Maps

[Guest Raymond E]

site. It gives an immediate idea of the rough locality. But the thought occurs to me: Has anyone tried downloading the maps featured on the webpage (Mapblast? etc) and, if so, are they succesful or helpful in this part of the world?

[Guest Peter Scholtz]

quote:

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Originally posted by Raymond E:

Has anyone tried downloading the maps featured on the webpage (Mapblast? etc) and, if so, are they succesful or helpful in this part of the world?

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Do you mean download to your GPS? I've got the basic Garmin Etrex (yellow) and it doesn't do maps so I can't comment.

 

I'm going to buy the new Garmin GPSMAP 76S when it's released around April/May so I'll want to know that myself as the Garmin Mapsource products cost.

 

The best is to ask this question over in the GPS Units and Software forum.

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

[Guest Faust]

I have had a look at all the maps on offer, mostly useless,Mapquest does give you an Idea, the other either bring up blanks, or nothing.

[Guest Peter Robson]

Hi there guys, I have also been interested in the map thing. I contacted the dept of maps and survey and they sell map data on SA but it's very expensive even if you just want coverage of a small area. I also spoke to someone at the dept of tourism, they will probably be putting up map info sometime soon on the net but it won't have topography, just biozones and so forth although it will be in GIS format.

 

I would love to download my routes onto a GIS program and overlay contour, geology or flora layers. Anyone managed this yet?

[Guest clari]

Digital maps are very expense at the moment.

What we done was to scan the 1/50 000 map and then register it into a gis package. Not totaly accurate due to the paper and scanner.

Allan

[Guest Faust]

can check out their prices here :

http://w3sli.wcape.gov.za/SURVEYS/MAPPING/mapprod.htm

[steve.benham@engenoil.com]

I've played around with mapping a fair amount and not come up with a happy solution. The problem I found with all the maps I tried scanning, is that they are just too busy. The waypoints and trails seem to get lost amongst the detail on the map. When you zoom in to a usable level for hiking and GeoCaching like 1:10000 or better things get very noisy.

 

What I've been trying to find are a set of wire frame maps that have basic topographic detail. No colour and not too much detail. Something that includes roads, rivers, trails and some contour info. Something where the map is not a scanned bitmap but built up from waypoint data would be perfect.

 

The best results I've had are with GPS TrackMaker and a map of Southern Africa. The map is built up using point data so it scales perfectly. The problem with the map that I have is that includes no detail, just country borders. On top of this I have merged waypoints for every town in SA, so I at least get a geographic reference for every point I plot.

 

Unfortunately it doesn’t help at all when I’m trying to plan a walk as the detail is missing. I’ve thought of trying to get aerial photo’s but as someone said, they are expensive in digital format.

 

If anyone comes up with any bright ideas, I’d be very interested. In the mean time, if anyone wants my TrackMaker map with the SA town data let me know and I’ll mail it to you. It’s fair large, about 1.3Mb and has only a simple dot for each town, but it’s been useful for navigating South Africa and locating caches.

 

You can contact me at steve.Benham@engenoil.com

 

Cheers

Steve

[Peter Scholtz]

When I upgrade to a GPS with mapping can I scan maps and upload it to the GPS? Garmin (my preference) accepts Garmin's Mapsource maps. Are their GPS's locked to their own maps or can I create my own? I don't mind problems like zooming not having scaling text. As long as I can scan a detailed map larger than the screen that will pan as I move.

 

Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

[+Jors]

quote:

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can I scan maps and upload it to the GPS?

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No

quote:

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Are their (Garmin) GPS's locked to their own maps

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Yes

quote:

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can I create my own?

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No

 

The best you can do is to get a PDA that can run OziExplorerCE or some other similar software, or wait for Garmin to release their Mapsource for South Africa.

[+Raymond E]

OOoops! Where did my first attempt at posting this reply go?

I posted my original query because of all the references to maps on web pages - especially geocaching.com and the thought occurred to me: “Am I missing something?” From the replies received, it appears not. Firstly there is a whole ocean of strange names without product descriptions: Mapblast? Mapquest? MapTech? Mapopolis? TrackMaker? Softmap 8? Mapsource? EasyGPS? IMHO? Fugawi this and OziExplorer that?? I encounter “jargon” – always a problem for a newcomer. For example, what is a wire frame map? and a Shapefile?? Then, I learn that there are maps that can only download to Garmin while others are only compatible with Magellan. Now an entrepeneur has come up with so-called Third Party maps which apparently can download to both! There are constant references to the high costs and I fear reliance on digital maps will fall into the category of “Rich Boys Toys”. This is OK because, as far as I can gather, these maps concentrate mainly on famous golf courses, museums, popular fishing resorts and the local MacDonalds scattered all over the world. I think of our very excellent hiking maps by authors such as Jose Burman, Shirley Brossy, Mike Lundy, Colin Patterson-Jones, Tim Anderson, Jaynee Levy, even Helmke Hennig, TV Bulpin and the good old AA to name but a few with their accompanying route descriptions. I know, “meanwhile technology races ahead” but for the moment I wonder why anyone would want to even consider swopping the printed page for those tiny little squiggles on a GPS screen. Or, am I still missing something?

[Royfamily]

Raymond I must agree with you, nothing beats a good paper printed map.

[pdhbo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Peter Robson:

 

I would love to download my routes onto a GIS program and overlay contour, geology or flora layers. Anyone managed this yet?

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I have been able to achieve the following:

 

a) At the following site you can create your own map showing topography, borders and rivers and add your own towns (for calibration). All you need to input is the boundary co-ordinates of the map you want.

 

http://www.aquarius.geomar.de/omc/make_map.html

 

You must select adobe illustrator format for the download and once the map is shown downlaod it to your PC.

 

I then downloaded the trial version of adobe illustrator and opened the previously downloaded map. In AI you can edit the map and take out names and various other features you do not want on your map. AI then allows you to scale the map to whatever size you want (I went with +200%) and it does this without losing details since it is a vector diagram and not a bitmap. You can also change the colours if you so wish.

 

c) Once you are happy with your AI version then select "Save as Web" and save it as a JPEG. Microsoft Imaging or Microsoft Photo editor then allows you to save this image as a Bitmap.

 

d) I then used this bitmap in Oziexplorer to create my own custom map with as much details and clarity as I wanted and then calibrated it with known waypoints for towns shown on the original map I downloaded.

 

If you need more help on this then email me.

 

mbotha@mrpricegroup.com

[Peter Scholtz]

Dear Dealer

 

We have just received our first Data Cartridges programmed with General

Coverage charts covering South Africa.

 

These data cards will work with the new Blue Chart enabled Garmin marine

plotters :

GPSMAP 182 Series

GPSMAP 2006 Series

GPSMAP 2010 Series

 

GPSMAP 188 Sounder

GPSMAP 238 Sounder

 

GPS 176 Series Portable Chart Plotter

 

This new Marine range of Garmin Units employ the latest processor

technology for quick map refresh rates and the 182, 2006 and 2010 units can

all be upgraded to a Sounder by adding Garmins GSD 20 'Black Box' Sounder

upgrade.(Available June 2002)

 

We expect to receive General coverage Blue Charts on CD format foe the

GPSMAP 76, GPSMAP 162 and GPSMAP 168 Sounder around August.

 

More detailed Blue Chart Cartography will be available toward the end of

the year as Garmin has just received the license from SANHO to digitize all

of their charts as well as use tidal constants supplied by SANHO.

 

THIS MEANS THAT YOUR GARMIN GPSMAP WILL HAVE, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THE

MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND UP TO DATE SET OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN MAPS AVAILABLE.

 

Please give us a call to arrange a demo or receive additional marketing

material.

 

Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

[Peter Scholtz]

Letter to Garmin dealers in SA:

 

14th June 2002

 

We receive many queries regarding map coverage and time scales for South Africa. Hopefully this brief summary will shed some light on the matter.

 

We are offering 2 levels of Garmin mapping product and the one you purchase will depend on the GPS model that you have. Here is a list of the different Mapsource products with expected delivery dates as well as the units that they are associated with:

 

1) Mapsource City Select (Due July 2002)

 

Unit - Streetpilot 111, GPS V

 

Features Street level data, Street address lookup, Automatic Turn by Turn Routes, POI (Points of interest), Automatic Route Calculation.

Unlock code means that one data set can only be used for that serial number unit that it has

been unlocked for. Future Streetpilots and GPS V's will all be supplied standard with a CD, PC Cable and in the case of the streetpilot, a programmed data card.

 

The Emap, Streetpilot, Vista, Legend, GPSMAP76, GPSMAP176 can all accept the City Select data set should the customer require street lookup which is not available on the Roads and Rec product but this comes at a much higher price. When used in these products the features include Street level data, Street address lookup, POI (Points of interest),

Unlock code is required

 

City Select map coverage includes metros of Gauteng, Durban, Cape Town as well as accurate base maps of N1 interconnecting highway and Garden Route.

 

2) Mapsource Roads and Recreation ( Will be produced locally using MapIT data set - Available To Br Announced)

 

Unit - All mapping products including older GPS 111 plus, GPS12map

 

Features Street level data with more comprehensive city and basemap coverage than offered with city select. Regular updates will also be available.

 

Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

[Peter Scholtz]

4th July 2002

 

Dear Dealer

 

We are pleased to announce that Garmin have advised that the SA City Select CD production is on schedule – we will receive the product this month and we would like to ask you to place orders in advance to ensure no disappointments. Product will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. The part number for the CD is as follows:

 

010-10400-00 CITY SELECT SOUTH AFRICA

 

RETAIL PRICE: R2280,00 VAT INCLUDED

 

Please read the following important information and fax back the attached confirmation that you have read and understood this. We regret that we will not be able to supply any orders until this confirmation has been received as we do not want any misinformation to be given to clients about what they are buying.

 

WHAT AREAS WILL BE COVERED ON THE CITY SELECT CD

The City Select CD covers Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban metropolitan areas as well as the N1from Johannesburg to Cape Town, the N3 to Durban and the Garden Route.

 

WILL THE BASE MAP IMPROVE

There are no improvements to the base map except for the N1 to Cape Town, the N3 to Durban and the Garden Route.

 

WHAT UNITS WILL THE CITY SELECT WORK WITH

The City Select will work with the GPS V, GPS MAP 76 AND 76S, ETREX LEGEND AND VISTA, EMAP, STREETPILOT III, GPS MAP 176 AND 176C.

 

WHICH UNITS WILL NOT BE USABLE WITH THE CITY SELECT CD

The City Select will not work with the GPS III PLUS, GPS 12 MAP, STREETPILOT MONO AND STREETPILOT COLORMAP, obviously also not with any unit that is not designed to take uploaded map data.

 

WHEN WILL MAPS BE AVAILABLE FOR UNITS NOT SERVED BY THE CITY SELECT

These maps are being made locally with a Garmin map making software product and will be available within the next two months.

 

PROTECTION OF SOFTWARE

All maps will come with a Garmin unlock code which will have to be activated by the client via the Internet. For those clients who do not have the internet, we can perform this function for them in our offices, if they bring the product to us.

 

RETURNS

THIS IS LICENSED SOFTWARE AND GARMIN WILL ACCEPT NO RETURNS ONCE THE PLASTIC PACKAGING THAT SEALS THE MAP CD HAS BEEN BROKEN. This will also apply if you sell the product to someone who has a product for which the software is not suitable. The only circumstances under which we will accept a return of software with a broken seal is if the product is faulty.

 

BUNDLED PRODUCTS (GPSV AND STREETPILOT III)

As soon as the map is available, Garmin will start shipping these two products with maps bundled into them. Obviously the pricing will change and will be as follows:

 

GPS V will come with cigarette lighter adaptor, vehic mount, City Select CD and PC interface cable

STREET PILOT III will come with bean bag and vehicle mount, cigarette lighter adaptor, PC interface cable, City Select CD and data cartridge

 

GPS V BUNDLED WITH CITY SELECT CD

RETAIL PRICE: R8732,40 INCLUDING VAT

 

STREETPILOT III BUNDLED WITH CITY SELECT CD

RETAIL PRICE: R15059.40 INCLUDING VAT

 

WHAT ABOUT A CLIENT WHO PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED A GPS V OR STREETPILOT III

Garmin will not penalise anyone who purchased these products before bundling with additional items took place.

Any client who can produce an invoice for a GPS V when he buys his City Select South Africa CD will be given a free PC interface cable.

Any client producing an invoice for a Streetpilot III when he buys his City Select South Africa CD will be given a free data cartridge and PC interface cable.

 

Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

[+BigBirdNL]

A little late, but probably usefull...

CacheMaps can generate maps on demand for the area you need. It is based on MapBlast maps. Not very detailed, but handy for projecting caches.

Here is an example of some SA caches on a ClickMap generated by CacheMaps:

Bulk River Dam cache.

 

If you have any questions, just ask...

 

BigBird

 

-- there is no spoon --

 

[This message was edited by BigBirdNL on June 19, 2003 at 12:44 PM.]

[Swallow]

A list of good (street level) online maps for SA :

 

Brabys mapping

You can directly go to the location of you're interested in e.g.

http://www.brabys.com/mapping/default.asp?...8,Y:25798.8,S:9

The 9 is for highest zoom, 1 is for lowest.

 

Tiscali has a similar application.

 

There is a routing utility somewhere on the Shell South Africa website.

 

You can play around with The MyWireless Broadband zone locator.

 

Or try the Names database.

Edited September 21, 2004 by Swallow