Free USGS maps in PDF format

nwoods

Expedition Leader
Reprinted from another forum. I played with it, and was able to download and view a pretty detailed map of Anza Borrego in southern California. Here is a link to the USGS site that offers this:
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs...rd&carea=$ROOT&layout=6_1_61_48&uiarea=2)/.do



No, the Next Generation I refer to is not Star Trek, it is the up-coming USGS digital 1:24 000 topographic maps quads being produced in a staggering 37 layers of detailed digital information! Its like having 37 acetate topo sheets each with a different geographical set of features on it. Wow.

Every USGS 1:24 000 topographic map is currently available in a little-known format called: GeoPDF. Say what? GeoPDF? What the heck is that? Man, these must cost a fortune.

GeoPDF is a spatially-enabled Adobe PDF electronic document that allows the user to turn their mundane Adobe PDF reader software, with a downloadable plug-in, into a nearly fully-featured geographical information system (GIS) able to pump out routes and tracks in a format convertible into popular GPS files. Additionally, PDF reader can perform analytical computations on any GeoPDF USGS quad on your laptop; this computation technology typically reserved, in the past, for expensive GIS software costing tens of thousands of dollars.

Where in the devil would you get such detailed USGS topographic maps of every square kilometer of the USA in this GeoPDF format anyway? And, what pray tell will each topo map cost?

Every USGS quad is available freely at no cost in GeoPDF format. Zoom into your area of interst, and select the PIN tool to stick a virtual pin into the area of the map you want a topographic coverage of, click the PIN's balloon, and select the free product to download. To grab the Geo-PDF plug-in, download it from the maker TerraGo.

Everything is done in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 or 9, get it free from Adobe. Once the plug-in is installed into Adobe Reader, load the USGS quad, and use the GeoPDF plugin to hotlink a selected point directly to Google Earth (cool!); use it to trace your route to determine distance, bearing, azimuth; and get this, enable it's GPS link when you plug your USB GPS into your laptop (or, desktop) as you travel across the outback in your truck camper to track your progress in real-time

Why download electronic USGS topographic quads when you apparently have them as an extension to your GPS system? Read the fine print on your supplemental GPS software DVD/CD: in almost every instance, your GPS data software will limit you to $40 or $50 dollars worth of USGS and marine navigation and other downloads from your GPS manufacturer's repository. After that you're on your own (i.e. get ready to pay $$$).
Using the GeoPDF system, you have access to every USGS topographic produced for free. Pretty good incentive, eh?

Back to Next Generation. Although the USGS is currently making available their 1st Generation GeoPDF topo maps in hyper-compressed 4000dpi resolution single layer raster (read: scanned) quads, their Next Generation 37 layer upgrade has not been fully generated as yet. This isn't too big a deal, as the raster GeoPDF and TerraGo plugin functionality is still light-years ahead of anything else on the market....and, it's free

To conclude, the 1st users of this GeoPDF technology were the US DOD, and a little-known "Agency" called National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (don't even ask who they are); now, the USGS and US Forest Service is fully on-board, and kicking out Public Domain maps using it.

Silversand-
 

redbeard

Adventurer
I think adobe reader has some geo-capabilities as is. I can't run the TerraGo plugin as I don't run windows, but I can see the coordinates and stuff when using adobe reader 9 on the mac. I don't think the maps are anywhere near done, but I believe there is going to be a 3 year release cycle for all the maps. So when that kicks in, the map you download won't be more than 3 years old.

So they say 37 layers, is this only on a few next generation maps at the moment? The one I downloaded seems to only have 1 view setting, which is all layers. I think the purpose of the layers is to be able to toggle off/on the features (roads, rivers, contours, etc). Something better would be able to use the features elsewhere, like export the roads on the map to a gps.
 

daverami

Explorer
Thanks for the info on the GeoPDF maps.

I've downloaded a ton and they are so easy to convert for use in Ozi. Awesome.
 

daverami

Explorer
COuld you share some hints on how to import the geopdf files into OziExplorer?

Sure! I am new to Ozi, but this is how it works for me. Others may have some simpler technique, but here goes.

1. Download GeoPDF from USGS map site.

2. Open GeoPDF in Adobe Reader.

3. Open Photoshop or equivalent that will read a PDF file and have the ability to save in a format that Ozi uses for map calibration. I do not straighten map or anything. I just reduce the colors to 256 as Ozi states in it's documentation. Save file in appropriate format. I usually save it as a tif.

4.Open Ozi and load tif file into map calibration.

5. Use the Geotool in Adobe Reader to pick spots to get lat/lon. I usually do the four corners of the map, then 4 or 5 other points inside the map, like BM's, an elevation at a named point, etc.

6. Insert the lat/lon readings you get in Adobe Reader to the appropriate points on the map opened in Ozi in map calibraion mode. For lat/lon I use degrees in Ozi as that is what the GeoPDF readout is in Adobe Reader. I use WGS84 and UTM. I believe Ozi calculates declination for you.

It sounds kind of complicated but I can do a map pretty fast. The calibration comes out spot on.

Hope this helps.

David
 

LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
Sure! I am new to Ozi, but this is how it works for me. Others may have some simpler technique, but here goes.

1. Download GeoPDF from USGS map site.

2. Open GeoPDF in Adobe Reader.

3. Open Photoshop or equivalent that will read a PDF file and have the ability to save in a format that Ozi uses for map calibration. I do not straighten map or anything. I just reduce the colors to 256 as Ozi states in it's documentation. Save file in appropriate format. I usually save it as a tif.

4.Open Ozi and load tif file into map calibration.

5. Use the Geotool in Adobe Reader to pick spots to get lat/lon. I usually do the four corners of the map, then 4 or 5 other points inside the map, like BM's, an elevation at a named point, etc.

6. Insert the lat/lon readings you get in Adobe Reader to the appropriate points on the map opened in Ozi in map calibraion mode. For lat/lon I use degrees in Ozi as that is what the GeoPDF readout is in Adobe Reader. I use WGS84 and UTM. I believe Ozi calculates declination for you.

It sounds kind of complicated but I can do a map pretty fast. The calibration comes out spot on.

Hope this helps.

David

Thanks very much for taking the time to spell it out.

I recently imported a Jpeg map into Ozi basicly along the same lines. I do not have photoshop so I used MSPaint:) and converted into a bmp file. I really surprised myself when it worked.:wings: So yes you posted helped
 

Motojak

Dirty and wise
Viewing Geospatial MVUM and USGS maps

This map business is a mess. The "moovum" (mvum) motor vehicle use maps the NF gives out seem to be geospatial PDF (not GeoPDF like terrago.) and Adobe has dropped the PDF capability from their X products...somebody needs to throw some cold water on these people. Terrago has an Adobe plugin that helps. After struggling with Android Locus, Orux, BCN, AndNav, etc. etc. etc... the simplest way to go is PDF Maps from Avenza
http://www.pdf-maps.com/android/beta. It views and marks waypoints (export to KML) on the geospatial MVUM, just download the maps from USGS or Natl Forest website and load. Easy. Hope they keep it free. Android and iPhone. Locus and Orux maps is the most comprehensive. Back Country navigator is easier. If any one of these would read PDF without conversion (Mapc2mapc with GDAL extension works, sortof) that would help.
 

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