Thread: GPS Hot Spots Maps

Might laminate those maps and stick then in a one of those plastic three ring binders that can get at any office dept. Good idea on the making copies with the scanner and then marking up the copies with the way point UTM coordinates or long and latiude. Another idea is the just put a tiny dot on the map with a small number next to it. Then cross reference those dots and numbers on the map copy to list of waypoints in your gps. #1 waypoint on the map copy equals #1 waypoint stored in your GPS.

I use PL01 for Patoka Lake's waypoint #1 and BG01 for the Blue Grass Pit's waypoint #1. This helps to keep the numbers smaller and seperates the waypoints on my gps into different lakes that I fish.

I have some nice maps of Patoka Lake that I need to have copied and made into 8 x 10s. I did this once before but the copy service didn't copy them right and some of the 28 pages got the bottom's cut off and I need that part of the map as it shows the map coordnates and other important data. I am going to have the company redo them for me at no cost. Just as soon as this snow melts I will take them to the copy shop to have them recopied.

I want to scan the smaller maps into my computer. Right now I have to scan these big pages in quarter sections of the map at one time and then splice these quarter sections back into one page. I figured out how to do that it takes me forever to do it and I need a faster way of digitizing this data.

Originally Posted by Redtick

I invested in a book of maps called Sportsman's Connection Southern Illinois Fishing Map guide. It cost me $20 at Walmart. It has contour maps of all of the local lakes I will ever fish on. So, I reckon I can make a photo copy of whatever lake I am fishing on and write down the GPS postion of any point on the map for later reference. I could then scan the map and store the map on my computer. I could then use the GPS position to return to any position on the lake with only a little extra effort of printing out a copy of the map. I sure like the contour readings on the maps.

USAPhotoMaps & Waypoint Workbench
I have a Garmin 201 that I can not down load maps onto, but can download and upload waypoints. My plan is to use waypoints and mark on maps using USAPhotMaps and print out hard copy to see basic location on paper (Ones that I will use frequently I will laminate). My purpose in having a GPS is to be able to find underwater structure after I have initially discovered it. When ever I uncover a new hot spot I'll keep it on my spreadsheet (Waypoint Workbench).

I use a laptop computer so if I travel away from home for several days I can take it with me and up date spreadsheet as needed. This may not work for everybody, but would sure be away of adding to fishing gear with laptop....LOL.

I like the fact that with USAPhotoMap I can print off a specific area both in topo and aerial views with my waypoints marked on the printout. That way I can customize my map as much as I want and not be straining my already poor eyesight trying to see the screen of GPS.

My GPS is a handheld unit as I frequently fish in other peoples boats and like to be able to have my GPS as well as My Own Cell phone. With a handheld unit can be used in the truck as well as the boat. When you ae going to BPS anywhere for the first time you can plot in their location and know when you have gone to far in the wrong direction or like next month when I go down to fish with Jerry Blake and I'm not familar with exactly where the resort staying at is I can check my GPS and know when I'm getting close. This sure makes it nice rather than trying o remember to turn at the yellow brick building after the 3rd stop light.

The major use of GPS for me is to avoid having to triangulate a point and remember just exactly where I need to be to find that brushpile. The old GPS unit I have was before the time of WAAS which makes reading more accurate and I could mark a sspot on the drive and set up a waypoint, walk away and come back to the same exact spot and be off by 30 to 40 feet depending on battery condition. Four AA batteries would not last 3 hours continous use. With he new technology two AAA baterries will last 10 to 12 hours.

The sites I posted in earlier message apply to most any brand GPS. The basics of GPS are the same no matter what brand. I picked the Garmin 201 for it's small size and had all the bells and whistles that I felt I needed along with found one for a good price on ebay. When I was looking at the different brands and models I took and printed out the specifications on the units that were in the basic price range I wanted to spend and had the features I felt were essential to my needs. I then took specs and figured out 3 or 4 that would meet what I want then started looking at prices at different places. I probably bid on 6 or more before I won a bid. Some of the units I was bidding on actually went for more than what you could buy the unit from reatil store and paid shipping for, so look around and talk to others about what they like & dislike about their GPS units.

Sorry Moose I jus had to put one in here like yours. Maybe not as good but at least as long...LOL