There is no technical limitation that restricts the use of XMap or the Earthmate PN- 40 GPS receiver to use in the United States. Courtesy of the United States Department of Defense, a reliable GPS signal can be used to establish a precise positional fix virtually anywhere on the surface of the planet at any time. XMap and the PN-40 can therefore be used to monitor location, track movement, and accurately create waypoints or other draw objects no matter where in the world you are located.
In practical terms, however, the most significant impediment to using DeLorme mapping technology outside of the U.S. has, until recently, been the availability of map datasets. This barrier is slowly disintegrating and there are now several avenues for non-U.S. XMap users to view, import, or create base map data:
- XMap World Base Map
Skilled cartographers at DeLorme recently embarked on an ambitious project to create the first seamless, consistent, accurate, and up-to-date base map for the entire world. This effort culminated in the XMap World Base Map, a vector-based dataset incorporating an extensive GPS-navigable road network, geographic and hydrographic features, land cover information, elevation, and much more. For information on purchasing this dataset, call 1-800-293-2389, or e-mail prosales@delorme.com.
- Locally Available GIS data
GIS professionals within the U.S. have access to countless data libraries and archives from which thousands of data layers, both raster and vector, can be downloaded, usually at no charge. Such publicly accessible data repositories are becoming increasingly common throughout the rest of world as government agencies and educational institutions recognize the value in encouraging the application of spatial technology. In these archives, XMap users can usually find compatible data in the form of shapefiles, GeoTIFFs, or other common GIS formats. - Scanned and Registered Paper Maps
Often considered a last resort if no preexisting datasets are available, the ImageReg function in XMap provides a straightforward means to convert a standard image file into a raster GIS layer. The obvious benefit of this approach is that any local map or aerial image that is either in a standard image file format or that can be scanned is compatible. The positional accuracy of the final dataset depends on the precision with which the anchor coordinate points are established and, obviously, on the accuracy of the original map itself. - Canadian Topographic Maps from the Map Library
If your foray into foreign lands takes you no further than our neighbors to the north, XMap has you covered. The Map Library subscription now includes unlimited downloads of Canadian topographic maps derived from the 1:50,000 series. These high-quality maps are available from the U.S. border to beyond the Arctic Circle. - XMap’s Embedded Reference Data
If you have ever clicked the pan button in XMap a few too many times or imported a coordinate dataset without first checking to see if the longitude values had the requisite minus sign or West designation, you may have found yourself, or at least your map view, in some remote corner of the world. You may also have noticed that the map is not blank, at least up to zoom level 6. Embedded in all versions of XMap is worldwide Reference Dataset that, while not detailed enough to allow you to plan a hike in the Himalayas, will, with the aid of an attached GPS, let you know if you are currently in Kathmandu or Khartoum.
XMap users within the U.S. have become accustomed to the integrated high-quality topographic and street level datasets that are the foundation upon which XMap projects are built. Not only does DeLorme design and develop the software, we also create and manage the map datasets themselves; a truly unique amalgamation of spatial technologies. With the release of the XMap World Base Map, this synthesis of maps and software is now available worldwide, supplemented by locally available GIS layers and other data. XMap and the Earthmate PN-40 are therefore truly global mapping tools.
