Cycling maps for Vista Hcx

[looe]

Hi,
been browsing the net for a week now looking for the best maps for my Garmin etrex Vista Hcx but I am still confused.... and getting even more confused day by day.
Free vs bought maps........... seem that free maps are a hassle to download.....lot of choices of bought maps, but which one...... even Garmin City map Europe come in different editions and price..........
So, which one is the best to go for ?????????????
Please help........

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I use the OpenCycleMaps version (not perfect but none are) on an SD card which I bought from http://shop.opencyclemap.org/

 

[looe]

I use the OpenCycleMaps version (not perfect but none are) on an SD card which I bought from http://shop.opencyclemap.org/

How do you create routes on the laptop if on SD card?

 

[looe]

I use the OpenCycleMaps version (not perfect but none are) on an SD card which I bought from http://shop.opencyclemap.org/

Can this be used with only basemap on the Garmin ? Look good though

 

[looe]

Found this site http://www.cyclestreets.net/features/ anyone used it?

 

[looe]

C

 

[PpPete]

Hi,
been browsing the net for a week now looking for the best maps for my Garmin etrex Vista Hcx but I am still confused.... and getting even more confused day by day.
Free vs bought maps........... seem that free maps are a hassle to download.....lot of choices of bought maps, but which one...... even Garmin City map Europe come in different editions and price..........
So, which one is the best to go for ?????????????
Please help........

Free OSM maps are NOT hassle to download to an Etrex
Pop on over to YACF - GPS forum -Free maps for Garmin thread. Look for Andy Gates. His "Munky" maps are brilliant.

1. Download the latest GMAPSUPP.IMG from Andy's site.
2. Unzip it and put it on your SD card in a folder called Garmin.
3. Robert is your mother's brother.

Granted, getting the "tiles" into Mapsource is slightly more complex, but not unduly so (unless you're a numpty like me)

You can create tracks on bikehike or bikeroutetoaster, download them as GPX - then you can use Mapsource to transfer them to the device even if you only have the "basemap" in Mapsource.

 

[Scoosh]

** numpty alert **

PP, I have loaded the 'Andygates specials' onto my Vista HCx, made a route in Bike Route Toaster, downloaded it to my Vista - yet can't find the route anywhere there !

Any idea what I am doing wrong ? Where do I need to go on the Vista to find it ?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Can this be used with only basemap on the Garmin ? Look good though

yep, that's what I do. Basically they have reverse engineered a 'mapsource' format map and put it on a card.. you stick the SD card in, switch on and off you go. decent mapping with cycling relevant specific info.

 

[andrew_s]

** numpty alert **

PP, I have loaded the 'Andygates specials' onto my Vista HCx, made a route in Bike Route Toaster, downloaded it to my Vista - yet can't find the route anywhere there !

Any idea what I am doing wrong ? Where do I need to go on the Vista to find it ?

You've got to use a program to put a gpx onto a Garmin so that it can be used.
It's got to go into the internal memory, not onto the SD card.

Mapsource, Trip & Waypoint Manager, memory map, or there are assorted open source programs that I've never bothered to investigate

 

[jeltz]

Take a look here http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You've got to use a program to put a gpx onto a Garmin so that it can be used.
It's got to go into the internal memory, not onto the SD card.

Mapsource, Trip & Waypoint Manager, memory map, or there are assorted open source programs that I've never bothered to investigate

any web based map can do it too if you've the garmin browser plug in loaded up. Bikehike does a fine job over USB.

 

[srw]

We've spent a piddling £70 or so at Amazon for street-level maps for the entirety of Western Europe. Unlike OSM (where our street, and most of the streets around us don't exist) I'm pretty confident the mapping is pretty complete.

It doesn't have topography, but I've got bikehike or paper maps (OS or French Top 100) for that. The online mapping systems just don't work with the Etrex - their routes have one point for each wiggle in the road. You want one point for each couple of miles. We've succesfully used bikehike or the paper maps to concoct a reasonable route, and transferred it to the Garmin software (piece of cake) to transfer to the Etrex.

And the connections between the Garmin software and the Etrex just work.

 

[looe]

We've spent a piddling £70 or so at Amazon for street-level maps for the entirety of Western Europe. Unlike OSM (where our street, and most of the streets around us don't exist) I'm pretty confident the mapping is pretty complete.

It doesn't have topography, but I've got bikehike or paper maps (OS or French Top 100) for that. The online mapping systems just don't work with the Etrex - their routes have one point for each wiggle in the road. You want one point for each couple of miles. We've succesfully used bikehike or the paper maps to concoct a reasonable route, and transferred it to the Garmin software (piece of cake) to transfer to the Etrex.

And the connections between the Garmin software and the Etrex just work.

Are your maps Garmin City Navigator ? Which Garmin software are you using? Sorry but I am not very good in this GPS malaki

 

[PpPete]

We've spent a piddling £70 or so at Amazon for street-level maps for the entirety of Western Europe.

Er... £70 is not a piddling sum for some of us at the moment.

Unlike OSM (where our street, and most of the streets around us don't exist) I'm pretty confident the mapping is pretty complete.

If the Garmin maps happen to be out of date - tough, wait for a year and hope the next time you buy they have updated it.

If the streets in your area are not on OSM, don't moan about it, get out there with your GPS and map them, it really isnt difficult. When you download the next weekly update your work will appear !

We've succesfully used bikehike or the paper maps to concoct a reasonable route, and transferred it to the Garmin software (piece of cake) to transfer to the Etrex.
And the connections between the Garmin software and the Etrex just work.

Pretty much what I was recommending to the OP - assuming he had latest versions as its a recent purchase, but previous versions of Mapsource were so horribly bug-laden this used to be almost impossible at times.