Best place to get gps maps?

[RedHeep]

Just picked up an ETrex Vista for my trip to winterfest, everywhere I look wants an arm and a leg for the topo and city map software. Is there a cheaper place out there?

[XJ&CHZ4ME]

The University of Missouri has a "map room" on their web site. I am not sure if you can download or offload the maps, but it will give you a map that you can print out as well as manipulate. They are 2004 or 2005 satellite imges and topos. You can also contact a USDA (NRCS division) office and bring in a blank CDR and have them burn off the topo layers from their current satellite image data base and they can give you the map layers of that county as well. I am not sure what map software you use, but I believe that their maps are fairly universal. I have used their maps with ArcView and ArcGIS. I will see if I can come up with the web address to the "map room" for MU for you. later.......

[azdesertrhino]

Not sure what format you are looking to use but the link below has the NC maps in DRG format for free. These are Topo maps from the USGS.

Very large files. I use them with my Sporttrak in conjunction with a laptop and a program called Oziexplorer. Works out great for me!

http://libremap.org/data/state/north_carolina/drg/

HTH, :patriot:

[kd5dwy]

Sounds like you're looking for Garmin MapSource maps.

Pros:
This software allows you to upload maps to a map-capable Garmin GPS unit. This means you don't have to take a computer along on your trip to get detailed maps along your journey.

Cons:
Spendy - expect to pay $100 per source CD.
Limited - The software can only upload as much map info as your GPS can hold. That means you'd better know where you're going and the path you're going to take to get there.
Proprietary - Only uploads data to Garmin GPS units.

I just take my laptop along and use computer mapping software with my Garmin ETrex feeding my location. I like to run two programs at the same time (one for street-level detail and the other for topo-level detail). I use Franson GPSGate to split my GPS signal and feed both of the programs at the same time from a single GPS.

Pros:
Can run any mapping software I want
Can run multiple mapping applications at the same time
MUCH better map - Larger, easier to read, more detail, in color, etc...

Cons:
Have to have a computer and inverter

[casm]

Cons:
Spendy - expect to pay $100 per source CD.

Not to mention that the US Topo (http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/topo.jsp) maps are lacking in accurate detail in some places - usually this only affects roads, but the point is that the data's not always the most accurate. I'd like to get my hands on a set of the Topo 24K (http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/topo24knp.jsp) maps, but at $116 recommended retail price apiece and needing three separate sets to cover the entire country, that's money that's better spent elsewhere right now.

Limited - The software can only upload as much map info as your GPS can hold. That means you'd better know where you're going and the path you're going to take to get there.

Actually, this seems to be a limitation in both the software and the units. I've got a 2GB micro-SD card in my GPSMAP 60csx - which should be enough to hold the entire US set including Alaska and Hawaii - but it can only handle (IIRC) 2023 maps at any one time. While this is admittedly enough to get most of the US west of Kansas into it, it's annoying that I can't make full use of the storage capacity. Oh, and if you try uploading as many maps as it will let you then going back and attempting to upload a new set of maps, it silently overwrites the ones that've already been uploaded. Very annoying.

Proprietary - Only uploads data to Garmin GPS units.

Granted, but you'll run into the same thing with Magellan and other units.

[RedHeep]

Sounds like you're looking for Garmin MapSource maps.

Pros:
This software allows you to upload maps to a map-capable Garmin GPS unit. This means you don't have to take a computer along on your trip to get detailed maps along your journey.

Cons:
Spendy - expect to pay $100 per source CD.
Limited - The software can only upload as much map info as your GPS can hold. That means you'd better know where you're going and the path you're going to take to get there.
Proprietary - Only uploads data to Garmin GPS units.

I just take my laptop along and use computer mapping software with my Garmin ETrex feeding my location. I like to run two programs at the same time (one for street-level detail and the other for topo-level detail). I use Franson GPSGate to split my GPS signal and feed both of the programs at the same time from a single GPS.

Pros:
Can run any mapping software I want
Can run multiple mapping applications at the same time
MUCH better map - Larger, easier to read, more detail, in color, etc...

Cons:
Have to have a computer and inverter

I certainly could have got off cheaper if I wanted to drag my laptop around, but that's why I bought a handheld. I can't strap my laptop to my bike or put it on my back while I'm outdoors.

Just was trying to find out if you guys knew of any places to pick up the maps cheaper than what I was finding. I'm considering the topo 24k maps because I'll probably never leave the eastern side of the states to go wheeling and I need a copy of city select.

[Spudboy]

Go to Amazon and search on Mapsource. They have the TopoUSA software for $69.04 with free shipping. I searched everywhere when I got my Legend and could not find a better price, unless I went with some sellers with very marginal ratings.