and would appreciate opinions and experiences
> of other folk... for both peices of software (I accept that my limited use of Anquet and my less-than-
> fantastic results might be my own doing).
>
> Can anyone help me with my queries? Does Anquet let you worth with your GPS data as well as
> OziExplorer (both to and from GPS) and how well does MM let you handle GPS data? Anyone had hands-
> on with Fugawi?
>
> Comments appreciated.
>
Well - I can only vouch for Anquet and say that I recently bought a GPS on the strength of what
could be acheived with the GPS-Anquet interface. I'm not sure quite what you measn by limited
functionality - having never tried Ozi or MM, I don't know what else I'd like to see. It certainly
does the to-from GPS stuff OK. Perhaps you were looking at an earlier version?? MM has had a bad
press in this NG recently on account of their upgrade policy. Check out Google to review it.

druidh

 

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 00:13:58 GMT, "druidh"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm not sure quite what you measn by limited functionality - having never tried Ozi or MM, I don't
>know what else I'd like to see. It certainly does the

I was specifically looking for the option to edit a tracklog (delete specific points from a
tracklog, i.e. when you forget to zero everything just before the start of your walk and then find
that you've data covering the leg of your journey from home to the start of the walk. <doh!>)

In my limited hands-on with Anquet I also couldn't get Anquet to show the profile for the track (I
expect I missed something), or indeed do anything more than just display the track on the map as a
line. I was hoping to be able to work with the track once downloaded from the GPS; plot, profile,
edit etc..

>to-from GPS stuff OK. Perhaps you were looking at an earlier version?? MM has had a bad press in
>this NG recently on account of their upgrade policy. Check out Google to review it.

I don't know the version; "relatively recent" is all I can say, my hands-on was limited. I have had
a good rummage through Google... a lot of stuff in there on related topics ;-) The upgrade problem
with MM did put me off initially, but MM does seem to have the functionality edge... or rather
Anquet does not seem to have the functionality I'm looking for and I'm hoping that MM does 8-]

Cheors,

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

I can only offer an opinion on Anquet and Oziexplorer both of which I have used. Overall I have
found that Oziexplorer is a rather more featured offering than Anquet and that by a long way.

The main advantage of Anquet, and it is a big one, is that you have maps already to use. In Ozi it's
first find your map, then calibrate and then use.

Both are relatively easy to use to edit routes, waypoints etc. Just takes a bit of time getting used
to the way each one does it. Both have good help files, particularly Ozi.

Both have the ability to be used on a pda if that is a requirement and both have 3d capability. In
Anquet all is built in and on balance the 3d is better than Ozi's. If you want pda capability and 3d
in Ozi then its three separate apps.

Sorry no experience of Memory Map.

Mike Mason <Steve Orrell> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hi all,
>
> I'm looking for personal opinions and experiences in using OS Map packages, specifically Anquet
> and Memory Map, in conjunction with a GPS. In general mapping terms they seem both much of a
> muchness, with plusses and minuses for both.
>
> I'm looking to buy one or the other and looking for the "definitive" answer (yes, I know there
> isn't one ;-) to the question: "which one to buy?".
>
> I've had hands-on with Anquet and have used the demo version of Memory Map (and used OziExplorer)
> and have bascially come down to deciding based upon which works better (better=more seamlessly +
> functionality cf OziExplorer) with the GPS?
>
> I don't care much for the [limited?] functionality within Anquet as far as handling waypoints,
> tracks, routes, etc., (cf OziExplorer) is concerned and would appreciate opinions and experiences
> of other folk... for both peices of software (I accept that my limited use of Anquet and my less-than-
> fantastic results might be my own doing).
>
> Can anyone help me with my queries? Does Anquet let you worth with your GPS data as well as
> OziExplorer (both to and from GPS) and how well does MM let you handle GPS data? Anyone had hands-
> on with Fugawi?
>
> Comments appreciated.
>
> Cheors,
>
>
>
>
> SteveO
>
> NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php
>
> NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 18:06:39 GMT, Mike Mason wrote:

><Steve Orrell> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

>> Can anyone help me with my queries? Does Anquet let you worth with your GPS data as well as
>> OziExplorer (both to and from GPS) and how well does MM let you handle GPS data? Anyone had hands-
>> on with Fugawi?
>>
>> Comments appreciated.

>I can only offer an opinion on Anquet and Oziexplorer both of which I have used. Overall I have
>found that Oziexplorer is a rather more featured offering than Anquet and that by a long way.

Ozi was designed from the ground up as GPS software. Anquet had GPS functions added in to a mapping
application. For the best of both worlds export your maps from Anquet to Ozi via screen capture.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

 

Import your track then you can edit it to your hearts content.

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 09:15:52 +0000, Steve Orrell wrote:

>On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 00:13:58 GMT, "druidh" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I'm not sure quite what you measn by limited functionality - having never tried Ozi or MM, I don't
>>know what else I'd like to see. It certainly does the
>
>I was specifically looking for the option to edit a tracklog (delete specific points from a
>tracklog, i.e. when you forget to zero everything just before the start of your walk and then find
>that you've data covering the leg of your journey from home to the start of the walk. <doh!>)
>
>In my limited hands-on with Anquet I also couldn't get Anquet to show the profile for the track (I
>expect I missed something), or indeed do anything more than just display the track on the map as a
>line. I was hoping to be able to work with the track once downloaded from the GPS; plot, profile,
>edit etc..
>
>
>>to-from GPS stuff OK. Perhaps you were looking at an earlier version?? MM has had a bad press in
>>this NG recently on account of their upgrade policy. Check out Google to review it.
>
>I don't know the version; "relatively recent" is all I can say, my hands-on was limited. I have had
>a good rummage through Google... a lot of stuff in there on related topics ;-) The upgrade problem
>with MM did put me off initially, but MM does seem to have the functionality edge... or rather
>Anquet does not seem to have the functionality I'm looking for and I'm hoping that MM does 8-]
>
>
>Cheors,
>
>
>SteveO
>
>NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php
>
>NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

Steve Orrell wrote:

>I was specifically looking for the option to edit a tracklog (delete specific points from a
>tracklog, i.e. when you forget to zero everything just before the start of your walk and then find
>that you've data covering the leg of your journey from home to the start of the walk. <doh!>)
>
With the latest MM you can split the track, and delete the bits you don't want.

 

"Phil Cook" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 18:06:39 GMT, Mike Mason wrote:
>
> ><Steve Orrell> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> >> Can anyone help me with my queries? Does Anquet let you worth with your GPS data as well as
> >> OziExplorer (both to and from GPS) and how well does MM let you handle GPS data? Anyone had hands-
> >> on with Fugawi?
> >>
> >> Comments appreciated.
>
> >I can only offer an opinion on Anquet and Oziexplorer both of which I
have
> >used. Overall I have found that Oziexplorer is a rather more featured offering than Anquet and
> >that by a long way.
>
> Ozi was designed from the ground up as GPS software. Anquet had GPS functions added in to a
> mapping application. For the best of both worlds export your maps from Anquet to Ozi via screen
> capture.
> --
> Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

I agree with what you say but I was just trying to compare the two. Anquet is now a package that you
get of the shelf which to some degree covers the three packages offered by Ozi.

I do use Ozi more than Anquet that's for sure because it has more features but Anquet have only just
added 3d and pda mapping. Maybe they will increase the features offered in the future.

At the risk of starting this thread running again isn't screen grabbing maps a tiny bit illegal.

Both OS and Anquet will not be happy surely.

(All said tongue in cheek)

Mike

 

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 12:29:45 +0000, Kenneth Miles
<[email protected]> wrote:

Re.: editting tracks in Anquet
>Import your track then you can edit it to your hearts content.

Well, you make it sound so simple but its not; ime its a convoluted way of editting the data and the
data-editting capabilities are rudimentary; click on a "node" if you can guess where it is and then
delete it, nothing more.

I readily concede that the capabilities I'm describing as missing might be there but if they are
then finding them is proving difficult; counter-intuitive and convoluted.

Which, perhaps, also brings me back to the reason for my original quesiton; what are the
exepereinces of Memory Map users in this regard?

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 16:37:07 +0000, Steve Orrell wrote:

>On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 12:29:45 +0000, Kenneth Miles <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>Re.: editting tracks in Anquet
>>Import your track then you can edit it to your hearts content.
>
>Well, you make it sound so simple but its not; ime its a convoluted way of editting the data and
>the data-editting capabilities are rudimentary; click on a "node" if you can guess where it is and
>then delete it, nothing more.
>
You can add nodes, delete nodes, move nodes. When you click on a section that you want to edit, that
section changes colour and the nodes are seen at both ends of the section. Waypoints can also be
added to split the path.

>I readily concede that the capabilities I'm describing as missing might be there but if they are
>then finding them is proving difficult; counter-intuitive and convoluted.
>
>
>Which, perhaps, also brings me back to the reason for my original quesiton; what are the
>exepereinces of Memory Map users in this regard?
>
>
>
>
>SteveO
>
>NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php
>
>NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 17:54:27 +0000, Kenneth Miles
<[email protected]> wrote:

>>Well, you make it sound so simple but its not; ime its a convoluted way of editting the data and
>>the data-editting capabilities are rudimentary; click on a "node" if you can guess where it is and
>>then delete it, nothing more.
>>
>You can add nodes, delete nodes, move nodes. When you click on a section that you want to edit,
>that section changes colour and the nodes are seen at both ends of the section. Waypoints can also
>be added to split the path.

Thanks for the further info Kenneth, I hadn't found the means to do that with my "hands on" session
(friends copy [doesn't use a GPS])

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 20:37:41 +0000, Phil Cook
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Ozi was designed from the ground up as GPS software. Anquet had GPS functions added in to a mapping
>application.

I'm beginning to think that my expectation that there would obviously be a package that included OS
maps and GPS functions to be somewhat naive.

Ozi dun't really count because you need a digital map and if you want to work with OS maps that
leaves Anquet, who's interoperability with a GPS is not as, er, seamless as I would like.

Seems to me that Memory Map might well the answer but obviously no-one uses it, well no-one's owning
up at least ;-)

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 12:26:28 +0000, Steve Orrell wrote:

>On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 20:37:41 +0000, Phil Cook <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>Ozi was designed from the ground up as GPS software. Anquet had GPS functions added in to a
>>mapping application.
>
>I'm beginning to think that my expectation that there would obviously be a package that included OS
>maps and GPS functions to be somewhat naive.
>
>Ozi dun't really count because you need a digital map and if you want to work with OS maps that
>leaves Anquet, who's interoperability with a GPS is not as, er, seamless as I would like.
>
I don't understand what you wan't to do with your GPS that Anquet cannot handle.

>Seems to me that Memory Map might well the answer but obviously no-one uses it, well no-one's
>owning up at least ;-)
>
MM after sales leaves a lot to be desired, plus it is American where Anquet is British.

Regards, Kenneth.
>
>
>SteveO
>
>NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php
>
>NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

 

Kenneth Miles wrote:

> I don't understand what you wan't to do with your GPS that Anquet cannot handle.

Something as basic as naming your waypoints, adding waypoint descriptions and choosing icons for
your waypoints perhaps?

I'm afraid it isn't much use to me to go out walking with a GPS full of waypoints named WP01, WP02,
WP03 etc, all with the same icon.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=118749

 

Steve Orrell wrote:

> Can anyone help me with my queries? Does Anquet let you worth with your GPS data as well as
> OziExplorer (both to and from GPS)

No. The basic problem with Anquet was that it was never designed for GPS use. The first version had
no GPS functionality whatsoever, it was added as an afterthought. Because of this, certain
fundamental design decisions were made which didn't suit GPS use, so making it work with GPS later
was like forcing a square peg into a round hole.

I wrote a review about Anquet once on this newsgroup, when I first tried it. http://groups.google.com/groups?q=anquet+maps+review&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-
8& oe=UTF-8&selm=agt1k2%24f7m%241%40newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk&rnum=2

The basic problem with using Anquet for GPS is that they use slightly different concepts which don't
match properly. Anquet uses what they call "waypoints", "paths" and "routes". GPS units use what
Garmin calls "waypoints", "tracks" and "routes".

The problem is that an Anquet waypoint is not the same as a GPS waypoint, an Anquet path is not the
same as a GPS track, and an Anquet route is not the same as a GPS route. They've tried to bash these
pegs into roughly the same holes, but they don't work in quite the same way.

A GPS waypoint contains coordinate data, a name, a description, an icon, and height data. An Anquet
waypoint doesn't have a name or description as such, although they can be added as a separate piece
of information. This info is not sent to the GPS. You can choose icons for Anquet waypoints, but
they don't match the icons in your GPS and aren't sent to the GPS. You can't add height data either.

A GPS track is a series of track points connected together. Each track point contains coordinate
data, plus time and date, but no name. An Anquet path may look the same, but it's actually a series
of waypoints. Paths can be combined into routes. When you send a route to your GPS it sends each
point as a separate waypoint, thus filling your GPS with loads of waypoints.

A GPS route is a series of waypoints connected together. In practice you don't need to place many of
these, you only need a few key waypoints to form a route. Suppose you need to follow a twisty path
from one junction to another, you only need to place waypoints at the junctions. The next waypoint
will tell you where you need to go, but you don't have to walk in a straight line toward it. With
Anquet, it will send dozens of waypoints to the GPS tracing out every little twist and turn, which
is unnecessary. Most GPS units don't have a very large route capacity, but Anquet sends so many
waypoints that it will fill up many route slots to mark out just one route.

Of course, you can mark your paths differently in Anquet to take account of this, but then you're
not using Anquet in the way that it was intended. It was intended that you trace out the paths
accurately onto the map so that it can calculate the correct distance, ascent, Naismith time etc. If
you only mark path points at waypoint junctions that will come out all wrong. An Anquet path or
route should equate to a GPS track, not a GPS route, a route should be a different thing altogether.

Confused? Use Ozi for your GPS.

To be fair to Anquet, I've noticed that they have added more GPS features in the latest version and
I think you can now convert tracks to paths and vice versa, or something like that, but I'm not sure
because I've only looked at it briefly. I haven't seen enough improvements to persuade me to stop
using Ozi. Anquet just wasn't designed for GPS, although I daresay that it's quite usable for that
if you have no other option, and perhaps it doesn't seem as bad as I'm making it out to be if you've
never used a program like Ozi.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=118749

 

druidh wrote:

> Well - I can only vouch for Anquet and say that I recently bought a GPS on the strength of what
> could be acheived with the GPS-Anquet interface. I'm not sure quite what you measn by limited
> functionality
> - having never tried Ozi or MM, I don't know what else I'd like to see. It certainly does the to-
> from GPS stuff OK.

That's pretty much what I just said. If you've never used anything else it probably seems fine, you
may well think that's how a GPS program is supposed to work, but it isn't. If you used Ozi you'd see
what I mean, but if you're happy with what Anquet does then that's okay.

> Perhaps you were looking at an earlier version??

Most of my criticisms of Anquet GPS use are based on earlier versions. They seem to have improved it
a lot with the latest update, but I haven't looked too closely at it.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=118749

 

Steve Orrell wrote:

>> Import your track then you can edit it to your hearts content.
>
> Well, you make it sound so simple but its not; ime its a convoluted way of editting the data and
> the data-editting capabilities are rudimentary; click on a "node" if you can guess where it is and
> then delete it, nothing more.

As Kenneth said, you can do more than that. When you click on a node you can then move it. You have
to click to select it, then click and drag to move it. You have to select before you can move, same
with waypoints. What annoys me is that there is no grid ref display when you move a waypoint, so you
can't move it to a precise grid ref. Instead you have to delete the waypoint then place another one
at the grid ref you want.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=118749

 

Mike Mason wrote:

> At the risk of starting this thread running again isn't screen grabbing maps a tiny bit illegal.

Is there a legal method of getting OS maps into Ozi? No. So what's the alternative? If the OS don't
offer a legal method, which method do you think people will choose?

If eating were made illegal, do you think people would stop eating? Of course not. If people really
need to do something they're going to do it, legal or not. If the OS don't want people to copy maps
for use in Ozi, then why don't they provide a reasonably priced legal method for doing this?

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=118749

 

Paul Saunders <[email protected]> wrote
>Kenneth Miles wrote:
>
>> I don't understand what you wan't to do with your GPS that Anquet cannot handle.
>
>Something as basic as naming your waypoints, adding waypoint descriptions and choosing icons for
>your waypoints perhaps?
>
>I'm afraid it isn't much use to me to go out walking with a GPS full of waypoints named WP01, WP02,
>WP03 etc, all with the same icon.
>
>Paul

Yep. The "WP" is superfluous. I just let them self-number 1,2,3,4,5 etc, then I print out the area
map with the waypoints on it.

If I see something useful or interesting at a waypoint I can easily rename it there and then, like
SHELTER or SEAT, or BULL.
--
Gordon

 

Steve wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 00:13:58 GMT, "druidh" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>I'm not sure quite what you measn by limited functionality - having never tried Ozi or MM, I don't
>>know what else I'd like to see. It certainly does the
>
>
> I was specifically looking for the option to edit a tracklog (delete specific points from a
> tracklog, i.e. when you forget to zero everything just before the start of your walk and then find
> that you've data covering the leg of your journey from home to the start of the walk. <doh!>)
>
> In my limited hands-on with Anquet I also couldn't get Anquet to show the profile for the track (I
> expect I missed something), or indeed do anything more than just display the track on the map as a
> line. I was hoping to be able to work with the track once downloaded from the GPS; plot, profile,
> edit etc..
>

Second icon from left on the toolbar shows profile, third gives information including distance etc.
Is that what you were looking for?

Phil

>
>
>>to-from GPS stuff OK. Perhaps you were looking at an earlier version?? MM has had a bad press in
>>this NG recently on account of their upgrade policy. Check out Google to review it.
>
>
> I don't know the version; "relatively recent" is all I can say, my hands-on was limited. I have
> had a good rummage through Google... a lot of stuff in there on related topics ;-) The upgrade
> problem with MM did put me off initially, but MM does seem to have the functionality edge... or
> rather Anquet does not seem to have the functionality I'm looking for and I'm hoping that MM
> does 8-]
>
>
> Cheors,
>
>
> SteveO
>
> NE Climbers & walkers chat forum; http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php
>
> NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk