Hello, I am new to the forum and am looking for some assistance from GPSMAP 60CSX owners in understanding how many maps I can put on this device.
Some background:
I understand there is a 4GB max for the card, and the 2025 map segment limit.
I spend about 80% of my navigation time in the Jeep, and about 20% on foot (off trail/road).
What I would really like to do is have all states west of the Mississippi on the SD card with routeable data for all roads and trails in the Federal Lands (BLM, Nat For, Nat Parks etc) as well as regular roads. Is it possible to create a map that would fit this critera and would fit onto the SD device? Or has someone else figured a different way around the issue other than having lots of 4GB cards and switching them around and using another GPS to do routing?
Possible - yes, likely - ??
As a rule of thumb, figure 50 to 80%+ of the data size is in the contours when the info is scale consistent. Smaller contour size if 100k vs 24k compatable. Smaller size if using less points to define the lines (and/or other features), but more angular look.
Few have spent the money for the software, nor the time to learn how to create the routing files. OSM has routable files created from older Census data. Nation-wide trail data does not exists. There are a few websites which offer trails created from tracks their users submit.
On a few 4WD trails last summer, Garmin's City Navigator was more complete on trails in National Forests than the latest (and up to date) data from the FS itself.
As I mentioned in your post on the geocaching forums - the max memory and usability may be to get a ORxxxt unit. Then replace the 100k topo in the units memory with CN. Use a 4Gb card for the State topo, trail, etc. files. If it does not all fit - use two cards and overlap some of the data.
Quote from: maps4gps on March 30, 2010, 03:01:08 PM
Few have spend the money for the software, nor the time to learn how to create the routing files. OSM has routable files created from older Census data. Nation-wide trail data does not exists.
mkgmap, OSM's routable compiler is freeware, and it also compiles Polish format files.
An unregistered (free in most senses of the word) version of MapEdit will generate a routing graph, and "verify map" for errors. For me the biggest downside to making routable maps is the repetitive stress of the mouse clicks necessary to eliminate all those "polylines that intersect themselves".
Agreed, Tiger road data has lots of disadvantages, but OSM has great potential as repository for trail data. I've two ways to deal with routing topos, transparent overlays for reliable routable maps like CNNANT, or small routable topos of areas I'd like to hike.
The Garmin 24k topo's have routable roads. Of course, they are not cheap because they use NavTeq data....
My main issue really is the limit of map segments forces me to have to switch cards, or else resort to renaming maps. What I would really like is the ability to have one SD card installed, and be able to have a single map file that covers a large geographic area (West half of the US). I wouldn't mind having to switch between layers for routing vs. topo views, however it seems kind of difficult to swallow having to carry around a few different SD cards and switch them when I am in different regions.
From reading some of your replies, it seems like I may be able to create a map file with less segments using some of the tools like mkgmap and MapEdit, but I would really like to know if its really not feasible to cover such a large geographic area and still stay within the limitations of the 60CSX? And if its feasible, has anyone done it? I wouldn't imagine I am the only one to want to do this...
Another question is how much do you value your time? Compiling a topo for half the country will be an enormous undertaking if you are doing it in any detail. The US is about 25 degrees NS by 60 degrees EW. CNNANT has 126 segments, so you should have enough segments for topo to do all the US and stay below the 2025 segment limit if you make 1 degree square topo segments. I don't have any idea about the size though.
Thanks for the input, I think I will just have to deal with swapping cards and carrying multiple cards with me. I will try to get a regional mapset that provides what need most commonly and use my iphone to do turn by turn road routing.