How to: Aerial map with topo lines

[jelf]

In case anyone finds it useful, here is how you can display topographic lines on top of an aerial.

The following link starts Gmap4 (I am the developer) and if you zoom in until the scale in the lower left says 500 ft then you will see topo lines on the Google aerial for anywhere in the U.S.

www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.640824,-83.571710&z=5&t=h,Topography_lines&rest=http://services.nationalmap.gov/ArcGIS/rest/services/USGSImageryTopoLarge/MapServer?name=Topography_lines&layers=34,35&transparent=true

To start zooming in to your area of interest, try Menu ==> Search to get close and then zoom/pan. To manually zoom, use your mouse wheel or the sliding control near the upper left corner of the map.

To turn the topo lines on/off, click the button in the upper right corner of the map then scroll down to the Overlay section and click "topography_lines".

The topo line data comes from a GIS (Geographical Information Service) server run by the feds. That GIS data displays the topo lines on top of any basemap.

The Gmap4 homepage has a FAQ, examples, quick start info (in the Help file) and more to quickly get you up to speed.

Gmap4 default map: www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php (does not include GIS topo line overlay)

Gmap4 homepage: www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy
Redmond, WA

[Deleted]

Looks like your link is cut off. It took me to an error page. Only half your link shows up "hot" (blue)

[36fan]

same thing for me, too.

[firstwd]

Second ever post in 6 months and again it is about gaining interest in a product he sells. You might get a response in another 6 months or so.

[Russ Koon]

Anyone else here use the GIS info from 39 degrees north? They have coverage for several counties in IN. Topo lines can be toggled on or off over their aerial views, too, and it's free viewing and downloading to your printer.

Only complaint I have with their site is their choice of coordinate measurement. It's in something called "state plane" and although it's displayed onscreen, there's apparently no way to convert it directly to measurements the rest of are familiar with, like DMS or decimal degrees.

Great to able to see contours, ownership, and aerials on one site, and print it if desired, though. Wish it covered all the state, but most of the territory I hunt is included.

[goosepondmonster]

My step-dad works for 39DN, so I could ask the guys if there is a conversion to the coordinates you use.

[chriskline]

I use it quite a bit. There's also a different one i use for Greene county, but can't remember the name

Sent from my DROID RAZR using proboards

[cougars48]

www.indianamap.org/ This site will give you topo and just about any other reference you might need. Just zoom to your Area of Interest and add the layers you want to look at.

[jelf]

I give up. If there is a way to subscribe to this thread it is well hidden.

Gmap4 is free for non-commercial use and is part of my way to 'pay it forward'. But if the admins don't want to me post here that's fine.

Now let's try this again. Here is the link that starts Gmap4 and if you zoom in until the scale says 500 ft then you will see topo lines on the aerial.

Dang - I previewed my post and the software running this forum is trashing the link.

www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.640824,-83.571710&z=5&t=h,Topography_lines&rest=http://services.nationalmap.gov/ArcGIS/rest/services/USGSImageryTopoLarge/MapServer?name=Topography_lines&layers=34,35&transparent=true

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

[Woody Williams]

Feb 3, 2014 21:52:55 GMT -5 jelf said:

I give up. If there is a way to subscribe to this thread it is well hidden.

Gmap4 is free for non-commercial use and is part of my way to 'pay it forward'. But if the admins don't want to me post here that's fine.

Now let's try this again. Here is the link that starts Gmap4 and if you zoom in until the scale says 500 ft then you will see topo lines on the aerial.

Dang - I previewed my post and the software running this forum is trashing the link.

www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.640824,-83.571710&z=5&t=h,Topography_lines&rest=http://services.nationalmap.gov/ArcGIS/rest/services/USGSImageryTopoLarge/MapServer?name=Topography_lines&layers=34,35&transparent=true

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

I would like to see what you have. But all I get is..

Error in the Gmap4 URL

1. Bad ll parameter for initial map center.
You asked to view the following map:

www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.640824

Example of correct North America format: ll=47.679056,-122.130911
Message #20.

Please correct the problem and then try again

I even tried to put it in Tinyurl and still got the error message..

I copied and pasted into my browser and still got the error message

[jelf]

Here is a bitly url:
bit.ly/1bpjkx8

Joseph

[Decatur]

Pretty Cool! Thanks

[freedomhunter]

39dn, wth, and beacon have most of the counties in Indiana gis info. Indianamap is the other resource without property lines. There is also a nationalmap. idk what anything different this offers but whatever

[Woody Williams]

Looks good!

Thanks!

[INhuntin]

Thanks, I can use that.

[moose1am]

Feb 3, 2014 0:15:44 GMT -5 Russ Koon said:

Anyone else here use the GIS info from 39 degrees north? They have coverage for several counties in IN. Topo lines can be toggled on or off over their aerial views, too, and it's free viewing and downloading to your printer.

Only complaint I have with their site is their choice of coordinate measurement. It's in something called "state plane" and although it's displayed onscreen, there's apparently no way to convert it directly to measurements the rest of are familiar with, like DMS or decimal degrees.

Great to able to see contours, ownership, and aerials on one site, and print it if desired, though. Wish it covered all the state, but most of the territory I hunt is included.

There is a way to convert the Indiana Plane map coordinates back to deg min sec but it's confusing and complicated. I had the same problem with some of the Corp of Engineers Maps of Patoka Lake. The IN plane map coordinates are much more precise and show a lot more detail than a USGS 7.5 Quadrangle Topo map.

I just wish that my Garmin GPS could display these map coordinates. You can setup a user map view on the Garmin but I'm not sure if that can be made to display the Indiana Plane Map system.

[Russ Koon]

I found the DMS display to be perfectly useful and as accurate as it needed to be to get me back to the treestand or the truck quite reliably using my GPS, without requiring me to also carry a laptop to interpret the locations.

I have done some further research and have found the conversion info on free sites where I can use the computer at home to convert the waypoints to state plane info in order to find them on the GIS site, and conversely convert the GIS info to point that I can then input into the GPS to find in the field.

I suspect that the whole process could be done in an eyeblink or less if the GIS info just had the DMS or DD locations displayed as an option, and I suspect that option would be welcomed by a great number of users, both recreational and professional.

[Russ Koon]

Another thought just occurred to me (slow day here, waiting for spring).

One of the user groups mentioned as customers of the GIS services are emergency personnel. I can see that, as in finding the Wilson place when dispatching fire trucks to put out the fire in Wilson's barn.

However, I hope if I'm ever laying on a creekbank in a deep holler with a freshly broken leg,and I manage to get reception to call for help, that the EMS operator doesn't need me to give my location using the meters of Easting and Northing on whatever zone I'm in, and whether it's in the Eastern Indiana or Western Indiana zone. Or wait while they look up the appropriate zone and the conversion equation to convert from my DMS location according to my GPS.

[freedomhunter]

Some of the newer delorme GPS units have sat communication via text might save your butt in a pinch

[jelf]

Feb 12, 2014 10:37:57 GMT -5 moose1am said:

I just wish that my Garmin GPS could display these map coordinates. You can setup a user map view on the Garmin but I'm not sure if that can be made to display the Indiana Plane Map system.

Yes, you most likely can setup a Garmin GPS via the "user grid" to display any state plane system you want. Years ago I did this with a Magellan Meridian GPS. You will need to know the parameters for the state plane zone you are interested in.

I googled: setup garmin state plane

Here is one hit with instructions:
www.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i=71126

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy