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Pocket Quads 2006 Software Highlights

  • Supports all 3 major topo map scales

    • 1:250,000

    • 1:100,000

    • 1:24,000 (7.5' USGS Quadrangles)

  • Automatically loads the right topo map, based on your current GPS position

  • Tap the screen to record a point or notation at that location

  • Navigate to the recorded point using movement-based, or north-based navigation arrow

  • Search State feature name databases and find the nearest Arch, Arroyo, Bridge, Geyser, Grave, Cemetery...then load the topo map that has the feature (includes one or more State GNIS databases.  GNIS stands for Geographic Names Information System.  GNIS databases are compiled by the USGS and are converted by Prosurv LLC for use in Pocket Quads)

  • Records waypoints in UTM or State Plane Coordinates (includes all NAD83 UTM and State Plane Coordinate Zones)

  • Zoom in/out from 39% to 400% or more

  • Switch between map scales, on the fly

  • Automatically loads the next higher scale map, if the lower scale isn't found

  • Supports virtually any NMEA compatible GPS receiver

  • Auto-discovers serial port and stores successful port and baud rate for instant connections the next time you fire up the GPS receiver (Start GPS)

  • Import/Export GPX Files

  • Import/Export/Enter Waypoints

  • GPS Recorder - record routes by time or distance

  • GPS Playback - playback recorded routes

Pocket Quads 2006 Software Function List

 

File

  • Load Quad Sheet

    • Individually load a topo map or other image by file name (normally not used, since maps are loaded automatically, based on your current GPS position)

  • Features

    • Find a Feature Name - Searches the currently loaded State's GNIS (USGS Geographic Names Information System) Database (included) for the entered feature name, such as 'Lost Mine'.  All matching names are shown, allowing you to select the feature you want.  You can then load the topo map containing the feature (which is displayed automatically), and you can select the scale map you want to view (24,000 if it's a State version, 100,000, or 250,000)

    • Radial Feature Search - Search for the closest cemetery, bridge, falls, or other feature type within x miles of your current location or a tapped screen location etc...

    • Import New Features - Allows you to add your own features, such as monuments or benchmarks, from a text file to the GNIS database so you can search for them too

  • New File

    • Create a new job file that will store all of your waypoints, routes, and job-related data (such as your job zone)

  • Open File

    • Open an existing job file

  • Import

    • Points file (.asc file) - This is a common type of file format for 'points' or waypoints.  The file is a simple text file, but has the extension .asc instead of .txt.  The file is comma delimited and the format is: Point #,Northing,Easting,Elevation,Description

    • GPX file (.gpx) - A popular XML-based GPS data file containing waypoints and routes that Pocket Quads can read

  • Plot Imported Points - A checkmark indicates that imported points will be plotted on the topo map (if they happen to fall on that map, coordinate-wise)

  • Export

    • All Data - Exports all of the recorded data as an easy-to-read text file with the extension .csv (comma separated values) which can be easily opened in Excel

    • For All Topo Maps - Exports points for importing into 'All Topo Maps' PC software

    • GPX File - Creates a .gpx file (a popular XML-based GPS data file) that contains your waypoints and recorded routes

  • About Pocket Quads - Shows you the currently loaded version and copyright information

  • Exit - Exits the program completely

Edit

  • Enter Point

    • Allows you to enter points (waypoints) as lat/long or coordinates (northings/eastings)

    • If entering lat/long, an easy to use DMS (degrees/minutes/seconds) entry screen pops up

    • Or, you can enter Decimal Degrees

    • You can enter a point name, elevation, and feature code (description) for each point, and select the layer for the point

    • Pocket Quads lets the user select a different job 'zone' (different than the image zone) if they want.  So, even though the image is in UTM zone 12, you can record and use coordinates as 'Wyoming West Central NAD83'

  • Settings

    • The Image Zone is automatically set when the correct topo map (image) is loaded

    • You can select a 'Job Zone' that's different than the image zone.  For example, the Image zone might be UTM 12, but you can set the job so that it records points as Wyoming West Central coordinates instead.  By default, Pocket Quads will set the Job Zone = Image Zone.  Albers coordinate projections are also supported (this is for advanced users).

    • The ULC (upper left corner) coordinates for the current image are shown in this screen

    • Set the 'Tap Radius'

    • Select Meters, US Foot, or International Foot for your units and coordinates

    • Set Sound on/off

    • Set 'Auto Quad Loading' - Turn this off if you want to load your own topo map or other digital image that you created

    • 'Stop if Quad Not Found' - Automatically turns off the GPS communication if this is checked and the correct Quad is not found

    • Record GPS Data to Log File - Records the GPS data to a special log file (not normally used)

    • Auto Save Off button - You can save a waypoint instantly simply by hitting the 'Enter' button on your Pocket PC.  Use this toggle button to turn this feature off

  • Line Settings

    • Change the width of lines that you draw on the screen

    • Change the line color

    • Edit Breadcrumb trail color and size and turn breadcrumbs on/off

    • Set the layer for recording lines

  • Layers

    • Turn individual layers on/off (layers go from 0 to 9)

    • Set the 'Import points' layer

  • View Data

    • Page through recorded data, point by point

    • Go to first, next, previous, and last point

    • View detailed information about each recorded point, including:

      • Northing (GPS)

      • Easting (GPS)

      • Latitude

      • Longitude

      • Elevation

      • Point Name

      • Waypoint #

      • Quad sheet (name)

      • Northing (tap)

      • Easting (tap)

  • Tap View

    • Tap a point on the screen to view it's data

  • Tap Distance

    • Tap any two screen locations and see the distance between those points

    • Searches for existing points that are close to your screen tap and then 'Inverses' (finds the bearing and distance) between the points.  In other words, you can find the distance between 2 known waypoints, just by tapping them

  • Tap Data

    • With this function turned on, just tap the screen and the latitude, longitude, northing, and easting of the tapped location will be displayed

  • 1:24,000 Scale

    • Tapping the 1:24,000 scale menu selection will make Pocket Quads look for the 7.5' USGS Quadrangle topo map for your current GPS location (1:24,000 scale map).  If found, the correct map is loaded, re-centered, and displayed.  If not found, the 'grid' will turn blue, and Pocket Quads will automatically look for the 1:100,000 scale map.

  • 1:100,000 Scale

    • Tapping the 1:100,000 scale menu selection will make Pocket Quads look for the 1:100,000 scale map.  If found, the correct map is loaded, re-centered, and displayed.  If not found, the 'grid' will turn blue, and Pocket Quads will automatically look for the 1:250,000 scale map.

  • 1:250,000 Scale

    • Tapping the 1:250,000 scale menu selection will make Pocket Quads look for the 1:250,000 scale map.  If found, the correct map is loaded, re-centered, and displayed.  If not found, the 'grid' will turn blue, and Pocket Quads will automatically look for the 1:24,000 scale map (effectively starting over again)

  • Zoom

    • With Pocket Quads, you can zoom in and out in real-time!  You can zoom using one of the pre-defined zoom amounts, or enter your own zoom amount in the 'User' zoom selection.  There is a limit for the 'Lowest Zoom' which is different for each Mobile Device and topo map that's loaded by Pocket Quads.  Factors such as VGA or non-VGA devices, and the size of the map, will determine the lowest zoom.  Normally, the lowest zoom is between 39% and 75%.  Pre-defined zoom amounts include 50%, 75%, 100%, 150%, 200%, and 300%

GPS

  • Start GPS/Stop GPS - Automatically starts up the GPS receiver that's connected through your real or virtual com port, based on the last settings that were stored by Pocket Quads.  Pocket Quads automatically stores the settings of your last successful GPS communication attempt - making it one of the fastest GPS startup routines in the industry!

  • GPS Data - This screen shows lots of useful GPS information in real-time.  Plus, it lets you manually set the communication parameters, such as Baud Rate and Com Port #.  But of course, you don't have to manually set the communication parameters, since Pocket Quads has built in 'Auto Communication' capability.  Simply check the 'Auto Communication' box, and Pocket Quads will attempt to find the GPS receiver on it's own, whether connected through a physical comm port, Bluetooth, or CF Card!

    • Displays the following GPS information, in real time:

      • Job Zone coordinates

      • Image Zone coordinates

      • Image Zone's Latitude/Longitude

      • Elevation

      • Speed (in Km/hr or MPH)

      • Current Heading

      • Checksum status (good / bad checksums) - this lets you know if you're having communication problems

      • Big View button - Displays your Lat/Long, Coordinates, and Elevation in a very large font!

      • Satellites - A nice graphical view of your Satellites

    • Start/Stop the GPS receiver from this screen

  • GPS Satellites - A nice graphical view of your current satellite configuration (overhead)

  • GPS Recorder - A powerful route recording function that lets you record GPS points (coordinates) that you can later Export or Playback using the GPS Playback routine.  The GPS Recorder lets you record by time or distance intervals, such as every 2 seconds, or every 25 feet.  You can enter text that will be saved with each point, and you can enter a Route # and Route Name, which is used by the GPX Export routine.  Plus, you can select a route (by Route Name) from a drop-down list in the GPS Playback screen.

  • GPS Playback - Playback your recorded routes!

    • Operates very much like a VCR

    • Stop, Play, and Hide buttons that let you control the playback

    • Watch the breadcrumbs as you replay where you've been!

    • Use the Slider control to go to a certain time during your recorded route

    • See the date and time during playback

    • Select individual recorded routes!

    • Even play them back in reverse!

  • GPS Data Test - Test out maps without actually being there.  Reads a simple text file of latitudes,longitudes and displays the positions on the maps in real time, just as if a GPS receiver was being used

  • Utilities

    • Convert between latitude, longitude and State Plane or UTM Coordinates

    • Clear the Job Registry (clears the Device's memory of your last used job file name)

    • Load Defaults.txt (reloads the defaults.txt file)

    • Set Quad Path - set the path to the location of your topo maps.  The default map location is \SD Card\Quads\

  • MidPoint - Create a waypoint midway between two tapped locations, or midway between two known points (waypoints)

  • View Lat/Long Toggle - View the current Latitude and Longitude supplied by the GPS receiver

  • View SPC/UTM Toggle - View the current State Plane or UTM Coordinates computed by Pocket Quads, based on the current Latitude and Longitude provided by the GPS receiver.  The coordinates shown will be based on your current Job Zone.  If the lat/long and SPC/UTM toggles are both OFF, then you'll see a little bit more map on the screen.

Other Functions

  • Pan/Create Line/Create Point Toggle Button - When On, allows you to pan around the current map view by dragging the screen or by using the 4 directional arrow buttons (physical buttons) on the Device.  When Off, you can simply tap the screen to create a waypoint at the tapped location.  You can set the colors (of the point and text), font, size and even select from your own pre-defined list of waypoint identifiers (such as CAMP SITE)!  Then tap OK to see the point displayed on the map!  Pocket Quads automatically re-plots this point whenever the same map is shown, based on the job file that you're using.  You can Navigate to the tapped location, or to the GPS position that was recorded when you tapped the screen.  If the Line/Text button has been toggled off, then tapping the screen (two or more times) results in a line being drawn instead of a waypoint being created.

  • Topo Map Grid Button - Toggle the viewing of the Topo Map grid on/off.  When On, you can go to a different location of the topo map simply by tapping on the desired grid square.

  • GPS Centering On/Off Toggle Button - When On, automatically loads the correct topo map, in the current chosen map scale, and displays your GPS location on the topo map.  When Off, no automatic map loading or centering takes place, allowing you to pan (move) around the current map and create waypoints and lines.  It's recommended to turn off the GPS centering whenever you want to tap the screen to create points, view points, tap distances, etc...

  • Text / Line Creation Toggle Button - When On, allows you to easily create waypoints by simply tapping the screen.  When Off, you'll be creating lines, instead.

  • Navigate Button - Tap once to view the Navigation setup screen.  From there you can enter a waypoint name to navigate to.  You can also select a point (to navigate to) by tapping it on the screen.  Then just tap GO to view a large Blue Arrow that will guide you to the point!  You can view the Navigation information in several different ways:

    • Azimuth and Distance to the point

    • Bearing and Distance to the point

    • "Go" 1000' North / 800' West

    • Arrow can be "North" based, so that if the Arrow is pointing "UP", then the point is North of your current location

    • Or, the Arrow can be "Movement" based, so if you're moving directly towards the point, then the Arrow is pointed straight ahead (UP).  But, if you're moving AWAY from the point, then the Arrow is pointed straight down (you need to turn around)!