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Garmin Mapsource for South Africa


Guest Artful Dodger

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Guest Artful Dodger

Hi

 

I have just ordered the WorldMap mapsource for my GPSMAP76 for when I holiday in SA next month. Does anyone have it there? Is is adequate?

 

Thanks

 

Dodger

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Guest Peter Scholtz

I'm using a basic eTrex with no mapping so I can't comment.

 

Geocaching is still slow to get going here ... going to drop of pamphlets at the out door shops this weekend.

 

Where are you going for holiday? I'll take you for a cache if you like ... I'm in Cape Town (where most of them are).

 

I know my partner has a III+ with the included world map and it doesn't even have our most important national road, the N1, listed correctly!

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Guest Artful Dodger

Hey Peter

 

I'm from Joburg and Durban originally - only been to Cape Town once (yeah! What a waste, I know). Unfortunately, I will only be sticking around there. I will be going to Mozambique to do some scuba diving - perhaps I will be the first person to place a cache in that country ?

 

..pity there aren't any people in Joeys who want a GPS, I could make a little mint bringing in a few and converting them to Rands icon_biggrin.gif

 

In the meantime, I will use www.gpswaypoints.co.za for all my waypoint needs in SA.

 

Good luck with your low-tide cache!

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Guest Artful Dodger

Hey Peter

 

I'm from Joburg and Durban originally - only been to Cape Town once (yeah! What a waste, I know). Unfortunately, I will only be sticking around there. I will be going to Mozambique to do some scuba diving - perhaps I will be the first person to place a cache in that country ?

 

..pity there aren't any people in Joeys who want a GPS, I could make a little mint bringing in a few and converting them to Rands icon_biggrin.gif

 

In the meantime, I will use www.gpswaypoints.co.za for all my waypoint needs in SA.

 

Good luck with your low-tide cache!

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Guest Peter Scholtz

If you have time, please leave one cache, even if it's only a 1/1. There are now caches in Cape Town and Bloemfontein. If you leave one in Johannesburg, I'll leave one in Beaufort Wes, creating a four day N1 Geocaching trip for the newcomers ...

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Guest Peter Scholtz

While looking for a Garmin GPSMAP 76 today, I spoke to the local importers, Decca, and they said that a South African MapSource is due in the next two or three months!

 

On Garmin's MapSource product page I found a link which will show you exactly what you will get.

 

The world map has the N1 out of Cape Town quite wrong, our most important national road.

 

Ouch but the GPSMAP 76 is expensive. R3,700 ex VAT retail. Amazon is cheaper but don't ship them to SA.

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Guest Artful Dodger

quote:
Ouch but the GPSMAP 76 is expensive. R3,700 ex VAT retail. Amazon is cheaper but don't ship them to SA.

 

[/b]


Its a pity you dont know anyone going back to CT from the US as $310 converted to rands is around $2500. They could have bought one back for you.
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Guest Peter Scholtz

quote:
Originally posted by Artful Dodger:

Its a pity you dont know anyone going back to CT from the US as $310 converted to rands is around $2500.


 

$310 -> $2500, you trying to rip me off! icon_smile.gif

 

My other concern is when something breaks, it's a major hassle to have to send it to another country for a warrenty repair.

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Guest Peter Scholtz

quote:
Originally posted by Artful Dodger:

Its a pity you dont know anyone going back to CT from the US as $310 converted to rands is around $2500.


 

$310 -> $2500, you trying to rip me off! icon_smile.gif

 

My other concern is when something breaks, it's a major hassle to have to send it to another country for a warrenty repair.

 

------------------

Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Guest Artful Dodger

quote:
Originally posted by Peter Scholtz:

Artful, looks like someone beat you to Mozambique or was that you? White Gold

 


 

Yup. Someone beat me to it. Unfortunately due to some snarlups of getting visas to the Mozambique border, we couldnt go to Mozambique. At least Mozambique is now conquered.

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I asked Garmin:

Mapsource for South Africa, due anytime soon?

 

Garmin replied:

We are hoping q1 or q2 next year - depending on our data source releasing the data to us.

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Guest Peter Scholtz

quote:
Originally posted by Jors:

Garmin replied:

We are hoping q1 or q2 next year - depending on our data source releasing the data to us.


 

Well, that's why I've put off upgrading from my basic Etrex. The SA maps are useless.

 

I'm looking forward to a Garmin GPSMAP 76, but by the time they release the SA maps there should me more options!

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Hi,

Just to add to the last few replies:

I'm a local (Cape Town) Garmin dealer

(www.musto.net)

and personal user of a Garmin GPS III+

bought in Feb 2001. I took up the topic of MAPS with Garmin.

My Questions:

 

"The basemap info for Cape Town is seriously lacking in info.

Even major roads like the R300 highway are missing.

Ditto for the whole of South Africa/Namibia/Botswana/Zimbabwe in general.

 

I have looked at the MAPSOOURCE offerings and as confirmed with yourself

these don't add much, if anything to this region. (World option)

 

I have tried third party offerings by linking a PC to the GARMIN (Oziexplorer)

to have a locally scanned moving map but the whole set-up is clunky, bulky and

altogether not ideal.

 

1) is there a way to permanently add tracks to the GPS3+ basemap.

(thereby adding presently unmarked roads to the onboard map)

 

2) is there a way to upload LOCAL USER SCANNED maps or information to the 'mapsource' memory area

of the GPS3+

 

The ANSWER

 

"Sorry, the answer is currently no to both questions. We are looking at something for third party map developers, but it probably wont be available for a while.

 

We are hoping to have detailed data for South Africa from our data source for the end of the year."

 

Okay - that was March 2001

 

Same question asked July 2001

Response

"Sorry, no news at this time.

 

Yes we are aware of some spelling mistakes in the AND data used in the basemap - if you report them using the error reporting form in the cartography section of our website then we will pass this onto them."

 

In October 2001 I chased it up again and now the response is 'we have it ready, but have a licencing problem which we're working on. Product due early 2002'

 

If you follow links from my web site, one should take you to MAPMASTER who do all the local street map books. I have been in comms with them for many months over their didgital maps and now see with pleasure that they provide a GPS interface to them and have GREATLY reduced their licence fees.

I haven't tried the 'NEW' product yet.

I have also been chasing the Automobile Association in terms of getting them to acknowledge us GPS users and our new needs.

They will not release copies of their digital masters of road maps - they dont even let their printers have them (they get it on film) but they hear our plea & have it in mind.

 

I have scanned a few local roadmaps and use that with the 'unregistered' version of Oziexplorer and have a reasonable platfor in which to manage waypoints and plot new routes.

 

Excuse the lengthy reply. Hope the info helps.

Peter - well done on so many cache's. I hope to hit your Blommendal one as my first !!!

Regards to all of you

Tim

 

 

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Tim

Cape Town

www.musto.net

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Guest Peter Scholtz

Tim,

 

Thanks for the tip on MapMaster's new GPS capabilities. I bought it today and will get a data cable for my Etrex tomorrow (my home made cable isn't doing it for me).

 

Since my Etrex doesn't have mapping anyway, I suspect the combo of the Etrex plus MapMaster will cover my needs for quite a while.

 

I believe Garmin maps are quite expensive, so are the map capable GPS's. I still would love a Garmin GPSMAP 76 though with a SA topo ... which makes me wonder, what will the SA product include? Streets only or topo's as well. I want the topos!

 

See this url for details on MapMaster's GPS capabilities. It looks good.

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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