No 2 Master Maps

[graeme]

For a long time now I've refused to control events with MMs (which has occasionally meant I've done all the printing...).

It worth distinguishing between the deeply unpleasant "draw up your own map while kneeling in the mud and rain", and NeilC's more pragmatic approach of drawing up beforehand. C4- events I can't really see why that would detract from the experience. If you really dont want to see the course before you start, you can always get someone else to draw it for you. Does any sane person really care that someone else is gaining a few seconds advantage by studying the map at a C4?

Graeme

[redkite]

Agree with a lot of what has been said in this thread. Whilst in principle we should now be able to have overprinted maps at all events, it still has its difficulties for the smaller clubs who cannot justify the cost of a laser printer for use from the back of a car.

I did look into the cost for SWOC a few months ago, but given the number of orienteers who turn up at district and local events it whould take us many many years to get our money back. - May the prices keep falling

Worthwile looking into sharing with adjoining clubs, but then you have the problem of logistics etc.

Whilst the trend is certainly there to have overprinted maps for all competitors at all events it will probably be a few years yet before you have seen the last of master maps.

[SeanC]

Recently, I somehow volunteered to organise a C4 event. Reading these posts has made me think about whether or not to use overprinted maps. Being December, I figure that it the event would be much more pleasant with overprinted maps, and that people would pay the extra cost to avoid getting cold copying down the course (the event is for southern softies after all!). Can the planner produce the overprinted map on his/her own PC without a separate OCAD license? Having to drive over to the club mapper's house to use his PC is a hassle that should be avoided for a small event (I don't know much about OCAD so I might be asking a stupid question ). If not is there some alternative cheaper software out there which can be used just to draw the control circles on the map?

The SO write the course down before hand method isn't used for C4 events in my club, apart for the beginners courses. I assume it's because people find it hard to resist the temptation to look at the course before they start and this takes away some of the challenge. However, ff we did do this I might be able to find somewhere sheltered and dry to copy the courses.

Overall I can't see overprinted maps being the most important way to increase participation, though I'm sure it would help. I'd have thought that factors such as increasing the number of local events and improving the social side of the sport are more important.

[FatBoy]

The free version of OCAD can be used to print maps. You only need a licence to change the map. If you have 5 courses or less you can even set the course with the free version.

[SeanC]

Thanks FatBoy,

sorry if this is turning into a Q and A session on OCAD. Can we write our 5 courses, save them to a file and send them to the guy with the licensed version (who also has the decent printer)?

Unfortunately it's a full colour coded event with 8 or so courses so we'd have to do some of the courses on the licensed version.

[Guest]

If, as the in the maps I have printed recently, have significant amounts of green / yellow the cost -including 120 gm paper (which I think should be compulsory) and a re-sealable bag is about 25 p per A4 map (ie 50 p per entrant on the longer courses as they need two maps).

Aire have a policy for C4 events and lower of encouraging runners to provide their own map bags. We keep a small stock of map bags at the start for newcomers and forgetful experienced orienteers who don't read the event details.

This makes evironmental, cost and (for volunteer helpers) time management sense. Most orienteers are awash with plastic map bags which can be recycled repeatedly. Bagging maps is more time consuming for volunteer labour than actually printing the maps. We should be doing everything we can to decrease the volunteer load.

If you do insist on bagging maps, (or even if you don't) why not print the longer courses back to back on the one quality 120gm sheet. It works perfectly well.

[NeilC]

The SO write the course down before hand method isn't used for C4 events in my club, apart for the beginners courses. I assume it's because people find it hard to resist the temptation to look at the course before they start and this takes away some of the challenge. However, ff we did do this I might be able to find somewhere sheltered and dry to copy the courses

You might struggle to do a full C4 set of courses on the demo OCAD since there is an object limit.

Regarding map copying, I do not believe that forcing people to copy down maps in the mud is actually your club's policy. Talk to Andrew E or Chris B and then do it the SO way - you know it makes sense.

[DaveR]

Another solution is to use CONDES to do the course planning.
It can import OCAD map files and you can then put on the controls,
joint them up, do descriptions, print off maps, etc, etc.
Worth finding out if your club already has a license.

CONDES can be found at http://www.finn.arildsen.com/

Dave

[graeme]

Overall I can't see overprinted maps being the most important way to increase participation.

Obviously making people welcome is important, but ultimately nobody will stick with the sport unless we have a good product to offer. First impressions are very important: I can't think of a worse introduction to our running, navigating adventure sport than sending newcomers to kneel in the mud and try to get a biro to write on a wet map.

Graeme

[red adder]

Environmental considerations aside bagging maps up doesn't cost much (2.3p a bag) though its a bit of a pain effort wise (not sealing actually saves time). It does have the advantage of keeping pack to back maps together (again the cost of paper is cheap (2 p) a sheet.

Big advantages are that a lot of people expect bagging now and its a pain to turn up at a remote start in poor weather without one and that pre-bagging does mean that the runner don't pick up a soggy map from a tesco bag at the start (I've done that - and they don't slide too easily in to a map bag).

Question - how would you react to finding your bagged up, 2 part, blue / brown course had re-used old maps (of another area) on their reverse (but hidden) sides ?

[FatBoy]

Question - how would you react to finding your bagged up, 2 part, blue / brown course had re-used old maps (of another area) on their reverse (but hidden) sides ?

No problem. Anybody who had the "back to back" maps at Penhale on closer inspection would've found it was actually one piece of paper with a map on both sides. I certainly didn't clock that until I opened the map bag!

What I would say though is that while having a map on the other side is no problem for the competitors, the laser printer may have other ideas. Generally you can only print on both sides of a piece of paper with a duplex unit. If you let the paper cool down between prints the "ink" doesn't stick well the second time, and you tend to get paper jams.

[HOCOLITE]

We had a C5 on Sunday withmaster maps and all courses marking them after the start. There were lots of newcomers and that didn't seem to phase them, mind you it was lovely weather. More were phased by a start box with a three minute call up.

One of our newcomers was an M80, who's always wanted to try. He went round with our clubs oldest active member an M75. Despite the climb on the Malverns both came back safe and had enjoyed their adventure

[Guest]

My post really relates to the selling of an image of the sport, to the general public, who are now being encouraged to take up an activity or sport. Orienteering is where we want them to come.....We have 6000 new members to find, so selling the same product nationwide is very important. With laser printing, OCAD and electronic punching the sport has been transformed.

But Southdowns has been one of the most successful clubs at recruiting members, and as NeilC points out, they don't use preprinted maps. As I said, I prefer them, and was one of those who pioneered pre-printed maps at colour-coded events in YHOA (you printed them for me!), but there are often good reasons not to use them - again as Neil identified. (BTW Neil, the key word in my comment you quote was 'if', as I don't believe that clubs who use MMs sensibly will miss out, as you have shown).

Incidentally there is a wee danger with the idea of same product nationwide if it's extended too far - same format every week?

I would agree with your experience of poorly produced colour copies... but only from about three years ago. The machines now are sooooooo good.

Yes, but they are not always used to best effect, as my recent experience testifies. The increased ability for anybody with computer literacy to draw and to print maps means that the readability of those maps varies quite considerably. You rightly emphasise quality of experience. Ours has been spoilt on a number of recemt occasions by poorly reproduced maps. In THAT situation, I would have rather had a decently printed blank map to copy off MMs than what I was offered.

[awk]

Oops, somebody has removed the automatic login again, and I'm useless at doing it manually.

[JackTheLad]

The increased ability for anybody with computer literacy to draw and to print maps means that the readability of those maps varies quite considerably.

Quite agree! I recently used OCAD 8 demo for course setting to produce the MM at a local event, I was very happy with this, but I was really unhappy with the colours on the maps as produced by the colour laser copier available to me at work. I tried, unsuccessfully to adjust the colours and had to live with something I wasn't happy with. Having spoken to the person who prints all the club maps on the club Laser printer it seems he always has to tinker with the colours to get them right whenever a new printer is used.
Therefore I think there is a little way to go before we can have a blanket recommendation for the use of pre-marked maps.

Now if someone has written an "Idiots guide to tweeking OCAD colours for Laser printing" I might be convinced otherwise.