drg status graphic
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Non-Graphical DRG List (including out of area DRGs)


Latest News:

Updated 6/10/2000

It has been just over one year since I updated this site. A major thing has happened: I found all of my DRG's! Ever since the move, I could not find about 10 of them. Well, I am happy to report that the entire collection is back together.

Another thing that happened it that I now have high speed internet access at home. If someone would like me to burn a CD for them of a block that is on an internet site (see below), I can do that for the normal price of the disc. E-mail me for details.

Finally, I can accept credit card payments now via PayPal This method of payment is fast becoming a standard for eBay transactions. It is fast, secure, and free. See the "How To Order" section below.

Reading The Map:

NEW! Now just mouse over any block on the map above, and the block number and name of the block will be displayed in the status bar of your browser! (This only seems to work in Netscape. Sorry IE users!)

Determining a block number from the Status Map above is easy. A block number is a 5 digit number that represents the latitude and longitude of the South-East corner of the block. The first two numbers are the latitude and the last three numbers are the longitude. For example, the pink block on the right is block 47122. The "2" in the block means that this block is on 2 CDs. If you look at the blocks on the coast (47124 and 46124), there is a light, translucent line between them. That means these two blocks come on one CD.

DRG Pricing:

Any DRG disc is $20 (a 2 disc block would be $40). Shipping depends on the number of discs ordered. 1 to 4 discs is $5, 5 to 8 is $6 and 9 to 12 is $7. For orders over 12 discs, contact me. All items are shipped via USPS Priority Mail. For example, you want 3 blocks and one is a 2 CD block. There would be 4 CD's, so the cost would be $80 for the CDs and $5 for shipping for a total of $85. Contact me with questions or for mailing instructions.

DRG's are only sold in one degree blocks. Unlike the USGS, I do not have the ability to place specific maps on a CD. Is this a good deal? Well, to get a comparable CD from the USGS, it would cost $112, so you save over 80%, plus you receive a descriptive, graphical high quality label and jewel case cover. (See below for more information on the labels)

How To Order:

There are two ways to order. The first is by sending a check of money order in the mail. E-mail me for my mailing address.

The second, and in my opinion superior, way is to use PayPal This system will let you use your credit card in a fast, secure, and free way. Go to their web site for more information.

To place an order via PayPal, just use the "Send Money" feature, send the proper amount, and place the DRG(s) you want in the "Note" field. As always, e-mail me if you have any questions on price or procedure.

Make payments with PayPal - it's fast, free and secure!

DRG Information:

A digital raster graphic (DRG) is a scanned image of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) standard series topographic map, including all map collar information. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Universal Transverse Mercator projection. The horizontal positional accuracy and datum of the DRG matches the accuracy and datum of the source map. The map is scanned at a minimum resolution of 250 dots per inch.

Official information on DRGs can be obtained from the USGS.

Topographic Map Symbols:

These are large JPEG images of a 4 page USGS pamphlet (date of publication unknown) that details the symbols you will see in USGS topographic maps, such as the ones on these DRG CD's. [Thank you Curt Mills for supplying the images]

DRG Labels:

A nice thing I do for DRG CD-Rs is provide a label for the CD and as an insert for the Jewel-Case. The way they come from the USGS is just with the name of the block printed on the CD and no cover info of any kind.

Here is a sample, low-res CD label of block 45121.
Here is a sample, low-res Jewel-Case insert of block 46122.

These make finding the right DRG CD a lot easier. How good do they look? Well here is what group member Jon Brazelton said, "Got the order in on Monday. The disks look great. Of course, you got me in trouble with my wife. She saw the disks, and thought I had ordered some commercial software without her approval. Once I finally convinced her these were in fact the copies that I had already cleared with her, she was really impressed."

Other DRG Groups:

It looks like my idea is spreading! Here are DRG groups for other areas:

Downloading DRGs over the Internet:

DRGs are available on-line for the following areas: More sites here!

Programs that work with DRGs:

On PC's:
OziExplorer
Fugawi
Stellar Navigation
On Mac's:
GPSy
MacGPS Pro

Using DRGs on Paper:

Hey! My DRG is tilted! Some DRGs look like they were scanned in crooked, but in actuality, they are carefully aligned. The "neat lines" or the border of the map part of the topo is lined up on lat-lon lines. The DRG has been calibrated to line up on the UTM grid. If you draw lines connecting all the blue UTM tick marks, you will find that they are perfectly lined up vertically and horizontally.

I like to load up a DRG in Photoshop, add some light-blue UTM lines to go along with the UTM ticks, set the image to 250 dpi (Photoshop opens it at 72 dpi) and print it to a color D sized printer. In the field, I then use a UTM grid printed on transparency that you can get from Peter Bennett's GPS Page (look for utmgrid.ps) or a different one from John Carnes Map Tools Page.

The USGS provides software that will let you view multiple DRGs called dlgv32. This is nice as it lets you load up four DRGs if your hike is in the corner of four maps. It is a bite hard to use, as you have to manually "clip" the collar off of the DRGs. It only lets you view it and see lat-lon/UTM coordinates for the map. It's printing hasn't been usable at all for me, it can't do any waypoints, plotting, or GPS communications and it can't save the result to a new super-DRG. It would be nice to have automatic multi-DRG support from the programs listed above!

Finding Waypoints:

Looking for waypoints on a map you don't have? Here are some good places to try:
In the USA:
USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
USA GPS Waypoint Server sponsored by Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT.
In Canada:
Canada's Geographical Names
Outside North America:
GEOnet Names Server.
Other Links:
List of Waypoint Links.

Copywrite Issues On DRGs:

Before asking to copy DRGs, I wanted to make sure it was legal, so I e-mailed the USGS and asked. Here is my query:

Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 14:37:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Bill Anderson
To: esic@mcdgs01.cr.usgs.gov
Subject: DRG Copyright Question
 
 
I was wondering if DRGs are copyrighted? Looking at the information
included with the CD-ROM, it appears that they are not, but before I
copied it, I want to make sure.
 
Thanks.
 
Bill

This is the response I received from them:

Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 12:49:43 -0600
From: ESIC products Mail Account
To: Bill Anderson
Subject: Re: DRG Copyright Question
 
Thank you for your inquiry. The DRG's are public domain and there are no
copyright laws against it If you have any more questions feel free to e-mail us
back or give us a call.
 
-- 
 Rolla-ESIC                                   | Additional information may be
 U.S. Geological Survey                       | obtained through the Internet
 1400 Independence Road, Mail Stop 231        |  http://mcmcweb.er.usgs.gov
 Rolla, MO 65401-2602                         |
 Telephone: (573) 308-3500                    |
 FAX: (573) 308-3615                          |
 Email: mcmcesic@usgs.gov                     |


Questions? Comments? E-Mail Bill Anderson
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48124: Cape Flattery E-WA 48123: Victoria W-WA 48121: Concrete W-WA (2 CD Set) 48120: Concrete E-WA 48119: Okanogan W-WA 48118: Okanogan E-WA 48117: Sandpoint W-ID 48116: Sandpoint E-ID 48115: Kalispell W-MT 48114: Kalispell E-MT 48113: Cut Bank W-MT 48112: Cut Bank E-MT 48111: Shelby W-MT 48110: Shelby E-MT 48122: Victoria E-WA (2 CD Set) 47124-46124: Copalis Beach E-WA and Cape Disappointment E-WA 47123: Seattle W-WA 47122: Seattle E-WA (2 CD Set) 47121: Wenatchee W-WA (2 CD Set) 47120: Wenatchee E-WA 47119: Ritzville W-WA 47118: Ritzville E-WA 47117: Spokane W-WA 47116: Spokane E-WA 47115: Wallace W-ID 47114: Wallace E-ID 47113: Choteau W-MT 47112: Choteau E-MT 47111: Great Falls W-MT 47110: Great Falls E-MT 46123: Hoquiam W-WA 46122: Hoquiam E-WA 46121: Yakima W-WA 46120: Yakima E-WA 46119: Walla Walla W-WA 46118: Walla Walla E-WA 46117: Pullman W-WA 46116: Pullman E-WA 46115: Hamilton W-MT 46114: Hamilton E-MT (2 CD Set) 46113: Butte W-MT 46112: Butte E-MT 46111: White Sulphur Springs W-MT 46110: White Sulphur Springs E-MT 45123: Vancouver W-WA 45122: Vancouver E-WA 45121: The Dalles W-OR 45120: The Dalles E-OR 45119: Pendleton W-OR 45118: Pendleton E-OR 45117: Grangeville W-ID 45116: Grangeville E-ID 45115: Elk City W-ID 45114: Elk City E-ID 45113: Dillon W-MT 45112: Dillon E-MT 45111: Bozeman W-MT 45110: Bozeman E-MT 44124-43124: Newport-E OR and Coos Bay E-OR 44123: Salem W-OR 44122: Salem E-OR (2 CD Set) 44121: Bend W-OR 44120: Bend E-OR 44119: Canyon City W-OR 44118: Canyon City E-OR 44117: Baker W-OR 44116: Baker E-OR 44115: Challis W-ID 44114: Challis E-ID 44113: Dubois W-ID 44112: Dubois E-ID 44111: Ashton W-ID 44110: Ashton E-ID 43123: Roseburg W-OR 43122: Roseburg E-OR 43121: Crescent W-OR 43120: Crescent E-OR 43119: Burns W-OR 43118: Burns E-OR 43117: Boise W-ID 43116: Boise E-ID 43115: Hailey W-ID 43114: Hailey E-ID 43113: Idaho Falls W-ID 43112: Idaho Falls E-ID 43111: Driggs W-ID 43110: Driggs E-ID 42124: Cape Blanco E-OR 42123: Medford W-OR (2 CD Set) 42122: Medford E-OR (2 CD Set) 42121: Klamath Falls W-OR 42120: Klamath Falls E-OR 42119: Adel W-OR 42118: Adel E-OR 42117: Jordan Valley W-OR 42116: Jordan Valley E-OR 42115: Twin Falls W-ID 42114: Twin Falls E-ID 42113: Pocatello W-ID 42112: Pocatello E-ID 42111: Preston W-ID 42110: Preston E-ID Teale Data Center 41119: Vya W-NV 41118: Vya E-NV 41117: McDermitt W-NV 41116: McDermitt E-NV 41115: Wells W-NV 41114: Wells E-NV 41113: Brigham City W-UT 41112: Brigham City W-UT (2 CD Set) 41111: Ogden W-UT 41110: Ogden E-UT