Offroad Maps for Garmin GPS

Ok - thanks - the link indicates that the maps are Geo science maps from 2006 - was hoping for something a bit more up to date.

Any other options?

Cheers

Garry

I downloaded the basic shonky map and used the map file to replace the map file in my Garmin Topo V4 micro disk and set the GPS to just use the shonky map - all loaded up Ok. The went for a test run in to the foothills of the Brindabellas and was somewhat disappointed.

I also ran my other Garmin GPS with just the latest street maps loaded and compared the two - there are far more tracks on the Garmin street maps than the Shonky maps and when you were on a track the Shonky rarely had you on the track.

i appreciate this test is not conclusive but Shonky did not compare well with the standard on road maps when off road.

Thanks for the suggestion though - unless you try these things you do not knwo how well they actually work.

Cheers

Garry

Mel

What is auto route? (from the oztopo.com.au site near a screen dump).

Phil

Yep , l use OzTopo on a SD card and Base camp , it good .

Jackolux What is "auto route"?

Phil

Auto route is a function that allows you to specify start point and destination and the program will define a route to it via the roads it knows about.

With Oztopo you may run out of memory trying to do this, in which case you choose a closer, intermediate, destination.

Compared with other topo maps the big strength of Oztopo is that it covers the country at a scale of around 25K. You can also swap the SD card into other Garmin GPSs - as long as you specify which models at the time of ordering as there's variation in rendering.
The downside though is that many man-made features like gates and huts aren't included - compared with govt topos such as VicMap 25K and 30K and the NSW equivalents.

Thanks Sigmund. That may be handy on gazetted roads but I wonder if it would work on fire trails and tracks etc like in the high country.

Anyway; I am not getting it as I am happy with Ozi. Just curious.

Cheers

Phil

Thanks for that suggestion - unfortunately the price if a bit much for me. If it comes to the crunch I would just get another chinese GPS load on my oziexplorer with my Hema and other maps and have $100 left over.

Cheers

Garry

Hi Garry

Ozi doesn't do such a bad job hey! Re the cheap chinese. I see you already had one.

Our son initially had a chinese one. He couldn't even listen to the radio or a CD/DVD at the same time that Ozi was occupying the screen. He was most impressed when he heard the music with Ozi on- screen in my car. He got an aussie in-dash one when he got home.

Just a heads up first mate.

Phil

Horses for courses. Current Hemas are just too small scale & aren't up to close navigation. The new 150K will be better but 50K is my preferred limit.

I've kind of gone off Hema since they told me that when they next update their maps, I won't be able to buy a version for Ozi. Or something like that.

That's not a real worry though, because I have enough maps anyway. Something like 39Gb all up and only take those for the area we are covering.

I am not into always having the "trendy" ones or changing something that does all I need just for the sake of upgrading.

Phil

I have had two chinese stand alone GPS over the years with Ozi - so listening to the radio is not an issue. They have worked well with their main limitation being poor batteries but are cheap to replace.Still got a 7" but needs a new battery and it is over 5 years old so a bit long in the tooth.

Looking to go to a 10" android tablet with Ozi using the maps I have for offroad stuff - in NSW I use the 1:25K maps and elsewhere the 1:250K maps.

However I have learnt from bitter experience a few years back that you should have backup where GPS is concerned (paper maps or another GPS). The Garmin GPS is hard wired in the dash cubby box and it would be good to have decent offroad maps sitting on a micro SD card in its spare slot for use if needed. Maps can be changed from the map menu in the GPS.

As I indicated I have the Garmin Topo maps but they are really just the onroad maps with lots of topo information added so do not have minor or remote tracks.

Cheers

Garry

PS - when you edit a post/followup - why does it take out the paragraph spacing?? Just had to go back in and put them back - twice. :-(

Re radio:
I was actually talking about the in-dash ones that relace the car audio kit. I won't have stuff loose in the cabin. Had my fair share of loose object when in a pickle. And really want to rid the car of stuff that has to be charged up all the time. I keep on forgetting.

Phil

Hi Garry,

There is also Tracks4Australia. I doubt it's any more recent than the Shonky maps but here's the link.

http://www.gpsoz.com.au/tracks4australia/

The insert link button doesn't seem to work on my android tablet, so I hope the web address appears OK.

Graeme

Thanks - I will check it out.

Garry