Topo maps for Canada - free!
 

This guy in Calgary has written a program that allows you to load the Federal 1:50,000 maps for most of Canada into Mapsource and have them display a Garmin GPS unit. I downloaded the file (1.5 Gb!) and can open it in Mapsource and transfer them to my 2610. They can't auto route like Topo Canada, but more recent map data and more detail. Also the detail is visible at higher zoom levels (5 Km). Definitely recommended. about time someone started to break Garmin's stranglehold on what maps we can use. thsi doesn't violate any copyrights, uses publicly available maps, he doesn't mess with any of Garmin's code, just writes his own to allow Mapsource to accept them.

http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/

You have me quite intrigued, i'll have to try that later tonight!!!

It takes a LOOOONG time to run the file. I ran it over night. One guy reported over 3 hours to complete. Don't save the file to the computer, run the .exe file right from the website. After it is done, install it, then open Mapsource and it will show up in the drop down list of map products in the top left. You will have all of Canada, except most of Newfoundland and the Territories at 1:50,000 with great detail. After it is loaded in Mapsource, you can select individual mapsheets to load to the GPS (just like the Garmin products). These are .img files so I am hoping this guy can do the same with ortho photos!

Thanks for the info Yak! I'll give it a try!!:D

I'm not a Garmin apologist, but define "stranglehold".

There are at least a few folks out there making maps that are Garming Mapsource/GPS compatible. But it is a lot of work. Just ask Jeramey Valley, who has done maps for the State of Michigan backroads, ORV trails, etc. http://www.vvmapping.com/ He has spent a LOT of time on this project.

There are whole user groups out there for folks who like to do design maps, and some free/low cost tools to make ones that are compatible. Just takes some time, and talent to do so, and the tracks or open source data to put in the roads, et.al.

Dave

downloading now...only an hour on hi-speed. pretty good download speed for a poor student (him, not me...I'm just poor) Gonna be interesting to see how it compares to Garmin's Canada TOPO

EDIT: 6 hours on hi-speed

I'm about halfway through the download!

As in Garmin only accepts their software for their units - I have an HP computer, but they don't restrict what brand of software I can use on it. I am aware that there are other people doing similar work to what I posted - most for other countries so not real useful, especially for those of us that don't have the time or ability to figure it out ourselves. It's always nice to have a choice. This is the first ready to use product that will work on a Garmin that I have seen offered for Canada. I am not averse to buying Garmin software - I have purchased 4 different Garmin titles. I just think that they shouldn't restrict third party software developers. Free market.

Works like a charm Yak!!

Thanks for the info.

it's a map set and an .exe file? WTF? I've got a Mac :cry

I don't think Garmin restricts or even licenses third party developers. Have a look at Route Buddy as an example.

Lots of programs that allow you to plan a route and then transfer routes and waypoints, etc to the unit. I haven't seen any that allow you to actually put different maps into the GPS. Maybe I haven't been looking in the right place, but there was a thread on here a while ago complaining about the same thing.

Can you use one of those Windows emulators to download .exe files to your Mac?

I'm taking the long way round: download 1.5GB file to mac, transfer to ancient PC, fire up Mapsource, quit, fire up MapConverter, transfer back to Mac, open in MapManager, flow to Bobcat.


Anything to amuse myself :wink:

which worked, I now have the mapset in Bobcat :clap

I hear ya. I'm doing the same but my pc is on the mac in Parallels. That should save some time... I hope. :D

Cheers

Fin