VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

forget mapquest yo ... Google Maps kicks a$$ on it

also has really cool satellite function with hi-rez in some areas(the more populated - the more detailed)

Pretty good - Nitinat Lake isn't on map, but satellite view shows it OK. BC gov't public/CRD mapping better resolution orthophotos, but they aren't available for everywhere, B/W not colour too. Plus this has pretty good search tools.

If you want to see a cool view of Nitinat (and Victoria - check off the streets for Vic) use http://earth.google.com/ Google Earth is the coolest program! American cities - Seattle for instance - you can view right down to the 3d of the buildings. Vancover has pretty good detail too, we could pick out a particluar house in Kits that my wife used to live in. and it's Free!

more force 4 wrote:Pretty good - Nitinat Lake isn't on map, but satellite view shows it OK. BC gov't public/CRD mapping better resolution orthophotos, but they aren't available for everywhere, B/W not colour too. Plus this has pretty good search tools.

it is a great tool eh ... found it especially usefull while helping a friend search out properties for sale ... just plug in your(occasionaly can't find) address and there ya go ... in the sat-view(depending on area) i was able to zoom in so much i could see if my buddy's car was sittin in his driveway or not! ... also finding lots more backroads and trails for potential mx rides/exploring

well just a heads up, that site made my sweet Win95 machine burst a vacuum tube - i will have to try it later on a machine from this millenium, Thanks fer the link!

downwind dave wrote:well just a heads up, that site made my sweet Win95 machine burst a vacuum tube - i will have to try it later on a machine from this millenium, Thanks fer the link!

which site?(although they are both from google) did you try to install google-earth? ... with googlemaps you don't have to d/l or install anything, but it looks like you don't get as many features like the tilting n' stuff

Google Earth is quite amazing as it adds in the contour data. I tried flying into some of the mountains I've climbed on the island - quite cool.

Last time I checked Google has closed the site for downloads, but you can still download the client from here: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4659.html

Im sure it will get up and planing at home, my work machine is the equivalent of an old waterlogged neon Klepper with a loose football fin.

Wow. That is unbelievable for a free program and data. Or for a pay program and data, for that matter. The Seattle data is probably 20 cm pixel - we have some that detailed for City of Vancouver, but only readable on a $$$ machine and not with 3D (well, we could upgrade our GIS program for another $5K). The Google globe Vancouver is probably 1-5 m resolution and Victoria is about 10m. Nitinat is 30 m? Still amazingly good. You can 'fly' the drive back to Victoria following the roads, but do it at about 300 mph. I'll post a couple of screen caps tot he gallery for those interested who can't run this because they don't have XP.

Did that - they are kinda dark compared to the originals, some loss of quality from the screen cap process.

Thanks Rob..Very cool. Ilike to change from map-Sat. You to kskk. I'm enjoying google-earth.

thanx to KSKK too!

i didn't get a chance to install google.earth untill now, and it is very cool! ... can't wait to play around with it on a faster connection

cheers PH - and just a warning, it is addictive !

Strangely, the detail is better for Dawson Creek (pop. 10,000) and Halifax than for Victoria. We were able to see my wife's house and even the 3 trees in her yard in DC, and individual houses can be indentified easily in Halifax too. No such luck in Victoria, though.

Oh my. KSKK you are right, almost as addictive as windsport (and great for no wind days!) Spent the better part of two days playing with this at work (some of which was justified and even chargable! ). Theres little bits of high resolution stuff all over the place, mostly towns, but random bits of bush and mountains too. You can see the change when you are zoomed way out and see the colour look more brown and subdued. Zoom in and you'll see its very high res colour orthophoto. Even the regular satellite data is pretty good - I was able to find places along the Alaska Highway between Ft Nelson and Liard Hot Springs where I stopped and took a picture without knowing where I was. Now I do! Vegetation matched and mountains were very close to my pics (you often can't roll down to ground level for a perfect match). Haven't even got out of BC yet (except near borders), someone told me the pyramids near Cairo are pretty cool.

ok, kksk how did you get such good resolution, I tried to see my mom and dads in Dawson Creek but couldn't get very good resolution, is there a setting or something??

kitesurferdale wrote:ok, kksk how did you get such good resolution, I tried to see my mom and dads in Dawson Creek but couldn't get very good resolution, is there a setting or something??

Hey Dale! Didn't adjust anything, perhaps just a better photo for that part of town? I took a screen capture just so you know what I mean. I posted the link below . Have a look at that and tell me if you have the same resolution for your folks' place.

Look forward to seeing ya at the lake Dale, maybe even this weekend if we get some good weather.

Cheers
http://www.bigwavedave.ca/gallery/displ ... =176&pos=0