[aprssig] UiView and Precision Mapping Streets and Traveler 9.0

[Bill Diaz]

	We are currently upgrading the UiView mapping interface to support
the soon to be released Precision Mapping Streets and Traveler 9.0.

	I have PMapSat 9.0 working in UiView now.  Updated maps, improved
map display and several new features available in UiView/PMapServer9.

	PMapServer9 is based on Rogers original PMapServer source code
written back in 2004 or so.  This is the 3rd update since its intiial
release.

	New/Improved features should include:

		Display of PMap .CAD files in addition to .OVR files
		as Overlays.
			Creation of .ovr files has not been supported in
			PMap for some time. .CAD files can be created abd
			edited in more recent versions of Precision Mapping.

			CAD files provide considerably more versatility than
			.ovr files.

		Display of .bmp, .gif, .png and .jpg files as underlays.
			Previous version only supported loading .bmp files
			as underlays.

			NWSGet, which automatically downloads radar images
			for use as UiView underlays will be updated to
support
			the use of .gif, .png and .jpg files as underlays in
			UiView.  This can significantly reduce the time and
			processing effort needed to convert various file 
			formats into the .bmp format required by
PMapServer7.
			This will also significantly reduce the disk storage
			space.

		Simplified removal of Overlays and Underlays from the map.

		One feature under consideration and development is user
createable POI
		(Points of Interest).  These can contain up to 70 char or so
of text.
		May be useful for special events, marking specific points
with icons
		and text.

	Undertow Software has been working very closely with us, and
including features in the OCX we have specifically requested for UiView
users. 

	Steven WA8LMF and Keith VE7GDH have agreed to serve as beta testers
for PMapServer9.  They should be receiving their beta Precision Mapping
Streets and Traveler 9.0 disks any day now.  

	If you have any reasonable feature requests for UiView/PMapServer9
please advise.  We have numerous limitations which constrain development
efforts and therefore may not be able to satisfy all requests.

	We have no idea when Precision Mapping Streets and Traveler 9.0 will
be released.  Rest assured that UiView/PMapServer9 will be able to take
advantage of it the day it is released.


Bill KC9XG