GPS for Dummies.pdf - Engineering Surveyor

Chapter 14: From the Air with USAPhotoMaps241TopoFusionScott and Alan Morris, brothers and computer science graduate students,weren’t satisfied with the various Windows mapping programs on the market,so they wrote their own. Both are avid mountain bikers, GPS users, andoutdoor recreationists; the features in their program reflect this. Some ofTopoFusion’s features include Optimized graphics routines for fast map display Terrain profiles of GPS tracks Multiple track file support for constructing trail networks Map digital photo support by determining the location where a photowas taken by correlating the photo time-stamps with those of the trackpoints Trip playback mode that replays your travel route and provides statistics Combining aerial photos with topographic maps for composite imagesThe Morris brothers are constantly adding new and useful features to theprogram and have an online support forum. If you’re using a GPS receiver aspart of a trail-mapping project or you are a serious outdoor enthusiast, theadvanced features of TopoFusion should put it high on your list.To download a free demo version of TopoFusion and get more informationabout the program, go to www.topofusion.com. (See the demo version inFigure 14-8.)ExpertGPSTopoGrafix is a software company that produces GPS and mapping programs.ExpertGPS is an extensive waypoint, route, and track management systemwith mapping capabilities grafted on top of it. (See Figure 14-9 for ExpertGPSdisplaying a waypoint list and overlaying waypoints and routes on an aerialphoto.)ExpertGPS has a large number of features. In fact, at first glance, the extensivefeatures and user interface can be a little intimidating. However, if you’re a GPSpower user with a large collection of waypoints and route data, it’s definitelyworth spending some time working with the program to see whether it meetsyour needs.