OpenStreetMap and Garmin 2597LMT

[+Gill & Tony]

I'm back from a European holiday. Before I left, I created and downloaded maps from OpenStreetMap and copied them onto SD cards for my E-Trex 30 and my 2597LMT.

 

They worked flawlessly on the E-Trex 30, but there were a couple of minor issues with the 2597, so I thought I'd pass on my experiences.

 

First, with the garmin maps, I get a speed limit showing for all major highways and most other main roads. Minor roads don't always have the speed limit. I didn't get any speed limit info at all from the OSM maps.

 

Second, when approaching a roundabout, the Garmin has a little icon showing the route around the roundabout, an exit number from the roundabout and the street name. For example, when driving on the right, to turn left at a typical cross-roads roundabout, the Icon shows the route to the left, the exit number is 3. Not so with the OSM maps. Both the icon and the exit number seem random. Sometimes they work as expected, sometimes they count both the exit and entrance from the side road as 'exits", sometimes there is no logic behind it. On one occasion, the purple line on the map showed straight ahead, the icon showed turn left and the exit number was 8. On a standard cross-road roundabout. Just a warning to folk, ignore the icon and route number and just follow the purple line.

 

Other than that they were perfect and at $0.00 were excellent value for money!

[+Hynz]

I'm back from a European holiday. Before I left, I created and downloaded maps from OpenStreetMap and copied them onto SD cards for my E-Trex 30 and my 2597LMT.

 

They worked flawlessly on the E-Trex 30, but there were a couple of minor issues with the 2597, so I thought I'd pass on my experiences.

 

Thanks for your experiences.

It would be important to know what maps *exactly* you have used. You cannot download *the* OpenStreetMap.

There is a plethora of flavors all based on the data of OSM but each has different properties and are focused on certain aspects of the map or are specifically designed for certain devices.

 

Not to forget that the quality of the data in OSM varies a lot between regions.

[ohgood]

I'm back from a European holiday. Before I left, I created and downloaded maps from OpenStreetMap and copied them onto SD cards for my E-Trex 30 and my 2597LMT.

 

They worked flawlessly on the E-Trex 30, but there were a couple of minor issues with the 2597, so I thought I'd pass on my experiences.

 

First, with the garmin maps, I get a speed limit showing for all major highways and most other main roads. Minor roads don't always have the speed limit. I didn't get any speed limit info at all from the OSM maps.

 

Second, when approaching a roundabout, the Garmin has a little icon showing the route around the roundabout, an exit number from the roundabout and the street name. For example, when driving on the right, to turn left at a typical cross-roads roundabout, the Icon shows the route to the left, the exit number is 3. Not so with the OSM maps. Both the icon and the exit number seem random. Sometimes they work as expected, sometimes they count both the exit and entrance from the side road as 'exits", sometimes there is no logic behind it. On one occasion, the purple line on the map showed straight ahead, the icon showed turn left and the exit number was 8. On a standard cross-road roundabout. Just a warning to folk, ignore the icon and route number and just follow the purple line.

 

Other than that they were perfect and at $0.00 were excellent value for money!

 

Link to the website you downloaded from? And the proven you used (online or offline) to create the map?

 

I usually carry several map types with me when going outside my known areas, and two different routing (route creating) backups.

[+hal-an-tow]

I'm back from a European holiday. Before I left, I created and downloaded maps from OpenStreetMap and copied them onto SD cards for my E-Trex 30 and my 2597LMT.

 

They worked flawlessly on the E-Trex 30, but there were a couple of minor issues with the 2597, so I thought I'd pass on my experiences.

 

First, with the garmin maps, I get a speed limit showing for all major highways and most other main roads. Minor roads don't always have the speed limit. I didn't get any speed limit info at all from the OSM maps.

 

Second, when approaching a roundabout, the Garmin has a little icon showing the route around the roundabout, an exit number from the roundabout and the street name. For example, when driving on the right, to turn left at a typical cross-roads roundabout, the Icon shows the route to the left, the exit number is 3. Not so with the OSM maps. Both the icon and the exit number seem random. Sometimes they work as expected, sometimes they count both the exit and entrance from the side road as 'exits", sometimes there is no logic behind it. On one occasion, the purple line on the map showed straight ahead, the icon showed turn left and the exit number was 8. On a standard cross-road roundabout. Just a warning to folk, ignore the icon and route number and just follow the purple line.

 

Other than that they were perfect and at $0.00 were excellent value for money!

 

Link to the website you downloaded from? And the proven you used (online or offline) to create the map?

 

I usually carry several map types with me when going outside my known areas, and two different routing (route creating) backups.

[+hal-an-tow]

I use OSM based maps all the time in my android 'phone navigation app. all the time in the UK. The app. does not make it clear where it gets the OSM data from. I also have OSM (downloaded from an alliterative chatty kitchen appliance for browning bread)in my etrex20 . At the right zoom level this shows footpaths and bridleways, our UK 'Rights Of Way' through the countryside.

 

As long as you keep in mind that the maps are created using information added by volunteers , and come with no guarantee of accuracy, they work fine. I always use paper Ordinance Survey maps to check my rural walking routes, and seldom see any differences, except occasionally paths have not yet been added to OSM. I really should start to contribute some data myself, it's been on the to do list for ages, I really appreciate being able to use these free detailed maps and would like to do my bit to keep them up to date.

 

As far as driving goes, the same limitations of accuracy apply. A couple of times I've been directed through a new area where houses are being built and the roads are as yet unfinished. Presumably someone has jumped the gun and submitted the roads as useable before they are.

 

I have found the occasional problem with roundabouts, where (I think) the app. software sees any spur from the roundabout, including short hard surface dead end areas which may be for work crew parking, future development, or private farm roads ,as actual exits and consequently miscounts. However, I've never seen any other mismatch between the route line and the verbal instructions the app gives me, and if it did I'd suspect it would be down to the navigation programs interaction with the base map rather than the data of the base map itself.

 

Another minor thing I've got used to is that the app. I have describes any roughly right angle bend in the road as a turn, I assume this is because it was created in a country where the roads are less tortuously random and wandering ! As I said, this is the app., not OSM though.

Do I fall for the free app.s regular suggestions that I might like to pay to upgrade to a different map ?

Don't be silly !