Topo 24K: Autorouting?

[JasonK94Z]

I got a new 60csx for xmas, and it is time to start using it.  I have the gps mounted on my dual sport motorcycle.  I ride forest service roads, gravel county roads, and sometimes just some trails or even the backroads.  
The map on the 60csx lacks a lot of detail.  Looking on Garmins site, it appears that the Topo 24K maps do autorouting??  I could load an address in it and it will do turn by turn?  Also, I have a route, yes, a "route" (gpx file) from someone that I want to follow.  Would the Topo 24 K use this and do turn by turn directions for me?

Just lost on what to do: get topo 24k or city nav.  

[Boyd]

Yes, the 24k topo maps do full auto-routing, address and POI search. They are basically the same as City Navigator with the addition of contour lines and other topo details.

[JasonK94Z]

Yes, the 24k topo maps do full auto-routing, address and POI search. They are basically the same as City Navigator with the addition of contour lines and other topo details.

Awesome to hear!  Thanks!

[maps4gps]

Other topo details as in much better hydrography.

[Boyd]

Yes, definitely. But some people have complained that the 24k topo's actually show fewer trails and unpaved roads than Garmin's 100k maps. The 24k road data comes from Navteq, while the original source of the 100k maps seems to be TIGER data. I guess Navteq is primarily focused on mapping roads that have homes and businesses on them.

[maps4gps]

?

USGS digitized their paper 100k scale maps -  my understanding was that Census paid for this.  The results were fairly incompatable with the DIME file database Census had developed.  Their current statement of the data source(s) are 100k, 24k, and State and local data.  Census needs roads and streets where people and houses are located for their counts; therefore they do not have a lot of 'trails'.  

Comments from purchasers indicated the earlier Garmin 24k (west) were very space in trail data, but that the later areas (east) were very good.

If both Garmin's CityNavigator and their 24k topos use Navteq transportation data, I wonder why CN is locked while the 24k topo's are reported by users not to be locked.

[Boyd]

It all is kind of baffling. 

I have the Northeast 24k SD card, so I cannot verify whether the DVD version is unlocked myself. However, look at the following thread in Garmin's own forum, which was apparently blessed by one of the developers himself: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?t=13445

I just recieved a reply from a Garmin Tech regarding loading topo maps from the DVD onto more than one unit (2 map 60 CSX's and a Nuvi 205W). The reply states:

*** "Thank you for contacting Garmin International.
Topo maps that are on DVD are not locked and therefore able to be loaded to multiple Garmin devices. You should be able to load this software to all the compatable units." ***

On the 24k map packaging, the Navteq logo is prominently displayed, as it is on the product page: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=35411. The POI's (restaurants, gas stations, etc) look pretty comparable to City Navigator. I have no idea what else Garmin might have added and haven't tried comparing to other maps.

[Boyd]

Here are some screenshots of the same map area... draw your own conclusions.

[Boyd]

And these will give you an idea of the POI coverage. City Navigator is updated quarterly. No known update schedule for the 24k maps, so I'd expect POI's to be older.

[maps4gps]

Boyd,

    Thanks for the great comparisons. 

    It is all somewhat confusing.  There have been numerous posts in the GPS & Technology section of the forums at Groundspeake.com stating that the 24ks were not locked.  I had been thinking the Nawteq data in the 24ks may not be as current as in CN and therefore Garmin does not have to lock it. 

[JasonK94Z]

 I got some info from the person who made the "route" for me.  Looks like I will need City Nav, but I still have a question about recalculating the route, or reshaping it.  Here is what he said:

For sure you will need City Navigator for the GPS unit itself, when you get this CD it will update your computer and the GPS at the same time so they match.  This is very important.  The routes I sent you are on City Navigator version 2010.10  They update each quarter so Garmin has several updates since the 2010.10 version.  As a result you will need to "recalculate" the route on your PC once you get everything installed so that the route follows your map set, otherwise it will give you a message that says the route does not match the roads and do you want to recalculate when you download to the GPS.  When you do this on the GPS it will give you whatever it figures is either the shortest way or fastest way again depending on how you have the GPS set up for a route.  It will NOT be the same route however so this always causes problems.

When you recalculate on the PC you can then reshape the route to the roads you want to use  before downloading them to the GPS unit.  You said you already know how to use Mapsource so if so you will understand what I am talking about.  If not you can go to the forum link below to learn more.

https://forums.garmin.com//forumdisplay.php?f=181


Can someone explain this to me in "dumbed down" terms?

[Boyd]

The 24k topo maps have the same routing capabilities as City Navigator. Just guessing that the person who told you this isn't aware of that. I think his point is that routes are related to the map that was used to create them. If your map doesn't match the one from the person who created the route, you may have to tweak it a bit on your computer. His other point seems to be that you should install the same map on both your computer and GPS.

None of this would rule out using the 24k topo's as an alternative to City Navigator. But, of course, the choice is up to you.

[JasonK94Z]

Picked up a copy of City Nav last night and got everything loaded to the computer and gps.  The route in Mapsource still looked the same on my computer, so i assume everything is ok.  

Is there anything I need to set in the 60csx to make sure it follows my pre planned/loaded route perfectly?

So I have ben told this: You won't really know until you load the maps on to the GPS. , download the route then try to navigate it.  I have the 2010.10 version so if you have anything different it will want to recalculate at the GPS level when you try to navigate it.

So if the route looks ok on my computer, and I load it to my gps, then the gps can still recalculate it?  If so, that defeats the purpose of building a damn route wanting to follow it! 

[Boyd]

The route just consists of via points - key intersections where you either pass through or turn. It's the job of the software, either on the computer or GPS, to figure out the best way between those point. The results will be affected by preferences that you have chosen on either the computer or GPS - such as fastest or shortest route, avoiding toll roads, etc.

I think the advice is correct: get out on and road test it to see what happens. You could also use simulation mode, if the 60csx supports that. Have never used routable maps on my 60csx so I don't know.