New GPS mapping SW

[PaulW]

I bought the latest offering from ORW for background maps for Lowrance
http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/product ... fID2/1334/
I tested PJPSW and found the map is much improved compared to MapCreate 7 or 6. Meaning more detail and many new roads are shown and the accuracy of the road locations is way improved.
The SW is from some unknown outfit in Texas and is definitely not Lowrance, Navteq, Navico, or Murdock Nav.
These SD cards will not allow functionality on a second card due to because they use the Lowrance card protection like MapCreate does. This SW Makes a Lowrance much better for use in the states, but still not as good as a Marine Garmin with free background maps from the Internet.
The ORW product is supposed to work for HDS, Elite5, XOG, and GM.
I tested on XOG, Ifinder Expedition, and GM 7200c all were good.

Also PCI is still MapCreate 7 SD cards and is now saying that there are about to begin selling “Topo Insight PRO” cards (a Lowrance product) that are only for HDS gen2 or Elite GPS units This SW is not MapCreate. No prices yet and for sure no testing yet.
http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/ ... en-us.aspx

For Baja the Murdock navigation map SW is still the best available and is constantly being updated.
http://www.murdocknav.com/ For both Lowrance and Garmin
Paul

[BajaF250]

I bought the latest offering from ORW for background maps for Lowrance
http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/product ... fID2/1334/
I tested PJPSW and found the map is much improved compared to MapCreate 7 or 6. Meaning more detail and many new roads are shown and the accuracy of the road locations is way improved.
The SW is from some unknown outfit in Texas and is definitely not Lowrance, Navteq, Navico, or Murdock Nav.
These SD cards will not allow functionality on a second card due to because they use the Lowrance card protection like MapCreate does. This SW Makes a Lowrance much better for use in the states, but still not as good as a Marine Garmin with free background maps from the Internet.
The ORW product is supposed to work for HDS, Elite5, XOG, and GM.
I tested on XOG, Ifinder Expedition, and GM 7200c all were good.

Also PCI is still MapCreate 7 SD cards and is now saying that there are about to begin selling “Topo Insight PRO” cards (a Lowrance product) that are only for HDS gen2 or Elite GPS units This SW is not MapCreate. No prices yet and for sure no testing yet.
http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/ ... en-us.aspx

For Baja the Murdock navigation map SW is still the best available and is constantly being updated.
http://www.murdocknav.com/ For both Lowrance and Garmin
Paul

Hey Paul,
I haven't compared any of this SW and I highly appreciate your insights here. But, I have a question... how does the Murdocknav product compare to the topo maps that PCI sells with their units (or more accurately, used to sell a few years ago)? I have an older 540c (love it still) and am thinking of upgrading to the murdocknav maps... mostly just to upgrade. But, if it's not worth it... I'll stay the course and keep my old PCI maps. (I'm not sure who made the topo maps PCI sells.)

[PaulW]

Last time I checked PCI was still selling the Bicimapa product. Lots of missing roads.
ORW sells Murdock maps and Murdocknav sells on his web site.
I have moved to Murdock and do not have any comparison to what PCI might now be selling. Murdock is constantly working on better maps. Contact him to see what is the latest. My last version is dated 10/22/12. The only roads that I find missing on that version are the ones I made N & S of SF. He has good stuff throughout Baja.
Both products had errors wherin river beds are shown as roads. That is because they are hard to distinguish on Google Earth.

I bought the PCI western US sd card and I think it is very good. Turned out to be a Navteq product marketed by an outfit in TX and is approved by Lowrance.
PW
=====================
Hey Paul,
I haven't compared any of this SW and I highly appreciate your insights here. But, I have a question... how does the Murdocknav product compare to the topo maps that PCI sells with their units (or more accurately, used to sell a few years ago)? I have an older 540c (love it still) and am thinking of upgrading to the murdocknav maps... mostly just to upgrade. But, if it's not worth it... I'll stay the course and keep my old PCI maps. (I'm not sure who made the topo maps PCI sells.)[/quote]

[baja-chris]

I have overlaid both maps and the Murdoch maps have quite a bit more detail (more bronco trails) than the Bicimapas that PCI sells. I also have stopped using the PCI map and only run the Murdoch maps now. Got mine at ORW.

BTW, the latest Murdoch map has waypoints at each mile marker on the highways and if you put the cursor over it then it will display the highway kilometer marker. Really nice if you are trying to determine what k-marker a trail comes out at.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Will the maps from orw work for a 3300c? Sorry for the newb question

[baja-chris]

Will the maps from orw work for a 3300c? Sorry for the newb question

I've never tried that model but they work in 7200c, HDS, 540, 840 and others.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Thwyre a usr file right?

[BajaF250]

Thwyre a usr file right?

Randy,
These map files aren't like the .usr trail files. They are most likely .lcm files that load when you turn your unit on. The chip has to be loaded in the slot with the maps on it and the maps are loaded into the GPS each and every time you turn the GPS on.

Paul, correct me if I'm wrong... or even if I'm not!

[BajaF250]

Last time I checked PCI was still selling the Bicimapa product. Lots of missing roads.
ORW sells Murdock maps and Murdocknav sells on his web site.
I have moved to Murdock and do not have any comparison to what PCI might now be selling. Murdock is constantly working on better maps. Contact him to see what is the latest. My last version is dated 10/22/12. The only roads that I find missing on that version are the ones I made N & S of SF. He has good stuff throughout Baja.
Both products had errors wherin river beds are shown as roads. That is because they are hard to distinguish on Google Earth.

I bought the PCI western US sd card and I think it is very good. Turned out to be a Navteq product marketed by an outfit in TX and is approved by Lowrance.
PW
=====================

I have overlaid both maps and the Murdoch maps have quite a bit more detail (more bronco trails) than the Bicimapas that PCI sells. I also have stopped using the PCI map and only run the Murdoch maps now. Got mine at ORW.

BTW, the latest Murdoch map has waypoints at each mile marker on the highways and if you put the cursor over it then it will display the highway kilometer marker. Really nice if you are trying to determine what k-marker a trail comes out at.

Ok, thanks Paul and Chris... I was going to get the Murdocknav topos and try them just as an experiment, now I have no doubt... I'll just drop by ORW and pick up the chip tomorrow... I'd really like to see the difference and you both have convinced me it's well worth it. I have found that the PCI maps are good but are lacking in some detail... Thanks...

[BajaF250]

Last time I checked PCI was still selling the Bicimapa product. Lots of missing roads.
ORW sells Murdock maps and Murdocknav sells on his web site.
I have moved to Murdock and do not have any comparison to what PCI might now be selling. Murdock is constantly working on better maps. Contact him to see what is the latest. My last version is dated 10/22/12. The only roads that I find missing on that version are the ones I made N & S of SF. He has good stuff throughout Baja.
Both products had errors wherin river beds are shown as roads. That is because they are hard to distinguish on Google Earth.

I bought the PCI western US sd card and I think it is very good. Turned out to be a Navteq product marketed by an outfit in TX and is approved by Lowrance.
PW
=====================

I have overlaid both maps and the Murdoch maps have quite a bit more detail (more bronco trails) than the Bicimapas that PCI sells. I also have stopped using the PCI map and only run the Murdoch maps now. Got mine at ORW.

BTW, the latest Murdoch map has waypoints at each mile marker on the highways and if you put the cursor over it then it will display the highway kilometer marker. Really nice if you are trying to determine what k-marker a trail comes out at.

Ok, thanks Paul and Chris... I was going to get the Murdocknav topos and try them just as an experiment, now I have no doubt... I'll just drop by ORW and pick up the chip tomorrow... I'd really like to see the difference and you both have convinced me it's well worth it. I have found that the PCI maps are good but are lacking in some detail... Thanks...

I dropped by ORW to pick up the Mrudocknav topos and they are selling an older version of the maps... so the best way to get the most up-to-date versions is to go directly to their website and download. Plus, it's much cheaper... ORW is charging $98 plus tax... it's only $79 on the website, direct... no tax... nice.

[BajaF250]

I just wanted to provide a little feedback on the Murdock topos I recently updated... they are simply put, FANTASTIC... they truly are a much better product... they have a lot more info and quite easy to use. It's well worth the upgrade if you haven't done so already. I ended up purchasing mine online and they recently update their maps... and sent me a link for a free upgrade... very cool! I really do like the added KM markers on the highways... plus all the Pemex stations... very nice. This is taking the mystery out of traveling Baja...

[PaulW]

Murdock is doing a great, but time consuming task. To get the location of the KMs he drove the roads and logged the darn things. This means if he has not driven the hwy recently the KMs will be missing. If you find a road that is missing be sure to send him your .USR or GPX file and he will convert it to a map file for a future update. That is one of the ways he gets such a complete map database.
BTW, what he builds is a work in progress. That means buy off his web site and wait until u need the map.
The Garmin map file with Pmex and KMs is not yet done. He says coming soon.
I am in the states for the summer, but I will get the latest version before hitting the road south for the winter.
BajaF250 when you buy from Murdock direct do you get a link or an SD card?

FYI, For persons new to GPS:
GPS maps are not what we create when making trails or tracks. For Lowrance the files are .LCM files not .USR. Don't know the lingo for Garmin. The GPS knows where you are and does a lookup on the map on the SD card for the local map info. And the GPS is constantly updating local info in the background. Thus the memory is minimized for map data.
PW

[BajaF250]

Murdock is doing a great, but time consuming task. To get the location of the KMs he drove the roads and logged the darn things. This means if he has not driven the hwy recently the KMs will be missing. If you find a road that is missing be sure to send him your .USR or GPX file and he will convert it to a map file for a future update. That is one of the ways he gets such a complete map database.
BTW, what he builds is a work in progress. That means buy off his web site and wait until u need the map.
The Garmin map file with Pmex and KMs is not yet done. He says coming soon.
I am in the states for the summer, but I will get the latest version before hitting the road south for the winter.
BajaF250 when you buy from Murdock direct do you get a link or an SD card?

FYI, For persons new to GPS:
GPS maps are not what we create when making trails or tracks. For Lowrance the files are .LCM files not .USR. Don't know the lingo for Garmin. The GPS knows where you are and does a lookup on the map on the SD card for the local map info. And the GPS is constantly updating local info in the background. Thus the memory is minimized for map data.
PW

Thanks Paul... always good info...

I purchased and then downloaded... very, very easy. Then transfered the .lcm files to my SD card and voila... perfect. The lastest version has 37 .lcm files and in my old 540c, it takes a few seconds longer to load... I think my old PCI topos had 13 .lcm files... loaded much quicker... but it's not an issue... the new maps are awesome.

[PaulW]

Thanks Paul... always good info...

I purchased and then downloaded... very, very easy. Then transfered the .lcm files to my SD card and voila... perfect. The lastest version has 37 .lcm files and in my old 540c, it takes a few seconds longer to load... I think my old PCI topos had 13 .lcm files... loaded much quicker... but it's not an issue... the new maps are awesome.[/quote]
=====
Yes boot time with all the Murdock file is slightly longer even when no USR files are present.
Boot time on our older GPS units has even more to do with the number of USR file. When I am developing race stuff on my 7200 I use a clean card for USR to speed things up.
On my even older 1 card GPS I have a Murdock card with only 1 or 2 usr files. The card with Murdock and all my USR files takes forever to load. That means Ihave to plan ahead to have a functional GPS for the first few miles. I have had to wait for 20 minutes with a full card even on the 7200.

I have a Baja Murdock card, Old version, in my XOG with no USR files and the wait time is 2 miles. What a pain. The XOG has other bothersome issues. I am disapointed with touch screens, but they are all that way these days.