Ziggy
Well-Known Member
That site now appears to be limited to 1:25000 sheets.
Free digital topo maps
- Thread starter Ziggy
- Start date
mauriceb
Well-Known Member
Or you simply run two nav programs together ,one in the backgroup then flick between programs with your overview button. Of course some low ram tabs will freeze doing this. All my tabs a rooted so i flick between nav programs using the home button as custom roms have this option.
Of course, but it's good to have the option to be able to see both sometimes.
mauriceb
Well-Known Member
The new .ozf and .ecw EoTopo Maps were released this month .These's were aimed at Oziexplorer and the ExplorOZ travel app that many aren't aware of. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.exploroz.traveller&hl=en. My map upgrade from the 2015 edition involved a full new download of 7.0 GB for the higher res 144k verison and cost me $40 , new purchases are $100. You can view these new maps online live and open to full screen . They really help in conjunction with other maps. https://www.exploroz.com/eotopo
It sure is. I run Memory Map PC edition into my car Nav Screen and display dual maps like in your pic 2 posts back. One detailed one that gives you an accurate view when the turnoffs or points of interest are coming up, and another that is zoomed out with another map, showing the general progress for that part of the trip.
So for the last 15 or so years, I have been heavily invested in Garmin gear, and I am just starting to feel the need to move off my trusty old oregon to my iPad pro, which unfortunately doesn't have 3g (blessing in disguise). While I understand that the birdseye imagery isn't fantastic, and the way it requires downloading is a real pain in the arse, I have decided to basically look for the best alternative. It seems that there is no single source for topo maps that cover the eastern seaboard in the detail I would like - available. By that, I mean I'd like 25/50/100/250K maps (basically everything available offline), not just a 50K or a 100K and the 250K natmap. Storage is not an issue. Apps are the issue.
I have successfully avoided hema, vms, ozi, mud etc - basically avoided all of it, because none of them have what I want - which is aerial photo overlay on topo (like nsw six for example) and while birdseye has, it's shit, and not worth the annual subscription. Downloading limits make it even more stupid.
What I see as a returning-to-market customer, is a bunch of apps that never quite make the cut. There is a limitation on everything - no maps, no aerials, no resolution, ridiculous fees for annual subscriptions which provide no real data or value for money. You would think that stuff would be simpler now, but from where I am observing, right now it is worse than it was over a decade ago... at least back then it was a severe limit on mapping data availability....
So here's a challenge I'm going to throw out there.
Someone on here with experience to tell me what I can do to make the ipad a single source (I'll keep the garmin as a backup just for lat-long) for all mapping and routing. I 'll get a bad elf or equivalent, and decide based on the recommendations of those who reckon I need 50 billion mapping apps on a single device just to get a basic aerial raster, topo raster and routing overlay, waypoint add and realtime plotting in detail.
Sounds simple, right? From my past experience it's not as simple as it sounds. Too much stuffing around with preloading files, routes file type conversions and all the associated bullsht because software developers only want to work within a predefined format that suits their needs, not the needs of consumers.
This is one of the reasons I am starting to get annoyed with Garmin, as well as Hema... because they just aren't doing enough to make this a straightforward operation. simplicity, compatibility, usability.
I don't want to have to carry a laptop with me running basecamp road trip and map manager anymore, or have to rely on an app which requires realtime downloading of data. If it doesn't run on ios, I am simply not interested. I'm over managing multiple os platforms just for the sake of one or two apps.
So the question is, how many apps are required, how many datasets (maps in different formats) are required and what is the real cost....
I do not care if the map software require manual management, so long as I can overlay the realtime gps data.
Hit me with your best answers. I'm betting someone's going to say android, and someone else is going to say proprietary device/software.
I have successfully avoided hema, vms, ozi, mud etc - basically avoided all of it, because none of them have what I want - which is aerial photo overlay on topo (like nsw six for example) and while birdseye has, it's shit, and not worth the annual subscription. Downloading limits make it even more stupid.
What I see as a returning-to-market customer, is a bunch of apps that never quite make the cut. There is a limitation on everything - no maps, no aerials, no resolution, ridiculous fees for annual subscriptions which provide no real data or value for money. You would think that stuff would be simpler now, but from where I am observing, right now it is worse than it was over a decade ago... at least back then it was a severe limit on mapping data availability....
So here's a challenge I'm going to throw out there.
Someone on here with experience to tell me what I can do to make the ipad a single source (I'll keep the garmin as a backup just for lat-long) for all mapping and routing. I 'll get a bad elf or equivalent, and decide based on the recommendations of those who reckon I need 50 billion mapping apps on a single device just to get a basic aerial raster, topo raster and routing overlay, waypoint add and realtime plotting in detail.
Sounds simple, right? From my past experience it's not as simple as it sounds. Too much stuffing around with preloading files, routes file type conversions and all the associated bullsht because software developers only want to work within a predefined format that suits their needs, not the needs of consumers.
This is one of the reasons I am starting to get annoyed with Garmin, as well as Hema... because they just aren't doing enough to make this a straightforward operation. simplicity, compatibility, usability.
I don't want to have to carry a laptop with me running basecamp road trip and map manager anymore, or have to rely on an app which requires realtime downloading of data. If it doesn't run on ios, I am simply not interested. I'm over managing multiple os platforms just for the sake of one or two apps.
So the question is, how many apps are required, how many datasets (maps in different formats) are required and what is the real cost....
I do not care if the map software require manual management, so long as I can overlay the realtime gps data.
Hit me with your best answers. I'm betting someone's going to say android, and someone else is going to say proprietary device/software.
Well this is your first issue. As great as Apple devices are, they come with a lot of caveats. They are locked down a lot more than the alternatives and this causes issues at times.
You're right. There's no simple solution. But, IMO, OziExplorer is the solution. It takes work, learning and hours, but it's the only way to get what you want, IMO. You need Ozi on your laptop to load and calibrate your maps, if need be. If you have the time and inclination you can scan all of the your paper 50k, 100k, 250k, 1m, 3m, 5m, Hema, Govt etc maps and have them all ready to go on Ozi. Get an Android tablet, buy Ozi for Android, add an SD card (can't do that on an iPad) and all of your maps are easily accessible. There are also programs out there that will take satellite imagery and convert it into Ozi map format. I'll post some examples from my Android tablet.
5M:
3M:
Hema Cape York 1M:
GBRMPA zoning maps (500k I think):
GA 250k:
Hema Lakefield NP 250k:
GA 100k:
GA 50k:
This is a satellite map with overlay (I didn't have one of Cape Melville). Like I said, there is software out there that generates these for you in Ozi format. I don't find them particularly useful, personally. But it can be done freely.
The issue is that the app makers are making apps for the general community, most of whom just want simple topo mapping and turn by turn nav. Very few people want specific mapping solutions like you do and those who do generally sort out their own custom solution (eg by using Ozi and generating the maps you want). There is no money in making complex mapping apps that only a handful of people would be interested in buying. The cost would be enormous and the developer would never cut even. Apps need to attract a big audience to be viable.
IMO, Ozi is the solution, but there is stuffing around and there kind of has to be. There's no way all the different map producers (GA, Hema, Garmin, Google etc) are going to get together and allow their maps to be available to the others, not without a hefty fee anyway. Licencing is a big part of the issue and it's not going away. So the only way to get a truly complete solution is to source your own maps and get them into Ozi format.
Once your Ozi maps are sorted, your PC stays at home. Like I said, as great as iOS and Apple products are, they are not the ducks nuts in the mapping world, unfortunately.
You got it. So for my topo mapping solution I have purchased Ozi for PC (but I think you can get away with just using the trial version) for calibrating and converting map files, which was $60 one-off (not sure if that's still the price). Then Ozi for Android is $25USD (from memory). The IMGtoOZF program from Ozi is free and allows you to convert map files into the correct format for Android. I also use Ozi's free MapMerge software to stitch small maps together to make big maps. It's annoying to reach the edge of a map and not be able to see the next one until you cross over.
I downloaded the GA 250k maps I wanted for free from GA. I managed to get hold of various other maps for free from various places. Some I downloaded for free and calibrated myself in Ozi for PC. Others I scanned and calibrated myself. I have scanned maps out of books I've bought and calibrated them. You can obviously purchase digital maps for ozi from various sources too. The satellite imagery software I can't remember off the top of my head, but it was free, too.
Overall it does take time to learn how to use all the software, it takes time to source all your maps and files and calibrate and convert them correctly. But once it's done, it's done. The only thing Ozi doesn't do is turn by turn nav, but you only ever want that in cities and towns where you have mobile reception anyway, and Google Maps or similar does a great job. Like I said on the previous page, a recent Android tablet will allow you to split screen Google Nav and Ozi anyway, if that's useful.
That may not be the answer you wanted, but that's my solution, it's 100% customisable for my needs and it does the job. I also learned a hell of a lot along the way. Let me know if you have questions.
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Yeah, I have...
like I said in my previous post I'm "heavily invested" and looking for a way out.
Ziggy
Well-Known Member
What mapsets are available, what platforms, what cost?
Richard Krenn
New Member
Have you looked at Pocket Earth Pro? It will give you OSM Topo for all of Australia offline (free version is online only), but not aerial photos.
peterfermtech
Well-Known Member
Remember when instead of spending hours looking at the computer screen we would just hop in the car and go exploring. All I had then was a Broadbent map of Victoria. Now I have oztoppo to tell me where I am and SV Vicmap Books to work out where I'm going. Still go down the wrong track but that is half the fun of exploring.
regards
regards
Ziggy
Well-Known Member
Android app Australia Topo Maps offers quite a lot for free operating online and $20 to operate offline. Includes Natmap topo 250, NSW Qld & Tas topos, OSM topo (which displays well on a small screen) and others. Vic 25K topos are a one-off $80 fee for statewide coverage which compares well with individual sheet purchases.
peterfermtech
Well-Known Member
In those day if it was on foot it was either a 40 lb pack with a melbourne university bushwalking map and a silva compass or else it was a day pack and a rifle with no maps just a sense of direction.Not when you're on foot with a 16kg pack
regards
sharkcaver
Well-Known Member
There is a hell of a difference between being on foot and off road:
http://sharkcaver.blogspot.com/2018/05/its-got-knobs-on-it.html
Here I use ozi to get me to base camp by vehicle in the middle of the desert, but rely on a Garmin Oregon with Garmin topo oz/nz to safely get me there and back. It was it's first real use - which is alarming somewhat as well, and it gave me some grief I might add. Waypoints were loaded to the Garmin before hand using GE as its source, and I added waypoints whist out there too using the inbuilt topo map and logged track data. When you go cross country, track data is pretty useless to you.
Horses for courses. Road needs are very different to foot needs.
http://sharkcaver.blogspot.com/2018/05/its-got-knobs-on-it.html
Here I use ozi to get me to base camp by vehicle in the middle of the desert, but rely on a Garmin Oregon with Garmin topo oz/nz to safely get me there and back. It was it's first real use - which is alarming somewhat as well, and it gave me some grief I might add. Waypoints were loaded to the Garmin before hand using GE as its source, and I added waypoints whist out there too using the inbuilt topo map and logged track data. When you go cross country, track data is pretty useless to you.
Horses for courses. Road needs are very different to foot needs.