Maps & apps for GPS

Hi Fitness,

The best maps i can think of off hand is the SA Topo & Recreation.
it probably has the most detail around the berg as it does have the contour lines and such on it. as for trails and paths there doesn't seem to be much on any of the Garmin maps. You could also take a look at tracks4africa, but i think they have more 4x4 tracks than hiking trails.

There are programs you get to create your own maps and then use data from google and simmilar, but i have not played with them at all so i cant tell you if it works well.

I'm currently using my android to do all my mapping in the berg.

Cheers

Hi Fitness
I use Oziexplorer with the digital 1:50 000 maps of RSA. I find it incredibly useful and easy to use. Once You have plotted waypoints and route data on your computer you just transfer to GPS.
Ozi is also coming out with an App for iPad soon too. Cannot wait.

Regards
Selous

Hey Guys

After much deliberation over whether to get a dedicated gps or an android phone, I eventually settled on a Garmin etrex 20(mostly because of battery power). I'm pretty stoked with it and have already downloaded all the awesome free waypoints and tracks off ve.

My question is this: Does anyone know where I can get a free topo map for a garmin?

I know with an android phone you can get it so it must be possible for a standard gps.

Not really prepared to pay garmin R1300 for their one. Otherwise what really is the point in buying a gps over an android phone -other than battery longevity.

I have found one site that offers topo maps for every state in the US plus a whole lot of countries all for free download. Just no SA.

Or are we just the suckers of the world?

Hi Justin

One of our related Government Dept. in Cape Town will download the 1:50 000 topo maps for the whole of SA for you digitally for free. They also have the 1:10000 aerial maps too. You need to go there or send a friend/ relative with an external hard drive with lists of space. It takes a bit of time to do the download. For the life of me I can't think of the Dept name.

Regards
Selous

Hey Selous thanks for that but alas I just bit the bullet and ordered the R300 disc from Madmappers.

Hi Justin

It really goes to show how valuable this forum can be. You have put me in touch with a company that I did not know existed as I was trying to get 3-D maps of SA for my Oziexplorer Looks like I will also be buying some maps from them and the prices are very reasonable compared to Garmin

Thanks a mil.
Regards
Selous

Oh nice one!

I downloaded a demo segment from madmappers into Garmin basecamp and it seemed to work perfectly. Hopefully it arrives ahead of my hike next wknd.

I still find it frustrating that you can get free apps for sa if you have a smartphone. Did a hike in Lotheni over a year ago and my friend downloaded some android app along with all the caves passes and contours of the berg. You just entered which one you wanted to go to and it guided you there perfectly.

The only con was had to keep turning it on/off coz the batteries would not last for a multi day hike.

Cheers

Some help and advice please.
I downloaded and installed Basecamp from the Garmin website.
It worked fine to find the GPS, and set some waypoints, but if I close the program, I can't open it again for some reason. No messages come up or anything, Just nothing happens.
To get into the program again I need to uninstall, and run the setup file again.
Using windows 8 on a laptop.
Any ideas?

Hi Merv
Got a pre=loved Etrex Vista, seems in very good nick, seems to be working fine, and can take maps.
I have tried restarting, and there is no Basecamp in Task Manager.
Weird, because it opens fine and works fine from the install, but not if I close it and try opening again.