Mobile Digital Maps
Rob Savoye (LT-53) The Platform
● Any Android or IOS device ● generic Google account for backups
The purpose:
● Make custom data available to new members ● Supplement the map books ● Directions to call locations ● More road & trail data than available on existing paper maps ● Assist decision making for backcountry rescues or fires
Our Data
Custom data important to us as fire fighters
● Water sources for fire fighting ● Landing Zones for medical evacuations ● Obscure 4x4 roads for wildland fire or rescue access ● Community biking and hiking Trails not on existing maps ● Every building address in the county ● Every building footprint in the county, including out buildings
Sources of Data
● Crowd sourced, OpenStreetMap ● Traced from satellite imagery ● Imported from Gilpin and Boulder County GIS ● Imported from State GIS ● Imported from the Forest Service
Default Screen Android
Default Screen IOS
Default Screen
MapBooks ● Current mapbooks for Gilpin and Boulder County ● Campgrounds ● Copies of paper campground maps
● Misc ● Timberline SOGs ● Timberline Radio Frequencies ● Timberline Roster ● IRPG ● Other useful files ● Copies of the large PDF maps at our stations
Other Apps ● ERG 2016 ● MSDS ● CO Wildland Fires ● RH Calc
Using Google Maps
● Supports offline maps, but must be updated every 30 days. ● - It’d be nice if this could be part of monthly station maintenance ● Offline Directions Some of our custom data ● - Under My Places->Maps ● - Enable/disable data subsets ● - Can only handle a limited amount of custom data ● Searching for a location with a know address or location
For directions in Gilpin County, Google Maps is often based in older data for this rural area, and not all street names match what is in the CAD message. This has been corrected in the other mapping apps.
Main Menu Android
Main Menu IOS
Offline Maps Android
Offline Maps IOS
Get Directions
Google Maps Howto
Update Maps
● Click on menu, upper left, 3 horizontal bars ● Click on Offline Maps ● Click on the menu of 3 little dots or the map name ● Select Update or click on Update
Get Directions
● Usually the search box is obvious in the upper left ● Previously used addresses will be available ● Type in what you have from the CAD email ● Or hit the replay button on your pager ● Click on Directions
OsmAnd
OsmAnd is an Android and IOS application for displaying map data that works offline. It’s focused on road navigation. The data doesn’t expire, only updated with improvements.
● Road directions with audio output ● Our custom data is already included ● Can search for a location in the data ● Has street names that match what Gilpin Dispatch uses ● Has alternate names for streets as well ● Has forest service designations as well as street names
OsmAnd Default Screen Android
OsmAnd Default Screen IOS
Main Menu Android
Main Menu IOS
Downloaded Maps Android
Downloaded Maps IOS
Configure Map Menu
Map Source Menu
Map Source IOS
Underlay Map Menu
Underlay Map Sources
Directions Menu
Directions Menu IOS
Driving Directions
Default Search Screen
Category Search
Address Search
Search Results
OsmAnd Howto Change data file
● Click on lower left menu, three horizontal bars, or the world icon on the upper left ● Click on Configure Map ● Click on Map Source ● Select Offline vector maps ● Tap the screen to get back to the menu, tap again to get to the screen
Change underlay map
● Click on lower left menu, three horizontal bars, or the world icon on the upper left ● Click on Configure map ● Click on Underlaying map ● Click on Underlay map ● Select SatImagery, OpenTopoMap, OfflineTiles
Note: Tapping the main screen will back you through the menus to get back to just the map.
OsmAnd Howto Search Everything ● Click on lower left menu, three horizontal bars, or the magnifying glass on the upper left ● Click on Search ● Typing in the box searches all the data ● Previous searches will be displayed
Search Categories ● Click on lower left menu, three horizontal bars, or the magnifying glass on the upper left ● Click on Search ● Click on Categories ● Click on the category
Search Address ● Click on lower left menu, three horizontal bars, or the magnifying glass on the upper left ● Click on Search ● Click on Address ● Click on Select City, type in city name ● Click on the road name ● Click on the address
OsmAnd Howto
Get Directions ● Touch and hold your finger on the screen, or ● Click on the right pointing arrow on the lower left ● That routes from where you are to the location you touched ● It’ll say how far, and a rough time estimate ● Click on Go ● It’ll speak directions and display turns ● There is a right point arrow icon on the lower left, that opens the directions ● There you can type in an address and route there
Set Waypoint ● Touch the screen where you want it
Turn off navigation ● Tap the screen ● Click on the arrow ● Click on the X to turn off
Avenza
Avenza is commonly used by fire departments, and uses a PDF format that has GPS coordinates encoded in it. It runs on IOS and Android. While the Avenza app is free for recreational use, they require a contact ($129/yr) to use for fire purposes, unless you have a department account.
It supports:
● Multiple basemaps, topographic and satellite imagery ● Our custom data ● Can add a waypoint ● Can target a waypoint ● Importing data files ● Enable/disable data subsets ● Can search for a location
Avenza Map View
Avenza MyMaps
Avenza
Avenza Edit Layer
Alpine Quest
Alpine Quest is an Android only app that functions more like a traditional GPS than a navigation app like OsmAnd or Google Maps.
● Get current GPS coordinates ● Multiple basemaps, topographic and satellite imagery ● Our custom data ● Can add a waypoint ● Can target a waypoint ● Importing data files ● Enable/disable data subsets ● Can search for a location
Alpine Quest Default Screen
Change Basemaps
Changing Basemaps
Landmarks
Loading Data Files
Display Landmarks
Landmark Data Sets
Search
GPS Menu
Expanded GPS Menu
Water Source Icon
Create Landmark Menu
Create Waypoint
Edit GPS Coordinates
Icon Info Display
Landmark Menu
Alpine Quest Howto
Change basemap ● Click on the map icon ● Click on Available maps ● Select Sat imagery, Terrain maps, or Topo maps of our district
Import Data file ● Click on the flag icon ● Click on Explore landmarks ● Click on the file, usually TLFPD.kmz or another district
Display data ● Click on Displayed landmarks ● Click on the fire department ● Click on the category ● Click on the X in the upper right to get rid of the list ● Clicking the back button works too
Enable/Disable data ● Click the toggle on the right side of the menu item
Alpine Quest Howto Search
● Click on the flag icon ● Click on Search a Location ● Type in location, click on Search button ● It’ll get added to the Display landmarks menu ● Or, click through the folders under Display landmark. ● Or touch an icon and click on Target ● It’ll get added to the Display landmarks menu, and draw a line from your current position to the selected icon
Set a location
● Click on the flag icon ● Click on Create landmark ● Click on Waypoint ● Type in a name, click OK for current location. ● Clicking More, let you change the icon or color. ● Clicking the little triangle on the right side of the coordinates line, lets you enter coordinates for someplace other than your current location.
Alpine Quest Howto
What are your coordinates
● Top left of the screen, they’re always displayed
Misc stuff
● Using the + and – keys to zoom seems to work better than fingers ● To get the tablet control buttons back, swish up from the bottom of the screen
GPS Essentials
A simple program for accessing GPS functions. We don’t use most of it’s functionality but the GPS device support can be very useful for a few things other apps can’t do.
We only use these two functions
● Dashboard ● Compass
GPS Essentials
Compass
GPS Essentials Howto
Using the Dashboard or compass icons
● Get current GPS coordinates ● Get current altitude ● Get current sunset or sunrise times ● Get amount of time till sunset or sunrise
How to change the display
● Tap an empty box ● Tap the data you want displayed in that box ● Remove data by touching and holding the box, slide it to the trash icon on the lower right
PDF Files
● Most not are geo-referenced ● SOGs ● Campground Maps ● City Maps ● Mapbook copies ● Big county maps
Reference Stuff
http://www.senecass.com/projects/Mapping/TabletClass.pdf
Personal Devices https://www.senecass.com/projects/Mapping https://www.senecass.com/Colorado/FireDepts
- All the data is in KML/KMZ files - Portable to any mapping software - Works in Google Maps and Google Earth - Android Support - Avenza - GaiaGPS - AlpineQuest - OsmAnd - GPS Essentials - Maps.ME
- IOS Support - Avenza - GaiaGPS - OsmAnd - MapFactor