How To Find Maps

[markpace]

Yesterday I bought my 1st GPS, Magellan Meridian Gold. So far I'm pretty overwhelmed. I'm going fishing in Canada in May and I would like to find a GPS map for that area. But I'm having a hard time finding maps. Are there any really good places to search, or should I just google and hope for the best?

 

A lot of map packs I've seen say they cover a broad area, but how do you really know if the one particular place your looking for is included?

 

How difficult is it to create your own map? Any software/tutorial for doing this?

 

Thanks from a true GPS newbie.

[+PDOP's]

Generally you're limited to maps manufactured by Magellan. For your trip to Canada you'd probably want the Magellan MapSend Canada Topographic CD

[markpace]

So Magellan uses some sort of propritary mapping? Is that true of others ie: Garmin? I wouldn't want to be stuck with only one source for maps. Is there some tool to convert other maps into a Magellan format?

[Alphawolf]

Sorry...Proprietary is the way it happens with GPS. This is one of the very most common questions that new GPS users have..."Do I have to buy Garmin's maps for my Garmin receiver?" or the same question with Magellan receivers and maps.

 

Unfortunately...Yes to both.

 

There is a labor intensive way to create your own maps for Garmin units (I don't think there is for Magellan, but I might be wrong.), but it goes way beyond what most people are willing to put into it.

 

This is where an actual salesman in an actual real, hands-on store can clear up these sorts of questions before they are even asked by the customer.

[markpace]

Ah - thanks. That at least clears up a concern that I bought the wrong unit.

 

Now I just have to figure out if what I want is actually in a map package.