Master Maps

[Gnitworp]

disintegrating control cards

Amateur! Transpaseal it

[EddieH]

Gnitworp wrote:
"Amateur! Transpaseal it "

Didn't always work too well. I remember a torrential day in North Wales. I borrowed the start officials handkerchief to dry my hands before the master maps which I managed inside the plastic bag. On arriving at the first control I stil had my transpaseal rectangle, but not a speck of card remained attached to it.

I might as well not have bothered to go round and win M21L punching the transpaseal throughout, as they never checked any cards, and unless a finisher told them they were retiring everyone was included - thus I was officially beaten by over an hour

Just as well the current ranking system wasn't working then.

[Oldman]

Rather than printing excess maps specific to a course -which are wasted if not enough people appear for that course- you print blank maps (able to be used for another event if too many prepared) and only the right number are issued and customised for each course by the competitors.

At some local events I've attended, the map given out had all the controls marked on it and you joined up those on your course. This has downsides, but does eliminate most of the wasted maps.

[AndyC]

I actually did that for the British Schools training day a couple of years ago - then we re-used the maps (and slightly reworked the courses with the same controls) for a Level D a year later. I've suggested that if there are enough left we should use the maps again for a night event.

I will give one argument against it; Most of us will have relocated or confirmed an attack point from a flag on another course. To do that we have to be able to identify the feature which is much easier when it is on the map in your hand!

[Red Adder]

As a competitor I generally liked MMs as it generally gave me several seconds advantage (helped by not drawing connecting lines - I reckon you loose more by obscuring vital detail).

As a planner I prefer pre-marked maps, I seemed to use vast amounts of time trying to come up with some sort of shelter (which would only be needed at about 1 event in 4) and felt rain etc. always spoilt the event from the outset, especially for less experienced people who had yet found a strategy for coping in such circumstances. As a result I always overprint now - even for informal events.

[DeerTick]

disintegrating control cards

Amateur! Transpaseal it

Oh, I did, sometimes double thickness, but those pin punches seemed to find air bubbles unerringly.

[AndyO]

Is this a Monty Python thread? "when I were a lad..." My experience of master maps was that it was sh!t, wet maps, pens that didn't work, forgetting (or not marking carefully enough) map corrections. and don't forget that to get an area mapped "back in the day" and get say 2000 copies of maps at different scales was a huge initial outlay for clubs.

Big Jon's right - Master Maps are yesterday's news! Pre-printed maps should be expected for every event from training upwards, and if there are spare maps left over, so what? they can be used for training, or Night O as Andy C suggests.

[madmike]

Is this a Monty Python thread? "when I were a lad..."

No just idle curiosity and when I were a lad "Transpaseal", whatever that was, was already history now fabloning control cards eh them were the days

[madmike]

Oh and map bagging parties - sorely missed.

[AndyO]

Oh and map bagging parties - sorely missed.

[madmike]

1000+ maps arrive from printers and need to be individually heat-sealed into plastic bag. the club has one heat-sealer; therefore, best done as party with vino, beer etc. Long evening!

Pre waterproof paper days!

[Mrs H]

........and if you print too many maps you can do what Alan H did and bind them into note books to sell for OD and WM junior funds.

I have laminated hundreds of them to use as placemats at the event centres I've sorted. Trouble is they are rubbish as placemats but good as conversation pieces because no one wants to put their plates on them - they put them to one side so they can look at them and discuss the routes with their neighbours

Any more ideas?

[AndyO]

Pre waterproof paper days!

oh, I remember, Mike, but it was also post - master maps. Actually I still prefer to bag a map when planning/controlling, as the maps stays readable and can be folded and unfolded without a crease forming and wearing off detail.

...must be getting old...

[madmike]

Andy,
not totally post master-maps but contemporaneous depending on event level as I recall.

[mappingmum]

What is transpaseal then? Sticky-back plastic?
I like the sound of a map bagging party. Sounds a great way to build up club spirit. Pun not intended!