Tue Nov 5 20:36:30 1996 - Message No. 152
From: Jorn Ronnow

Subject: Re: GPS on an @


I sent this (also) to Adi instead of the mailing list (again). This could be
of general interest, so here we go again:

At 11:40 96-11-05 +0100, Adrian wrote:
>At 21:54 04.11.96 +0100, you wrote:
>
>>What kind of maps do you use in Europe for GPS navigation on land? 
>AFAIK there are UTM Maps of all european countries available...
>
>BTW do you know, whether there is any map cd rom software of europe, that
>can be linked to NMEA data from gps ?

I know that there are some systems of varying quality in Germany. I saw them
on the CeBIT fair in Hannover last year. In Sweden, the Surveying Institute
has just released the green and blue maps on a series of CD-ROMs (bitmap
maps, not vector), but they don't have an NMEA link. I intend to crack their
map formats and make a link of my own! The maps cost a fortune. The red map
is to be released in the beginning of -97 and will fit into one CD-ROM. It's
going to cost SEK 2000 (DEM 450), so it's only for those who have a very
keen interest in exploring the nice gravel/dust roads in Sweden. Still, it's
the most economical alternative. (Green maps: 20 CD:s, SEK 2000 each, Blue
maps: 8 CD:s, SEK 2000 each!!)

I've heard that there are UK maps too, and that there is a court case going
on about the price: The Surveying Institutes are tax financed, national
resources. Thus, their data should be in the public domain and they should
be allowed to over charge for it. A similar case was won in the US, so GPS
navigation in trucks is getting implemented over there. I hope someone (the
truck transport organisations?) starts a case in Sweden too, maps are very
expensive here!

Keep sliding
-Jorn



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