In this lesson, we will demonstrate how to use USGS The National Map base map tiles on
a mobile device with various applications.
The application demonstrations in this video were recorded on an Android device, though
the applications function similarly on an iOS device.
The USGS offers Topo, Imagery Only, Imagery Topo, and NHD Base Maps as services, for free
dynamic use or web download.
Some mobile applications also leverage our contour and road layer services.
I’ll be demonstrating three applications that use USGS services.
These include OruxMaps, AlpineQuest GPS Hiking, and Gaia GPS.
To use The National Map data on your mobile device, start by installing either OruxMaps,
AlpineQuest GPS Hiking, or Gaia GPS.
We will briefly demonstrate all three applications, starting with OruxMaps.
To view USGS map data in OruxMaps, select the map icon in the upper right corner, then
select switch map, and scroll down to select the US folder.
There you can select either USGS Imagery Only, Topo, or Vector Base Map.
For this demonstration, I’m selecting USGS Topo, and we now see the National Map Topo
dynamically loading into the app.
In this and the other navigation apps we’ll demonstrate in this lesson, you can use your
finger to navigate around the map, and pinch to zoom in or zoom out.
You can also rotate the map to a different orientation.
The apps will have an icon that will leverage your phone’s GPS receiver, identifying your
location on the map.
Most applications also allow you to drop waypoints, record your track, or insert trail data as
GPX or KML file formats.
In the GaiaGPS application, you can view USGS map data, by selecting the layer icon in the
upper right corner, then selecting add more sources at the bottom of the list.
In the list of additional map services you’ll see a variety of map sources.
Scroll down to US Topo, and select USGS-National Map, and it will be added to the main options.
Select back and then you can select the layer button again and you’ll see that the National
Map is now available, which is the National Map Topo base map tiles.
In the AlpineQuest GPS Hiking application, in the lower corner, you can click the map
icon, then select explore maps.
USGS Topo Map, Topo Scan, Imagery Topo, and Imagery are available, as well as roads, contours,
and hydro layers.
In this demonstration, I’ll show you how AlpineQuest allows users to create custom
map products on the fly.
I’ll select USGS Imagery.
Once that has loaded, I’ll go back to explore maps, and add the contour layer.
If I click maps again, I can select displayed maps and change the opacity of any layer.
I’ll exit this menu and select the map icon, explore maps, and select road layers.
The user, through this application, can create a customized product using USGS geospatial
services.
Additionally, The National Map services support MOBAC, the Mobile Atlas Creator.
For users that may be navigating in an area that is outside of cell phone coverage, MOBAC
allows users of this desktop application to build small mobile atlases with USGS data.
These mobile atlases can be built over any area of interest at multiple scales, and when
completed, the small file is moved to the phone.
Mobile atlases enable GPS applications on both iPhone and Android mobile devices.
By storing this small amount of data on the phone, these mobile atlases ensure the topographic
data is available even when cell coverage is not.
From the MOBAC webpage, scroll down to access the access the download link for the latest
version of the program.
To be clear, this is done on a PC, not your mobile device.
Unzip the downloaded file, and run the "Mobile Atlas Creator.exe" file.
In the program, select Atlas from the menu and select New Atlas.
In the dialog that appears, select the mobile device application that you’ll be using.
Using the map interface, select your area of interest and the appropriate scale or zoom
level.
After adding your selection to the Atlas content, you can select Create Atlas, and move the
resulting folder (and map data) to the appropriate folder on your mobile phone.
More information on using MOBAC is available through the Quick Start Manual on their webpage.
A final Disclaimer: Any use of trade, firm or product names does not imply endorsement
by the U.S. Government.
No warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS or the U.S. Government as to the
accuracy and functioning of the commercial software programs demonstrated in this lesson,
and the U.S. Government shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of The
National Map topographic data from USGS.
In this lesson, we demonstrated several mobile applications that utilize The National Map
data, and also demonstrated MOBAC, a program for creating mobile atlases.
This concludes Lesson 6b, to continue to the next lesson, please return to the course homepage.