Need a Guru's help. Any out there?

[MONSTA]

I am looking to open a expedition-type tour company here on Maui and the Big Island. Some will be guided, most will be self guided. As such, I need to map out places around the island in which my customers can access to camp safely.


I don't know a whole lot about GPS systems so I'm looking for a solution to the following problem.


So far I'm thinking that I need a GPS system that will...


1. Allow me to save points around my island and then be able to group them into easily searchable categories. (beach camp spots, woodsy camp spots, potable water sources, etc.)

2. Allow me to show a path/trail that I created on the display. This is important since most of these places are well off the beaten path and known only to us locals. (ie no map now would ever show it)

What should I begin to look for?

My goal is to use an iPad in each vehicle. The user interface has to be easy and something that we could teach customers in a 15 minute or so tutorial. Ultimately, I'd like to be able to have pictures of each area as "pop ups" to let customer decide if that's where they want to head or not.

 

[MONSTA]

Darn...I'm I asking for something that may not exist?

 

[RobRed]

Motion X GPS HD for iPad will do all those things but it's a full blown nav that some users might not be able to use.

To keep it simple I might create some geo-spatial PDF maps and use Avenza PDF Maps app to read them on the iPad.


Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

 

[loren85022]

. MotionX may do too much. Avensa with custom map is easy to use. My iPad and I are available for onsite consulting

 

[Honu]

just saying Aloha
moved to the mainland a few years back am from the west side
back in the early 90s lived on Lanai also

good luck with the adventure though

curious where you are going to have them camp on Maui ?

used to love Polipoli and the homelands up above were great spots
Kipahulu for fun parties with friends
Kaupo area was pretty cool for a change

Lanai was best pretty much had the run of the island back then to camp where ever when ever


used to go up to the west Maui mtn cabin that Kapalua owns that was super cool not a place you can send tourists though but cool place few get to stay at up in Pu'u Kukui area
Kaanapali down below in the one day pic the other is at sunset the other is the cabin

 

[DaveM]

Howzit Ken,

If you're planning to use iPads there's a great free map app that will let you do all of what you are looking for and is dead simple for the users to learn. It's the PDF Maps app from Avenza. You can see more about the app at the link below. It's basically a GeoPDF browser for iPhones & iPads that will display the users location over GeoPDF or GeoTIF map. USGS topo quads are freely available through the app itself and you can set up any number of waypoints and POIs as KML files with notes and pictures for each location. I don't think it will show routes from KMLs yet but because the app will read any GeoPDF these can easily be added to a copy of the map itself before loading into the device.

The app: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/avenza-pdf-maps/id388424049?mt=8#

Full custom maps can be made as well. Below is a link to my PR page for a new rec map I just did of the Koke'e area on Kauai. It's not available on the app yet but will be very soon. If you have an iPad now and want to see how this works, download the app from iTunes and search for "Hart NAR" or "Hawaii Undersea Geography" (two other maps I have on the system right now).

Kokee: http://www.sonic.net/~dmed/MedeCart/KokeeGeoPDF.html

Hawaii Undersea: http://www.sonic.net/~dmed/MedeCart/Portfolio_files/HawaiiBathPosterForiWeb.jpg

 

[RobRed]

Avenza PDF Maps... Why didn't I think of that.


Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

 

[DaveM]

Avenza PDF Maps... Why didn't I think of that.


Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

Sorry Rob, I'm usually the only person around here that knows about them I did at least add a good bit of extra detail after stepping on your toes

If you're interested, Ted Florence from Avenza will be talking about the app on tomorrow mornings KGO travel show