Garmin Basecamp and OSM

Trekker89

There are hundreds of posts where people have had trouble getting the OSM maps onto their garmin edge unit. I've managed to do that. My problem is understanding how OSM maps works in Mac Basecamp - if at all!?

The aim is to plan a route somehow (presuming Garmin's Basecamp is the best thing to use) and then upload that route onto the Garmin Edge for turn by turn navigation.

Currently, the only time I see detailed maps on Basecamp is when I plug the Edge 810 unit into the Mac's USB port - and to get to that stage the macbook has to spend 10 minutes 'reading' the map every time I plug the 810 in (i.e. the detailed map is not available unless the 810 is attached to the mac).

None of this seems right - i assumed Basecamp would let me upload an OSM map to it (where it would be permanently available), and that I could access that and plan routes quickly and easily before exporting that route to the Edge - in a similar way to on Map My Ride where you just send the link to your phone.

Suspicion is that I need to buy Garmins' city navigator package - is that right?

I'd be grateful to know your experience of this.. and perhaps an idiot's guide...

keith57

Maps work ok on the GPS unit if you get the 'right' osm mapping … Try these:

http://www.ravenfamily.org/andyg/openstreetmap.htm
http://talkytoaster.info/ukmaps.htm

For actually drawing routes on a computer to upload onto your GPS then there are dozens of on-line sites that can do this, two I use are Strava and http://bikehike.co.uk/index.php etc. Strava even tells you exactly how to export the file, the difference between the different file formats and where to put it on the GPS to work properly!

No need to struggle with Garmin's awful base camp

Recently I did a 12 day traverse of the Alps from Chamonix to Monte Zoncolan. I had drawn each days ride on Strava and copied the tracks into my Garmin, from hotel to hotel. When riding the Garmin was set to make the track visible, but I didn't switch on turn by turn directions. This made for very straightforward navigation through towns and built-up areas, especially finding the accommodation at the end of a hard day. All I had to do was zoom in and out from time to time for the view I wanted.