[russo at bogodyn.org: Re: [Xastir] TOPOS with Xastir]

[Tom Russo]

On Wed, Nov 14, 2007 at 11:35:55AM -0700, we recorded a bogon-computron collision of the <russo at bogodyn.org> flavor, containing:
> 
> I just committed to README.MAPS a pointer to www.geocomm.com, where you can
> buy an entire state [of USGS quads] for $99.95 on DVD (plus shipping).  I orderd New Mexico
> (even though I can download it for free) just to see what the disk is like,
> but according to what the site says they're USGS DRGs with metadata, and 
> USGS points to that site as a data partner.  I'll report back when it shows
> up.

My GeoCommunity disks arrived today (yes, two days after ordering).  The order
comprises two DVDs of zipped maps.  Over 1800 24K scale quad maps of my state 
including all the bordering quads.  And 100K and 250K scale for the same
area.  In addition to DVD media, they'll sell the data on CD or (get this) 
hard drive, but those cost more.

All the zip files include the .fgd, .tfw, and .tif files needed to use these
maps in Xastir and other GIS systems, and the tiff files are unmodified
USGS GeoTIFF files with correct georeferencing tags.  Just unzip the lot into 
a directory that Xastir knows how to find, and you have your entire state in 
seamless topo maps.  You might have to set your min/max zoom levels 
judiciously to optimize rendering.  On my systems, I use 59 max/0min for 24K 
topos, 100max/60 min for 100K topos, and 200max/101min for 250K topos.

For $99.95 plus shipping ($105.95 total), this is an incredible bargain, and 
I wholeheartedly recommend it.  I purchased the collared data because I know
that this is how USGS produces them --- they sell collarless, but these have
been processed somehow and I don't trust anyone to reprocess USGS data. Xastir
can strip the collars (because of the presence of the .fgd metadata file that 
xastir will read to figure out where the collar is in the image).  Since the
collars contain useful information that might help when viewing them in
other programs, I chose to stick with that.  Your milage may vary.

GeoCommunity has offered these data bundles for years, but when I first 
registered with their site several years ago (to get the 24kgrid shapefile) it 
gave me no end of trouble logging in and I dismissed it as unusable.  Whatever 
problem there was it was either fixed or firefox no longer has trouble dealing 
with it.

If you can't find free topo maps of your state to use in Xastir for SAR work, 
try www.geocomm.com.

-- 
Tom Russo    KM5VY   SAR502   DM64ux          http://www.swcp.com/~russo/
Tijeras, NM  QRPL#1592 K2#398  SOC#236 AHTB#1 http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?DDTNM
"And, isn't sanity really just a one-trick pony anyway? I mean all you get is
 one trick, rational thinking, but when you're good and crazy, oooh, oooh,
 oooh, the sky is the limit!"  --- The Tick