OSM maps for Garmin GPS

[marcelus]

Thanks for your quick reply and the detail, Andrew.

And Icefest, for chipping in re the Watches.

Even though I'll probably start at the eTrex level just for screen and button size, do you mind if I ask how you got the .img map files
across into the watch?

Given the watch probably doesn't have SD card slots, did you have to involve the Garmin Explorer app on phone or PC, or any other proprietary software to do it?

[bernieq]

You can also use the maps in Garmin Basecamp on a computer.

It is possible to connect the eTrex to a computer and use it's maps in Basecamp but I have found it to be very slow. Better is to have the maps in a folder named 'garmin' and on a removable drive eg a USB drive. Mount the drive before you start Basecamp (or Basecamp won't see the maps).

I use Basecamp to make waypoints & draw tracks on the maps and then export them, as a .gpx file, to the computer. Then I close Basecamp, connect the eTrex and copy the gpx to the garmin/gpx folder on the eTrex SD-card (can also save into the garmin/gpx folder on the internal memory).

Yes, the maps are a terrific resource, better than any of the commercial offerings imo. Thanks, Andrew!

[marcelus]

Good stuff, thanks for the detail on Gpx tracks Bernieq.
I have a collection of .gpx track files accummulated over the years, and good to know that you simply copy these files into the right folder on the SD card and you're done.

[icefest]

And Icefest, for chipping in re the Watches.
Even though I'll probably start at the eTrex level just for screen and button size, do you mind if I ask how you got the .img map files
across into the watch?

Just copy them across vis USB. It's the same formal and file system as the handheld GPS's.

Wanna buy my etrex 30?

[marcelus]

Thanks Icefest, file copy over Usb cable sounds nice and simple.
(Will send offline PM re your etrex.)

[andrewp]

Hi all,

New version of all maps with current OSM data.

http://tiny.cc/osm-maps

[tom_brennan]

Thanks again Andrew for all your work maintaining these!

[andrewp]

Thanks Tom,

It's really not that much work. Just download the Aust and NZ OSM files and run a script (which did take quite a bit of work to develop).

Cheers
Andrew

[tom_brennan]

Good to hear it's not too much work to maintain!

I've found that people sometimes start taking volunteer efforts for granted, so I'm grateful for your contributions!

[tastrax]

Is there anywhere we can make a donation for this work?

[andrewp]

Thanks tastrax for your support, but I don't need any donations. As I said it's not that much work and I only refresh them about twice a year. I do it mostly for myself. I really only concentrate on Vic, Tas and NSW. The other territories just get done as part of the script. I did a bit of work in 2020 getting hydro and contours from Qtopo. I haven't refreshed them since, but that stuff doesn't really change that much.

Cheers
Andrew

[peregrinator]

Good to hear it's not too much work to maintain!

I've found that people sometimes start taking volunteer efforts for granted, so I'm grateful for your contributions!

You're not the only one. Thanks to you again andrewp.

[tastrax]

I would be more than happy to support the work - recently loaded the Tassie data onto 10 GPS's for an environmental group. Its a great way to introduce OpenStreetMap to people, especially when they find out they can update errors and things will appear in later releases.