Question regarding HN5i OziExplorer "4WD" Maps

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

Noob question here so bear with me

Playing with the new HN5I the minister got me for xmas, and im tryign to get my head around how it works. GPSOZ was nice enough to throw in a set of 1:25,000 NSW Topo maps, that are in Memory-Map format. However when i go into the 4WD section, it uses OziExplorer for the maps.

I tried to use Newnes SF as i region in vaugely familiar with, however when i try and scale in (the scale is very wide as i can see Katoomba, Lithgow, Richmond, etc), it says "No maps available", i tried getting the new Memory-maps in Topo to load, but realised they are different to the OziExplorer mapping.

Is it just that the Newnes area is not covered in much detail (any!) or am i doing something very wrong. I am new to GPS Maps and trying to get my head around it, and my understanding was the 4WD section of the HN5i was meant to provide maps and tracks of popular offroading locations. Admitetly i have not tried looking into other areas in much detail yet, so maybe its just this area.

Any feedback here would be appreciated, thx!!!

[electron Member Find all posts View Profile Close electron]

Ryzz

I have had a HN5i for 6 months now. Mine does not have any 1:25,0000 maps loaded. I just go into the 4WD section and when logged on, just select then scale, which brings up state maps, hema special maps or 1:250,000 tropo maps. Is this what you mean or are you trying to load the 25,000 maps? I was not aware that it provided maps of popular locations unless they mean the hema special maps.
Ron

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

Hey Ron, when you launch the 4wd program on the hn5i, which loads oziexplorerce, I THOUGHT you were meant to be able to get sufficient detail to see 4wd tracks/trails/etc, however in this mode the lowest scale is 20 km @ 100% zoom, which doesn't provide any detail of tracks, etc making this mode useless. Your welcome too check yourself and see if you can get more zoom/scale, the coordinates are 33 20'03.9"S 149 56'19.6"E . This is approx Sunny Corner SF, but the scale/detail isn't sufficient to view any tracks.

Hope this helps you understand what I'm trying to do. :-)

[Rainman Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rainman]

It sounds a bit like you are getting confused between raster and vector mapping. The raster maps used in Oziexplorer are just reproductions of an existing paper map so what you see is what you get, but vector mapping used in most street navigation systems (IGO) allows you to zoom in and out which alters the level of detail you see - the more you zoom in the more detail you see.

I thought the newest HN5i also included Memory Map as a separate application?

Of course I could be completely misunderstanding your post

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

It sounds a bit like you are getting confused between raster and vector mapping. The raster maps used in Oziexplorer are just reproductions of an existing paper map so what you see is what you get, but vector mapping used in most street navigation systems (IGO) allows you to zoom in and out which alters the level of detail you see - the more you zoom in the more detail you see.

I thought the newest HN5i also included Memory Map as a separate application?

Of course I could be completely misunderstanding your post

Thanks for the Reply, whilst I think your on the same page as me, i find the "you cant zoom" idea hard to get past. What is the point of the OziExplorerCE Product/Maps on the HN5I as a 4WD GPS if you cant get a high enough level of detail to see anything. Any 4WD track is going to be a centimetre in size. Also if zooming is not possible, why would a scale +/- as well as a zoom +/- be an option.

I still honestly believe im missing something very obvious, otherwise there would be no reason to include the Ozi product on the HEMA because at the current range it doesnt offer anything of use. I think ill drop an email to Hema support and keep on googling in the mean time, im sure i cant be the first person with a HN5i that is having trouble reading it!!

Thx for your feedback

P.s: Re Memory-Map, MM is there as a Topo map only, maybe i need to be learning how to use this instead?? Not sure how good MM will be and showing tracks, bread crumbing, etc?

[Rainman Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rainman]

Over use of the zoom function in Oziexplorer ultimately results in the image just becoming more pixilated but it can be useful at times when there is a lot of detail crammed into a small area.

If you think of Oziexplorer as simply a means to view a paper map electronically you will start to understand its advantages and disadvantages. The vector mapping used in the IGO street navigation of the HN5i probably wont show the small dirt tracks found out in the more isolated parts of the country while there is a better chance that if you are using the Geoscience 1:250,000 maps in Oziexplorer these tracks will be visible.

Its a bit like using a UBD/street directory around town and then using a map when travelling out in the country. The lower the scale with a paper map eg 1:25000 the more detail will be shown - the same concept applies in Ozi.

Oziexplorer can be a bit of a steep learning curve, but once you get a gist of the basics its generally worth the effort.

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

Hi Ryzz

I use Memory Map mostly and I have found it good for breadcrumb trails, they are only as good as the maps, in Qld there are some State Govt maps available that are 1:25000 with a lot of detail, its just a metter of looking around for them.

See ya on the tracks, Richo.

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Hey Guys.....

I was down at Johnny Appleseed the other day to get my GPS looked at and it gave me a chance to have a look at the new Garmin Montana and then the Hema one.... I've only had experience with Garmin GPS's and like their maps for clarity, etc, especially when u zoom in. I had a play with the Hema HN5i and tried looking up the place we had been the 4wdriving the day b4 (Bellthorpe). I'm not sure whether I was doing something wrong or there was some different maps to look at (according to the dealer I was looking at the correct maps), but what I saw I did not like. The maps look like your paper ones just scanned in and when u zoom in beyond the 100% mark things look very fuzzy/blurred and it didn't show the names of any of the roads either. I had heard so much about the Hema and was looking forward to checking it out, but instead came away knowing that I would not be happy with it (that is if I was using it correctly) and now looking at saving up for the Garmin Montana as I reckon this would be more suitable for my needs.....

The Hema mapping system.... is there a better mapping system that u can use on it with Ozi-explorer + when u switch between Ozi & I think it's called Igo, do u loose your track logging Info? The unit is a good size and everything but just didn't like the way it displays its maps..... I gather this is just a Ozi-explorer thing though? (I've never used Ozi-X b4)

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

When you change between programs on the Hema the program you have been using stops logging.

The maps for Bellthorpe that are on the Hema are average at best. You can get the Sunmap 1:25000 that have those tracks but again they lose detail as they are scanned.

When we were doing the 2011 GTG Recces I tried to get copies of the State Forestry maps but they aren't for sale to the public unfortunately.

As I said any GPS is only as good as the maps.

See ya on the tracks, Richo.


Sent from Richos iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

Hey Guys.....

I was down at Johnny Appleseed the other day to get my GPS looked at and it gave me a chance to have a look at the new Garmin Montana and then the Hema one.... I've only had experience with Garmin GPS's and like their maps for clarity, etc, especially when u zoom in. I had a play with the Hema HN5i and tried looking up the place we had been the 4wdriving the day b4 (Bellthorpe). I'm not sure whether I was doing something wrong or there was some different maps to look at (according to the dealer I was looking at the correct maps), but what I saw I did not like. The maps look like your paper ones just scanned in and when u zoom in beyond the 100% mark things look very fuzzy/blurred and it didn't show the names of any of the roads either. I had heard so much about the Hema and was looking forward to checking it out, but instead came away knowing that I would not be happy with it (that is if I was using it correctly) and now looking at saving up for the Garmin Montana as I reckon this would be more suitable for my needs.....

The Hema mapping system.... is there a better mapping system that u can use on it with Ozi-explorer + when u switch between Ozi & I think it's called Igo, do u loose your track logging Info? The unit is a good size and everything but just didn't like the way it displays its maps..... I gather this is just a Ozi-explorer thing though? (I've never used Ozi-X b4)

Rob, were you in the 4wd mode using Ozi, if so your experiencing exactly what I have been questioning. It seems strange that you can't zoom in enough to get achy amount of detail. Its left me extremely disappointed on the unit. The 1:25000 topo memory maps are great, but the ozi are pathetic

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Yep, it was "I think" in 4wd mode.... I've since found out a bit more about the maps as the Hema ones appear to be just the paper ones scanned / scaled where as the Garmin ones are apparently vector maps which are made in a different way which caters for the zooming in/out ability, etc.
One other thing I found out is u lose all your recorded tracklog history when u switch between Ozi 4WD mode and the street system.... This function would annoy me as well.... I think I will stick with Garmin

Rob, were you in the 4wd mode using Ozi, if so your experiencing exactly what I have been questioning. It seems strange that you can't zoom in enough to get achy amount of detail. Its left me extremely disappointed on the unit. The 1:25000 topo memory maps are great, but the ozi are pathetic

[Rainman Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rainman]

Its left me extremely disappointed on the unit. The 1:25000 topo memory maps are great, but the ozi are pathetic

Ozi doesnt come with any detailed maps, its merely a program that allows you to "read" an electronic version of a paper map. As Richoson said, its only going to be as good as the maps installed. You have to supply your own maps with Ozi, the starting set generally being the Geoscience Australia 1:250,000.

The quest with most Ozi users then becomes finding a more detailed set of maps. I have a set of old CALM maps for the south west of WA that are much more detailed than the GA 1:250,000 set. But the 1:250,000 map set really comes into its own when you get right out in the sticks - the closer to civilisation the less useful they are - generally.

I guess its horses for courses, Ozi gives me everything I want, but if you dont find it meets your expectations there are other options available. I dont have the HN5i, I have a cheaper gps that has Ozi installed. The HN5i gets a lot of criticism for being overpriced, but I think Hema have dropped the price considerably since it was first released.