If you don’t mind, indulge me in something that’s slightly off-topic.
I’ve always loved maps—especially paper maps. Even in an age of GPS and sat nav, I still keep a North Carolina Gazetteer in my car.
I love the detail, the elevation lines, and the fact that a Gazetteer doesn’t need a charge.
So, while this post has little to do with QRP, POTA, or SOTA, it has everything to do with navigation.
The Modern Navigation Revolution
There’s no denying that tools like Google Maps have revolutionized the way we travel. I use Google Maps regularly:
- For long trips
- When I’m traveling to a new address or exploring an unfamiliar town
- When I’m finding local hot spots—like that BBQ joint everyone’s raving about during an overnight stay
- And, of course, for POTA parks and SOTA trailheads.
But here’s the thing: as a rule, I don’t use GPS for hometown travel. Lately, though, it’s been a necessity. In western North Carolina, the post-Hurricane Helene landscape is filled with washed-out bridges and detours. Traffic jams are frequent. Google Maps’ live traffic updates and re-routing have been lifesavers, so I’ve been using it daily.
The Trade-Off: Are We Losing Navigation Skills?
As amazing as GPS tools are, I can’t help but wonder if they’re eroding our ability to store directions in our heads.
That’s why, as I teach my daughters to drive, I don’t allow them to use GPS around town. They need to learn the roads and build that mental map. Some of their friends (and even a few adults I know) rely so heavily on navigation apps that they can’t find their way across town without them.
(Golly, this is starting to sound like an 80-meter rant, isn’t it? Ha!)
Maybe this is on my mind because we’re on a family trip to the North Carolina coast. Out here, I’ve been deliberately trying to navigate in my head rather than defaulting to Google Maps. There’s no traffic, and we’re on no schedule, so it’s the perfect time to rely on the sat nav between my ears.
I’ve always felt uncomfortable when I don’t “understand” the layout of a place—the proverbial lay of the land. So I enjoy the challenge of piecing it together mentally.
The Genius of “Similar ETA”
That said, there’s one feature I love about navigation tools like Google Maps: Similar ETA.
You know what I mean. You’re driving along, and Google Maps suggests an alternate route, labeled “Similar ETA” or “2-3 Minutes Slower.”
I have a rule: if I’ve never taken that road before, I take it.
It’s brilliant.
I remember once driving back from Philadelphia with my buddy Mark, who was visiting from Australia. We were on a familiar two-lane highway when Google Maps started offering alternate routes, each only adding a few minutes. With Mark’s enthusiastic approval, we took almost every one.
And wow—what a treat! On one route, we passed a convoy of Amish families in horse-drawn carriages. On another, we crossed a beautiful covered bridge. Mark was elated—two quintessential American sights checked off his bucket list.
Even at home, Google Maps’ “Similar ETA” feature has taught me a few surprising shortcuts. I’ve realized that some routes I thought were long detours are, in fact, efficient alternatives when a main road is jammed.
The Takeaway
So what’s the point of all this?
Honestly, it’s just something on my mind this morning, and I thought I’d share it. Maybe there are others out there who, like me, get a little thrill out of exploring “Similar ETA” routes.
I’d also encourage you to turn off GPS navigation when you don’t really need it. Navigation is a skill—one that’s easy to lose if we don’t use it regularly.
Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about understanding the big-picture layout of a place. Paper maps offer that wide-angle view of the world around us, and the mental maps we build reinforce it.
Off to the Ferry…
In an hour or so, we’re heading to a ferry terminal. I’ve already mapped the route in my head. Here’s hoping there’s good signage so I don’t have to cave and use GPS like a big, fat hypocrite!
72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
I agree, keeping your navigation skills sharp is very important. I love paper maps, and I always carry a magnetic compass (or two) when traveling. Even if you have nothing else, if you get lost in a strange place just having a general sense of what direction you need to be going plus the ability to tell direction will usually let you find your way to some landmark or major route.
It’s so easy to get disoriented — I recall once on a remote back road in the Idaho mountains being convinced that I was traveling north — even though I was watching the full moon rise in front of me!
Morning Tom as a retired old school over the road truck driver/owner, I carried my RandMcnally truckers atlas which covered all major highways and byways in the United States. I also had numerous city maps and remember well on how to use them accurately. My last 12 years or so in the business before retiring in 2017 I did have a RandMcnally truckers gps which served me well as a wonderful tool for recording my state by state miles for paying the appropriate use taxes for each state I traveled. 72 n3fvp
I love my Delorme maps! But I use them less than GPS these days. I keep them, but probably use the to recall hunting, fishing, geology and field biology trips from younger days. I should be adding POTA trips, grin.
We have road atlas’s in both vehicles…I’m a retired soldier and Murphy’s Law is an article of faith for me…GPS can go down for reasons, batteries can fry, vehicle displays can crash. Have fun ….but BE PREPARED!
Yes, we are doing EXACTLY the same thing in Asheville too! Garmin GPS plugged in and DeLorme paper backup. The biggest problem is the lack of bridge on US70 to the east of the VA hospital. Many of the businesses down there are not going to re-open. The Mexican and the Surf and Turf aren’t.
By coincidence, there was a BBCWS programme the other day talking about the loss of direction skills which I didn’t realise had become a problem.
Yes, lots of basic skills are being lost, I’m afraid. I love technology, but I keep my Post Versalog slide rule handy, too!
(Talk about irony, my slide rule skills get rusty from lack of use, so I occasionally have to take a “refresher course” on YouTube to remember how to use the log-log scales.)
Thank you! Yes, paper maps do have value! Once on a return trip on a Thanksgiving weekend I-5 was a standstill, Hwy 99 the same. Out came the Atlas and we navigated county roads down the valley. Travelled about 200 miles that way, made ok time and saw a lot I never would have seen.
A big problem for POTA activators is often times the parks are remote and frequently cell service is limited or unavailable and the cell phone map apps don’t work when you don’t have cell service. We recently lost cell service when trying to find a restaurant near a park and when I pulled out the old windshield mounted car GPS to use instead, it no longer worked. Don’t have to worry about that with a paper map!
In case anyone is not aware, Google Maps can download maps for offline use in the event of no cellular service. When traveling I always try to remember to download a map of the area I’m going to “just in case.”
I do the same thing, William. It’s a good option to remember.
Using paper maps and atlases is a totally QRP thing to do.
“QRP is not just low power, it’s a way of life.” – qrplife
I agree so much! I love paper maps, especially the topographical ones. I have a now quite old cd set for Alaska and loved printing sections or looking at them on the computer screen. It’s pretty difficult to get lost here, just not that many roads, but when I’m in the “Lower 48” I use the maps extensively. I’ll try the alternatives next time we’re out! Thx!
Hey Thomas
I enjoy following your adventure’s and look forward to your exploits.
I was on the road for 20 years before GPS or cell phones or the internet. and got around just fine with maps. Here’s a suggestion: get a few small handheld compasses and some orienteering instruction and head out to a nearby park (or anywhere for that matter.) it’s great fun with map & compass. X marks the spot.
73 Jeff WB9DAR
My spouse and I were laughing at ourselves contrasting what it means to move house before the era of GPS and after. Before, we learned the roads and developed a mental map of the area quickly. After, depending on GPS instead of staring at paper maps, it takes forever. And I think, to William’s point, my natural “sense of direction” seems to have deteriorated somewhat. I’m sure it’s not age!
I found the paper map issue to be exacerbated riding motorcycles. I try a lot harder to remember because it takes so much work to find a place to pull over and get out a map.
For what it’s worth, there are some map programs out there that will download maps for use offline. I use OSMAnd on an old Android device my kids retired. I set it up via wifi: no cell service required.
PROTIP: On the POTA site, under Park List, there’s a “Download” menu. You can download a list of parks for a particular state and load it into your smart phone’s GPS program. Then, when you decide to go activate a new park, it’s already in your device as a destination. It’s still good to do your research ahead of time, but it sure is nice to have the whole list already programmed!
I have always been geologically challenged (even though I taught navigation skills in our local Power Squadron. For me it’s different being on a boat with a chart table, a chart , a Pelorus, and log plus taking bearings on shore items) and easily have been able to get lost in a medium size town that I have lived in for the past 55 years. Having said that, I love my iPhone GPS directions even to a local hardware, restaurant, or big box store. When I get to a major intersection sometimes I can’t tell whether the place I want to go to is north or south and the GPS has been my savior. I’m only 80 years old but this goes back years. My wife can see a map in her head but I never have been able to. So, I am very thankful for the GPS option in my phone even for short trips close to home. Looking at a paper map of our town before I leave my home is helpful but to remember it all in my head while driving just never works.
I have navigated Navy aircraft all over the world. One thing you learn is your responsibility does not end when the electronics fail. Paper has no failure mode, GPS is great, but can leave you in serious trouble when the power goes off or the batteries die.
Good point! I would never head into the deep woods or a wilderness, or at sea beyond view of landmarks, expecting to rely only on a battery powered device!
Only slightly related — I recall reading about a hiker who had to be rescued and was in a bit of distress when he was found. He had no food or water, but he did have a laptop computer in his pack!
I agree 100% with you. We still carry a rand McNally and count less state maps with us in thr rv. GPS takes you to you destination just fine. But when my lovely Bride and I travel. We literally like to get lost. With a paper map you get to see way more things that are around you as you travel. For us travel is not a straight line. With GPS it’s like driving with blinders on.
Love the post, Thomas. We’re all getting “spoiled” by the technology.
Back when my wife & I were out exploring unfamiliar areas on our motorcycles, she would sometimes say, “We’re lost, aren’t we?” My response was typically, “No, we’re not lost — I just don’t know precisely where we are!”
Fun times!
72, Vic KB7GL
Hey Vic, I call it temporary spatial dysphasia.
As a retired Royal Marine, an Orienteer and motorcyclist this is considered a sub-optimal condition.
All part of the fun though.
Great post. Integrating paper and electronic maps is an important skill for new drivers and continued adaptation of the integration important for experienced drivers. Another skill to work on is continuous situational awareness of location.
I teach map skills for new fire/ems drivers. For new drivers I occasionally ask them to pull over and ask them where they are (nearest cross streets, and approx. address). Too often we go into autopilot mode if we have a gps guiding us. Another skill is following your location even if you’re not the driver.
Thomas, I always have a mental map in my head whenever I travel. I do use the navigation apps but when they don’t match my mental map or give a questionable direction, I know if the navigation app has a valid routing.
I agree completely Thomas. I have the Gazeteers for TN, NC, KY and FL. The conveniences that we use all the time are OK as long as we don’t lose the foundational skills in the process.
hear hear!
I never get lost, but I sometimes underestimate the size of the navigational pool of errors I am operating in 😉
Ha ha ha! I’ve got to remember that one!
I totally agree. I love the maps that gas stations use to give out years ago. Even states are not as generous with their paper maps, it’s now online.
I like paper maps in general and enjoy studying them for areas I’ll be visiting. Lately, I’ve been studying the local map of the town where I live and was born years ago. A while back, I discovered that although I don’t have trouble navigating my county, I am nearly useless when it comes to giving visitors directions when they ask. I am the classic “turn left where the green house burnt down” guy when giving directions. I’m hoping to improve on that.