Free Topo Maps for Garmin GPS

[+Rebes]

Hi guys,

 

Do you know if it's possible to use these maps within Pathaway for Palm? This would be extremely helpful!

 

Thanks,

 

R

 

I've never heard of Pathaway. Will it read Garmin IMG files?

 

Another option might be to download Garmin Mobile XT from Garmin's site (or the iQue for Palm Software). They will work with that.

 

Pathaway is a nice mapping software for Palm (And WinCE I think, but can't verify myself)...

 

It has all the features of a handheld GPS, and then some... It's extremely configurable...

 

Anyways, I am trying something to get your maps into it... I'll report on how that goes. I'm trying Touratech to import the IMG files and convert them to Pathaway files. I left it working on the imports this morning, it seemed to be going well... I was able to view the maps in Touratech no prob. Touratech has an option to export a map to Pathaway prc format, so I'll hopefully get a chance to try that tonight.

 

I'll let you know!

 

R

[+Rebes]

Hi guys,

 

Do you know if it's possible to use these maps within Pathaway for Palm? This would be extremely helpful!

 

Thanks,

 

R

 

I've never heard of Pathaway. Will it read Garmin IMG files?

 

Another option might be to download Garmin Mobile XT from Garmin's site (or the iQue for Palm Software). They will work with that.

 

Pathaway is a nice mapping software for Palm (And WinCE I think, but can't verify myself)...

 

It has all the features of a handheld GPS, and then some... It's extremely configurable...

 

Anyways, I am trying something to get your maps into it... I'll report on how that goes. I'm trying Touratech to import the IMG files and convert them to Pathaway files. I left it working on the imports this morning, it seemed to be going well... I was able to view the maps in Touratech no prob. Touratech has an option to export a map to Pathaway prc format, so I'll hopefully get a chance to try that tonight.

 

I'll let you know!

 

R

 

Ok, last night I confirmed this...

 

I was able to read all of your maps into Touratech, and I was also able to export the fully calibrated maps into Pathaway prc format for the Palm... Tested this morning on the way to work, and Pathaway tracked my position on your maps perfectly. I did have to scale the maps down to about 0.1, as the resulting raster bitmap from exporting the entire map was HUGE. Even at 0.1, it still had good detail. (Edit: When I say full map, I mean one piece of the map)

 

I did notice that I didn't have any road/street names in Touratech, and the streets were dashed red lines, while back alleys were solid black lines... Is this the way everyone is seeing them, or is this a setting within Touratech? In other words, do your maps include the street names?

 

By the way, thanks for some great maps!

 

R!

Edited January 8, 2008 by Rebes

[+Red90]

delete double post

Edited January 8, 2008 by Red90

[+Red90]

delte triple post

Edited January 8, 2008 by Red90

[+Red90]

Do you know if it's possible to use these maps within Pathaway for Palm? This would be extremely helpful!

 

Pathaway uses raster maps only, correct??

 

If so, precalibrated raster topo maps are available free from the Government's website at http://geogratis.gc.ca/geogratis/en/produc...rch.do?id=10119

 

These are "Geotiff" formats scanned at 300 dpi.

[sebas1430]

One question for you, ibycus

 

You have probably seen the new Garmin Colorado series?? Since this new series can show detailed 3D elevation (DEM), do you know if it could be possible to create a mapset with this new feature??

 

I found this on web these links. I don't know if it will useful.

 

http://www.ctis.nrcan.gc.ca/cit/servlet/CI...05-002-005.html

http://www.geomaticssystems.com/Free/FreeDEM.htm

 

I think this new feature on Colorado could be really interesting, but maybe Garmin will not update Topo Canada this year.

 

Thanks!

[+ibycus]

One question for you, ibycus

 

You have probably seen the new Garmin Colorado series?? Since this new series can show detailed 3D elevation (DEM), do you know if it could be possible to create a mapset with this new feature??

 

I found this on web these links. I don't know if it will useful.

 

http://www.ctis.nrcan.gc.ca/cit/servlet/CI...05-002-005.html

http://www.geomaticssystems.com/Free/FreeDEM.htm

 

I think this new feature on Colorado could be really interesting, but maybe Garmin will not update Topo Canada this year.

 

Thanks!

 

A lot of it depends on how its implemented on the GPS, and how the compiler I'm using adjusts to it. If its possible (without me writing my own compiler for it) then I'll certainly give it a shot.

 

Dale

[Defoucault]

Hi Ibycus

I was never able to compile 032G09 and 032G10. With your new compiling gurus can you figure this out.

[+Rebes]

Do you know if it's possible to use these maps within Pathaway for Palm? This would be extremely helpful!

 

Pathaway uses raster maps only, correct??

 

If so, precalibrated raster topo maps are available free from the Government's website at http://geogratis.gc.ca/geogratis/en/produc...rch.do?id=10119

 

These are "Geotiff" formats scanned at 300 dpi.

 

Hey Red90, that's pretty cool, I've definitely bookmarked that site... Still I find that Ibycus' maps are far better at a similar zoom factor... the raster topos at the above address go blurry when I use them at the same zoom level I'm using Ibycus' maps at. If I bring up one of Ibycus' maps after converting it with Touratech, even scaling it down to 0.1 to 0.2 of it's original size, the lines are much sharper, and there's less "other junk" on the maps.

 

Still, a great resource! It looks like they just scanned a bunch of paper maps! What a nightmare of a job...

 

R

[+ibycus]

Hi Ibycus

I was never able to compile 032G09 and 032G10. With your new compiling gurus can you figure this out.

 

They should be on the FTP site...

 

host:ftp.ibycus.com

username: anonymous@ibycus.com (this will probably screw up internet explorer's FTP engine... sorry, but my hosting provider insists on it)

password: your e-mail address

Files: \topomaps\imgs\10320709.img and \topomaps\imgs\10320710.img

 

Note: There seems to be a limitation placed on me by my ISP, I can't have more than 2000 files listed in a directory. Given that there seems to be nearly 5000 here, they don't all get listed in WinSCP (or any other FTP client). They *are* all there though if you request them from the server. I'm working on my installer program (hopefully get it done this weekend) which will make this whole process easier.

[+Red90]

Still, a great resource! It looks like they just scanned a bunch of paper maps! What a nightmare of a job...

 

All current federal government topo map data comes from scanned paper maps. The vector data is vectorized from those scans. The paper maps were made using stereographic methods on aerial photographs. AFAIK, no modern techniques such as aerial radar have been used for any of the maps.

 

It is an important point to remember as it affects the accuracy level of the data.

[TOLady]

I tried your maps and I must say - THANKYOU!!!! A lot better than the garmin product.

 

Here's a blatant hint for you: I'm located in the Toronto area so I'm waiting for these maps to be added to your great collection

 

Once again, thanks so much - a lot of hard work went into this project.

[Defoucault]

Hi Ibycus

I was never able to compile 032G09 and 032G10. With your new compiling gurus can you figure this out.

 

They should be on the FTP site...

 

host:ftp.ibycus.com

username: anonymous@ibycus.com (this will probably screw up internet explorer's FTP engine... sorry, but my hosting provider insists on it)

password: your e-mail address

Files: \topomaps\imgs\10320709.img and \topomaps\imgs\10320710.img

 

Note: There seems to be a limitation placed on me by my ISP, I can't have more than 2000 files listed in a directory. Given that there seems to be nearly 5000 here, they don't all get listed in WinSCP (or any other FTP client). They *are* all there though if you request them from the server. I'm working on my installer program (hopefully get it done this weekend) which will make this whole process easier.

 

Thanks for the info Ibycus.

I downloaded all of quebec and made a filelist.txt without problems. Now I need an index.I tryed to follow your filelist revision procedure but when I get to cgpsmapper to generate the index I get a 032 error code saying "level 1 cannot be empty" can you tell me how to continue.Thanks

Edited January 14, 2008 by Defoucault

[+ibycus]

Hi Ibycus

I was never able to compile 032G09 and 032G10. With your new compiling gurus can you figure this out.

 

They should be on the FTP site...

 

host:ftp.ibycus.com

username: anonymous@ibycus.com (this will probably screw up internet explorer's FTP engine... sorry, but my hosting provider insists on it)

password: your e-mail address

Files: \topomaps\imgs\10320709.img and \topomaps\imgs\10320710.img

 

Note: There seems to be a limitation placed on me by my ISP, I can't have more than 2000 files listed in a directory. Given that there seems to be nearly 5000 here, they don't all get listed in WinSCP (or any other FTP client). They *are* all there though if you request them from the server. I'm working on my installer program (hopefully get it done this weekend) which will make this whole process easier.

 

Thanks for the info Ibycus.

I downloaded all of quebec and made a filelist.txt without problems. Now I need an index.I tryed to follow your filelist revision procedure but when I get to cgpsmapper to generate the index I get a 032 error code saying "level 1 cannot be empty" can you tell me how to continue.Thanks

 

Could you e-mail me the file you're trying to run through cgpsmapper? I'll have a look and see if I can reproduce the problem.

 

d a t k i n a t i b y c u s d o t c o m

Edited January 14, 2008 by ibycus

[Defoucault]

Hi Ibycus

I was never able to compile 032G09 and 032G10. With your new compiling gurus can you figure this out.

 

They should be on the FTP site...

 

host:ftp.ibycus.com

username: anonymous@ibycus.com (this will probably screw up internet explorer's FTP engine... sorry, but my hosting provider insists on it)

password: your e-mail address

Files: \topomaps\imgs\10320709.img and \topomaps\imgs\10320710.img

 

Note: There seems to be a limitation placed on me by my ISP, I can't have more than 2000 files listed in a directory. Given that there seems to be nearly 5000 here, they don't all get listed in WinSCP (or any other FTP client). They *are* all there though if you request them from the server. I'm working on my installer program (hopefully get it done this weekend) which will make this whole process easier.

 

Thanks for the info Ibycus.

I downloaded all of quebec and made a filelist.txt without problems. Now I need an index.I tryed to follow your filelist revision procedure but when I get to cgpsmapper to generate the index I get a 032 error code saying "level 1 cannot be empty" can you tell me how to continue.Thanks

 

Could you e-mail me the file you're trying to run through cgpsmapper? I'll have a look and see if I can reproduce the problem.

 

d a t k i n a t i b y c u s d o t c o m

 

Thanks Ibycus, since I am fairly new at this forum stuff I wander if you got my messages.

[+ibycus]

Thanks Ibycus, since I am fairly new at this forum stuff I wander if you got my messages.

 

Did you get my reply? I've sent you two, one via e-mail and one via PM. Basically there were two problems with your PV file.

 

1. You had NTDBData.img as one of your imgs... this is the preview map. You don't want to include that

2. This was likely the biggy, your lines weren't labeled img=imgfile.img they just had the name of the img file (hope that made sense).

 

Dale

[+ibycus]

Currently in the process of uploading the latest and greatest version to the website. When its done, it will be downloadable from http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/TopoMaps122.exe .

 

There are definitely some things still to be fixed in this version, (for starters those pesky roads are still missing in Nova Scotia)

 

I still need to write a better installer (if any of those among you are programmers who would like to tackle this, I'd love to hear from you. It shouldn't be difficult, I just haven't gotten around to it yet)

 

Anyways, as always I like suggestions.

 

The new download is 1,634,633,034 bytes

MD5 Sum, for those of you who care about such things is 774f44f8f3f06538062525328920b26c

 

The upload should finish in approximately 8 hours, which will put it at 7am MST

[+ibycus]

The upload has now finished. Many of the missing squares are filled in in this version, plus greatly expanded coverage.

[+GOT GPS?]

Downloaded version 1.22 this morning.

Thanks for doing this project.

[+bandc9]

Thanks for putting these together! These maps are great.

 

One question someone may have a good answer to:

 

Is there any way for me to merge some of img files into one img file that can appear as one map in the GPS? The problem I am trying to solve is the max of 2000 separate maps on one SD card. (I can only fit most of the west on one 2GB sd card because of the limit, even though its far less than the card capacity)

 

Thanks again

[+Red90]

Thanks for putting these together! These maps are great.

 

One question someone may have a good answer to:

 

Is there any way for me to merge some of img files into one img file that can appear as one map in the GPS? The problem I am trying to solve is the max of 2000 separate maps on one SD card. (I can only fit most of the west on one 2GB sd card because of the limit, even though its far less than the card capacity)

 

Thanks again

 

Read here: http://rwsmaps.griffel.se/tools/CombineMaps-Instructions.txt

 

You would need to adjust things to suit these maps.... And it will take a LONG time to run.....

[+bandc9]

Read here: http://rwsmaps.griffel.se/tools/CombineMaps-Instructions.txt

 

You would need to adjust things to suit these maps.... And it will take a LONG time to run.....

 

I've got it running now. My previous trial runs have been 50/50.. Seems like i'm often getting map (or just parts of a map) that crash mapsource when zoomed in. I'm running it on AB/S. BC/SK right now and expect that to take ~3 hours based on my previous trials.

 

I think if this run doesn't go well, I give up. Given the price of SD cards I think it might make best sense to just buy a couple more. Either that or just re-load the maps when I need them. (Splitting the maps and combining is pretty tedious... and I don't understand why some are crashing mapsource)

 

Thanks for the response.

[dwpenney]

Awesome product! Thank you very much for taking the time to do this!

 

One request: Any chance that you could update the New Brunswick road information?

[Defoucault]

Thanks Ibycus, since I am fairly new at this forum stuff I wander if you got my messages.

 

Did you get my reply? I've sent you two, one via e-mail and one via PM. Basically there were two problems with your PV file.

 

1. You had NTDBData.img as one of your imgs... this is the preview map. You don't want to include that

2. This was likely the biggy, your lines weren't labeled img=imgfile.img they just had the name of the img file (hope that made sense).

 

Dale

 

Thanks I did get your messages

 

OK, everything is working now with my index in Mapsource. I have the whole of Quebec covered but one blank.

You made a happy old man thanks for everything again.

[+Amberel]

We are coming from the UK to ski in Tremblant in a few days. When I finished looking at the UK forum this evening I just took a quick look here and saw this thread.

 

I have the Garmin UK topo maps, and I'd quite like to be able to load topo maps for Tremblant into my eTrex before I leave. I tried downloading the 1.5Gb file, but it timed out at about 5%. Before I try again, can you advise me if Tremblant (Quebec) is covered please?

 

I've done a little work on improving the standard UK maps (they show the original course of rivers but not the navigations) but I've never created maps from scratch, and never done anything approaching this scale - it looks like a massive undertaking, well done!

 

Rgds, Andy

[QuigleyJones]

Yes it covered.

[+Yorkshire]

We are coming from the UK to ski in Tremblant in a few days. When I finished looking at the UK forum this evening I just took a quick look here and saw this thread.

 

Before I try again, can you advise me if Tremblant (Quebec) is covered please?

 

Rgds, Andy

 

Just checked my version Ibycus 1.2 in Mapsource and Tremblant is there with all the ski runs shown.

Have fun on your trip.

[+Amberel]

Thanks both, I'll have another go at downloading. Looking forward to the trip

 

Rgds, Andy

[+Amberel]

Bit of a shame, I just can't get this file despite trying for several hours. IE stops anywhere between 5% and 65%. I can restart it straight away, sometimes it resumes from where it left off and sometimes it doesn't. The best I've got to is 67% I've tried on several machines and from 2 different sites. Guess I'll have to stop trying as I don't want to clog up your server for too long.

 

Rgds, Andy

[QuigleyJones]

Perhaps someone would be willing to create a .img file of the area for you.

[+ibycus]

Bit of a shame, I just can't get this file despite trying for several hours. IE stops anywhere between 5% and 65%. I can restart it straight away, sometimes it resumes from where it left off and sometimes it doesn't. The best I've got to is 67% I've tried on several machines and from 2 different sites. Guess I'll have to stop trying as I don't want to clog up your server for too long.

 

Rgds, Andy

 

Have you tried downloading it with Firefox? Firefox is better at resuming partial downloads. (don't worry about tying up the server, I've got tonnes of bandwidth to spare)

[+Amberel]

Have you tried downloading it with Firefox? Firefox is better at resuming partial downloads. (don't worry about tying up the server, I've got tonnes of bandwidth to spare)

It's just past midnight and time for bed over this side of the Atlantic, and I haven't got FireFox installed, so I booted up Linux under VMWare and have set it off under Konqueror. I'll let it get on with it while I get some sleep :-)

 

It is fairly hammering along - despite running in a VM on a notebook it is arriving at 500KBps, whereas under IE on XP it was doing about 340KBps.

 

I'll let you know how I get on, and thanks again.

 

Rgds, Andy

[+Amberel]

And now downloaded OK. Konqueror also stalled a few times, but when you restart it asks if you want to resume. Much more civilised.

 

Installed OK, and most of Quebec merged with my UK topo maps. Tremblant is indeed there - just. The map tile immediately to the north (approx centre N46 22.2 W74 45.0) is missing. It won't affect the ski-ing at all but I might possibly put my walking boots on one day and visit the Tremblant Pic Johannsen cache (GCQQ9A), which is right on the border of the missing tile.

 

Actually, someone might be able to advise on this - are stout walking boots likely to be adequate for that cache, or is it more likely I would need something suited to deep snow? I speak only schoolboy french , and I left school 45 years ago, so I'm struggling a bit with the cache page

 

Thanks again for your work in producing these maps, in the UK we have excellent maps if you pay the Ordnance Survey a lot of money for them, but we don't have anything available in the public domain.

 

Rgds, Andy

Edited February 1, 2008 by Amberel

[+ibycus]

Installed OK, and most of Quebec merged with my UK topo maps. Tremblant is indeed there - just. The map tile immediately to the north (approx centre N46 22.2 W74 45.0) is missing.

 

If you drop me an e-mail I'll see about getting this tile off to you. (I'm downloading the data for it right now... looks like my downloaded copy of that tile was corrupted)

 

Dale

[Spinrgy]

well, i got to hand it to u man, downloaded these maps and they are awesome!!

 

now where can i send a donation for ur time and efforts?

[+ibycus]

My address is

 

Dale Atkin

12 Country Lane Dr.

Calgary, AB

T3Z 1J2

 

Should mention the next version is going to include NTS grid 063 (i.e. Manitoba, north of 52°)

[+Viajero Perdido]

they are awesome!!

Are they ever!

 

Dale, if you're working on the next version, I once again happily offer up my computer for tile-crunching duty.

[+ElectroQTed]

Maps work great on a couple of computers I have that run XP, but the newest machine with Vista won't install for some reason. Anyone else having trouble with this? I've tried a few times now.

[+ibycus]

Maps work great on a couple of computers I have that run XP, but the newest machine with Vista won't install for some reason. Anyone else having trouble with this? I've tried a few times now.

 

I'm told Vista is freekishly slow installing for some reason. I intend (as soon as I get a chance) to write my own installer (if there are any programmers reading who'd like to help, feel free to PM me or whatever).

 

It can take several hours to install...

 

If you're still having trouble, you can copy the \program files\topomaps directory to your Vista machine, and then download http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/regfix.reg, edit it with the appropriate paths (no edits required if you install to c:\program files\topomaps\) and add it to the registry.

 

Dale

[+ElectroQTed]

Maps work great on a couple of computers I have that run XP, but the newest machine with Vista won't install for some reason. Anyone else having trouble with this? I've tried a few times now.

 

I'm told Vista is freekishly slow installing for some reason. I intend (as soon as I get a chance) to write my own installer (if there are any programmers reading who'd like to help, feel free to PM me or whatever).

 

It can take several hours to install...

 

If you're still having trouble, you can copy the \program files\topomaps directory to your Vista machine, and then download http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/regfix.reg, edit it with the appropriate paths (no edits required if you install to c:\program files\topomaps\) and add it to the registry.

 

Dale

 

Thanks Dale. I think I'll wait for the re-write of the installer as I can work with the XP machine to install maps etc. for now. BTW, thanks for all your hard work so far! Any plans to fill in ON segments? In particular, the 9 segments from around Parry Sound to Killarney - sorry I don't know the tile #s.

 

Ted.

[+DanOCan]

Maps work great on a couple of computers I have that run XP, but the newest machine with Vista won't install for some reason. Anyone else having trouble with this? I've tried a few times now.

 

I have the maps installed on my Vista machine and can't say I have any problems to report.

[+ibycus]

Any plans to fill in ON segments? In particular, the 9 segments from around Parry Sound to Killarney - sorry I don't know the tile #s.

 

I'll see if I can tackle a few of those on my next 'hole filling' expedition.

 

In the meantime if you're board/anxious, you can compile them yourself, as I've made the source code for them is available on http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com, and the compiler is available at http://www.cgpsmapper.com. (I'd appreciate you e-mailing me the results if you do, as it will save me some CPU hours.)

 

Dale

[+ElectroQTed]

In the meantime if you're board/anxious, you can compile them yourself, as I've made the source code for them is available on http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com, and the compiler is available at http://www.cgpsmapper.com. (I'd appreciate you e-mailing me the results if you do, as it will save me some CPU hours.)

 

Dale

 

I'll have a look at it. I have no experience with anything like this, but I'd be happy to lend you some CPU time.

 

Ted.

[+2happy2gether]

Ibycus,

 

Kudos for all of the maps. I'm a brand-new Garmy guy - my eXplorist died this past week. I found the maps easy as pie to install, extremely detailed, and my new Garmin runs like a charm with them loaded. The eXplorist would slow down and lock-up all the time.

 

I'm really looking forward to field testing them sometime this week.

[+ibycus]

Just had a request for a Mac Version. As I aim to please, the mac version is currently uploading to my website. It should be available at about 9:30 MST.

 

The link is http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/TopoMaps122.tgz

 

I haven't created a link off the main page yet, as I haven't been able to test them out, as I don't own a Mac.

 

Its also possible that this format might be useful for Linux users (I'm assuming that inside the tgz file there will be all the IMGs).

 

Dale

[+ibycus]

Its also possible that this format might be useful for Linux users (I'm assuming that inside the tgz file there will be all the IMGs).

 

Just had a closer look... I doubt this format will be useful for Linux users (but it is online now)

[+TheGertridgeExplorers]

Just thought that you might like to know that in the very near future the Ontario data will be free and available on line (no more $100 fee). Don't know exactly when, but stay tuned.

[+TheGertridgeExplorers]

Just thought that you might like to know that in the very near future the Ontario data will be free and available on line (no more $100 fee). Don't know exactly when, but stay tuned.

[+ibycus]

Just thought that you might like to know that in the very near future the Ontario data will be free and available on line (no more $100 fee). Don't know exactly when, but stay tuned.

 

Very cool.

[+D0kt0r_D]

Very cool maps Ibycus! Thanks tons!!