Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
khain
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Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by khain »

I'm trying out different digital mapping solutions for a cycle tour of Europe. I have a Garmin eTrex 20 and an Android phone. I've tried various programs and map formats but can't seem to get just what I'm looking for. The most important info I want shown is:

Minor roads
Cycle routes
Campsites
Elevation

Velomaps seem to be about the best for Garmin but still looks really bad compared to OS. I've tried loads of things with Android but none seem quite right.

I should point out that I need to be able to download the maps to use offline.

What are other people using? Has anyone used Garmin's own maps and if so are they any good?
Psamathe
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by Psamathe »

I can only talk about my (limited) experience in UK.

I use ViewRanger. App is free, downloads OSM/OCM/others? (free) for offline use. You can purchase premium maps (source depends on which country you want; see http://www.viewranger.com/en-gb/world-of-maps/premium-maps). Does all the usual stuff like recording tracks, POI's. Free so you can download (with e.g. OSM free) and see if it meets your needs (ignore any paid versions as this is identical app with pre-purchased credits for maps).

Note that it is designed for a multitude of different uses and does not lock your route to the roads like I understand Garmin does.

Ian
khain
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by khain »

I'm looking at Viewranger app permissions now. Don't see why a mapping program should need to know my phone number and the number of someone trying to call me.
Psamathe
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by Psamathe »

khain wrote:I'm looking at Viewranger app permissions now. Don't see why a mapping program should need to know my phone number and the number of someone trying to call me.

It does not need it.

As with may apps, they are keen that you set-up an online "account" (free) so you can upload your tracks, download routes from others (some "premium paid for").

I set-up the account thing because I purchased the East of UK OS maps (about £8). But I initially used it without configuring any online account and never gave them my phone number (can't remember if I left it blank or just entered 1234567890) - I never give my phone number to anybody that does not absolutely need it. Like with many companies, they want to collect as much info about you as possible, but I wont give it.

Ian

Edit: Sorry, must have misread your pst before. I use it on iOS and sounds like you are on Android. I'd just refuse the permission. ViewRanger allows you to download maps (you use the app to select what areas from what maps sources you want). It can also use online mapping (either through WiFi or GSM). Maybe phone number relates to that ? Can't see how but it is over a year since I used Android. From memory I'd just refuse permission for that and see what does not work as you expect.
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Sweep
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by Sweep »

Openfietsmaprelatively

It's briliant.

Some of the maps that look very pretty and snazzy on a laptop screen are difficult to read on an Etrex 20 relatively small screen.

I have an Etrex 20.
Sweep
khain
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by khain »

I don't think it's possible to choose permissions. You either accept them all or don't install. I'd be pleased if someone corrected me on this.

I tried the velomaps on the bike today. They looked terrible in my house but are much better when cycling.
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simonineaston
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by simonineaston »

OpenCycleMap might suit you...
Open Cycle Map section, viewed in Xpedition
Open Cycle Map section, viewed in Xpedition

Here's a section viewed in SatMap's Xpedition. SatMap of course are the makers of the Active 10 / 12 which use their proprietary .map file format, but don't let that put you off. Xpedition is free to use, although you'll not have access to one or two of 'premium' tools, and you can share routes as well as download the .gpx files.
Click on the image to get a better view and you'll see it ticks most of your boxes - minor roads, cycle routes, contours and places of interest - not sure about campsites, although OCM does show bike shops and pubs!
http://www.satmap-xpedition.com
You can switch from OCM to OS and to satellite, too.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
khain
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by khain »

The OpenCycleMap maps don't show campsites (that I can see anyway) and that to me is pretty vital. Also, I think they're poorly designed. You need to be zoomed right in to see byways, or just about anything that isn't a cycle route.

I'm tempted to have a shot at building my own maps from the OSM data. I wonder how much work it would be.
Psamathe
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by Psamathe »

khain wrote:I'm looking at Viewranger app permissions now. Don't see why a mapping program should need to know my phone number and the number of someone trying to call me.

Though, that said I would trust ViewRanger with this info far more than I would trust the UK Government (GCHQ) or the US Government (NSA) and they are collecting this info and much much more as well.

Ian
Richard Fairhurst
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

khain wrote:I'm tempted to have a shot at building my own maps from the OSM data. I wonder how much work it would be.

There's lots of info at switch2osm.org. It's not too much effort if you have (a) a decent server, (b) some Postgres knowledge, (c) some Unix sysadmin knowledge. It's not something I'd recommend to the non-techie, although signing up for a Mapbox plan gets you some way there.

I've built my own maps from OSM data at http://cycle.travel/map which are especially designed to give minor roads prominence as soon as is possible (and which show campsites, too).
cycle.travel - maps, journey-planner, route guides and city guides
sore thumb
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by sore thumb »

Psamathe wrote:
khain wrote:I'm looking at Viewranger app permissions now. Don't see why a mapping program should need to know my phone number and the number of someone trying to call me.

It does not need it.

As with may apps, they are keen that you set-up an online "account" (free) so you can upload your tracks, download routes from others (some "premium paid for").

I set-up the account thing because I purchased the East of UK OS maps (about £8). But I initially used it without configuring any online account and never gave them my phone number (can't remember if I left it blank or just entered 1234567890) - I never give my phone number to anybody that does not absolutely need it. Like with many companies, they want to collect as much info about you as possible, but I wont give it.

Ian

Edit: Sorry, must have misread your pst before. I use it on iOS and sounds like you are on Android. I'd just refuse the permission. ViewRanger allows you to download maps (you use the app to select what areas from what maps sources you want). It can also use online mapping (either through WiFi or GSM). Maybe phone number relates to that ? Can't see how but it is over a year since I used Android. From memory I'd just refuse permission for that and see what does not work as you expect.



Another vote for view ranger.

I used to use memory map on iPhone but the software is so buggy and hard to use.

View ranger just works it's reliable and easy to use.

Use it on and off the bike.

Use a sp dynamo that charges my power monkey battery this then goes into my iphone bike mount.

You can put free maps onto the view ranger such as open street maps.

Not to sure about adding POIs to the mapping as I have never tried it.
khain
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by khain »

@Richard Fairhurst

Your maps look good on a computer screen. Can you download them for Garmin or Android? I suspect they might need more contrast when using outdoors but they certainly look better than the OpenCycle maps. Also, unfortunately it's Europe I want maps for.
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mjr
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by mjr »

khain wrote:I don't think it's possible to choose permissions. You either accept them all or don't install. I'd be pleased if someone corrected me on this.

It's possible. I think it might be a standard feature on latest CyanogenMod versions of Android (none of our family phones run that yet so I'm not sure), but other than that, you either need to mess about with apktool to remove the permissions before installing apps by sideloading and/or get root control of your phone and use an app like Permissions Denied.

But why trust a black box app like Viewranger with your phone anyway? It'll probably just eat your battery. I've used both RMaps and OSMAnd~ from FDroid.org with the OpenCycleMap tiles and they work fine. Both are free and open source software. RMaps is smaller, easier to use and also can load Ordnance Survey tiles, but it's not great at offline storage and doesn't do navigation as such (just map display, with a gpx track drawn on it if you like). OSMAnd~ can use offline data downloads to draw its own map and do sat nav routing offline (or it can use some online services) and it can shout some instructions at you (although roundabout handling isn't great). Even the heavier OSMAnd~ can track me for over 24 hours on one phone charge.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
khain
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by khain »

RMaps and OSMand are what I'm using just now. Both are ok but the OpenCycleMaps are limited for reasons I've stated above and OSMand requires payment for contours. Also, it doesn't seem to show cycle networks even in cycle mode.

At the moment I have had to download several different types of map data and use more than one program, but that takes an awful lot of data for several countries. It would be nice if one program running one set of map data showed everything I need.
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NUKe
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Re: Digital Mapping - What do you use?

Post by NUKe »

I use bike route toaster on the etrex and QLandKarteGT on the computer with the bike route toaster maps.
Not all campsites will be on the Maps, even if you had the latest of any of the mapping software, but you can add Points and interests and waypoints to any of the electronic maps
Last edited by NUKe on 9 Jun 2014, 11:48am, edited 1 time in total.
NUKe
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