What maps are you using in the field for ground team work?

[desertengineer1]

I have PFPS 3.3.1 with Topo charts and a NIMA serial interface to a Garmin GPS III.

Hard to do when walking outside the car, but it's awesome as a MS or when mission planning.

Mission planning is pretty awesome.  I can draw everything and then export an image if required.

[mynetdude]

- DeLorme Gazetteer with CAP grids outlined, VORs drawn in and airports highlighted. As mentioned, at 1:160,000 scale not good for missing person search, but OK for DF work and large area search planning.
- Gridded sectionals and TACs
- US Forest Service visitor maps
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated

On the computer which is not carried into the field, but maps are printed out for field use:
- National Geographic Topo!
- MyTopo (formerly Maptech) Terrain Navigator Pro
- Google Earth (using cached photos when lacking an Internet connection)
- DeLorme Topo USA (least favorite of the computer mapping programs due to a clumsy interface and less than ideal graphics)
- Suite of GIS programs - ArcGIS, GlobalMapper, Manifold - for making custom maps

USGS digital topos in GeoPDF format. The new US Topos have layers, including satellite/aerial imagery, which can be turned on and off. Like their paper ancestors, these are full size and aren't tiled, though they can be imported into GIS software to make them so. All are free. The free GeoPDF toolbar for Adobe Reader is required to take full advantage of these maps. Go to the "Map Locator" at  http://store.usgs.gov

Referred to me just this week, so I haven't really had a chance to try it, Depiction, a mapping program that downloads layers to, and stores on, your computer for use when not connected to the Internet. Also imports shapefiles, KML/KMZ and other common formats. Can bring in non-georeferenced maps and pictures and georeferences them to base layers in a manner much easier than traditional GIS programs. Go to http://www.depiction.com and view the video on the How-To page for the best overview. In April it was 50% off but volunteer groups can still get a discount. $199 list.

And despite River's assertion about their utility, I and many others still carry paper topos. Thirty 7.5 minute topos cover my county, but I don't have to take them all into the field at once. There are almost 1600 for the state, but the mapping programs take care of these.

Mike

*drools* oops did I get that all over your maps mike? sorry! oh wait... yours are digital!

THIS is the kind of IT work I want to do for ES, I want to get all these fancy tools and have some GT walk up to me and say I "I need these maps with such and such on it" and I do my magic and give them what they need free of charge!

Heck I want to be the IT guy IN the field doing that too! (ever heard of situational change/new data being needed and have to go back to Mission Base to get it? Or having to have an IT guy meet you somewhere to give you new data?).

Well if I had my Oregon 400T I'd be doing some of it, my dumb luck would have me I forgot to lock the truck for a few hours.

Anyways... YOU would be an awesome person to teach a class like this or the lot of you who are using digital mapping software with National Geographic, Google Earth, etc.