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Map Question
Me | 9/12/15 | PaulR

Posted on 09/12/2015 7:14:35 PM PDT by Paul R.

Question: Does anyone here know of an online map source who provides maps that are better suited for printing on modest price (or even B&W) printers, than the usual Google, Bing, etc., maps?

Anyone who's ever printed out a map from the above sources knows what I mean. The printed maps are just too "washed out" or faded looking.

I can capture maps from the above and copy them into an image or photo viewer like IrfanView to improve them somewhat, but even then, results are poor, and often one ends up using lots of toner for bodies of water, national forests, etc., while the road images are still "light" and indistinct. Since other images print decently, and I've been through this with multiple printers over the years, I know this problem is "not just the printer", although better printers do help a little.

The best alternative I've found is a site called "stamen" that offers a variety of "toner" maps, though even those sometimes have to be zoomed in more than one might want to get a dark (for printing) line for some roads, or have road names show up. And, "directions" are not provided. (I often end up adding text to the stamen map images, then printing. That is time consuming, of course.)

Another possible, oddly, is the USGS website that displays recent earthquakes(!). Zoomed in, and with the "terrain" image properly enhanced, it's not too bad, tho' again no "directions" function is offered. (I assume USGS figures most people are not in need of directions to the latest fault that has let go!) Mostly, desired road names do seem to show up at reasonable zoom levels. But, again, here, having to mess with enhancing images is a time waster...

There may be a better zoomable maps option on the USGS website - one would think so - but, I have not stumbled into it.

SURELY, in 2015, one would think something better is out there? (No, don't tell me to get a GPS - the little screens are too distracting, for one thing, they break too easily when dropped, and sometimes they can lead one astray. Maybe I'm just old fashioned - I want a PRINTED map.)

Anyone?


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: computers; maps; printing
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To: Paul R.

Does http://www.openstreetmap.org give you what you need?


21 posted on 09/12/2015 8:00:58 PM PDT by posterchild
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To: Paul R.

Good topic. I use:
1. Google maps at home without printing.
2. AAA maps in the car. (AAA = American Auto Association)

Thomas Guides were alway in my car before the invention of the internet in 1995 by Sir Tim Lee.


22 posted on 09/12/2015 8:01:14 PM PDT by Falconspeed ("Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others." Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94))
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To: ETL

Yes, and I’ve not seen maps in stores that have the detail I want. That’s not to say they don’t exist - maybe they are in bookstores? - but, that’s pretty inconvenient, as you say.

A big advantage of many of the big name online maps is the ability to quickly map out a route of, say, 500 miles, and then zoom in to any point on that route with a scale of, say, 1 inch = 20 ft. on a typical computer monitor, and ALSO include local landmarks.


23 posted on 09/12/2015 8:03:36 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Daffynition

My husband has been using Delorme maps for many, many years. They are great.


24 posted on 09/12/2015 8:04:32 PM PDT by ConstantSkeptic (Be careful about preconceptions)
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To: Paul R.

I don’t trust anyone who has been here 10+ years and posted less than 100 times..../S


25 posted on 09/12/2015 8:07:26 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: ConstantSkeptic

Good idea!

It should also work to screen capture, dump into an image viewer, crop or alter (add text?) as desired, and save or print.

I have looked at online state maps for a few states & may try more.

However, I doubt a pdf can allow one to create multi-state routes easily, for example?


26 posted on 09/12/2015 8:08:27 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: ConstantSkeptic

They’re the BEST!

We do a lot of backroading/offroading in New England...and use the DeLorme state atlas’ all the time.


27 posted on 09/12/2015 8:11:30 PM PDT by Daffynition (*We are not descended from fearful men*)
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To: Paul R.

Acme Mapper. At least it’s accurate. It shows road map or Topo. Zooms into city streets.
acmemapper.com


28 posted on 09/12/2015 8:11:53 PM PDT by namvolunteer (Obama says the US is subservient to the UN and the Constitution does not apply. That is treason.)
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To: Vendome

Ha-ha, yes, I’ve posted a grand total of 31 threads. I guess I mostly like to listen and learn...


29 posted on 09/12/2015 8:13:20 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: posterchild

Hmmm... That’s a little better than Google (for printing) I think, but maybe not as good as Rand McNally’s site. Haven’t checked a couple of the other suggestions, yet...


30 posted on 09/12/2015 8:16:08 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Paul R.

What about copying the map into Powerpoint, save as a jpeg and change the contrast?


31 posted on 09/12/2015 8:17:03 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Vermont Lt

It’s not really the “fuzziness” that’s a problem, it’s the propensity to show local roads as white on a beige (etc.) background. But, your point IS well taken! Stamen, who I mentioned, isn’t too bad in some versions, about how the image prints, but, their maps are more limited in other ways.


32 posted on 09/12/2015 8:19:09 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Daffynition

Delorme is good - not sure I’m THAT far into it... :-)


33 posted on 09/12/2015 8:20:35 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Paul R.

Have you tried getting the map you want on your computer screen, taking your phone camera and snapping a photo of it on your computer and printing the photo ?


34 posted on 09/12/2015 8:22:42 PM PDT by Yosemitest (It's SIMPLE ! ... Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Vendome

I do that using IrfanView, as noted. (If you’re not familiar with it, IV is a very fast, light, but reasonably powerful image file viewer with some image enhancement options.) But when one starts with a white road on a beige background, there’s only so much one can do, esp. if one doesn’t want to use up all their toner on nearly “black” lakes and parks.


35 posted on 09/12/2015 8:25:29 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: Big Giant Head; Paul R.

Here are three links I found with GOOGLE using the term ‘printable maps’. The third one looked interesting.

http://nationalmap.gov/small_scale/printable.html

http://www.printableworldmap.net/

http://www.waterproofpaper.com/printable-maps/


36 posted on 09/12/2015 8:27:09 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: Paul R.

I use IV as well and find it more useful than PP.

What level of detail do you want?

Is this for street or terrain?


37 posted on 09/12/2015 8:28:35 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Yosemitest

Screen captures work better. The real issue is local roads (white) that are almost the same color as the background (typically beige or some other light color.) I’ve tried up to $700 (retail) printers with poor results...

(He was a poor boy too, pa-rum-pa-pa-pum...)


38 posted on 09/12/2015 8:30:55 PM PDT by Paul R.
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To: UCANSEE2; Big Giant Head; Paul R.

These were the 3 I would recommend...

I’ll check at Survivalblog.com...

Be back..


39 posted on 09/12/2015 8:31:27 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Paul R.

You could contact the USGS in your state....maybe they can help/guide you.

http://www.usgs.gov/contact_us/?state=VT


40 posted on 09/12/2015 8:34:40 PM PDT by Daffynition (*We are not descended from fearful men*)
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