 Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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on: December 26, 2011, 04:26:48 AM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« on: December 26, 2011, 04:26:48 AM » |
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My sweetie put a Garmin eTrex 20 in my stocking. The included basemap is certainly lacking.
What map(s) should I buy? Any free options?
I see 100k and 24k options on Garmins website.
I'll be using this for randoneuring as well as off pavement bike packing.
I'm also a TopoFusion Pro user. Not sure yet how to create custom maps. My last GPS was from 2003.
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #1 on: December 26, 2011, 11:22:11 AM
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Dumpster Juice
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 62
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« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2011, 11:22:11 AM » |
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That is why my wife purchased me the Venture instead of a etrex 20. The Venture came with topo maps, I just worry it is not good enough...I was thinking of trading it in for a 20 or 30 any ideas?
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The older I get, the better I was...
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #2 on: December 26, 2011, 12:00:41 PM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2011, 12:00:41 PM » |
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Well, I found my old version of Mapsource, installed on the PC, then updated.
Currently transferred the mapsource data over to the GPS.
Will work well enough for roads, but I will want something better.
Used TopoFusion to bring in some 'custom' MyTopo maps down to 2deg. Wow, that slows things down!
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #3 on: December 27, 2011, 02:32:50 PM
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woody
Location: Southern Utah
Posts: 288
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« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2011, 02:32:50 PM » |
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I am new to the whole GPS thing and have LOI'd for 2012 TDR. I think I narrowed it down to a eTrex 20. How does the Topofusion work? I mean do you download it and then the route is in Google Earth? Can you plan your daily mileage using Topofusion? Can you see where towns are and does it detailed it enough for store locations as well?  Maybe this isn't the correct thread to ask these questions. If someone can help me or point me in the right direction that would be great. thanks, Woody |
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #4 on: December 27, 2011, 04:29:09 PM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2011, 04:29:09 PM » |
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TopoFusion is a mapping tool. Very cool for planning routes, looking at elevation data, etc. You can certainly add waypoints and other data that might be helpful. I've been using it prior to having a GPS that would work with a modern PC. Did a quick test ride to the in laws last night for dinner and loaded a bike path and road route to the etrex20. So far so good, just have to get the screens setup the way I want with information I find useful, and get better at the navigating the menus. Also need to get used to operating it in the dark and cold with gloves on.  Will take some practice to get proficient at getting it started and stopped, as well as using it to navigate off track and back. For TD I imagine a combo of cheat sheets for each town with nearby services combined with preloading key resupply waypoint information would be easy to setup. Still wondering if I should buy the Garmin 24k Topo maps. |
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #5 on: December 27, 2011, 06:16:52 PM
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mbeardsl
Location: NC
Posts: 293
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« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2011, 06:16:52 PM » |
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NO, DO NOT BUY! You can find any number of good maps here (this is just what pooped up, there are other menus on the site to get whole "regions" etc): http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/allI put the southeast region topo maps on my eTrex 30 and really like them. They seem to be quite accurate and detailed enough for my uses. |
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #6 on: December 28, 2011, 03:30:33 AM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2011, 03:30:33 AM » |
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Are those vector or images?
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #7 on: December 28, 2011, 04:46:21 AM
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mbeardsl
Location: NC
Posts: 293
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« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2011, 04:46:21 AM » |
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No clue. Above my head  |
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #8 on: December 28, 2011, 05:28:15 AM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2011, 05:28:15 AM » |
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I've loaded some images as 'custom' maps with TopoFusion and they update when panning and zooming really s-l-o-w-l-y.
I downloaded the Northeast map from that site. Will give it a go.
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #9 on: December 28, 2011, 05:31:23 AM
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mbeardsl
Location: NC
Posts: 293
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« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2011, 05:31:23 AM » |
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I have not had that with the ones I downloaded. Acts like it was meant to be there and zooms/pans fine.
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #10 on: December 28, 2011, 05:32:04 AM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2011, 05:32:04 AM » |
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I have not had that with the ones I downloaded. Acts like it was meant to be there and zooms/pans fine.
That is good news. Will give it a go.  |
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #11 on: December 28, 2011, 08:13:51 AM
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annoying crack
Location: brussels
Posts: 127
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« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2011, 08:13:51 AM » |
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NO, DO NOT BUY! You can find any number of good maps here (this is just what pooped up, there are other menus on the site to get whole "regions" etc): http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/allI put the southeast region topo maps on my eTrex 30 and really like them. They seem to be quite accurate and detailed enough for my uses. That's where I got my free maps last year for the TDR. They were good enough for what was needed! The layout of the maps may change a bit state by state but that's ok. I used a vista hcx, had no previous GPS experience and managed fine. I had to cut the GPS file in 20 tracks of 500 points but did not have a problem there. Have fun! |
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #12 on: December 28, 2011, 08:16:18 AM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2011, 08:16:18 AM » |
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Loaded up the Northeast map available from that site and I'm missing the road data from the 2 counties south of me! Trying to contact the author of the maps...
Otherwise, it seems to be working fine (from my desktop).
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #13 on: January 03, 2012, 10:53:32 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2012, 10:53:32 PM » |
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #14 on: February 25, 2012, 02:26:25 PM
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Laps
Posts: 25
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« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2012, 02:26:25 PM » |
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Hey B-Mike,
have you had any luck with with the maps from that site? I just got an etrex 20 but I can't get the maps to load....Are they not Mac friendly?
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #15 on: February 25, 2012, 05:19:21 PM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2012, 05:19:21 PM » |
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I think there are Mac specific instructions. I loaded em up just fine, but they were missing several county's worth of data for my state.... So I'm likely to sign up for the web based garmin stuff and download a whole chunk of what I think I'll need, and then cancel at the end of the year.
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #16 on: February 27, 2012, 03:28:28 AM
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Laps
Posts: 25
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« Reply #16 on: February 27, 2012, 03:28:28 AM » |
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THanks, Mike. I am in Williston, so I figured I would ask you. Followed the directions and it seems to work now....
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #17 on: February 27, 2012, 06:10:25 AM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #17 on: February 27, 2012, 06:10:25 AM » |
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local! nice.
i've put that on the shelf since receiving it from the fam for xmas. need to get my head back into it, and my body back into riding.
been a weird winter!
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #18 on: March 05, 2012, 04:27:38 PM
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Laps
Posts: 25
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« Reply #18 on: March 05, 2012, 04:27:38 PM » |
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Used mine skiing last few days and it seems to have all the counties in vt for me. Which maps did you use, Mike?
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Topic Name: What maps? GPS question
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Reply #19 on: March 05, 2012, 05:43:34 PM
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