SAR planning function

[sarlabs]

Our team has started working cold cases and that involved using TF Pro for planning. TF Pro really gives us nice tools to accomplish the task. I can define numerous areas using both topo, aerials and user maps, merge those tracks into one, so they easily fit in the Garmin 60csx with its limitations on tracks. So far we are 2 for 2, meaning two finds where others have failed before and  the victims were left in the filed for about a year or so. Credit goes to the dogs, who do the nose work and their handlers who do the training, but without the planning tool TF Pro, we still would be at square one.

Now there is one feature that I'm missing. The ability to write on the map. I don't need a full fledged word processor, just a way to name the areas and perhaps control the thickness of the letters (size and bold), the color (so they will show on the map) and maybe the possibility to make bubbles (transparent or not) with arrows to indicate the areas.

So far, I've used a roundabout way of creating a pdf file and then editing the pdf file. The results are not bad but some resolution is lost in the process. Starting from screen resolution, with relatively high enlargement (so critical features will be visible), the losses are starting to become significant. I think that having some kind of text editing tool in TF Pro would be a really welcomed addition. I'm looking at the functions above this box and drooling, but really that would be overkill.

TNX

Amir K9CHP

[ScottMorris]

This is one of the weakness of the software for sure.  One limitation here is how to *store* this information in a GPX file.  I will have a look around to see if GPX styles has enough power to do what we want to do.  If it does, that will save me a lot of hassle, and will make the output usable in other software as well.

You *can* do multi-line text boxes in TF -- using the 'description' field of a waypoint.  If you turn the background box on, it'll look like a note.  Problem is you can only use one font size / bold / underline etc, for all notes.  That's the limitation that bugs me.

Thanks for the suggestion, and very cool, as always, to hear TF being used in this way.