How to upload maps to GPS without Garmin Mapsource...HELP! I'm on the road!

[JoeSheffer]

...after getting past turkey...my maps have run out.

I thought i had bought the unit with a global base map, but it turns out that i have the american marine base map which has nothing in terms of ANY roads outside the USA.

I would now like to use multimap or i have a $450 speedo on my bike.

Is there anyway for me to load a base map or any maps without mapsource at internet cafes etc.

How about wunderlust?!?

[grumpytoo]

There area other programs to load the maps, Ozzi explorer comes to mind, but I think you still need to run a program on a host computer. I don't think the internet cafes will allow this. If they will just download mapsource. The wanderlust maps will work, I used them for South America, but need mapsource to load them. Since they are not locked, Wanderlust maps, you may get someone to send a version that has been loaded onto a memory card that you could use. Big file though. It may be your best bet. What model of gps? Exactly what area maps do you need?

--chris

[Rebaseonu]

You can download basic Garmin worldwide routable highway basemap from:

Garmin: iQue 3600 World-Wide Basemap Updates & Downloads

1) Open the file with WinZip or similar program and extract GMAPBMAP.IMG file, then rename it to GMAPSUPP.IMG

2) Copy the file to your GPS internal memory or memory card (on card there must be folder named Garmin, put it inside that folder).

3) Restart your GPS.

[MikeS]

Put the word out on the Communities and someone may be able to help you. I didn't carry a laptop on my trip but I met people on the road with Mapsource on their kaptops who kindly gave me maps/waypoints. Garmins Worldmap will probably be fine for most needs if you can download it from somewhere, I found it using BitTorrents. Good luck!

[KennyE]

Do what Rebaseonu said. Works great. It at least gives you all of the main roads through Asia. i think Wanderlust hasn't any coverage for those areas yet. I have a Zumo 550 and putting the file onto it is a piece of cake.

Kenny

[Frank Warner]

Originally Posted by JoeSheffer

Is there anyway for me to load a base map or any maps without mapsource at internet cafes etc.

How about wunderlust?!?

You can load maps using a program Img2gps - more detail over on Smellybiker's Wanderlust Worldmap • View forum - Help & Support
It will not show you what area the maps cover so you need to figure that out.
Maps for Iran, on east are not good .. best off with world maps type stuff ... so wanderlust might be the way to go.

-----------------
Chris (and others) Oziexploreer handles raster maps ...not vector maps .. vector maps are what go on GPSes .. so NO oziexplorer will not download maps to GPSes .. it will handle tracks and routs and waypoints to/from GPSes. But not maps to/from GPSes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tomrinbellingham]

I have a pair (one for back up after it failed in the middle of France last year) of older Garmin StreetPilot 2610s. The mapsource map for Europe was great as is the NorthAmerican map.

But, I'm heading for Central and South America (all over the place for 4 months) and I don't have a clue as to how I'm going to find and load maps that will work on my StreetPilots. I plan to take a laptop with me.

Anyone tell me - or point me to an online source for non-tecky brains - where/how to find good maps for a trip that uses some main highways, but perfers "the roads less traveled"?

Anything will be appreciated.

Thanks, Tom

Originally Posted by Rebaseonu

You can download basic Garmin worldwide routable highway basemap from:

Garmin: iQue 3600 World-Wide Basemap Updates & Downloads

1) Open the file with WinZip or similar program and extract GMAPBMAP.IMG file, then rename it to GMAPSUPP.IMG

2) Copy the file to your GPS internal memory or memory card (on card there must be folder named Garmin, put it inside that folder).

3) Restart your GPS.

[Frank Warner]

Originally Posted by tomrinbellingham

Anything will be appreciated.

Take a good look at the wanderlust map.

Verison 1.6 is avalible as a sample download .. strips accross the world .. gives a demo of what that is like.

Version 2.0 .. well samle maps of 1 degree by 1 degree are avalible .. but you'll need Mapedit to view them. Version 2 has topo lines. And should have autorouting when finalised. When? Idon't know .. there is a test version of the UK maps .. beta testers only. Reports are good.

[grumpytoo]

Originally Posted by Frank Warner

You can load maps using a program Img2gps - more detail over on Smellybiker's Wanderlust Worldmap • View forum - Help & Support
It will not show you what area the maps cover so you need to figure that out.
Maps for Iran, on east are not good .. best off with world maps type stuff ... so wanderlust might be the way to go.

-----------------
Chris (and others) Oziexploreer handles raster maps ...not vector maps .. vector maps are what go on GPSes .. so NO oziexplorer will not download maps to GPSes .. it will handle tracks and routs and waypoints to/from GPSes. But not maps to/from GPSes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for the info, always a good day when you learn something.

--chris

[djorob]

Hi. Have used the Img2gps as mentioned by Frankwarner an it worked well on a garmin60.
Upload Garmin Maps to GPS
You might find a helpful internet cafe that would let you download it and upload maps!

Good look mate!
Dave.

[JoeSheffer]

Argh! Its not ****ing working. Spent hours messing about now and it just wont work, nor with wanderlust (a different problem)...hi ho hi ho its papermaps we go. When i try to unzip the file Rebase suggested, nothing happens and an error message shows because i havn't got the palm thingy instgalled. I cant with winzip gain acces to the .img file

[Rebaseonu]

If you see Palm error message then you are running the setup program and you should not do that. You must just take this one IMG file from inside the zip archive (that contains other files as well including the setup program you don't need to run).

The link on Garmin page is to .exe file that is self-extracting ZIP archive. It will automatically start the Palm setup program when you run the exe. You don't need that. Instead run WinZip, then choose File menu -> Open Archive command. Then browse the .exe file you downloaded from Garmin site. You may need to change file types that are listed in the Open Archive window, it may only display .zip files by default. On that case choose "Archives and .exe files" from "Files of type" combo box, then the file list will include .exe files as well. Now select your Garmin exe file you downloaded and you'll see it's contests in WinZip. Select GMAPBMAP.IMG file and extract it to your memory card, Garmin folder, and rename to GMAPSUPP.IMG.

[Toyark]

Mapsource is available for download here

POI loader is available here

Smellybikers Maps - click my signature

Carry the programs on a USB stick and offer the software free to webcafes - tell them travellers use this and it would be good for the web cafe owner to have this available so he/she can make for £/$ in time

[criboun]

I've found MapCenter2 really good for maps. Download source, extract the .img file, rename it to GMAPSUPP.IMG and copy it into the Garmin folder on your Garnin (Zumo).

Welcome to MapCenter2

Ollie

Greasy Sprocket