Garmin Mapsource TOPO

[Guest Growley]

Got a question for you TOPO users. Does this program improve the basemap at all? I am now considering TOPO for my MAP 76 and would like to know how it is. Is to picture on the Garmin Website accurate? If so, Im not too impressed.

[Guest k2dave]

hat the gps is interpolating the roads and land features because you are zooming past the resolution the maps are stored in.

 

When using the topo whil driving I am seldom shown off the road. While hiking the topo lines help orentate where you are.

 

The program could definately use some improvmaent but is very valuable just how it is. If I had it to do all over again I would probabally get the V and would get topo.

[Guest gstrong1]

I've got the Mapsource and use it all the time for loading Topo maps to my MAP76,III Plus & Vista. Really works OK. I also have the Mapsource Roads & Recreation and that works nice as well. I bought the DeLorme Topo software & their Street Atlas 8.0 mapping software also. DeLorme maps seem more up to date & a little nicer, but you cannot upload maps from DeLorme to the GPS. You can upload waypoints & routes, but not maps.

 

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Gary "Gimpy" Strong

Rochester,NY

[Guest morganw]

I agree with gstrong1. I have the mapsource TOPO, delorme topo usa 3 and the delorem 3d topoquads for NY. The mapsource topo is not as detailed as USGS 7.5' maps, but it has good details for logging trails, forestry service roads, etc. If you enjoy hiking I would recommend the topo over the R&R also. R&R is based off census data that is very old. The streets in TOPO come from a much newer source...

 

But the delorme topo is incredible. I use it to plot all expeditions... It has no problems sending routes and waypoints to my MAP76.

[Guest fire23]

The only complaint I have of the Mapsource Topo software is it's outdatedness. In Montana, the frontage roads are listed as the interstates on the software. They haven't been the interstates for over 30 years.

 

Other than that, they are very useful out hiking if your wondering what stream or lake your walking next too, etc...

[Guest Geoffrey]

I have bought the USGS Paper maps(Topo Quads), and they tend to be way out of date. One seems to be more than 30 years out of date.

[Guest T-storm]

Lots of outdated maps out there... if looking at labeled landmarks on Toposource, MapBlast, or MapQuest, you may find they are far out of date as well. An example... they all have a school in Euless, Texas, labeled Bell High School. The location indicated has been at least three different things since it was LD Bell High School 36 years ago. It was used as Central Junior High until the late 80's when a new junior high was built next door and the old school became the KEYS Learning Center and it's now called Forrest Watson something or another. I had forgotten that it had ever been Bell High School, yet I grew up 2 blocks away, attended the first Central Junior High at this location, and my parents still live there today so I drive by regularly. It confused my hubby (not from here) when browsing a cache map to see Bell High School shown when he knows only the current BHS location off a major freeway.

 

T-storm

[Guest Hawk-eye]

Most maps are outdated ... darn near as soon as their out ... but I'll agree with the issues on Mapsource ... it's better than nothing ... especially since Garmin will only upload Mapsource maps to their mapping units. Most of the problems come from the scale 1:100,000 .... they advertise "comparable to the U.S. Geological Survey's 1:100,000 scale paper maps". This is close but not entirely true ... if you go through enough maps ... there are some serious "gaffs" in the Mapsoursce maps ... from some sections to others ... the elevation lines don't match up ... nor do they line up in a lot of cases ... one valley I know of ... sort of flatten outs half way down stream on Mapsource ... according to Mapsource ... there should be a perfectly vertical line cutting across the valley ... below which ... the land is nothing but relatively flat terrain .... ????

I usually upload Mapsource topo to my Vista for reference ... but I print out Ter.Navigator USGS maps for detail ... better detail and better accuracy overall. I know it would take more memory ... but mapsource would really have something if they went to 1:24,0000 scale and actually based their maps off the USGS series. Just my humble opinion.