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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Jennifer

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Everything posted by Jennifer

  1. I just spoke with the reference librarian at the Indiana Historical Society and they have a wide collection of maps available for reproduction. I work not too far from there and if my dear Road Maven would like to have a copy of old Indiana maps, this could be arranged. The collection is available online to search...here is a link to a quick search for Indiana Road Map: Indiana Road Maps at the Indiana Historical Society There are 109 Indiana road maps of varying years, many of which may be in the range of years you're interested in. Also, they have county maps as well, which may have more details. All maps are available for reproduction (cost varies, depending upon how large the copy is and method of copy; ie., paper copy, large format scan, or digital photo of the map).
  2. I'm curious about the posting track or route files here or in some format. I use DeLorme SA2008, but I know track files can be in a universal "GPX" file format. Since I am new to this, I am opening up the possibility of sharing routes taken, as well as those planned. As a perfect example - Pat asked Denny in a thread about whether he had plotted a route on current maps for the PP-OO. If he did that in SA, we could exchange files, and I could give that to Pat. It might be a cool reference...just a thought. Oh, and after this weekend's jaunt on the MO Route 66 Motor Tour, ask Roadmaven what his thoughts are on my GPS *now*! LOL
  3. Isn't that the way it goes when you learn by doing? Location Stamper wasn't that difficult, for me it was creating GPX files from GPL, but I have that down now. I set my Palm and camera, but I inadvertently set the camera to AM, not realizing it sets on a 24 hour clock. So I offset my photos by 12 hours, in my test batch as well as some photos I took yesterday in Indianapolis. I have now synchronized both cameras with my Palm. I also figured out how to rerun Location Stamper when you goof up. You can reset the timestamp anytime by doing an offset, but once I set the (wrong) location, "Apply Tracks" was grayed out. However, when I closed the program and restarted it, brought back in the track and the photo, I was able to apply the track again and it was in the right location. With the Palm and camera in sync, the locations are very precise. The concept does work, and it is important! Also, if anyone out there happens to follow my setup, I would recommend a very fast SD card. I had a 2GB 50X card with my initial load of maps. It seemed OK, but then I read I should get a faster card for better performance....indeed! I now have two 2 GB cards which I am going to load the maps on (probably divided by eastern / western US). One card is 133X (the one I have in there now) and the other is 150X. With the 133X card, I noticed a BIG difference in the access speed as the maps draw when I pan across the map, especially when the map is zoomed out. Jennifer
  4. Quick update...the anti-glare /anti-reflective film by Photodon works well. It creates a matte/frosted finish to the screen which reduces glare and reflectivity alot, and definitely improves visibility to a tolerable level. If the screen is in direct sunlight, it would still be difficult to see of course, but it improves visibility by a large percentage. Definitely worth it.
  5. Hey there! I missed this thread in its entirety, sorry! The fiasco of the prior weekend's activities and trying desperately to catch up on my sleep (still not quite there yet), has left me a little behind on the threads. My understanding as far as diner purists (haven't check the dictionary), is that a diner refers to a stainless steel metal diner. However, we use it a little loosely when we do Diner Days articles. We feature small mom n' pop places which might be referred to as diners or cafes, but are not necessarily housed in a stainless steel diner.
  6. Yes, my test of nine photos worked out fine with some tweaking. I did the test so that when I need to do the real thing, I'll be ready. This weekend will be the "real thing" as Pat and I are going on the Missouri Motor Tour. I'm looking forward to seeing how it works. When you are ready, I can tell you how I did it in Location Stamper. I'll let you know how that turns out. My Palm is the same way...as KTSoTR knows, the screen is glass, and it's extremely reflective. I hope the anti-glare / anti-reflective film works, as that is what the description specifically states. Everything else I have found is really a clear screen protector which "reduces" glare. Maybe a little, but nothing significant at all! Thanks, me too!
  7. I did a test for the photo geotagging...I created a log along a quick route and took several photos. I managed to export the .gpl file to a .gpx file using DeLorme. <I need to do it again and document the steps for myself, because if I don't do it very often, I'll forget!> I imported the .gpx file into Location Stamper, imported the photos, adjusted the timestamps on the photos (see below) and figured out how to stamp the location information into the EXIF data. Voila, the precise locations of the photos showed up in Location Stamper. When I uploaded the photos to Flickr, the location information wasn't there, but after several attempts, I found that my Flickr account settings needed to be adjusted to allow uploading of location data. The only slight snag (that I can deal with) is the fact that the track logs on my Palm are fine, but in all applications on the computer (DeLorme, Location Stamper, etc.), the log times are 4 hours behind. I wish I knew how to fix that, but the simple solution is to make sure that my Palm and camera are in sync and to do a 4 hour offset and change the timestamp on the photos. All in all, the Earthmate BT-20 in combination with my Palm is an excellent combination. There are many things I still need to figure out with both the desktop and handheld versions of DeLorme, but so far, so good! Oh, and for the visibility issues, I found some non-glare film: Non-Glare Protective Film for laptops & PDAs. This might also be of interest to laptop users, who are dealing with visibility issues, since it is available for laptops as well. I searched every computer store in Indy and couldn't find this, but ordered it Friday and it should be here anytime soon. It shipped within an hour or so of my purchase!
  8. Hope you're doing all right and you feel better soon!
  9. Thanks, Denny. I got Location Stamper last night but I am still having difficulty creating a GPX log in DeLorme. I thought I followed the steps in the users guide, but when I imported the GPX file in LocationStamper, there were no tracks. Another odd thing I discovered is that when I view a log on my Palm, the time is correct, but when I sync it back to my computer and view it, the time is off by 4 hours (behind actual time). My Palm and camera are matched up OK, it's just the time as it views on my desktop is off. I wonder if there's some sort of offset I should do in the desktop version of DeLorme? Or just use the offset feature in Location Stamper? I don't really care if the time views wrong on the desktop version of DeLorme, as long as I can offset it. But first, I need to properly create a GPX file!
  10. Nope... Yep! What a funny guy! Apples to oranges, guys...since my photo was fully clothed, your babes best be too! LOL
  11. Whether I am "otherwise sane" is a matter of opinion! LOL That makes sense...so essentially, if the GPS is set to Indiana, which automatically offsets GMT by -5; then if I am in Illinois on central time taking photos at 1:00 PM, when I get home, the time in the logs will actually be reflected as 2:00 PM (Eastern)? My PDA won't know about a time zone shift. I guess I'll have to play with it. I need to get a program which will geotag the photos too.
  12. I do need to understand the time & time zone settings. I have the system time set properly on my Palm. In the handheld version of SA2008, under GPS settings > State, I have it set to Indiana, which automatically has -5 for the GMT offset. Other options are "Last Location" and "screen center". I don't understand whether I should leave it set to Indiana all the time, since that is the location & time my Palm is set to. Should I leave it that way even when I am out of state or my time zone? When I have looked at some of the logs I have created and viewed on the desktop, the times are all messed up, but I have two today with the time correct (both within Indy). And as to the concert, it is unlikely that any of the guys here would have been lured into the trip...but any ladies here, that's another story........
  13. On the way up, I knew I wanted to avoid that area, that's why I went up US 52 (great choice in this case!)...but I was amazed it was still closed on Sunday night. At least I avoided the evil-I on the way back!
  14. I can always get from Point A to Point B....unfortunately sometimes point B becomes Point Z with points C - Y mixed in unexpectedly! I won't abandon my trusty Rand McNally Atlas...there are times I need to look at a *real* map printed on *real* paper or I want to see the "big picture" of a state or metro area. The Palm won't accomplish that as well on the tiny screen. I want the GPS mainly for those times things go awry, so I don't get frustrated trying to get back on track. And also, there's a totally different element which has nothing to do with "route planning" per se...that is geotagging photos. I can take the tracking logs from the GPS and geotag photos to easily identify where they were taken. For the sheer amount of photos I take, sometimes it's a difficult task pinpointing where they were taken. With the GPS track log, I can identify exactly where a photo was taken...so if you want to get a visual on a hairpin turn on the Mohawk Trail and I have a photo, I can show you on a map exactly where it was taken.
  15. LOL Well, deposit the accuracy of the GPS, I know there's plenty of times I'll make wrong turns, whether it's my own fault, road conditions, whatever...that's why the GPS will help when I get off track, even with it on! The weekend I trip I took proved it. Traffic in Chicagoland was horrendous due to storms and I simply couldn't move over in time to get to my exit - voila, I'm off route. But the GPS helped me to see where I was when looking at my atlas isn't advised.
  16. So, I used my new GPS this weekend extensively going from Indy to Chicagoland - and back to Indy - and back to Chicagoland - and back to Indy. On Thursday, I was going to Addison, IL after work for a concert. Due to time constraints, I needed to take the evil-I, as I had very little time to spare. A storm had rolled through Chicagoland in the afternoon, but it was going to blow through, so I figured the show would still go on. As I entered Chicago, I got caught in a massive 2nd storm. I-294 was totally backed up and I used my GPS to find when the heck the next exit would be. It helped me maneuver my way around unknown areas, especially helpful with the bad weather and precarious road conditions. The festival had been canceled due the prior storm that afternoon anyway (little did I know). I turned back at 10:00 PM to head back to Indy...traffic was horrendous due to the weather and I used my trusty new GPS to book off the nasty evil-I when traffic was backed up solid on I-80 to I-65. 12 miles to I-65 and traffic was at a crawl! So I went down US 41 into Schererville, Crown Point & Merrillville, to US 30. Unfortunately, the weather turned even worse and we had to pull off under a bank overhang - there were lighting bolts everywhere! We managed to get a room near I-65, and I slept for a few hours, then slabbed it back to Indy at 5:00 AM for a conference. Then, we headed back up as we expected the concert to be Friday night instead...it turned out to be Sunday night, but we went back anyway to spend the weekend. We had more time, so I took US 52 up to Joliet; unfortunately, along the way, I got caught in some flood water! Thank goodness the battery didn't die, though my battery light was flickering. I think by now, my floor is dry, and my fan was only temporarily shorted out. I know now not to drive through water...it didn't look that high, but the floating feeling we had, I think it was after all. I also used it over the weekend to navigate around Chicagoland, it was pretty cool! I don't like SA2008's autorouting on the handheld. I think I should play with it so I can know how to make it route the way I want. I can do this easily on the desktop, I need to figure it out on the handheld. Anyway, it was very helpful, and I like the tracking logs. Pretty interesting information...
  17. I decided to get the Earthmate BT-20 Bluetooth GPS receiver made by DeLorme. For the display and maps, I use my Palm TX, on which I have the handheld version of DeLorme Street Atlas 2008 installed. I just turn on the GPS unit, then run SA2008 on the Palm. Through SA2008, I connect to the GPS using Bluetooth, and it fixes on my position. I can create a route on the desktop software and synchronize it to my Palm and it is available to view, or I can create a route through the Palm. I thought the handheld version only creates direct routes between a start and finish, but I think you can use a waypoint or find an address to insert a via, but it is clunkier than the desktop version. I need to read up on some of the features and things I can do, but I was able to get the whole thing up & running essentially without instructions. The software does create logs which synchronize back to the desktop so I can view them on the desktop version (and later I will use those to geotag my photos - next project!). It also (of course) tracks a route with voice output on the Palm, though it does not speak the street name, just the direction and distance of the turn. However, the directions are on screen, along with the time and distance to turn, and the street name to turn onto. I have a car charger for the Palm, which is necessary because the Palm battery life is pretty short. I forgot what the battery life is on the GPS, but it's 8 - 10 hours or so. I have a charger for that too, if needed. I have the Palm mounted onto the dashboard using a gooseneck cradle suctioned onto the windshield: Mobile Device Mounting Bracket The only thing I really need to find is some sort of anti-glare / anti-reflective film to put on the Palm screen, since it is prone to reflection. I found a few brands on the internet, but I don't know what will work well. I'm going to check in some computer stores. If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations, I'm open to suggestions. I also need to keep loading up maps. That's probably the only drawback is loading up the maps myself, but I'll just load states as I need them. I give it a thumbs up! I'm happy! KTSoTR, you might want to get that Palm fixed!
  18. I noticed that...one person on there said it wouldn't find street addresses, and all they had to do was select "Street Address" from the list... Makes sense...I don't have a problem just locating an address on a map, but definitely creating a route is painful. I doubt I'd create a long route on the Palm anyway - I'll do those on the desktop and transfer them to the Palm. If I don't create a route on the Palm, can a GPS simply track me wherever I go if I start a log? The only thing I read on the DeLorme forum was the BT-20 gets "flaky" if it gets too hot or cold. I will be sure not to leave it in the car (I typically take my MP3 player with me too, and don't leave it in the car, so I'm used to gathering up the electronics anyway...) But what about when it's operating? Is there a good place to position the receiver so it's not baking on the dashboard in the sun? Some people mentioned behind the rear view mirror or the visor. Any thoughts?
  19. Well, I might use it, but it depends upon whether I'm following a route I know (like the aforementioned Indianapolis to Connecticut Interstate route I could do in my sleep - and actually have!). LOL However, if I was going to do a backroads journey and planned the route on the computer, then yes, I might...however as you can see, I'm treading carefully with this - since Pat is not too keen on the idea!! My guess is once he sees it in action he'll think it's very cool and get into the idea. When I was using DeLorme to follow along an old auto trail in Indiana, he thought it was! As to the "faithfully" part, I'd say that it's faithful, since it's the DeLorme software on the Palm coming from its desktop counterpart. Combining it with a DeLorme GPS, let's hope it all works as I hope it will!
  20. There is a commercial that shows someone turning into a building at the GPS' command! We can definitely take some photos...perhaps with the new camera, perhaps with the Nikon...watch this space! There are plenty of times we won't use it and we'll get lost if you really want to!
  21. OK, I just did a test with the DeLorme Palm application. On the Palm, I have several maps that I exported from my desktop, including Indianapolis, Columbus, OH and Waterbury, CT. I exported a route from the desktop software going from Indianapolis to Waterbury. When I view the route details (text form) on the Palm, it gives me the complete written directions. If I view the route on the map, it shows the entire route...starting in Indianapolis, where I have a detailed maps, it views the route on the map. As I pan east, the route only is still visible, with no map details. The text directions are still onscreen, telling me how much time /distance to the next turn. As I continue to pan the map, it continues to show how far to the next turn. As soon as I pan into an area with a detailed map (i.e., Columbus), the detailed map appears, even though they are actually separate files on my Palm. That seems to be exactly what I want! This scenario was when I created the route on my desktop and sent it to the Palm. As to doing the same thing directly on the Palm (creating a route between non-contiguous maps), unfortunately the maps I have are far apart and creating a route on the Palm is painfully slow if the distance is too long. I still expect that my typical usage for the GPS and the routes/maps will be to give me street level detail in an unfamiliar area, be it rural farmland, mountains or New York City. However, it is nice to know that I can create a route on the computer and export it to the Palm. My next "want to have" feature is tracking on the Palm so I can export that back to the computer, and the it seems the BT-20 / SA2008 combo does that. Voice directions seem like a cool feature too, though I'd probably use that fairly infrequently. Probably only when I am using it to find something specific. I think I might also need to invest in a multiple car charger/splitter thing so I can have the Palm and the BT-20 charging at the same time. I also need to get a cradle for the Palm, but I assume I can get a universal model anywhere. Calling DeLorme...
  22. I'm *this* close to picking up the phone and calling DeLorme. Since I already have the software, I can get the BT-20 alone if I call them directly. Then, I would need a cradle to mount onto my windshield, but I can get a universal one anywhere.
  23. Very cool...now I just have to get to the point of having the GPS, knowing how to use it combined with the Palm version of SA2008, how to create a route, transfer the route and maps to the Palm, track logs, get them back to the computer version of SA2008 and then attach them to my photos! Whew! Thankfully, SA2008's 234 page User Guide is pretty detailed, so I think if I keep reading it, I should do OK. Thank goodness for dual monitors!!
  24. Here's a piece of software that can geotag a photo's EXIF data: RoboGeo It can be done manually, but I'd rather use a GPS tracking log. Otherwise, I still have to remember where I was when I took the photo. As to track logs, my DeLorme software on the Palm has GPS logging under its menu. I'll read up on the SA2008 user manual about generating tracking logs. I've been reading on the DeLorme forums about the BT-20 and there are people there who haven't had good luck with it, so I was curious about finding other units. I was coming to the conclusion that a Bluetooth GPS receiver without maps should work with DeLorme software on my Palm if the documentation for the device says it will work with a Palm OS bluetooth enabled device and my "GPS mapping software." So I've been trying to check out others as well. So far, on its own merits, I love the Palm TX...I'm just wading into adding the GPS, which I have no familiarity with, so it's a steep learning curve! I hope you hear back from them. I wasn't too impressed with some comments of the BT-20 on their forum: DeLorme BT-20 forum
  25. Well, I'm not geotagging yet, I'm just interested in doing so, and the GPS and geotagging seems to go hand-in-hand, so I'm trying to unserstand the concepts together in formulating the correct system. My understanding is that you can create some sort of tracking log file with the GPS/Palm, bring it back to your computer (which I assume would be through the Delorme software?). Then, you take that log file and can tag the photos with a 3rd party geotagging software, and then upload them to Flickr. I still need to figure out which Bluetooth GPS will work with a Palm & DeLorme, and if the DeLorme software will track my route and create a log so I can tag the photos. Typically, when learning a new technology, there's so much new terminology to learn, so it's challenging!!
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