Looking for input on MM software, like Fugarwe, OziExplorer, etc...
What do you use, and why.
I've been using my Garmin 38 hooked to the serial port, but I just got a GPS 'bug' that uses the USB port and I'm looking for input on software.

 

It probably depends on what you plan to use it for. If you want to use it for running around in the backcountry hills I couldn't really say. However, if the plan is to use it primarily for getting around on paved roads then Microsoft Streets & Trips is a pretty good choice. I picked up the 2005 edition at Costco for about US$35 and got a $20 rebate. For that price it is a really decent package. It shows many obscure county roads (usually dirt fire access roads) around my neighborood. Since you appear to be in southern Ontario it should work pretty well. It isn't a "wild country" or topo navigation package but for the price it is a good start and you can use it to create a GPS track that will show where yo've been even when there wasn't necessarily a road.

 

a little bit more expensive, but iGuidance is really good. has all the stuff microsoft streets & trips does in addition to voice prompting.

http://www.inavcorp.com/products/iguidance2.html

just be sure your GPS unit is NMEA compatible

 

I'm running Oziexplorer on my laptop for about 2-3 months. It is wired to a fold-down 14" monitor (flat panel LCD) with the Earthmate antenna. The Laptop stows in a drawer built into my storage shelf in the Ex part of my Taco.

I mainly do back country desert exploring so I like the detail the USGS 7.5 minute maps give me. The 100k are also useful, so I have both the 24k and 100k USGS maps for Cailf. loaded on my trucks laptop.

I had been using Delorme Topo for the last year (or so) and it worked good. Since it and most other maps are based on the 100k USGS maps, some details are missing. Plus the Delorme tracking data stream is harded to control the amount of track data, so each track used more hard drive space than I wanted. This isn't a big deal for most users, but my over-all plan it the have a complete history file on-demand in my truck, I want to keep track data at a minimum. The Delorme Topo 4 and 5 are powerfull programs and did many things I never used (ie 3-D), etc, but didn't do things I wanted (ie show past trip tracks) without using tons of memory.

I'm still learning more about Ozi evertime I use it, so I'm still a real moving map newbie.

Now that there is software to stitch all the maps together, the whole Ozi set-up works seamlessly, and pulls the next needed map from the hard drive. I find this a big improvement over the old way of pre-loading the needed maps BEFORE the GPS needs them.

I don't know much about all the software "workings" for this set-up, so I'm not alot of help. I'm OK at the hardware part.

This answer your 'why' question?

 

OK, so I've been playing with some software and decided what I need is some moving map prog. AND visual readouts via analouge gauges. Check my avatar for the results. When I learn how to post pics I'll pop it here.
Gauges for speed, altitude, vertical speed, . Compass on top, Horizon indicator in the center, live video on top and moving map in the right corner.

Problem is, this is two different programs, running together. What I need is something that will do the same, in one program. Anyone know of something that will do this??

 

bump bump. I'm interested as well.