GPS and Apple

[+anja4738]

I am thinking about buying an iMac - which navigation software can I use there as mapsource is not running on Mac? Some freeware would be nice... (just dreaming...)

[andylphoto]

Yes and no. Do a search for Mac in the forum, and you'll find lots of stuff.

 

First, Garmin has promised complete Mac support, but it ain't here yet. Don't know if you have Garmin, but since you're asking about Mapsource, I'm assuming. There is a way to use a Mac to load Garmin maps, but it involves a PC along the way to convert the maps. Or, you could always buy an Intel Mac and install Winbloze to use for Mapsource. Or, if you can hold off for a bit, no telling how soon (or not) they'll release the Mac version.

 

Alternately, there are a number of freeware and commercial programs that can be had, depending on your needs, to transfer waypoints, save tracks, etc.

 

I use MacGPS Pro, which is a commercial program, around $50. They also have available very nice topo maps that you can use on your Mac--overlay tracks & waypoints. The maps of course don't transfer to the GPS though.

 

GPSy is also a commercial program.

 

For freeware/shareware, there are a number of programs I've never used, and I'm sure I'll forget something along the way. Search for these in the forums, as some/all are written and supported by members here.

 

Loadmytracks

MacSimpleGPS

Gpsbabel

Geojournal

MacCaching

 

I'm sure someone will correct me if I've misspelled something, or missed something.

[+triturtle]

Also look on forum for Garmin Bobcat.

 

I have almost completely moved from PC to MAC with my Garmin GPS (etrex legend cx and vist hcx) and maps. Bobcat is mapsource for the mac. The only downside is that you have to convert your maps via your PC then transfer them to the mac. This will be changed when they roll out the non-beta Bobcat later this year (assuming).

 

Bobcat works almost as well as mapsource on the PC with two notable exceptions:

1. On the waypoint list all the icons show as a blue flag, not as the icon associated with the waypoint that shows on the map

2. You cannot set the level of detail. As you zoom out you lose level of detail quickly. Most noticeably is the loss of streets on city navigator as you zoom out.

 

Bottom line is that you need a PC to translate your maps, but once you do that you no longer need a PC. And of course, all you do is plug your GPSr into the USB port and the MAC knows what it is - no installing drivers!

 

Hope this helps.

[+T F T C]

I use a Magellan eXplorist 500. I run GeoJournal on my Mac, and love it. I can't do anything with maps, though.

[andylphoto]

Thanks triturtle for the information on Bobcat. I'll be downloading and installing that. I've been putting off buying maps until the Mac version is available. Anyone know if down the line there will be a "Mac" version of the mapping products, TOPO and City Nav., that could be loaded natively without requiring conversion on a PC?

 

I guess it probably doesn't matter a whole lot as I could just burn a DVD with the converted maps, but the more I can do without the help of a PC, the more I like it.

[+Team Crime Scene]

We switched to the dark side back in December and have not looked back. We use three garmins. A 60csx, eTrex and an eTrex legend. Each kid had to have their own should you ask. I use MacCaching to download caches into all three Gps units. I also use MacCaching to download notes to the Ipod for paperless and It will generate stats for your personal Geocache page. Plus it has a really cool icon of a Ammo box with an apple for your desktop.

 

Welcome to the dark side.

Good luck!

[Parsa]

You might want to read this:

 

Geocaching with a Mac

 

I use:

 

GPSBabel+ to convert gpx files etc. (formerly MacGPSBabel) (yes, I sent Robert some money)

GPSy (though have not upgraded to the OS X version)

National Geographic Topo

Terrabrowser, but mostly for making maps in Illustrator, not for caching

MacCMConvert and CacheMate for paperless caching with my Palm

 

I have tired:

 

Mac SimpleGPS X

RouteBuddy

Street Atlas USA 6 (old, but can be used through GPSy as a shell)

GPS Connect

 

Keep in mind that Magellan is going backwards on its new Triton by requiring a Windows application for everything. Garmin has promised to release City Navigator for North America and Europe soon. I expect the other software types will follow.

[+T F T C]

You can check out my website. I created it for Mac-using geocachers. http://chimbisimo.googlepages.com

[+anja4738]

Big thanks to everyone for quick replies! Now I will keep myself busy for the weekend by reading all the links you gave me

Thanks,

Anja

[Barrikady]

Anyone know if down the line there will be a "Mac" version of the mapping products, TOPO and City Nav., that could be loaded natively without requiring conversion on a PC?

Yes, Garmin will be selling Mapsource DVD's that are native to the Mac OS. The first DVD's planned are Mac versions of City Navigator North America 2008, and City Navigator Europe 2008. Ten days ago, a Garmin rep at MacWorld Expo told me the DVD's are in manufacturing now and should be available for sale in February...we shall see. When they are available I will purchase one for use in my Colorado 300.

Edited January 26, 2008 by Barrikady

[andylphoto]

Thanks...that's good news! I'm glad now that I waited. Native OS X. Love it.

[+Lightning Jeff]

The other option I don't see anyone pointing out is Parallels, which lets you run Windows on any current (i.e. Intel-based) Mac. For $80, you can use all the usual Windows programs. I use GSAK (which no current Mac-based program can touch in terms of customization and automation), MapSource, etc. (Bobcat is woefully inadequate in comparison to MapSource; hopefully that will change.)

[+T F T C]

The other option I don't see anyone pointing out is Parallels, which lets you run Windows on any current (i.e. Intel-based) Mac. For $80, you can use all the usual Windows programs. I use GSAK (which no current Mac-based program can touch in terms of customization and automation), MapSource, etc. (Bobcat is woefully inadequate in comparison to MapSource; hopefully that will change.)

 

Yeah, but then you're in Windows. Gross.

[+RRLover]

The other option I don't see anyone pointing out is Parallels, which lets you run Windows on any current (i.e. Intel-based) Mac. For $80, you can use all the usual Windows programs. I use GSAK (which no current Mac-based program can touch in terms of customization and automation), MapSource, etc. (Bobcat is woefully inadequate in comparison to MapSource; hopefully that will change.)

 

Yeah, but then you're in Windows. Gross.

And . . . . You have to buy a copy of Windows as well, not to mention that big ol' bite of hard drive now

being dedicated to that, . . . And two more learning curves, if you don't have previous detriment of Windows

experience. I hail from the old 601/7.5 days.

 

Norm

Edited January 30, 2008 by RRLover

[+Lightning Jeff]

And . . . . You have to buy a copy of Windows as well,

Non-issue if he's switching from Windows to Mac.

not to mention that big ol' bite of hard drive now

being dedicated to that, . . .

30GB on my 250GB MacBookPro disk - and that's with a lot of other Windows programs I need for work. Ouch!

And two more learning curves, if you don't have previous detriment of Windows

experience.

I assumed since OP referenced Mapsource, this wouldn't be a problem. Seriously - is there anyone who's switching to Mac that doesn't have Windows experience?

 

Hey, I like the Mac as much as you guys do. But right now, there are much better caching-related programs available on Windows. For me, GSAK is indispensable, and "Bobcat" is pretty useless so far. To say Parallels isn't an option to consider - to open up the full universe of Windows-only caching/GPS programs - is just bad advice.

[Wintertime]

I use MacGPS Pro, which is a commercial program, around $50. They also have available very nice topo maps that you can use on your Mac--overlay tracks & waypoints. The maps of course don't transfer to the GPS though.

I've been using MacGPS Pro for years and really like it, but I do want to mention that you don't need to buy their topo maps. At least, not always. In many cases, you can find digital raster graphics (DRG) versions of USGS topo maps online for free, and import those into MacGPS Pro. I, for instance, get mine from the California Spatial Information Library (CASIL).

 

There's a list of free DRGs on the Caching Now Resources page. There are also fee-based online sites that offer them, but at that point, you might as well buy the ones offered by James Associates.

 

Patty

[andylphoto]

I use MacGPS Pro, which is a commercial program, around $50. They also have available very nice topo maps that you can use on your Mac--overlay tracks & waypoints. The maps of course don't transfer to the GPS though.

I've been using MacGPS Pro for years and really like it, but I do want to mention that you don't need to buy their topo maps. At least, not always. In many cases, you can find digital raster graphics (DRG) versions of USGS topo maps online for free, and import those into MacGPS Pro. I, for instance, get mine from the California Spatial Information Library (CASIL).

 

There's a list of free DRGs on the Caching Now Resources page. There are also fee-based online sites that offer them, but at that point, you might as well buy the ones offered by James Associates.

 

Patty

 

Thanks Patty...good point. I actually just discovered this last week. I know I had read about it when I first purchased the program, but had obviously forgotten. I had already purchased the Michigan topos, which I don't regret. However, I just downloaded a bunch of Wisconsin quads from http://libremap.org/data/

 

My forays into Wisconsin are limited, so I don't need the entire state. For limited use, this site is great. The downloads are free, but are one quad at a time. If I needed an entire state, I think springing the $20 (when the topos go on sale) would be well worth it.

[+RRLover]

And . . . . You have to buy a copy of Windows as well,

Non-issue if he's switching from Windows to Mac.

Sorry the switch-over part didn't stick when I first read it.

not to mention that big ol' bite of hard drive now

being dedicated to that, . . .

30GB on my 250GB MacBookPro disk - and that's with a lot of other Windows programs I need for work. Ouch!

Not everyone is that well endowed ;^)

And two more learning curves, if you don't have previous detriment of Windows

experience.

I assumed since OP referenced Mapsource, this wouldn't be a problem. Seriously - is there anyone who's switching to Mac that doesn't have Windows experience?

Right, just one, Parallels is fairly straight forward.

Hey, I like the Mac as much as you guys do. But right now, there are much better caching-related programs available on Windows. For me, GSAK is indispensable, and "Bobcat" is pretty useless so far. To say Parallels isn't an option to consider - to open up the full universe of Windows-only caching/GPS programs - is just bad advice.

My intent wasn't to discourage use of Parallels, just to give an idea of what might be involved, OP moving

from the Windows environment shouldn't have many, if any issues. Sorry for my misinterpretation.

 

Norm

 

Man did I botch up that quoting stuff or what?

Edited February 1, 2008 by RRLover

[Wintertime]

I just downloaded a bunch of Wisconsin quads from http://libremap.org/data/

 

My forays into Wisconsin are limited, so I don't need the entire state. For limited use, this site is great. The downloads are free, but are one quad at a time. If I needed an entire state, I think springing the $20 (when the topos go on sale) would be well worth it.

I must have seen an earlier version of that site, because I don't recall it being complete. Am I correct that it now has DRGs of every 7.5' USGS quad for all 50 states?

 

Man did I botch up that quoting stuff or what?

It's easy to make typos on the BB codes. (In this case, you accidentally put the slash after the word "quote" in one place, so one of the pairs wasn't closed properly.) I've made various quoting mistakes myself, which is why I try to remember to click Preview Post first before I go to Add Reply. In fact, that just saved me, because I discovered that the BB software responded to some accidental code I had in the middle of the second sentence above...

 

Patty

[andylphoto]

I just downloaded a bunch of Wisconsin quads from http://libremap.org/data/

 

My forays into Wisconsin are limited, so I don't need the entire state. For limited use, this site is great. The downloads are free, but are one quad at a time. If I needed an entire state, I think springing the $20 (when the topos go on sale) would be well worth it.

I must have seen an earlier version of that site, because I don't recall it being complete. Am I correct that it now has DRGs of every 7.5' USGS quad for all 50 states?

Patty

 

I was thinking so, but in looking further, there are some holes in their listings--some bigger than others. I was looking at Wisconsin, and it looked pretty complete. I found every quad I searched for, but in looking closer and at other states, there are gaps. I guess if they have what you need, it's a very easy site to use. I downloaded the TIFF files, and opened them with MacGPS Pro. It converted to PICT and saved the file where I told it to. As long as it's in the auto-open maps folder, they'll stitch together with the Michigan maps I already had there. As long as the projection is the same, of course.

[+RRLover]

I just downloaded a bunch of Wisconsin quads from http://libremap.org/data/

 

My forays into Wisconsin are limited, so I don't need the entire state. For limited use, this site is great. The downloads are free, but are one quad at a time. If I needed an entire state, I think springing the $20 (when the topos go on sale) would be well worth it.

I must have seen an earlier version of that site, because I don't recall it being complete. Am I correct that it now has DRGs of every 7.5' USGS quad for all 50 states?

 

Man did I botch up that quoting stuff or what?

It's easy to make typos on the BB codes. (In this case, you accidentally put the slash after the word "quote" in one place, so one of the pairs wasn't closed properly.) I've made various quoting mistakes myself, which is why I try to remember to click Preview Post first before I go to Add Reply. In fact, that just saved me, because I discovered that the BB software responded to some accidental code I had in the middle of the second sentence above...

 

Patty

 

Wintertime . . . .Thanks

[Parsa]

I use MacGPS Pro, which is a commercial program, around $50. They also have available very nice topo maps that you can use on your Mac--overlay tracks & waypoints. The maps of course don't transfer to the GPS though.

I've been using MacGPS Pro for years and really like it, but I do want to mention that you don't need to buy their topo maps. At least, not always. In many cases, you can find digital raster graphics (DRG) versions of USGS topo maps online for free, and import those into MacGPS Pro. I, for instance, get mine from the California Spatial Information Library (CASIL).

 

There's a list of free DRGs on the Caching Now Resources page. There are also fee-based online sites that offer them, but at that point, you might as well buy the ones offered by James Associates.

 

Patty

 

I just bought and downloaded MacGPS Pro recently, and I think it's awesome. I was using GPSy before. The thing that is really cool is how you can open more than one map, or put them into an "automatic open" folder. Once you put them in that folder, the software opens up a new map and closes the old one. It takes under 4 seconds. It works as well as NG Topo, if not better, and the maps are free! I just make aliases of my filed maps and put them in the auto folder. You can't change the name of the file though. It seems to need the coordinate reference in the name. MacGPS Pro also works with geocaching. It can work with GPX files. MacGPS Pro and a Bluetooth GPS receiver on your dash (such as my iBlue 737... on sale at Semsons!) makes a great large-screen GPS combo in your car.

 

Here's a great web site with digital raster graphics links for every US state:

http://www.doylesdartden.com/gis/

 

For California, I hate using the CaSIL map interface. It's so hard to use and slow.

I just go here:

http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/maps/drg/

 

Parsa

Edited February 2, 2008 by Parsa

[Wintertime]

For California, I hate using the CaSIL map interface. It's so hard to use and slow.

I just go here:

http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/maps/drg/

LOL! I'm with you! That's the page I use, too. It's too bad that they removed the static map that allowed one to figure out which location directory you wanted to be in, but I mostly hang around a small range of latitudes and longitudes and can get to where I need to be pretty fast.

 

Patty

[Parsa]

For California, I hate using the CaSIL map interface. It's so hard to use and slow.

I just go here:

http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/maps/drg/

LOL! I'm with you! That's the page I use, too. It's too bad that they removed the static map that allowed one to figure out which location directory you wanted to be in, but I mostly hang around a small range of latitudes and longitudes and can get to where I need to be pretty fast.

 

Patty

 

Fortunately I have a paper California index map from USGS that I can use. I'd like to at least see an image of the index map somewhere on line. I searched once, and never could find one.

[Wintertime]

Fortunately I have a paper California index map from USGS that I can use. I'd like to at least see an image of the index map somewhere on line. I searched once, and never could find one.

And of course, if you need the name of a map adjacent to one you're currently displaying in MacGPS Pro (or for the same area, but at a different scale), you can just click on a location and MacGPS Pro will tell you which USGS topos cover that area.

 

Patty