Free maps for your GPS

[Boomshanka]

Don't get too excited as I still haven't found the marine versions (just yet)... but if you want to have OS 1:50 maps for shore based fun on your GPS then this site is just the job:

http://talkytoaster.info/ukmaps.htm

Pretty self explanatory if you follow it down the page. I downloaded the whole of the British Isles onto a spare SD-Micro card and put it into a Garmin 62st handheld and it works perfectly I used the 'experimental' set as it has more detail on. It shows points of interest, footpaths/bridleways for walks to the pub, will even give routable directions (but I haven't tried that yet). It's based on the free to download/use OpenStreetMap, which itself is a fantastic resource. Enjoy.

 

[prv]

Just to be clear, they're not Ordnance Survey maps as "OS 1:50 maps" implies.

OpenStreetmap is all new data, "surveyed" by ordinary people walking around with GPSes, making notes. A former colleague of mine mapped quite a lot of Eastleigh for it.

If you have an iPhone you can get the same data in an app developed by a (different) colleague; not free, but quite cheap and handy if you're lost and a lack of signal means Google Maps isn't working (more common than it should be, on O2).

Pete

 

[AntarcticPilot]

And there isn't a maritime equivalent, except for some anchorages in Scotland (and maybe elsewhere). Marine surveying needs rather more specialized equipment than a GPS and a notebook.

 

[[70521]]

Its a great free service. I've used it for about 5 years and have even done a few minor updates.

 

[Boomshanka]

Just to be clear, they're not Ordnance Survey maps as "OS 1:50 maps" implies.

OpenStreetmap is all new data, "surveyed" by ordinary people walking around with GPSes, making notes. A former colleague of mine mapped quite a lot of Eastleigh for it.

If you have an iPhone you can get the same data in an app developed by a (different) colleague; not free, but quite cheap and handy if you're lost and a lack of signal means Google Maps isn't working (more common than it should be, on O2).

Pete

Agreed, the OpenStreetMap format is not OS1:50 exactly - but you can downoad it to a GPS for nowt If you want free online OS maps then this site will do the job (but you can't download it to a GPS)

http://www.walkingclub.org.uk/maps/os_explorer_maps.shtml

Just keep zooming in on the place you're interested in and bob's your uncle - in full glorious OS format.

PS... I've used OpenStreetMap in Eastleigh and it works very well, so your former colleague must have done a good job!