[OpenMap Users] mapping options for search & rescue

For a few years I've been experimenting with OpenMap for search &
rescue (SAR) applications. However, it always takes something "real"
to put things in motion. About ten days ago we had a real overnight
mission. Now our Civil Air Patrol squadron has greatly increased
energy to put lessons learned into new development. We're looking for
the best match of mapping technology with requirements we've drawn up.

It's natural for me to see how many of the proposed requirements listed
below could be implemented using OpenMap. These questions remain:

- Are there GPS interfaces to OpenMap, device drivers if you will, that
allow live position updates?

- How will we get good topographic data (e.g., USGS) and the kind of
data you find in Delorme Street Atlas? Fishing for mapping data is
where OpenMap users seem most on their own.

- Can OpenMap talk to other mapping apps such as Delorme Topo 5.0 or
Street Atlas? I ask because Delorme is what most CAP people use
currently. It just doesn't do everything we wish it could. It would
be nice if OpenMap and Delorme could talk to each other. I've looked a
little bit into Delorme XMap APIs, but a few articles I read mentioned
an SDK that is $2500. When I saw that price, I thought, "If OpenMap
had the right data and could talk to a GPS, this could be done with
OpenMap. If OpenMap and Delorme could talk to each other, we might
benefit from Delorme's fancier display and printing options."

So, what is it we are trying to do? Our ground team wizard, Justin
Fetter, came up with these requirements:

FEATURES FOR MISSION BASE

- Display a locations by latitude and longitude with Altitude to
display NTAP data. These locations should be mapped with lines between
them.

- For aircraft searches, show all airports, navaids, victor airways,
reporting points, and previous crash sites.

- For missing person searches plot last known point, search area, map
searched areas, etc…

- It would be ideal if it could accept multiple GPS inputs to show
where ground teams are out in the field.

- Have Lat./Lon. to UTM conversion feature.

- Be able to show CAP grids and international grids.

- Be able to print in standard map scales (topo, aeronautical, etc…)

FEATURES FOR GROUND TEAMS

- Vehicle Direction Finding Searches

-- Plot a location and then enter the magnetic reading to the
signal. The program will then plot a line in that direction on the map.

-- Have streets to help in navigation.

-- Have topographical information.

- Foot Searches:

-- All directions in the program and on the map display will be
relative to magnetic North.

-- Have a page where you type in your search start location and then
choose what you want to do (expanding square, expanding circle…)

-- Show desired course and ground team’s actual track.

-- Plug in team spacing and show area covered by search. If multiple
GPS inputs are feasible, have team members on extreme left and extreme
right so the program can plot their locations on the map.

-- Delorme Street Atlas has the “chicken” to tell you verbally when to
turn etc…  This program will have a “SAR Angle” option to tell you when
you are off course or when you arrive at a checkpoint.

Geoffrey

--
Geoffrey S. Knauth | http://knauth.org/gsk
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