TerraGuide displays digital topographic maps and nautical charts, and allows users to determine their location, plan their route and plot waypoints.
The complete setup includes a Recon computer running Windows Mobile 2003, a GPS CompactFlash card, and full-color 1:250,000-scale maps for the 48 states in the contiguous United States. USGS topo maps for individual states with Landsat satellite images are also available, separately. The software includes elevation data to display 3-D terrain views, and a QuickChart map engine supports panning and zooming on maps.
According to TDS, the TerraGuide/Recon combo can be useful to forestry, environmental, military, and search-and-rescue personnel, as well as for use in outdoor recreation. As examples of the latter, users can plan routes, track position, and view progress in hiking, boating, snowmobiling, and other such pursuits. "Instead of carrying around fragile paper maps, users can carry multiple map layers and details, plus real-time GPS data -- in a rugged computer designed for tough outdoor environments," notes Dale Kyle, product manager of TDS's rugged handhelds.
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