Maps for free on your PC for all of OZ

[Andrew]

Hi all,

I just managed to get maps of the whole of Australia on my PC. Right down to around 1:25,000 with links to Google Earth as well. The maps are provided by Shonky Maps and the software from Garmin. There is a legal way of getting the software.

First install the trainings center software.
http://www8.garmin.com/support/collecti ... 9-99999-04

This installs a basemap in the mapsource directory, now that the
directory is there install the mapsource update.
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download ... jsp?id=209

You only get a pc basemap, but you can use custom maps now to get more
detail.

Then download the maps from Shonky Maps

http://shonkylogic.net/shonkymaps/

They are 340mb zipped up so watch your download usage.

There is some info in a readme file.

Then I went File Open and pointed to the directory the unzipped maps are in and set to look at all files and I selected one of the IMG files in the detail folder - nothing happened but then when I went back to the MapSource software the 4 types of Shonky Maps were available in the drop down box.

Can then zoom etc. and also go View - View Google Earth and it will take you straight to the area.

Then everything can be downloaded to a GPS which I haven't purchased yet.

It is fantastic.

Have Fun,

Andrew

[red tag]

Thats nice Andrew , but what if your GPS batteries run flat ... it's interesting..I was watching that MOUTNAIN series on ABC TV Sat 7.30 .. A chap was doing track research and he uses a GPS for mapping tracks for publication in books.
Well, he said he always cross checks the co-ordinates with a second GPS as sometimes ... the GPS tells lies ... he had a third GPS in his pack unit just in case one of the two in use goes bung.

I learnt the compass method and was taught to aim for a destination by deliberately heading 5 degrees off course ..so when you come to a road.. you know approx. which direction you are on the road, e.g., high or low . REMEMBER this ditty : grand ma sucks = grid to magnetic subtract
Mike

[geoffmallo]

I've used the shonky maps on my new Garmin oregon 400c GPS. Very nice however the contours are at 50m which isn't enough detail. I've read they're more like 1:250k, sure you can zoom in but the detail just isn't there. Attached is screen grab from GPS. Note I'm using the shonky maps Mac full topo.

[Andrew]

Hi Geoffmallo,

Yes true the maps don't have that extra detail a 1:25,000 does. Still has been very handy planning a couple of trips. Like being able to click google earth from the map source software and have it take me straight there after have found the area. Then mouse pointer shows elevation so can get a feeling for contours. Even found a nice campsite for my next Western Lakes fishing walk using goole earth to check lake is a bit sheltered and found a clump of pencil pines where might be a nice place to camp in an otherwise exposed area. I love the internet.

Cheers,

Andrew

[DonQx]

As I understand it, shonky is based on the free Commonwealth spatial data 1:250,000. that's nowhere close to 1:25,000. huge difference. BUUUT ... this is one case of you get what you pay for ... shonky is someone's labour of love made available for free ... good on him I say

You can make a significant improvement by adding the free 'Contours Australia' (10 or 20m conturs in Tas, can't remember) ... hope to add a link in a tick ... am searching ... dial-up connection ... gotta get ready for work soon ... waiting ... ahh, finally some links found ...

http://www.gpsaustralia.net/
http://www.lizarddrinking.net/download.htm
http://www.maps-gps-info.com/free-gps-maps.html

Anyway, when I use shonky combined with contours I find it pretty usable for walking purposes. On my eTrex Legend GPS the small screen can become a bit crowded though, so I tend to switch the contours on & off depending on situation.

Merry Xmas all, we're off to Mt Anne tonite

a.

[geoffmallo]

Andrew I agree. The guy from Shonky has done a great thing. I just wanted to point out that more detail in contours would be necessary if relying on the maps for nav purposes.

I've just added (bought) GPS TopoPLUS with 5m contours (see screen grab). This only has contours, no roads, lakes etc. The lakes and POI you see in the screen grab come from shonky. So the way I'm using them is run both shonky and topoPLUS.

Geoff

[Andrew]

Hi Geoff,

what did the GPS TopoPLUS cost and where did you get it?

Cheers,

Andrew

[Son of a Beach]

So the way I'm using them is run both shonky and topoPLUS.

Interesting that most of the contour lines cross the shores of lake oberon, in and out of the water. I wonder how the water gets to maintain such an unlevel surface around the edges of the lake?

[sthughes]

Those contours look pretty similar to the free 'Contours Australia' version mentioned in an earlier post.

[flyfisher]

I have MEMORY MAP TOPO which I purchased from the Tasmanian Map Shop in Hobart for $299
Although expensive it does have a lot of stuff.
It has all the 25k maps , all the 100k maps, all the 250k maps, plus all city street maps and even smaller towns .There are around 100 town shown plus some mainland maps and a world map.
Although these maps can't be loaded to your GPS you can mark routes or waypoints and transfer them into your GPS.
After a trip you can download tracks and waypoints from your GPS onto the maps.
Shonky maps seem best for loading into the GPS and the detail is pretty good when you are actually out in the field.,
MM Topo also allows selected areas to be printed which saves buying maps again to go bush with

FF

[johnw]

So the way I'm using them is run both shonky and topoPLUS.

Interesting that most of the contour lines cross the shores of lake oberon, in and out of the water. I wonder how the water gets to maintain such an unlevel surface around the edges of the lake?

It's a Tasmanian alpine lake. They're the waves caused by the 100km/h winds blowing across it .

[geoffmallo]

topoPLUS retails for $129. I got it for $99 when I bought a PLB with it.

You can get it from Johnny Appleseed GPS http://www.ja-gps.com.au/ on with microSD (with SD card) or on DVD.

[Josef]

This is not quite useful for Tassie however handy to know.
You can use the Fire North website to view Geoscience topo maps online any time. Just use the zoom box and map will reduce through 1;1000 000 AERO to 1:250 000 Topos.
Only covers Northern Australia though unfortunately.
Pretty interesting site to check out though.

http://www.firenorth.org.au/nafi/app/init.jsp

Joe.

[Joe]

Shonky maps are a really great tool. Many moons ago when mr Shonk started development I supplied quite a bit of Tasmanian Data for inclusion in the maps. I also hosted the file briefly for folks to download....until my server hit 100gig upload in 3 days and then my hosting company had a few short sharp words about what I should do with shonkymaps.zip

[olblackbilly]

I find tasmap 1:100000 quite adequate providing you've got a decent compass and know how to use it... If you cant afford to spend a couple of dollars on a decent map you shouldnt be out bushwalking, you might be better off staying at home,might save a few of our taxpayers money on helicopter flights......regards.....olblackbilly

[Joe]

should be mentioned that by following the first post in this thread you may be breaching Garmin's TOS for Mapsource and as such I'm not sure this site with its attitudes towards that sort of thing should advocate such activities

[olblackbilly]

they wouldn't be called shonky for nothing

[Son of a Beach]

should be mentioned that by following the first post in this thread you may be breaching Garmin's TOS for Mapsource and as such I'm not sure this site with its attitudes towards that sort of thing should advocate such activities

It's an interesting dilemma this one. Breaching somebody's terms of service is not necessarily illegal, however, it would certainly terminate any agreement (explicit, implied or otherwise) with the other party (eg, Garmin) for support, etc, if they became aware of it.

Most companies would like their customers to believe that breaching their terms of service is breaking the law, but if you've not actually signed a contract (or equivalent), then you haven't actually 'agreed' to anything. Whether purchasing a product/service, or opening a package can be considered equivalent to signing a contract, I don't know.

(Of course copyright infringement is illegal, but I gather that using Shonky Maps does not infringe on any copyright?)

NB: Don't take any legal advice from me! These are just the un-educated meandering thoughts of somebody who knows nothing about the law. You need to make up your own mind on such matters, and take full responsibilities for your own actions.

[Joe]

Its not the shonky maps that are the problem (they are named shonky because thats the net name of the guy who packaged them up) Its the fact that Mapsource is not a free program from what I understand. Just because you can download it does not make it free to use. I haven't looked into the TOS at all...the only reason I mention it is because discussion of exactly this subject has been struck off a maps mailing list I'm a part of doe to TOS violation.

[olblackbilly]

Its a very shonky subject and should be best left alone,let the shonky people deal with it,stick to bushwalking i reckon

[Joe]

Well no not really, Shonky maps really are very good, they are the best free maps available. There is no reason to use mapsource though as I believe http://cgpsmapper.com/ will do the same thing and has a free version which our members will not be breaching TOS to use. I don't use windows so have no use for mapsource or cgps...so I haven't tried them.

[olblackbilly]

if you had a name like shonky,wouldn,t you want to change it ?.....it could be a little bit disconcerting to say the least

[Joe]

I take offense to that...I had an uncle shonky once....Shonky McDodgemeister

[Son of a Beach]

Its not the shonky maps that are the problem (they are named shonky because thats the net name of the guy who packaged them up) Its the fact that Mapsource is not a free program from what I understand. Just because you can download it does not make it free to use. I haven't looked into the TOS at all...the only reason I mention it is because discussion of exactly this subject has been struck off a maps mailing list I'm a part of doe to TOS violation.

Yes, I agree. However, I'm not sure of how legally binding it is to download something that a company is making available as a free download. Ie, does downloading it legally bind you to their terms of service or not (eg, if their web-page or TOS says it does, but you don't read that and just click anything that says 'download')? That was my point. Ie, They've made it freely available, and you've not signed any contract with them, agreeing to their terms of service.

I'm not saying that you aren't legally bound to the TOS, just that I'm not convinced either way. When I was looking into something similar, juries could never seem to make up their minds, with the decision tending to favour whoever had the best lawyer.

Having said that, if you have to get a lawyer involved, then you're probably in too much trouble already!

[corvus]

I take offense to that...I had an uncle shonky once....Shonky McDodgemeister

Plagerarist ,
That is my uncle \
c

[Joe]

During install you check the box saying "I agree" after carefully reading the TOS...so yeah you really do agree...If you chose to not read it and breach the terms you still have to physically agree by checking the box or clicking the button or whatever the software manufacturer has built into the installer. I couldn't care less really, looking at my HDD i should have a peg leg, patch and parrot...but I just though you might want to distance BWT from advocating such practice

[Son of a Beach]

I certainly wouldn't advocate the practice, but I'm still unsure one way or the other of the legally binding nature of clicking an 'I agree' button (whether you've read any associated text or not). I'm sure it's not as binding as a signature. I certainly click a zillion buttons a week on computers without reading much (or any) of the associated text. However, I do not treat signing contracts in the same way. I'm not convinced if the practice is truly illegal, or merely against the terms of service (which may or may not constitute a legally binding agreement if you clicked the 'I Agree' button).

But you're certainly correct: If we do determine that it is in fact illegal, then we can't advocate it here. Any lawyers out there care to comment?

As it is... user be warned, each person needs to decide for yourself if you think you might be doing something illegal, and be prepared to take the consequences of your actions.

[Joe]

I think it would be a nightmare in court....how on earch could they prove that it was you who clicked the I agree. Like you nik I believe its a very grey area and to be honest for years ran mapsource using the above method. I seriously doubt garmin give two hoots...its good free advertising for them really. However I thought it worth noting. Certainly a couple of other sites I visit take the issue quite seriously. Bless em

[Son of a Beach]

yep, certainly something to be cautious about. I guess I'm just stalling because I can't make up my mind.

[geoffmallo]

As I understand it there is nothing illegal at all about uploading the maps to your garmin. The maps themselves as noted above are available for non-commercial use and the software (I use road map on the Mac) is packaged with my garmin unit. No where that I have seen has it said I can't load other maps. Of interest the topoPlus maps are made with an expensive license from Garmin as I understand it so must be legit.