Comments on: Easy: O-maps on your Garmin GPS using QuickRoute

By: Øystein P

Øystein P — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:45:52 +0000

Global Mapper (www.globalmapper.com) is very useful to both georefence and create KMZ files with image tiles. It costs 349 USD. Here is a description:

1. Export a 200 dpi jpg image from Ocad
2. Open the ocad file or another georefenced map in Global Mapper (it supports many different formats. For example ocad, sosi, shape, geotiff)
3. Open the jpg file and rectify the image. (use the online help if you don’t understand how)
4. Export raster kmz file. Choose a tile size not bigger than 1024×1024 which is default.

By: Jan Kocbach

Jan Kocbach — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:49:55 +0000

@steve: You can get quite a bit in on 3 MB – the problematic limit is the 1 megapixel limit (e.g. 1024×1024). However, you can tile your map into several tiles and put them in the same kmz-file – giving good quality for really BIG 1:15000 maps – should cover most normal races.

By: steve

steve — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:17:26 +0000

you indicate map size limit is 3MB. How big (approx) a piece of a 1:15000 can you you fit on 3MB?

By: Jan Kocbach

Jan Kocbach — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:36:49 +0000

@ts Not in the current version of Mapsource / Trainingcenter as far as I am aware of. But the custom maps are very new (only beta firmware), so who knows what will come later on?

By: ts

ts — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:46:26 +0000

One brief question: Can you load these custom maps into the Garmin Mapsource and / or Garmin Trainingcenter software?

By: Jan Kocbach

Jan Kocbach — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:34:49 +0000

1. About the Oregons: For our use they have been perfect. The maps look a lot better on the Oregon than on the GPSMAP 60, and touch screen is nice for the kids (an me:). For more professional use, I don’t know. I guess you have to find somebody who has tested them. There have been som accuracy issues I’ve read about, but the latest firmware updates are supposed to have fixed that.

2. Regarding accuracy and clearity for mapping fieldworker / professional use

The procedure I describe using QuickRoute is not geared towards the professional (map maker) use I think. But accuracy gets as good as your georeferenced image is, and using the QuickRoute road it is easy & fast to georeference the map with quite good accuracy. However, if you have the pro-version of OCAD, you can export as geotiff (and “geojpg” also as far as I remember from the trial version I once had) – even divided into tiles. I am sure methods to go from geotiff to the Garmin Custom Map type is either available somewhere or in the works. In this case, you will be able to get the same accuracy as for the vector maps, and I think it would be excellent for fieldwork.