Garmin Topo North Africa Light - now v4
 

December 2022: I merged the last few threads about digital maps going back a year or two.
Older info will get out of date but all your Morocco digi mapping questions, links and recommendations should be in this thread.

I thought they'd dropped it (or whacked up the price and reduced coverage) but the Garmin Topo North Africa Light is back in v4 and still just 20 quid.
A sat-mapping bargain for Morocco and Mauritania and a good alternative if installing free OSMs does your brain in. My review of v3 here.

Does anyone know if this cartography will display on a Zumo device?

I appreciate that it will not support routing... I'm just asking if it will display at all.

Michael

on italian website stay at 49.90€ sob

but worked very well the uk website, thanks

You'd think a Garmin map would display on a Garmin Zumo, but it's not listed in compatible devices.
Maybe because Zumo is not touch screen?

read here

https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?fa...JA0ciM0YDr4lr8

Doesn't work on my Zumo 550. I think it's more likely a security/license issue, as it won't even allow me to download and install in MapSource. Garmin UK have confirmed and refunded me my £20.

Back to OSM/Olaf. The 550 is touch screen, but not in the smartphone league! Pressure-sensitive rather than electro-???

Help Morocco topo
 

Hi guys
Do anybody use a good detailed Morocco topo to download for Mac? I was using Olaf’s map in the past with window.. I suppose not available for Mac
I have downloaded Garmin topo but is not detailed as I want for the off road tracks.
Tks!

Maybe this one will meet your needs

https://www.island-olaf.de/travel/marokko/gps.html


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The link above includes a version of Olaf for Mac.

My problem was I hated Basecamp with a vengeance, so for many years I've been running the PC-only Mapsource software on the Mac using Parallels Desktop. I am now very slowly moving to Basecamp on the Mac so eventually might retire Mapsource.

Although Olaf used to be the best there was it's not had updates for 13 years, so I now also run OSM on both the Mac and Garmin device alongside Olaf and choose which I want to use.

This neat little video shows you how to load OSM maps onto the Mac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoVbHwS3L-U

And to load it from the Mac onto the Garmin device use Garmin Mapinstall.

TKS!!!

Olaf is very out of date now although still has some use.

The OSM based North Africa Topo is significantly better imho and routeable

Africa North OSM Topo Routable | GMapTool

TKS!! Very useful... is it possible to have or to know where I can foud a Legenda of the symbols... mainly for Pistes .. routes ecc...
Tks again ..!

I wonder if anybody knows what is the difference between TOPO North Africa v4 Light and TopoActive Africa v6 (besides, obviously, coverage and price):

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/648409

From the description, both seem to be based on OSM data, and to include contour lines and elevation data.

Good alternative workflow
 

I have been using Viewranger application on android and on their Web platform. Very very good base map built of Osm but with detailed topo. You can also toggle between Google sat and bing which makes checking the accuracy of the Osm very easy.

What I do is use this to build my base route using there Web application. This can be as detailed or simple as you like. (as a bonus you get to see the elevation change vs distance)

Then knowing that I have verified the route on satalite I export this file to gpx and load into basecamp, I can then load this as a trail into my garmin.

This works very well for me as I have the sanity check of viewing the sat data and comparing to the Osm which can sometimes be completely misleading.

Viewranger does work offline but can be a little slow for big drives.

As a backup I also convert the gpx into kml and load it into maps.me as a back up offline map incase something happens to the Garmin.

In my experience OSM's Morocco coverage has been fantastic, I always download the latest versions before a trip so its as upto date as possible. Sometime junctions in roads and pistes on OSM haven't been correctly joined up so take care and sanity check the route if using the turn by turn nav.

Route planning is either Mapsource or Basecamp, basecamp is more of a pain to use but allows you to see pistes when zoomed out to 15km instead of 3km on Mapsource.

As a back up I use either Gaia GPS or Locus, as I've found maps.me to be horribly inaccurate with gps position, often as much as 500m off compared to my Garmin.

Definitely echo Warden's response above re broken routes. I encountered problems in February this year, particular heading south out of Tanger, approaching Marrakech from the N8 Azrou road and also approaching Marrakech from the N9 Ouarzazate road. And there were others.

Nothing wrong with OSM but the question was for more detailed topo data hence my recommendation to look into using viewranger.
See attached

Just a personal preference but I prefer to rout plan on satalite images as I can see the track and also spot any piests that don't appear in the OSM data.

On the note of maps.me the application receives the GPS position from the device running the app so the inaccuracy will be down to your phone having inferior connection to the satellite vs the Garmin device.

If you use the OSM North Africa Topo linked above you get all the topo info.

I used to double check routes with Sat images, but now know my way around much better and spending half the year out there means I have time to explore those unmapped pistes.

One day I'll work out how to add them into OSM as well.

Reise Know-How digital map (2013)
 

Talking of maps, the RK-H plastic paper map is one of the least bad for Morocco (latest: 2019), but the digital version seems to have dropped off RK-H's website last time I looked. Could be wrong.

A mate just found this place:
https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/7075...apping-project
selling the 2013 edition for $8 for phones and tablets.

'Maps purchased here can only be viewed in the Avenza Maps app on iOS and Android'
it says, but he managed to find a way to make it display on a laptop too.
(Annoyingly, the start of popular MS6 round around Taouz is missing. You can see why below.)

Here's another place: 15 euros - about double (can't tell what edition)
https://gps-globe.de/afrika/3152-mar...1-000-000.html

Up to date open street maps
 

Hi all,
planning to go to Morocco beginning of June (if possible) and look for the most up to date open street maps for my Garmin.
The Olaf maps seem to be a bit outdated...
help appreciated

If you search Garmin OSM you'll find a site where you can download up to date ones of anywhere, including Morocco.

http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Though apparently Garmin's own Morocco map may be better.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

The border is very unlikely to be open for the beginning of June. Spain has confirmed they wont review opening the border until then. Morocco won't review the border until towards the end of the current SoE at the 10th June.

The maps available via Ian's link haven't been updated since June 2020. But the maps from here were updated in November and should be due a new update soon, its normally every 6 months or so

Africa North OSM Topo Routable | GMapTool

These are not that up to date either, newt than Olaf’s but not updated since June 2020


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Garmin I guess you mean?

I think this OSM is updated monthly or so, but obviously the actual info depends on users' edits. I've amended a few roads etc myself!

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OSM its self is updated almost daily somewhere but its down to the users updating it. Not every country will be updated every day.

The different downloads and apps are updated separately depending on the source or app develpper. Lambertus' site which we've all been using at garmin.openstreetmap.nl hasn't been updated since June 2020

Gmap tools North Africa Topo was last updated in Nov 2020 and is normally updated about every 6 months. I have no idea on the App updates

Well I've learned something!

I thought garmin.openstreetmap.nl was auto-updated from OSM data, I didn't realise it was manually done.

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No, these OSM maps haven’t been updated since June 2020. It will give you the date if you look. It means this OSM provider is no longer incorporating updates into the maps.


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Morocco Digital Maps (online and GPS downloads)
 

Looking for sealed road info in the MS3/MS4 area, I just checked Apple Maps which may have been on my computer for years but I've never noticed.
I found it better than Google Sat (not so hard) and surprisingly, more up-to-date in this area than the usually superior (in North Africa) Bing Aerial.

But unless I failed to click something, most villages smaller than a town are unmarked, so it's hard to orientate yourself, and pulling off a long/lat to check elsewhere is not a simple right-click.

Still, worth a look if you're looking online for up-to-date piste-to-road info.

Is where Chris out of curiosity?
Tks

Tazzarine/Alnif and bit south roughly

I dont think I've ever used apple maps much, tend to rely on whats on the Garmin so mostly OSM North Africa Topo nowadays if I need a map.

Thank you Warden
I was curious as to where this was.
I appreciate your input :thumbup1:

Garmin Nuvi and Topo North Africa V4
 

Hi and sorry in advance for possibly ignorant question, but in the v useful Morocco Overland it seems to suggest that Garmin North Africa Topo Light will load onto a Garmin Nuvi sat nav.

Which sounds good and I bought one (a Nuvi 2595 sat nav) and installed Garmin Express and Basecamp and purchased V4 of the North Africa Topo map. But it didn’t show up in my Garmin Express (even after repeated sign ins) and when I spoke to Garmin they said that was just because it wasn’t compatible, so it wouldn't.

Before I give up or send myself mad with trying different things of my own limited invention, have I just misunderstood or am I missing something or part of the process?

Any suggestions or thoughts welcome, even if just setting me straight.

And if I can’t get it to work are there optimum specific devices to buy to load it on, leaving this sat nav to just run City Navigator Middle East and Northern Africa NT say, which is stated as compatible.

Thanks

Not sure about that specific one. I bought it to put on a Zumo 550 (circa 2009) and it wouldn't work, so they took it back.

I now have the Zumo XT, and think it should work. Sadly I didn't take a copy of the DVD !

Basically I think it's a security unlock thing which works only with newer units.

Actually, I am careful to specify the limitations of inexpensive satnavs vs what I call proper GPS units. (see graphic below).
And here:
https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/70...513-02#devices
it does not list any Nuvi satnav as compatible with that Topo map.

Sorry to say no Nuvi (or smartphone, I suspect) will run Garmin Topo maps, even though old Nuvis could be tricked into running old Olaf and possibly OSM.
It used to drive me nuts too until I finally bought a rugged Montana: the optimum device you ask about.
Last time I looked, a Zumo is merely a Nuvi in a waterproof case pitched at motos and with and a huge mark up. I've always avoided them.
Montana is what you want: heavy and expensive, but can route like a Nuvi, and work like a proper GPS out in the hills, with all the mapping you can stuff in it.

https://sahara-overland.com/morocco-maps/

Castlehe
The optimum device has moved on so I'd encourage you to look at the Montana 700, an excellent device, the most current one and one which does a great deal more than just routing.
I've opted for the 700 model as it offers TriBand and a host of other useful option for example expedition mode to name but one but does not have the Inreach SOS function (that my 66i does). The 700i and 750i only use 2 bands.
They come with Topo Europe pre-loaded and free to update.

If you need help with either of those, get in touch

700 specs here
700i specs here
and 750i specs here if you'd like a camera too

Thanks Ian, Chris and Toyark

Much appreciated all and that sets me straight. Now instead of going around the bend, I've options to sort it our via the treat of a new device :thumbup1:

Stumbled across this very good, free Morocco (or any other country) map for your GPS, while looking for OSM.
It uses OSM data afaict, but has much superior clarity imo (conventional relief shading), and a simple, single 500mb country file to download, no emailing anyone with your tiles or queuing for days.

https://garmin.opentopomap.org/#morocco

Miles better and more up-to-date than my v3 Garmin Topo (current is v4), but haven't worked out how to trick Mac Basecamp into showing it, even with Montana attached.
I can live with that while there's Apple of Google sat for planning.
I see QMapShack nav app bandied about – may give that a go.
https://github.com/Maproom/qmapshack

I regret I cannot help you with your Mac as I know zip about apples- but you might find something which may help you below.

For those using windows, this is a straight forward method which may help someone.

1. Download the contours and map images
2. Make sure you 'unblock them (as they came from another PC)
3. Combine both images

You'll be creating a single map image which you can either place in the Garmin folder in the satnav OR on a micro sd card - If plugged into a PC, run Basecamp and it will see the new combined map.
You can also, after combining the road and topo maps, install these in BC.
If you don't want them combined, you can place both maps in a Garmin folder.
Some sat navs will be able to display both if enabled together- note: you may encounter routing problems if they are.
BC will see each map but only display one at a time.
It all depends what result you would like to have.

You'll also need to overcome the map character issue which creates a bunch of ??????? in BC.
Image below is of the combined maps .

Something for your travel book scotty?

Morocco OSM map for Mac BaseCamp
 

Just got tipped off about another Morocco (or anywhere) OSM map.
May well be the same thing as above but this one opens fine with Mac BaseCamp via MapManager.
Simple 1.4gb download link bottom of this page to unzip;
Africa North OSM Topo Routable | GMapTool

It does show high points with those annoying black triangles which one way or another OSM has done for years. Toning down the BC 'Detail' doesn't always get rid of them.
The garmin.opentopomap above appears better in this respect: shaded relief – but other Mac BC-ers have told me it failed to show up in BC.

The other day I did try the regular NL OSM link which once worked fine.
"This request is #85539 in the queue. The delay is approximately 356.4 days."
Let's call it a year.

Solution
 

This is a common problem with BC- whose software is sadly way behind the times but it's what we have,
The solution is to edit the map header and code it so that BC can 'see' the map - whether the map is stored on a micro sd plugged into a PC (and here I assume a Mac as I do not have one to verify this) or in a Garmin unit also plugged in.

A Mac mate just told me he managed to view the garmin.open.topo.org map by using this app (with Montana attached so still a faff):

https://www.javawa.nl/jdm_en.html

But as you can see top of the page: 'no longer supported' and later
'Not compatible with post-Catalina Mac OS'
He must be running a pre-Catalina (10.15) OS, after which a lot of older 32-bit apps fell by the wayside.
(I say '32-bit' like I know WTF I'm talking about ;-)
App did not open on my Catalina Mac.

Shame. As you can see below, garmin.open.topo.org has the best look and Africa North OSM Topo Routable | GMapTool doesn't, beaten only by Garmin pre-installed Global blank slate (off my old Montana).
Reminds me how good Olaf was, back in the day.

https://saharaoverland.files.wordpre...k-comp21-2.jpg

Anyone got a screenshot of the same area (Nekob just off bottom right) with the current Garmin £20 v4? I presume some track updates but I wonder if the look is different/better.

Morocco maps (all types) updated once in a while here.

I've been using the Africa North OSM Topo for a few years now, (I'm sure I mentioned it previously) and its my preferred mapset to have active on the Montana.

I tried the garmin.opentopo maps on my recent Europe trip in basecamp and mapsource but don't really get on with them for route planning, haven't tried them on the montana yet.

I much prefer the NL OSM maps for route planning, with slightly less detail on screen as it makes longer routes easier to see.

I've recently found these maps available, very nicely done maps but unfortunately no Morocco https://www.freizeitkarte-osm.de/garmin/en/index.html

Now I merged a few maps threads I see you did, ages ago.
So you don't find the 'masses of peak icons' an issue?
Maybe a Mac anomaly.

Can't say I do but that's just me

It seems a bit of my text has disappeared, so I'll try again- odd...
Chris it would help if you could actually list in detail each of the problems you are having to enable folks to try and help you with some solutions as I have done in post #25 and #27

Not a problem, just a display anomaly, as old as OSM.
Loads of other sources.
Here's another couple of recommendations:
https://alternativaslibres.org/en/downloads.php#Africa
https://gravelmaps.de/en/download-2/download/

alternativaslibres didn't load on my BC but gravelmaps did ('Detail' on 80%; compare attachment with this earlier image).

I know zip about apples but I doubt it is a display anomaly. More probably in the type of map you have. In any case you can change the way a map looks by using a different .TYP file.

BC looks for a coding in the map header as I've said before- if it isn't there, the map usually fails to display.

I get the peaks in Mapsource at 3km zoom, the same zoom as the pistes show up. The same with Basecamp at a 15km zoom level.

The better maps with more detail dont make route planning terribly easy, which is why I prefer the maps from Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap for planning. Hopefully the service may resume, its a shame to lose such a useful website.

On screen on the Montana when travelling I prefer the high detail of the topos

It is not a Mac anomaly
 

:nono: (and I say this will all my [zero] knowledge of anything apples unless they come in a dish with sultanas, brandy, honey and lashings of custard :chef:
It is to do with the data you do not want kept in the TYP file.
See below a copy of the image you posted showing those pesky peak icons
and
Using the same map as you but modded and in more or less the same area (Ouinouska) without any peaks at scale of 1km for clarity. No more peskies! The decision, of course, as to which you prefer is yours!

p.s thank you- my curiosity got me revisiting an old method which no longer worked so I spent a happy day yesterday being taught how the new kids on the block do it- this learning curve seems to get steeper these days :huh:
Still, the good news is that the old grey matter can still absorb other stuff other than Chablis or Meursault!!!:Beach:

Anyone seen B-O-B today?

p.p.s I have left the elevations numericals in the map but these too can be removed as can any other offending icons!

I spent yesterday playing with the Opentopo maps.

For Europe you can download an installer for basecamp, but not for the Africa maps. (The basecamp installer version has a horrible look to it). Like Chris I couldn't get the Morocco maps to open in Basecamp.

So a bit of a play with OSM Combiner and using the GRnew typ file and I've got them installed and working in Basecamp.

Very impressed with these maps now, nice and clear with good detail. Haven't tried it in the Montana yet but I think they might become my new favourite mapset.

Ahem...
Answer is in post #27 above.
And again below:
The Ms version needs be written to the map header for any non-garmin maps then BC will read the map.

made little sense TBH.

I just ran the file through OSM Combiner and let that install it. I also installed a number of other OTM maps in basecamp, these didn't load with the installer due to conflicts in the maptiles etc. Fixed using the error correction tool in Javawa GMTK and every things works fine

We may have been
 

talking across purposes.
Scottys' post was about an icon he did not like/want and I was referring to editing the .TYP file.

And making a map show up in BC.
Anyway, I'm glad you have what you need.
ATB

Quite possibly

nakarte.me
 

Check out nakarte.me Russian mapping website where you can easily switch between four different aerial/satellite sources, as well as view loads of (mostly Russian) maps.
It does other things too, but i see now the zoom is not so good.

https://nakarte.me/#m=14/31.98041/-6.11878&l=S/D

OTM files in Basecamp
 

Following Chris's recommendation I've downloaded the OpenTopoMap Morocco and Contours , I managed to installed Morocco OTM in Basecamp with Gmaptool but then you don't get the same colors.
After few tries I managed to edit the files and get them in Basecamp by putting them on a USB card or SD card in a garmin folder.
So I have a simple map and a map with the contours.
The render is not the same in basecamp as on the OTM website, the contour lines are less precise and you have top play with detail level when zooming.
Here are Basecamp screenshots:
Simple map
https://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/20/40/84/26/otm-si10.png
Map with contours high details
https://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/20/40/84/26/otm-co11.png
Map with contours medium details
https://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/20/40/84/26/otm-co10.png

Here are links to these edited maps if ever somebody need them.
Map without contours:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1avi...ew?usp=sharing

Map with contours:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tc-...ew?usp=sharing

If you combine the OTM map and contours using OSM Combiner and the GRNew typ file it produces a very nice map set for use in Basecamp.

I’ve also loaded it on my Garmin 700i but I think it might be too detailed on the smaller screen.

I’ll post some screen shots later

tried to copy your screen shot.

3km zoom and highest detail

I tried with OSM Combi and the result in Basecamp is better for the render of contour lines than what I got with Gmaptool.
Here's what I get in Bacecamp with higher details.
https://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/20/40/84/26/otm_co10.png
It changes the background colour but it's not a big problem.
Thanks.

Michelin and IGN
 

I have scaned and merged the IGN and Michelin maps.
I wanted to have them on laptop or tablet for the trip.
If you need them:

IGN map (37MO)
https://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/20/40/84/26/ign-ma10.jpg
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dOA...ew?usp=sharing

Michelin map (48MO)
https://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/20/40/84/26/michel10.jpg
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tJl...ew?usp=sharing

Been using nakarte quite a bit for route research and found some great new pistes as a result.

Elsewhere today someone posted this link to it with the old Morocco 1:250k maps available as a custom layer (dont ask me how!)

https://nakarte.me/#m=12/31.45839/-6...NUb3AiOnRydWV9

that's handy, thanks.

I'm looking at Garmin maps at the moment. There is a little confusion as what is the best option. JUST for Morocco.

TOPO North Africa v5 Light
PART NUMBER 010-D1513-03
£ 19.99

https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/701600

What does "Light" mean. Features missing ?? It doesn't say it's routable.


From Garminworldmaps there is:

Morocco Map for Garmin
14.95 €

https://www.garminworldmaps.com/product/morocco-map/

Or a routable Topo map for €20

https://www.garminworldmaps.com/product/morocco-topo/

Is this a thirdparty company ? Not much detail in the product apart from that it says it's from 2023.


Then there is Garmin's

City Navigator® Middle East and Northern Africa NT
Download
PART NUMBER 010-D0748-00
£89.99

Which is the option they give you if you say you are riding a motorcycle.

I've found earlier versions of Topo Light more than adequate for exploring Morocco.
Detail elsewhere (Sahara) is much thinner. All based on OSM

That said, the 2023 must be the same, scaled down, less GB and perhaps improved.
Screenshots look good and it's cheaper!
Well spotted, may try it myself.

Just bought - only 160mb - will review later this week.

There is a review of V.4 here :rofl::smartass:

https://sahara-overland.com/tag/garm...-light-review/

Or for free if you can load them on your device

Africa North OSM Topo Routable | GMapTool

This is what I use as default now when in Morocco but I havent tried Garmins options. The link above was last updated in October and with the speed of road building out there its worth getting the latest update on maps possible.

CN wont help on the pistes much

Well that was a waste of 15 euros and an hour.
Usual Garmin glitches. Only good thing is I have no hair left to pull out.

It might be a matter of cartographic prefs, but after a quick look the €15 map lacks contours or relief to visualise the terrain, misses out some roads that are 5 years old and has few town names. Below, Jebel Saro.

Above all, like all these 'amateur' maps the piste hierarchy would be deeply confusing to a beginner in Mk (good for guidebook writers ;-).
This format of marking every peak elevation might be easy to do automatically but just covers the map in crap. Turn the detail down and useful data is also lost.

Spend another fiver on the Topo Light (assuming it has not got worse), or spend nothing at all on OSMs and feel less sour.

Or just get a Gaia sub on a cheap tablet and flog your Garmin.
You can import a selective slab of ESRI sat as a layer and WYSIWYGet.
I think I'm heading that way.

How does it look on the Montana screen?

The Open Topo Maps look fantastic on a laptop but once on the Montana have too much clutter to be useful and the contours are thicker than the pistes

Judge for yourself. I don't think you'll be distracted by clutter on this map ;-)
(fyi, this is on max detail).
All my other Mk maps are better, Topo and the freebies.

I'll stick with my free OSM maps then :rofl:

Now if I could just find some that looks like the Giaia version on the Montana!

I presume Gaia works on phones too.
I was travelling with a bloke whose job it also is to record accurate tracklogs and all the rest (ie; not just follow them) and he has not looked back from going from Montana to Gaia/phablet. First few uses he kept the Garmin alongside until Gaia proved itself dependable and easy to use.

Tbh, none of the digital maps, free or paid, are that good.
I was loading up my Montana with dozens of traced tracklogs to drive later and had to manually sort, rename and delete some.
Often I couldn't tell where some randomly named track was, zooming in and out and flipping between 6 Mk maps to find the most legible background. Part of the problem is the playing card sized screen of course. In the end it was easiest to recognise the shape of the track off my Google My Maps master page.
One task that made this easier – I suspect everyone knows this except me – is using the fastest Class 10 card.
There can be loads of stuff packed on the face of a microSD card but it hardly ever says 'Class 10'. Whatever 32GB Sandisk I had in there looks the same but may have been the first I ever bought (Class 3?). Garmin say use 4-10. Montana is loads faster now with the latest 8-quid Sandisk.

I often run various apps alongside the garmin as a comparison trial. Gaia is the closest to a decent overland navigation tool there is.

But it has a steep learning curve, although getting you head around Garmin initially was probably as bad.

I'm still not convinced its sensible to rely on a phone for everything.
1 - Phone break easily, I've got through several over the years
2 - Running them for navigation uses a lot of power, even being in a 4x4 the power in = power out at best, so keeping them powered can be a issue. The other problem I had was the phone overheating despite being in front of an ac vent. On newer iPhones overheating stops/slows charging

When my old Montana died, I did consider switching completely to apps but I'm very glad I upgraded to the new 700i. When that dies phones/tablets may be a more viable option for my use. Particularly with the incoming sat comms on iphones and android devices

I agree all eggs on one phone is a bad idea on the road, but I just bought a used iphone off a mate for 25 quid.

Like you say, not as robust as a Montana brick built for sat nav only, certainly on a bike.
Overheating is a good point. I wonder if that is particular to jam-packed phones as opposed to tablets?
I asked matey and he said overheating is not a problem with his iPad unless he leaves it on the dash in the sun

Anyway, will give Gaia/tab a spin alongside Montana 680 for logging.

Sorry I’m new to Gaia, what would be the best maps for Morocco and where would I get them from?

The default map Gaia Topo works very well. In fact I think its one of th ebest rendered OSM maps out there (I just wish I could find an equivalent to load onto my Garmin)

It isn't completely upto date for some reason. Despite being OSM based it doesn't show the new reservoir north of Boudnib while other osm maps do

Ok, thanks for the info

Wow-doh I so disagree. OSM provide some fabulous building blocks.


[QUOTE=TheWarden;637685]The default map Gaia Topo works very well. In fact I think its one of th ebest rendered OSM maps out there (I just wish I could find an equivalent to load onto my Garmin)/QUOTE]

Perhaps there lies the issue- I have previously suggested that learning how to make/modify maps, create/modify TYP files etc to suit your needs would serve you better but it all seems to no avail. I'll never understand this sloth-like approach. Surely if such maps are desired don't they warrant some learning and work?
To encourage you to 'have a go' (not at me, at maps!) using the barrage at Kaddoussa on Gaia to compare to my 700 as an example of what you are hoping to 'find' but what can be achieved.
As you may see (just-sorry about non-matching zoom levels) on my 700, it offers has higher res and detail than Gaia.
But I'll get my coat before incoming buns arrive!:Beach:

I agree, the OSM maps are far superior than anything else available.

Strange that your screen shot of Gaia shows the barrage, yet my app (updated seconds ago) still doesn't show it. I only have the free version at the moment.

I'd love to know more about typ files etc and am slowly learning. But time is short in between customers, organising events, rally support, running some of the larger West Africa Overland groups and fixing various vehicles so progress is slow

also curious to know what map you have on the Montana. Looks good.

I have Open Topo Maps on the laptops which is perfect but when viewed on the Garmin looks awful

I fully understand you have other time constraints.
All this stuff takes a long long time to learn and get your head around (well it did for me- getting older I guess so neurons not quite always firing in the correct sequence!)
Hey ho, I understand it's not for everyone. Maybe I need to get out more!
ATB

This is the one I always use, along with some others to consult and compare punctually.

https://www.gmaptool.eu/en/content/a...-topo-routable

Routed
 

I don't know if this is a result of the very welcome recent satellite imagery update on Google Maps (mentioned elsewhere here iirc, and verifiable by post-earthquake imagery), but I'm also finding that routing on tracks – something that I would never bother trying – actually works pretty well on some quite obscure pistes. I'm sure this wasn't the case a year ago.
Maybe all 3 are connected, but worth looking at again if you gave up on this idea years ago.

The outdated road numbers remain. I sent a message about this; no reply.
I note Bing and a few other maps now only show the principle Route Nationale numbers for fear of getting in a tangle on the minor roads and tracks.

Hi guys! I have just bought the Overland Marocco by Chris Scott and I'm asking if there is the possibiity to get GPX files of some routes described in the book.
Many thanks! bier

Here they are but they're only selected waypoints.
These days a digital map is much more useful and will show all the M3 routes + loads more.

Thanks Chris, also for your amazing job ������������
Yes the digital maps are useful but for example I cannot find the Olaf topo map… in the meantime I’m providing with other OSM topo/off road maps but probably I’ll purchase Garmin Topo latest version

Thanks Marko,
Olaf was the first but is long gone now.

try these - all free and probably mentioned above
No need to purchase
https://www.gaiagps.com/maps/source/...oRasterMeters/
https://garmin.opentopomap.org/#morocco
https://alternativaslibres.org/en/downloads.php#Africa

plus https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/701600 (£20)
(not much different/better above)

Note October 2 M3 gpx.zip reuploaded (previous one was part empty)

You are great! Many thanks for the suggestions! can’t wait for the 4d book version :thumbup1:
I’ve just received the 3d version so let’s start reading! bier

Ciao!