SUMMARY: There are four other important MAP README's.
| MAPMAKIN.HTM | describes the format of APRS maps and how to make them. |
| MAPSCD.HTM | tells you how to make maps from the USGS CD ROMS. This is where all the action is. |
| MAPSHST.HTM | covers how to drive around, save a track history, and then use that track to add to an APRS map! |
| MAPFIX.HTM | describes how to use MAPFIX for editing and making maps |
| ANYxxx.map | APRS maps are DOS TEXT. Look at one! |
| MAPLIST FILE | DISTRO MAPS | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| MAPLIST.USA | APRSxx.zip | World and regional maps |
| MAPLIST.EAS | Emaps14.zip | Virginia and north, and East of Ohio |
| MAPLIST.NEA | NEmaps1.zip | Northeast (New England) |
| MAPLIST.MID | Mmaps09.zip | Midwest Ohio through Illinois |
| MAPLIST.CEN | Cmaps13.zip | Dakotas, NE, KS, TX to Wyoming & Colorado |
| MAPLIST.WES | Wmaps09.zip | Idaho, Utah & Arizona and west |
| MAPLIST.SE | SEmaps13.zip | Arkansas to east and south |
| MAPLIST.EUR | EUmaps02.zip | European maps |
| MAPLIST.BOS | BOSNIAmp.zip | Bosnia maps |
| MAPLIST.SA | SAmaps03.zip | South American Maps |
| MAPLIST.AK | AKmaps02.zip | Alaskan Maps |
| MAPLIST.MD | MDmaps07.zip | Maryland maps |
| MAPLIST.UAE | United Arab Emerites | |
| MAPLIST.MS | MSmaps03.zip | Mississippi |
| MAPLIST.JAM | JAMmaps2.zip | Boy Scouts Jamboree at Ft. A.P.Hill |
OTHER DISTRIBUTION PACKAGES BY STATE COORDINATORS: There are numerous additional map distributions for many states which also have their own MAPLISTS. Look for them on your local area BBS's. Here are a few:
| Alabama | Maryland | Massassachussetts |
| Arizona | Michigan | Pacific North West |
| California | Minnesota | |
| Florida | Missouri | |
| Georgia | North Carolina | |
| Hawaii | Ohio | |
| Illinois | Texas | |
| Iowa | Virginia |
| KE4EER Bill Nolle | Huntsville | AL | ke4eer@ro.com (lots of streets!) |
| N7QVU @K7BUC.AZ | Tuscon | AZ | 602-492-2545(w) jwyatt@amex-trs.com |
| WC7R @KB7FRV.AZ | Prescott | AZ | BBS 520 778-9198. alanwc7r@primenet.com |
| KD6MKS | Silver Lake | CA | |
| W7KKE @KA6EYH#NOCAL | San Franciso | CA | Wrote Digitizer and CONV100! |
| WA4MEJ | Jacksonville | FL | Lots of street maps by N2YGK! Counties of Clay, StJohns, Nassau, Putnam Baker and Bradford |
| KD4UYR | Clearwater | FL | |
| G3ZFJ @W4DPH.#TPA.FL | Tampa | FL | has digitizer |
| N4NEQ | Atlanta | GA | Ralph Fowler rwf@mindspring.com |
| WH6YC | Honolulu | HI | Dave DObbins (ex KB5UBW fm TX) |
| KG0DW & N0YKX & KI0Q | IOWA | IA | |
| N9LCI | IL | David Chesser | |
| AD4CR @WB4HFR.#MIDKY.KY | KY | ||
| KB5YRZ@N5SSY.#METLA | New Orleans | LA | |
| W1KRU @KA1TUZ.MA | Boston | MA | |
| WB4APR | Maryland | MD | aprssig@tapr.org |
| KD1E @N8NNN.#SEMI | Michigan | MI | |
| W8VPD | Michign UPPER | MI | |
| KU0G @KU0G#NWMO.MO | Kansas City | MO | Lots of maps! |
| KC5AUG | MS | 601-325-8553 cll4@ra.msstate.edu | |
| W4NMK | Black Mtn | NC | |
| WB0WNX | Nebraska | NE | dkaplan@pionet.net |
| WA1VJH | Keene | NH | digitizer |
| N2FET | New Jersey | NJ | |
| G3ZFJ/W2 | Long Island | NY | Bob W2G3ZFJ@unix.asb.com |
| KB8JXO@W8CQK.#CMH.OH | Columbus | OH | Did all of Ohio |
| KG8GE | Narion | OH | wrote CAD APRS map program! |
| N7ZKL @K7IQI.OR | OR | Oregon | |
| KD1HA @KA1RCI.RI | Rhode Island | RI | (new england) |
| KN4IM @N4CII#CHS.SC | Charleston | SC | 803-552-0654 |
| KC5EJK | Dallas | TX | kc5ejk@onramp.com |
| WB5DTW | SanAntonio | TX | |
| N5JXS | Houston | TX | |
| N5ZXD @N4QEP.#WTX.TX | Lubbock | TX | good with Mapfixer! N4WJQ @ |
| N4WZR @WD4MIZ.VA | Norfolk | VA | Dan Valez djv@gte.net |
| W8KVK | West Va | VA | |
| KB4XF @KC4ASF#NOVA.VA | Fredericsburg | VA | Wrote MAKEMAP! and MK100K prgms! |
| W9LZQ | Onalaska | WI | |
| WA7NTF@WA7NTF.#TAC.WA | WA | gkohtala@halcyon.com | |
| ZR6ABC@ZS0DLD.TVL.ZAF.AF | South AFRICA | ||
| VK4TAB | Brisbane | Austrailia (digitizer) | |
| VE3SVE | Ontario | ON | ONmaps01.zip @ 905-792-7890 |
| PA0RYS | Netherlands | EUROPEAN APRS DISTRO. See REGISTER.DOC | |
| Mike Tyrrell | England | 100321.1327@compuserve.com |
INDIVIDUAL MAPS: If you make a disk or FILE with individual maps in it, send it to your state map coordinator and include a piece of paper with the exact LAT/LONG/RANGE and insertion instructions so that he can edit it into his MAPLIST. Include instructions on where to insert the new map(s) in the heirarchical list.
NEW IN VERSION APRS793! Now you can include SUBdirectories in your MAPLIST files so that all of your maps can be in a single dubdirectory in the MAPS directory. WIll make for faster loading and easier maintenance... Note, that is is not backward compatible, so please label your new distro package distnictly..
STATE MAP COORDINATORS: Please, DO NOT modify MAPLIST.USA, or any of my standard distribution MAPLISTS. Their integrity is my responsibility. Also, do not make any changes to MY maps without CHANGING the map name. When users unzip your files, there should be NO FILES in your files that can unknowingly replace my original distro files. I WELCOME your changes to MY maps, but send them to me (with a unique name) so that I can be the one to make the change to the distribution copy...
ALL mapnames should begin with your two letter STATE abbreviation. Your distribution files should contain ONLY YOUR maps, and NO OTHERS for which you are not responsible.
Build your MAPLIST.XX to include your XX state maps and all larger maps that contain your state all the way up to WORLD.map. Use my MAPLIST .USA as the beginning point and add your MAPS to it. This is so that users of your maplist can still zoom to other areas of the country and still see the detail of the USA distribution without having to load another maplist..
All XX state map distribution packages should be named consistently as XXmapsVV.zip, where VV is the version number. Everyone can use that list to see the extent of your efforts and responsibility. The version number lets everyone know whats new, and lets BBS SYSOPS know whats OLD and can be deleted.
Distribute interim UPDATE files as XXaftrVV.zip. This file will contain all of the NEW maps and changes for state XX, AFTER version VV.
FINALLY, to build your zip file, perform the following steps:
If we are all consistent in our distribution packages, then the users will have a lot less troubles...
CAUTION: When adding MAPS to any MAPLIST.xxx file, the location of the map in the list is VERY IMPORTANT. Your new map must go AFTER any other larger map covering the same area, and BEFORE any smaller maps which overlap or may be included in your map. THis includes the edges of surounding areas and states. Use the MAPS-HEIRARCHY or MAPS BORDERS command to see the effect..
I HAVE WRITTEN A PROGRAM CALLED MKmapLST.bas which will scan a given directory and will BUILD a maplist from the data in the files. This list will NOT be in the proper heirarchical order, but can be used with an editor to cut and paste together a list for your area. This program will only be useful to dedicated map makers. It reads the map CENTER coordinates in the various MAP files and builds a simple list of them. If SOMEONE would like to add to this program to give it the intelligence to properly overlap the heirarchical structure, PLEASE DO SO!
COMMERCIAL MAP MAKERS: I would encourage anyone that has the time and the energy to consider going into business making APRS maps for hire. Since APRS maps are intended for the public domain, do not expect to get per-copy fees or royalties, but there should be many HAM clubs or groups that might like to HIRE you to make a map for them. If you are going into this business, please contact me. John Baum KB8JXO in Columbus Ohio is making detail street maps for acomparable contibution, see his 2 mile map around my house. 3909N 07636W.
SEE ADDITIONAL FILES on how to make maps listed at the top of this file.