Locally, we've been expanding are uses of the following:
*Google Earth -- gives a good location, sat picture, & terrain features. Used at squadron hdqs/advance mission base. Squadron has high speed access to internet at our headquarters.
*Google Maps -- Also useful if an aircraft can give us a general area, with getting directions to area from squadron hqs, as well as terrain features & sat pictures. Used at our squadron hdqs/advance mission base.
*State Atlas & Gazetteer (printed book) (members' & unit provided) -- Although low tech in nature, this acts as a quality check to all the high tech computer info. Also there's always the possibility that the internet node might be down & the above info won't be available. Generally the printed book is also deployed with the UDF Ground Team.
*Vehicle GPS/Mapping Electronic Device -- (member provided) Gives the team a good idea as to travel routes & time to destination as well as current location (especially critical during the hours of darkness). Deployed with team.
*Portable GPS (member provided) -- used by UDF team leader.
*Communications wise, ideally more than one member of the UDF team has a cellphone/wireless device with DIFFERENT wireless providers (since all are not equal in coverage), as well two VHF portable units & extra batteries are deployed. Additionally, the CAP corporate van also has a mobile VHF radio installed. (Radio coverage in our normal ops area is generally very good, cellphone coverage varies depending upon the provider of service, but generally is fair/good).
BTW some mission aircraft observers are now also taking the vehicle GPS or cellphones that have mapping software, so they can better assist the UDF/ground team responding to the narrowed down box search area.
RM
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2412.0 and a slew of others if you search for XMAP.
www.robogeo.com
Topo USA - Laptop goes out with the team with GPS receiver. Its like Google Maps with vehicle tracking and some basic/advanced cartography tools.
Besides some of what has been mentioned, Google Earth to plot merges - often tells us what airport to head for first.