Garmin Mapsource Topo Canada V4 Free Download
Is there any other alternative to sync a laptop running garmine with a GPS receiver; other than that piece of garbage produced and sold by Franson? Over the past few months, every time I have needed to use this software, I have been forced to remove it, then re-install after a computer shut down. This is regardless of how I. How to add free topo maps to Garmin BaseCamp. Garmin BaseCamp is a great tool to view and organize your GPX files. The software comes loaded with basic maps that usually contain very little useful information. In this tutorial, I will show you how to download and install free (topo) maps to Garmin Basecamp. The entire process is quick and easy.
I just recieved and loaded my new copy of V4. What an improvement. They have added a 3d effect is impressive and details that were missing before are clearly present.
For example eskers that were really not obvious on Damant Lake NWT (A very pretty area that should be on everyone's bucket list) in version 2 are painfully obvious in version 4. They don't use the esker symbols but clear contour lines in combination with the 3D effects make it pretty obvious. I have not have an opportunity to down load to my GPS (76cs) but expect it will be equally impressive. Check it out!!! Many may already know of this, but for those who don't, a university student in Alberta (Calgary I believe) has been taking the Government 1:50,000 maps and converting them to a Garmin-installable mapset.
And it's 100% free. He can no longer host the files (3 gig) but provides instruction on how to download them from a bittorrent site. He will also sell disk copies. I was able to download them while he still made them available.
IMO, they are way more detailed and accurate than Garmin's Canada Topo. All I have is V2, so I can't compare them to V4, and of course they won't be 3D-enabled. Product details for your device are: Product name: TOPO Canada Registration date: Dec 26, 2008 Serial number: a520048058 Software Version Number: 2.00 Under myMaps it does not list any available updates for my version of the maps.
Am I looking in the wrong place? From my computer with MapSource, I am running the most up to date version available and it does not show any updates available. Again, I'll check tonight when I'm home from work but I'm pretty sure I've checked before and couldn't find it. Cheers, Bryan. Sorry, I seem to be a bit dense. You were saying an 'up grade' and I was thinking an 'up date'.
The former being something you pay for and the latter being free with the software purchased for me a year ago. I spent a bit of time playing around testing out their 'interactive map viewer' to see what the version 4 would do for me. In the urban area near my house, it showed many interesting things that v.
2 doesn't, including restaurants, the civic pool, and even the school bus stop down the block (however, it doesn't seem to show the city bus stops, which seem to change every year or two anyway). Also, the streets in my neighbourhood are far more realistic and accurate in version 4.
Now, moving to the places I paddle, after much searching I can find two differences. There is a portage marked on v. 4 that is omitted in v. 2, but it's not a portage I normally use. Also, the high points of land are marked on v.
4 which are omitted in v.2. I suppose I should add that the provincial park is coloured in green, but that makes no difference to me. So, it seems that for my use, my money will be better saved or put toward something else. In a couple of years when version 6 is out, it will be time to look again.
Now if that extra detail were a free update, I'd be all over it! Cheers & thanks for your patience. When I bought my 60csx last year, I also purchased the Topo Canada maps. At that time they (GPS City) told me that if I wanted the CD with the topo maps for the entire country, I would have to purchase the 2D/3D version with BaseCamp, as the older version was no longer available. Of course there was about a $30 or $40 premium on the new version over the old. Since using it, I have had very few problems. City maps are fairly detailed but not competely up to date (for Edmonton they don't yet include a major ring road that has been open for about 5 years).
You need to buy the city maps package if you want your GPS to do effective routing for you. Outside the cities, the maps are very similar to the paper NRC maps that I had been using previously.
@Terry, He's probably talking about the maps, not the Mapsource program. You can't use the downloadable version of the maps in Mapsource. @Gipper, You can use Garmin's Basecamp with the maps on your Garmin navigation device (Nuvi, whatever).
So you could use the downloadable maps. Let them install onto your device, connect the device via USB cable and Basecamp will find the maps and let you use them for planning on the laptop/netbook. This will also work if you buy the SD card version of maps. If the maps are already on your Garmin navigation device, you can download Garmin's Basecamp for free and install it onto your netbook. Then you can connect your navigation device and use your existing maps on the device for planning. Try and and see if it works okay for you. Then you can decide if you want to do any of the options below or not.
There are a couple of options for installing from a DVD to a netbook without a DVD drive. One is Terry's suggestion to copy the entire DVD to a blank USB flash memory drive (or a folder on a USB hard drive), plug it into the netbook and run the SETUP.EXE program from the USB drive. The other requires a home network.
If you have one with a router, you can share a DVD drive on another computer, connect your netbook to the network and use the shared DVD drive to install from. Or you can do like I did a couple weeks ago. Break down and spring for a USB DVD drive for my netbook. I got a nice LG drive that takes its power from the USB port so there is just the USB cable and no power cable required. It was around $50 bucks.ken. Thanks Guys, Just to give you some more info, I'm using a GPSMap 60CSx/Asus Eee PC on a 6 month motorcycle trip from Canada to South America (and back) I have V6 Mapsource City Select (which I was using on an older 60Cs) but I'm wondering if I should buy a newer version as the maps/info are pretty dated for the USA.
I'm using this free mapping software for South America: Is the Basecamp just for Topo use? I did read on the Garmin website that only the CD/DVD version will let you use the maps to figure out routes/waypoints etc, is that not the case? No, Basecamp is not just for topos.
It works with any Garmin-compatible maps. Basecamp also includes a Map Install function that works similarly to installing maps from Mapsource to your 60CS. It will find and use any maps that have been installed on the PC for use with Mapsource, like your SA maps from OSM. Read my previous post re: Basecamp uses the maps installed on your device for planning routes and waypoints and viewing tracks, etc. That's from experience, not theory. Garmin included the function in Basecamp because so many people make the mistake of buying the downloadable and SD card maps and then want to use them for planning on their PCs.
Basecamp has all the basic features that Mapsource has for planning. City Select v6 is really old. Updating would probably be helpful. If you buy new maps for your 60Cs make sure to get the DVD version. Even though Basecamp can use the maps that are already installed on your device, it's a nuisance to always have to connect the device if you want to do some planning and it's slower than if the maps are on your hard drive.
See Terry's and my previous responses regarding copying the DVD to a USB flash drive and installing Mapsource and maps to the netbook from it. What kind of bike will you be riding? I have a Suzuki DRZ400 and I've thought a trip like that would be a wonderful thing.ken. Hi Ken, Thanks for the information, I think I will buy a newer version for this trip as a lot of the info is old, I will try and move a copy of the DVD to the netbook, but Im better with wrenches than computers. I'm riding a DR650 - 2 up with the wife - it's a little cramped, I was looking at a V Strom 650, but the DR is so simple and there's lots of good accessories around for it now. The missus would like to ride too, so I am thinking about switching to 2 DRZ 400's for the next trip as she's quite petit, there's a lot of people overlanding on them these days, and lots of good gear for them, check out these websites for Motorcycle overlanding: and There's some photos of my bike here: Many Thanks Grif. Before you buy a map update, there are a couple of things to know.
City Select is no longer sold. It has been replaced by City Navigator.
Garmin Mapsource Topo Canada V4 Free Download Windows7
If you already own City Select you can buy an 'upgrade' version of City Navigator and it will install just fine. That should save you a little money.
Check to see if your 60Cs will accept the newer NT maps. If not, City Navigator North America 2009 (the non-NT version) is the last update you can get. Garmin quit making the non-NT version of all their maps after that.
Nice setup on the bike. Is that the Castle Mountain out at Banff? If you are somewhere near Calgary, check with GPS Central about your map upgrade. Those folks know their stuff about anything Garmin. Your lady must have a cast-iron butt to ride on the back end of that padded 2x6!!! My wife would mutiny if I asked her to sit there for a ride around across the street, never mind across a country or six. Things to know about the DRZ400.
About the same horsepower as your 650 and lighter. But just as tall in the saddle. I have a 29' inseam and I had to go to the SM model. I could not touch both tiptoes on the S model (equivalent to your DR650). I could barely touch on one side and had to lean the bike a bit to do it. If your lady is petit, she won't fit an S model without modification.
Might even be touch and go on the SM. I see you did suspension mods to your 650, so doing the necessary mods to fit a DRZ400 to your lady will be duck soup. You can take the easy way and just put lowering links on the back and raise the forks in the triple clamps. Or you can rebuild the internals of the forks and shock to lower them. Have you seen the new model unit Trailtech has put out that combines the gauges of the Vapor with a builtin GPS?
The main criticism from folks is that it's monochrome instead of colour. But that has the advantage if higher contrast and way lower power consumption.
Download Garmin Mapsource Full Version
I use a Garmin eTrex Legend HCx in a RAM mount on my bike. I'm not quite as comfortable with tools as you are but I'm not entirely intimidated. I also put a larger tank on, modified the airbox and did a major change in the jetting on the carb.
Here's a picture of the current setup. I use it offroad a bit but the windshield and top case make it quite civilized for pavement and grid roads. This was after the storm two weeks ago. It all melted and we got in another week of decent riding before it dumped again on Tuesday nite. I do check ADVrider from time to time.
But I spend more time on the DRZ400 forum on ThumperTalk. I think their DR forum is pretty good, too.ken. Hi Ken, Thanks for the info, nice set up on your DRZ, which tank do you have? Looks like a good fit. I went with a new copy of City Navigator North America NT 2011 DVD (with Mexico mapping), and picked up a Samsung USB DVD drive on sale.
We live in Banff, so I'm in GPSCentral quite a bit. Very helpful business. All set up on the Asus and working fine.
Yeah, I'd be looking at an SM DRZ for the wife and maybe drop it a bit more. I put a Corbin seat on the DR650 which is a lot better - I had a DR650 back in the mid nineties in the UK and was hoping that after 15 years Suzuki would have improved the stock seat - wrong, if anything its worse (or I'm just getting older.) so it had to go. I hadn't seen the new GPS Vapor computer - it looks quite nice, I do like my riding info duplicated preferably on 2 separate units, so I can double check distances and have a backup, especially in more remote areas, my current Vapor is good, but I wish they had put 2 or 3 trip meters on it and ditched some of the less important readings that the Sport bike riders use. I would use the GPS Vapor, but still keep the 60CSx.
I also like a GPS mounted up high, closer to my eyeline whilst riding, and I like the RAM mount as I can easily alter the screen angle if I'm standing on the pegs a lot. On my Vapor the wires are fairly short,(engine temp sensor lead especially) which restricted mounting it any higher, something I hope they addressed on this new GPS version. Hi Grif, I'm glad you've got it all fixed up. You'll find quite a difference in some areas with the newer maps. And you'll find it a lot less hassle to install things with that DVD drive. For donking around in SK, AB and BC, I use either Metroguide Canada v5 or Topo Canada v4.
City Navigator is the pits outside of urban areas. If you want to see hydrology (lakes, rivers, etc) City Navigator is awful. It doesn't show any smaller stuff and even the larger water bodies are only rough approximations. Both Metroguide Canada and Topo Canada are way better. Both of them display the water bodies very accurately.
Metroguide Canada has a surprising number of smaller lakes and rivers. Topo Canada even goes down to pretty small streams. You also won't get a lot of the smaller roads and trails with City Navigator. I've attached some screenshots from Mapsource with four maps I've got for the immediate area around Banff.
They are from City Navigator North America 2011.3, Metroguide Canada v5, Topo Canada v4 (all three are Garmin products) and Ibycus v2.1 free Canadian topo maps. An alternative to buying additional maps is to acquire trail maps which overlay your existing maps. I can point you at some that cover pretty much all of southwestern Alberta right down to Waterton if you are interested.
I've got the Clarke 3.9USgal tank on my DRZ. It adds about 50% to my fuel capacity. I love the extra range and it's not as intrusive as a really large tank would be. I have done over 300km without going on reserve. I never ride anywhere that that won't get me to a gas station.
I also like the RAM mount for its adjustability. I have the 3' dogbone. I was thinking about getting the shorter one but I'm like you.
I like to get it up high enough so the GPS is close to my sight line. I'm not the least tempted to replace the stock instrumentation on the DRZ. It's got two trip meters on it.
With the eTrex, that gives me three plus my track file. That's plenty good for my purposes.
I did miss having a tach so I mounted a small digital tach on the top triple clamp just below the stock instrument panel. I've got both the stock seat for my DRZ and the optional gel seat for when I'm planning to be mainly offroad.
The gel seat gets me a little closer to the ground. I don't think it's nearly as much lower as Suzuki claims, though.
They have given it a rounded shape so even though the foam is okay, the shape is an instant wedgy! I use the stock seat most of the time.ken.