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Thread: My Mainlines via Delorme PN-20

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Southern Maine
    Posts
    64

    Default My Mainlines Mapped out on TOPO USA with a GPS

    After seeing the GPS in the sugar bush section hardly touched for a while now, I thought I would show people what can easily be done using a Delorme PN-20, or the newer version the PN-40.
    These GPS's comes with Delorm's Topo program which is an awesome mapping program and has full topo maps for the entire US.
    You can also pay to get color photo imagery of any area available too.
    Whats great about this are that the GPS itself can display the full color areal maps, the Delorme topo maps, or even the original USGS topo maps.


    Here are the two maps I made showing my mainlines. Might put my latterals up on it someday.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/timandm...17738/sizes/l/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/timandm...79404/sizes/l/

    Tim
    Last edited by Dave Lister; 05-08-2009 at 07:09 AM.
    143 taps on a brand new 3/16th tubing setup.
    2'x6' W.F. Mason Drop Tube Evaporator
    12"x24" W.F. Mason finisher.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Coventry,VT
    Posts
    31

    Default

    Very interesting use of GPS. When you are mapping does the unit give accurate elevation readings? Accurate enough to determine mainline slope? How difficult is it to export GPS pictures to flickr, or print for hardcopy use?
    Breathe Easy,
    Steve

    755 Taps on vacuum
    2 x 6 Lapierre pans, Leader arch and 250 gal/hr R.O.
    A Goldendoodle named Bella is my sugaring companion and in the house
    is the same wonderful and understanding wife I loved for 33 years!!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Southern Maine
    Posts
    64

    Default

    I will ask my friend if he knows where I can find the elevation changes on the Topo Program. I know when you are using the GPS itself, you can see your current elevation. The only problem with that is the accuracy. Normal GPS devices that we can afford have a accuracy of about 12+- feet, and the elevation readings can sometimes be three times that.
    But next time I am out in the woods, I will fool around with it and see how accurate it is and compare those readings to real rise and run with my mainline which I know is at 2%. We used a transit and a tape measure cause I swear it looked like it was going uphill at one point.

    As for saving the maps and uploading them to flickr, its easy as pie.
    Pretty much just two or three button clicks, nothing difficult.

    Tim
    143 taps on a brand new 3/16th tubing setup.
    2'x6' W.F. Mason Drop Tube Evaporator
    12"x24" W.F. Mason finisher.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Ayer's Cliff Quebec
    Posts
    3,185

    Default

    This may sound dumb but can you use a GPS to find a spot between two other spots. When I bought this place two years ago it was surveyed before I bought it. The twit that did it only has the corners staked for some reason on the side I share with my next door neighbour. In the middle there is no stakes and we have had a discussion over this. Basically if I see things his way hes happy and if I follow the paper work the survery produced hes is not. This problem goes back 50 years I am told when they had a agreement for the trail to start on my land and cross over to his way out in the bush and over the years they got it in their head the trail was on their property.
    maybe 50 taps for 2011
    Finally ready to boil when I get enough sap
    I just might be crazy.( make that I know I am)
    Trees all tapped except the ones with 5 feet of snow.
    Enough rabbits to keep Elmer busy..

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Southern Maine
    Posts
    64

    Default

    Ken,
    its not a dumb question at all. I am really not sure what is available for other GPS devices and computer software but what you are looking to do is very easy to do with the PN-20 and the Delorme Topo software.
    All you would have to do is mark one corner with a place mark on the GPS, like a thumbtack on a map, travel to the other corner and do the same. Once you have the two corners, you can plot a track between them that will go perfectly straight, Assuming your boundary line is straight go hog wild with the spray paint or flagging tape so you know who owns this rock and that tree.

    If you are interested, check out their site. Lots of cool toys.

    http://www.delorme.com/default.aspx

    Tim
    143 taps on a brand new 3/16th tubing setup.
    2'x6' W.F. Mason Drop Tube Evaporator
    12"x24" W.F. Mason finisher.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Northcentral PA
    Posts
    6

    Default boundary GPS

    KenWP, another perhaps simpler option would be to get the GPS coordinates of each corner (should be on a modern survey). You can load those into your favorite mapping program (such as google earth which may have more features and detail than most - and is free). Then, showing both corner boundaries, usually you can see where things are (such as the trail) and without even walking the bearing between them. Lastly, with virtually any GPS that links to a computer, you could walk this disputed trail and upload that track file to google earth as well - it will become plain as day. If you start with GPS info and have trouble, drop me a line and I can likely guide you through it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Indiana, PA
    Posts
    1,116

    Default

    Ken, you can follow a straight line with most hand held gps units, however you may be 30 ft to one side or the other. Not accurate enough for marking a property line. If it makes a difference where the line is, get the surveyor who marked the corners to come back and mark the line. Then you know for sure, and it'll stand up in court if need be. Also, I can't speak to Quebec property law, but in Pennsylvania if you use a driveway that isnt on your property, uncontested for 21 yrs or more, you gain the legal right to do so.
    -Andy
    Andy's Own Maple
    Andy Kinter (4th + generation maple producer)
    Approx 790 taps on vacuum

    3x10 nat. gas fired raised flue small bros.
    600 gph Lapierre RO
    Fine collection of used bulk tanks
    Kubota MX5100 sap hauler
    2 hives (that I don't spend enough time on)
    A great family that works together to make syrup!

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andys...27718203945398
    http://photobucket.com/mapleack

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Wellsboro Pa
    Posts
    305

    Default pn-20 or pn-40

    I found the maps to be something I would like to do with my sugar bush. I have several miles of main line. Would the pn-20 do all I want to do or should I upgrade to a pn-40. Also what should I look for when buying, programs ect. Ebay has remanfactured for $129 to $149 for pn-20. I know nothing about using one so is it easy?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    BECKLEY, WV (SUGARHOUSE DAWSON, WV)
    Posts
    6,621

    Default

    I bought a Garmin 60CSX this year for hunting and bought the topo software for it also. It is really good in heavy folage or conifers where other GPS won't work, it picks up about 6 to 8 satelites in my basement of my house and I live kinda down in sorta a bowl in elevation compared to the other areas around me. It is phenomenal for picking up satelites almost instantly.

    I had a cheap Magellan and it worked for the last 3 years, but glad to move on to something more top of the line as it nearly got me lost more than once. It didn't take me long to figure out after buying the Magellan is that you get what you pay for and the more $$$ you spend, the better GPS you get. I done tons of research and the 60CSX is about the best rated handled GPS unless you want to get into extremely high priced stuff. The Garmin 60CX is a step down, but a good GPS and doesn't have the digital compass which is awesome for hunting and scouting which I do a lot of .

    Amazon has the 60CSX for under $ 280.
    Brandon

    CDL dealer for All of West Virginia & Virginia
    3x10 CDL Deluxe oil fired
    Kubota M7040 4x4 Tractor w/ 1153 Loader hauling sap
    2,400+ taps on 3/16 CDL natural vacuum on 9 properties
    24x56 sugarhouse
    CDL 1,000 2 post RO


    WEBSITE: http://danielsmaple.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Southern Maine
    Posts
    64

    Default

    The PN-40 is what the PN-20 should have been. A friend of mine did a lot of the programming on it. The biggest difference between the two is the PN20 has one processor, so everything runs on that. Where as the PN40 has two, one for the gps itself and one for the software on it. That makes the scrolling and browsing through menus much quicker. I have not upgraded myself, but might some day when they money tree out back starts putting out the good stuff.

    As for software, thats one bonus of the delorm gps's. They come with the software. Atleast the ones you buy from Delorm do.... Not sure if the store bought version of TOPO works this way also, but the software that came with the PN20 I got a few years back actually came with about $50.00 (mabye?) worth of credit for downloading areal and satalite immagery. Once you run out, you have to pay for it. Not too expensive though. That gave me enough to download color areal immagery, satalite imagery and the original usgs topo maps for the entire region around my house.

    Since both the gps and the software are both Delorm, once you hook it up to your computer with the software running, it automatically recognizes the hardware and puts your new tracks, routs or waypoints on a new map, unless you have specifically chosen to update a previously saved map you want to continue working on. That way theres no importing tracks from one program to another. Having never had to import from one gps program to another, I can't say how much of a pain it is, if at all.

    It also does roads and directions from point A to B with points of interest with address search and all that jazz, but don't expect it to be as easy as a TomTom or one of the other less expensive car only gps's.

    Now for the downsides. I like my PN20, but it took me a while to figure it out. The instructions manuals are worthless, so its somewhat of a "here you go, figure it out yourself" type thing with only the most basic features having instructions. However, once you figure it out, its quite simple. I am not sure if they made the PN40 better on that part.

    I guess in the end if you were going to use this gps for a one time thing and it came with the software, I would go with the PN20. Mine did the job just fine. If you had other uses for it like hunting hiking or anything outdoors related, I might go with the new one. But definatley go with the TOPO software. Its about the best out there.

    Feel free to PM me any time if you have questions about using it.

    Tim
    143 taps on a brand new 3/16th tubing setup.
    2'x6' W.F. Mason Drop Tube Evaporator
    12"x24" W.F. Mason finisher.

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