[GeoStL] Free High quality topo and trail maps for Garmin GPSs (MapSource maps)
- From: "Jim Bensman" <junkmailno@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2007 13:10:56 -0600
-
If you want FREE extremely high quality topo/trail maps that I have made for
your Garmin GPS, read on. I am willing to do a training on how to set up
and use them.
Anyone who has Garmin's TopoUSA knows while it has some usefulness, it has
many flaws and limitations. It is based on the 1:100,000 USGS maps so it
does not show the terrain well. The Topo lines are also at weird elevations
and the hydrology leaves much to be desired. It has few if any trails.
Another major problem is they will not route and you can either show it or
City Navigator. The 24K National Park series solves these problems, but it
is expensive and only covers a few areas (in our area the Mark Twain and
Shawnee National Forests).
The solution is make your own Topo maps with this process:
http://home.cinci.rr.com/creek/garmin.htm
It has a steep learning curb, but once you figure it out, you can make a map
in about 20 minutes. I already have made about 50 maps. Almost all the STL
area is covered. Here is a link to see all my maps:
http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/maplist.php?author=4216
Anyone can download and use them for free. The problem is it is a bit
complicated getting it set up for mapsource and you have to download 50
files and do a lot of file editing to get it all set up. I will admit, it
can be a daunting task. Once it is initially set up, it is real simple to
use. It is also real easy to add new maps or replace a map with a newer
version.
I showed Strider and Crowesfeet the maps yesterday at lunch and they were
impressed. Their problem was they had not taken the time to figure it all
out. So I made an offer to them which I will make to everyone, I am willing
to make CDs with all the files you need and put on a training on how to use
them. You could bring your laptop and get it set up there or learn how to
install it from the CD.
With the CD, all you would have to do is copy the files onto your harddrive,
then double click on a file to enter 3 lines into your registry. Then they
will show up in MapSource and you can select them for download like any
other maps. Once you have it set up, to install an update of a map, all you
have to do is replace the old file and run map.bat. To add a new map, all
you have to do is edit a file by adding IMG=filename and then running
map.bat. That is all there is to it once it is set up.
I have made 3 basic kinds of maps. They are transparent overlays for City
Navigator (Select). You see City Navigator and the topo lines, trails,
hydrology, etc over City Navigator. (Autorouting still works and you can
turn them off like any map set if you want (I NEVER turn them off).
Topo Maps: The data for the topo maps is more accurate than the data used
for the USGS 1:24,000 maps. I mostly use a 10 foot contour interval. In
some places where it is really steep, you get too many topolines and in
those places I use a 20 foot contour interval. So you end up with extremely
accurate topo lines that clearly show you the terrain of the land. This is
very useful for figuring out how to get to a cache. It also shows the
hydrology. Most places have high resolution hydrology data (but not all).
So you also have very accurate location of streams and lakes which can also
be very useful in finding caches.
POI Maps: These maps have USGS point data. They include things like Summit
names, valley names, etc. Any point that is on the 1:24K USGS maps is in
these maps. I also found some files from the state of MO that has the
location of all known springs (about 50,000) and sinkholes (about 50,000)
and have included this data into the MO map.
Trail Maps: You can walk or bike a trail and then convert the track file
into a trail maps. You can also trace stuff on google earth/expertGPS and
make a trail map. They will show with the topo lines over City Navigator.
I have GPSed many many trails. I also have GPSed roads in parks that do not
show up on City Navigator. I also have the locations of things like parking
areas, shelters, trail markers, and other features mapped.
So if you go to a place like West Tyson and load my maps, you will see all
the roads, the shelters (and their names), the trails (and their names), the
streams, and the topo lines. It makes finding caches much easier.
My St. Louis area trail map right now has 522 trail/road segments and 656
places in it. Even better the St Louis County Parks Department has GPSed
almost all the trails in county parks and they are going to send me the data
to add to my map. They told me today, I should get it in a week or two.
Once I get this, I will add it to the trail map. I also have a trail map
for IL and MO for trails outside the STL area.
I regularly update the trail maps and upload a new version. (Remember to
update your map once it is installed, all you have to do is download the new
version and then run map.bat). It would be great if others contributed
trail segments/places. To do it, all you have to do is set your tracking to
most often and keep track of when you leave the trail. Then you use
mapsource to clean it up (remove parts off the trail and any other tracking
error) and if the segment has a trail name, name the track file that. For
points, I just need a waypoint. Then send it to me and it takes me a couple
of seconds to add it to the map.
For MOGA, I already have a topo map of the area. If someone wants to GPS
the trails in the area, I can add that to the MO trail map.
Another thing to remember is since the maps are MapSource maps, you can open
a gpx file and see where the caches are in relation to the trails and
topography.
So if people are interested in getting a CD of the maps and training, let me
know and we can work on a time and place. We need a quite place where we
can use laptops.
Jim Bensman
1802 Main Street
Alton, IL 62002-4724
(618) 463-0714
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