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Routable OpenStreetMaps for Garmin


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I have in many times in the past been an advocate for the Free, Routable OpenStreetMaps for Garmin

 

Typically when I have selected few map tile for building a mapset I get a message which has a link to check the status of the request, and within the hour I'll get the email message with the download link. I made a request this morning for maps for an upcoming trip and just checked the "status" of my request and saw:

 

This request is #1407 in the queue. The delay is approximately 5.9 days.

 

I have to wonder if someone created numerous requests to get maps for the entire world because I've never had to wait more than an hour or so. Has anyone else that uses these maps regularly noticed a significant increase in wait times?

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I have in many times in the past been an advocate for the Free, Routable OpenStreetMaps for Garmin

 

Typically when I have selected few map tile for building a mapset I get a message which has a link to check the status of the request, and within the hour I'll get the email message with the download link. I made a request this morning for maps for an upcoming trip and just checked the "status" of my request and saw:

 

This request is #1407 in the queue. The delay is approximately 5.9 days.

 

I have to wonder if someone created numerous requests to get maps for the entire world because I've never had to wait more than an hour or so. Has anyone else that uses these maps regularly noticed a significant increase in wait times?

Yes, my early experience was the same as yours, then a couple of months ago I went to create a custom map for a holiday trip (the first time in a year or more), and it said it would be 2 or 3 days, which was no good to me as I was leavin the next morning, IIRC I was about 500 in the queue. In the end I chose one of their ready made maps which are instantly available.

 

So it sounds like general capacity rather than someone hitting the site hard.

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I have in many times in the past been an advocate for the Free, Routable OpenStreetMaps for Garmin

 

Typically when I have selected few map tile for building a mapset I get a message which has a link to check the status of the request, and within the hour I'll get the email message with the download link. I made a request this morning for maps for an upcoming trip and just checked the "status" of my request and saw:

 

This request is #1407 in the queue. The delay is approximately 5.9 days.

 

I have to wonder if someone created numerous requests to get maps for the entire world because I've never had to wait more than an hour or so. Has anyone else that uses these maps regularly noticed a significant increase in wait times?

Yes, my early experience was the same as yours, then a couple of months ago I went to create a custom map for a holiday trip (the first time in a year or more), and it said it would be 2 or 3 days, which was no good to me as I was leavin the next morning, IIRC I was about 500 in the queue. In the end I chose one of their ready made maps which are instantly available.

 

So it sounds like general capacity rather than someone hitting the site hard.

 

My request is now at #1395 so it's making some progress but still seems to be much slower than it used to be. The ready made maps wouldn't work for me. I need to include map tiles for Austin and San Antonio, Texas, the area around Mexico City, and central Costa Rica. The last time I created a custom map was around last November and it only took an hour or so. I wonder what changed.

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I just had a look on their forum, and found this posted today by the Administrator

 

Just a quick heads-up:

The custom map queues have been really long the past few weeks (up to 1700 requests waiting), but I'm happy to announce that later this weekend I hope to be able to add a second custom map server which adds 2x the cpu power but unfortunately only supports 1/3rd of the disk space which is limiting. Anyway it looks like a nice addition.

 

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If you mean the correct maps is one road map occupying the sd slot, you are right.

But you can't use the sd slot for anything else, if it's a genuine Garmin map. Personally I find that a waste.

 

Besides that, if you use Basecamp using the map from the Gps is bothersome and certain Basecamp functions won't work.

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I bought the latest genuine Garmin North America City Navigator micro SD card on the auction site for under $30 to use in my 64s and don't have to worry about having the correct maps downloaded. This was well worth it for me.

 

I don't know if the 64 has the same issue as the 62. But on the 62 if you didn't watch out when you changed the batteries the SD card would pop out and land on the ground. I've been told that you could use a small piece of tape to tape in the SD card. Also I noticed that when you had maps on the SD card instead of the internal memory the maps would redraw a lot slower.

 

As for the original question I have had on occasion a long lead time on when the maps would be available. So I would always make sure I got the free routables in plenty of time for my trip. I have been a lot of places and found the OpenStreetMaps to be fairly accurate.

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I bought the latest genuine Garmin North America City Navigator micro SD card on the auction site for under $30 to use in my 64s and don't have to worry about having the correct maps downloaded. This was well worth it for me.

 

I've bought several of these and they work well in my Nuvi's and handheld's.

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splashy

If you mean the correct maps is one road map occupying the sd slot, you are right.

But you can't use the sd slot for anything else, if it's a genuine Garmin map. Personally I find that a waste. …

As to having the Garmin CN maps micro SD card preventing me from using the memory in the card slot for anything else, I still have over 3Gb of unused internal memory on my 64s that I would have a hard time filling up, so for me this is a non-problem. If you own a GPS with little internal storage, this might be a concern.

 

FunnyNose’s concern about map drawing speed isn’t a problem on the 64s which is MUCH faster than my old 62s in every respect (including battery drain). :D Being able to recharge the NiMh batteries in the unit helps cutting down on battery changes, losing the SD card, and recalibrating the compass.

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I bought the latest genuine Garmin North America City Navigator micro SD card on the auction site for under $30 to use in my 64s and don't have to worry about having the correct maps downloaded. This was well worth it for me.

 

How does that work on the six other continents? I've had the Garmin Topo maps for North America for a long time but for traveling to other countries the OSM maps are really hard to beat. I've used them in 9 countries in Europe, 3 countries in Africa, 5 countries in Asia, and in Costa Rica and the've never failed me.

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NYPaddleCacher-

How does that work on the six other continents? I've had the Garmin Topo maps for North America for a long time but for traveling to other countries the OSM maps are really hard to beat. I've used them in 9 countries in Europe, 3 countries in Africa, 5 countries in Asia, and in Costa Rica and the've never failed me.

 

I’m assuming the question about 6 other continents was rhetorical as there aren’t any good routable street maps of Antarctica that I' aware of. :P Also the Garmin Topo maps you mention probably don’t work well as routable maps either.

 

The example I gave of CN North America was a method I use for the area I travel in and would avoid the long download delays you mentioned. Obviously if you want to travel to Europe that would be another map set whether you use Garmin or selected OSM map tiles, as you already know. If you choose to pay for map sets that you don't have to download, the Garmin City Navigator series is excellent but if you don't mind waiting 5.9 days for downloads then stick with the OSM.

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... The ready made maps wouldn't work for me. I need to include map tiles for Austin and San Antonio, Texas, the area around Mexico City, and central Costa Rica.

I'm confused by this comment. There are ready-made maps for Texas, Mexico and Costa Rica. Why can't you just download all 3 and put all 3 on your GPS?

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... The ready made maps wouldn't work for me. I need to include map tiles for Austin and San Antonio, Texas, the area around Mexico City, and central Costa Rica.

I'm confused by this comment. There are ready-made maps for Texas, Mexico and Costa Rica. Why can't you just download all 3 and put all 3 on your GPS?

I don't recall what unit NYPC is using, but there's some chance it's one that won't accept a uSD card (like a Dakota 10?) and putting all of Tex/Mex on the unit might not be possible.
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Can someone provide a quick tutorial on loading OSM maps to an SD card? Once the file is received, my assumption is that:

1. Select osm generic gmappsupp.zip to download

2. When downloaded, drag the file to the SD card

3. Click on the file to expand

 

The card then can be put in the GPSr and should show the area downloaded.

 

Is that correct?

 

Thanks.

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I managed to work my way through this just the other day with my (new-to-me) Garmin 62S.

 

One step you didn't mention: Unzip the file on your computer and move JUST the .img file for the map into the /Garmin folder on your SD card.

 

I usually rename the map so I do not overwrite it by accident.

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I managed to work my way through this just the other day with my (new-to-me) Garmin 62S.

 

One step you didn't mention: Unzip the file on your computer and move JUST the .img file for the map into the /Garmin folder on your SD card.

Yep--tried it both ways. Unzip then move, and just move the original and it opened in the Garmin folder. I've requested a new file, so will see if maybe something went wrong with the first download.

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I managed to work my way through this just the other day with my (new-to-me) Garmin 62S.

 

One step you didn't mention: Unzip the file on your computer and move JUST the .img file for the map into the /Garmin folder on your SD card.

Yep--tried it both ways. Unzip then move, and just move the original and it opened in the Garmin folder. I've requested a new file, so will see if maybe something went wrong with the first download.

I think the problem may be that I'm using a Mac, and was using the wrong file. Just got the new download so will see how that goes.

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I managed to work my way through this just the other day with my (new-to-me) Garmin 62S.

 

One step you didn't mention: Unzip the file on your computer and move JUST the .img file for the map into the /Garmin folder on your SD card.

Yep--tried it both ways. Unzip then move, and just move the original and it opened in the Garmin folder. I've requested a new file, so will see if maybe something went wrong with the first download.

I think the problem may be that I'm using a Mac, and was using the wrong file. Just got the new download so will see how that goes.

As Sussamb said, have you selected the map on the gpsr and secondly I see you are using an older model garmin, does it support maps and also what type and size, gb, sd card are you using?

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I managed to work my way through this just the other day with my (new-to-me) Garmin 62S.

 

One step you didn't mention: Unzip the file on your computer and move JUST the .img file for the map into the /Garmin folder on your SD card.

Yep--tried it both ways. Unzip then move, and just move the original and it opened in the Garmin folder. I've requested a new file, so will see if maybe something went wrong with the first download.

I think the problem may be that I'm using a Mac, and was using the wrong file. Just got the new download so will see how that goes.

As Sussamb said, have you selected the map on the gpsr and secondly I see you are using an older model garmin, does it support maps and also what type and size, gb, sd card are you using?

I'm using an Oregon 450 for this purpose. Tried the Mac download, put it on the card in a Garmin folder, tried unzipping both before and after, plus with the Mac Garmin map thing, but nothing worked. When the card is in the GPSr, the only map showing is the standard one--does not show the one on the card, even though it is there. This is puzzling, as I do have an OSM map that does work in the same unit. I just don't remember what I did for that one.

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Provided you are placing a valid *.img file into the 'Garmin' folder of your 450, right alongside (or in place of) the gmapbmap.img (base map) file, or in a 'Garmin' folder created on a uSD card, then your 450 should find it.

 

Unless you plan to use the map you're creating with Basecamp or some other PC software, you won't need to download the *.exe or any of the rest of the optional formats. Just grab the *.img.

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