Interview with Nathan Mellor developer of
BackCountry Navigator
During
a recent trip to the Rocky Mountains, I had the opportunity to use BackCountry
Navigation software with my iPAQ Mobile Messenger, running Windows Mobile.
One of the great features of BackCountry Navigator is support for wireless
connectivity, enabling users to download GPS maps and data "on-the-fly".
This is really exciting for GPS enthusiasts: Here in this interview with
the developer of BackCountry Navigator, Nathan Mellor reveals details about
the program you won't find anywhere else.
Doug: Hi Nathan. First let me say you have a great GPS navigation program for Pocket PC.
Nathan: Thanks Doug
Doug: Tell our readers a little abut yourself and how you became interested in developing navigation software.
Nathan: I'm an Eagle Scout and learned to appreciate topographic maps and navigation as a youth. I am a Scoutmaster now and spend significant time in the outdoors. I live in the Pacific Northwest, and like to explore its navigable rivers and inland coastal areas in a kayak.
Several years ago, I started applying my software skills to the task of outdoor navigation. And in the summer of 2004 I founded CritterMap Software, registering the trade name in Washington state.
Doug: Kayaking is a great application for recreational GPS, especially where the scenery all look the same.
Tell our readers about CritterMap's flagship, BackCountry Navigator software.
Nathan: Development of BackCountry Navigator began in Spring 2004. The beta for version 1.0 began in June of 2004, with the product first available for sale in November of that year. Version 2.0 was first introduced in Spring 2006. The current version is 2.3.3 as of this writing, available for a one time license fee of $30.
Doug: Who is using BackCountry Navigator?
Nathan: I'd guess that at least half of its users use BackCountry Navigator for Geocaching, in addition to other outdoor uses. Probably an equal amount use it for hiking and backpacking. I use it personally for kayak touring, as well as occasional backpacking, hiking, and geocaching. Most recently, BackCountry Navigator is being used by Francis Tapon in his yoyo hike of the Continental Divide Trail. There have been some improvements in its scalability and feature set to make such an adventure possible.
Doug: What I liked best about your program was that I could get topographic map images and aerial photos directly to my smartphone - while I was in route! How do you do that?
Nathan: Terraserver-USA has a programmatic web interface, much like its web browser interface, where you can query for available map tiles according to coordinates. Tiles are downloaded individually and packed into a database file for fast retrieval and rendering.
Doug: What map coverage is available?
Nathan: Most of the continental US has both topo maps up to 4 meters per pixel, and aerial photography up to 1 meter per pixel. Hawaii and Alaska have topo maps at varying resolutions.
Doug: Besides topos and aerials, what other map data can be downloaded?
Nathan: The USGS database of two million geographic places is available for a quick import into your map. This will define basic reference points, such as mountain peaks, populated places, and bodies of water.
Starting with version 2.3, users can download urban areas for select areas in the United States. This is high resolution aerial photography up to .25 meters per pixel. At my house, I can tell clearly what car was in the driveway when the photography was taken.
Doug: Are all the maps and data free?
Nathan: Yes. All the map data is public domain, however if you used your cell phone to download the maps, you may have incurred data transfer charges billed by your service provider.
While it is not a charge that our company makes, cell phone companies charge
ridiculous fees for data transfer. These can be up to $1 per megabyte.
Doug: As a matter of fact, I did have to pay out a few
shekels for that. Is there any way around these wireless data transfer fees?
Nathan. Well, easiest way to around the phone charges is to use ActiveSync or Wi-fi..
You can use ActiveSync to download map data with your device in the cradle connected to the Internet via your PC. Of course, downloading map data before an adventure requires some preplanning. Alternatively, BackCountry Navigator also supports wi-fi, so users can also download maps when connected to wi-fi hot spots away from home.
Doug: It is great that you provide these connectivity options. I still like cellular option. Do you have any idea of how consumers can get cellular telephone companies to lower data transfer rates?
Nathan: At present, the cell phone companies will probably
push you to an unlimited data plan, which can be $30-40 a month. This is
not worthwhile for everyone, especially for occasional use. I think the
best chance is for the providers to offer a reasonable combined voice/data
plan, and compete on that basis. It is unreasonable, for example, that a
text message should cost more than a voice call when it actually uses less
bandwidth.
Doug: Thanks for that insight. Any new features of BackCountry
Navigator in the works?
Nathan: There is a long list of great requests from our users. Currently, a feature being tested is the ability to download data by marking rectangles on the map screen. This should make it easier to define irregular regions, download low resolution data for a large region, or download higher resolution data for specific areas.
This feature is being refined, and I expect to post some tutorials on the
many ways you can use it. I expect this to become the primary method of
downloading maps soon.
Doug: What about support for GPs eXchange files?
Nathan: GPX files can be imported into BackCountry Navigator to include predefined waypoints or tracks. The primary use for this has been to import geocache data, along with description and clues. Besides geocache data, there is a wealth of trip data available from sites such as, well, your TravelbyGPS.com for example.
Doug: Thanks for the plug! Nathan.
Nathan: Certainly Doug. GPS enthusiasts benefit from location information provided by those who have gone before. And TravelByGPS.com provides this information in a useful format.
Doug: Thanks again. Now how about backcountrynavigator.com? What can you tell us about new developments in the works?
Nathan: A most exciting product is under development at the moment: Backcountry Navigator Desktop Edition. This is promising for users who have requested a better way to plan and preview their outdoor adventures. It is designed to do the same things that BackCountry Navigator does, but with access to more memory and screen real estate. When the planning is complete, you can transfer and use the same file on your Pocket PC without conversion of any kind.
Doug: That is exciting. Thanks, Nathan, for taking time
to tell TravelByGPS.com readers about Crittermap and Backcountry Navigator.
Nathan: Sure, my pleasure. Best wishes to you and your
readers. Have fun navigating in the outdoors.
* * *
This interview was published early April 2007. For the most up-to-data information about CritterMap software, please visit backcountrynavigator.com
- Doug
