Tracks4Australia vs. ShonkyMap

[rhino_343]

Anyone know what the difference is between these two free products for Garmins?

[Frank Warner]

I'm falmiure with Tracks 4 Austraila ...
It is based on the governemets 1:250k maps of OZ.. meaning that the original was dran up from this data .. and suffers errors from
the resolution - say +/- 100 metres ..
age of map data .. missing realignments, new roads
detail due to the scale

People have submitted their tracks to the author and that has helped get those roads acurate .. however the updateing is not quick.

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Don't know about "shonky" .. linky?

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The other place you should be aware of is http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/catalogue.php
But if you decide to use them you'll need to do redgistary edits ..

[Frank Warner]

Ok, found "Shonky" at
http://www.gpsaustralia.net/forums/s...ghlight=shonky

You'll see on that link that there is no up date policy .. and the data has the same basis .. so I'd say tracks 4 oz is better in that it is updated .. however infrequently.

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The cgpsmapper is a good site to keep an eye on. In particular for city maps .. and maps of less frequuently travelled countries like Butan..

[rhino_343]

Thanks for the MapCenter link Frank! Can't say that I will be needing the Buutan map anytime soon though Some of the Oz and NZ maps will be useful though.

[crozz]

I have downloaded both of these.

Personally, I found that shonky-maps had more detail in the area I was planning on going. And whilst there is no 'support' for shonky maps, there have been a few updates.

I would recommend downloading both sets of maps.

Cheers, crozz.

[Tai-DOA]

Hi all, Ive downloaded both sets and currently use shonkymaps due to the extra detail, the contour lines and the polygons. Rivers, lakes, dams swamps and other details are shown with an outline around the area giving you a much better idea of whats ahead, instead of just a line and a name through the area.

I'm using a Garmin 60C with these maps when I ride out in the bush (no paper maps or compass) and the setup is fantastic

[helterskelter]

here's a comparo

t4a - free



shonky (not shonky at all, nicer than t4a) - free



and while i'm at it, this is why i have a magellan.
magellan DAST v1 (best detail atm but you have to pay)

[Frank Warner]

The magellan DAST map above covers a larger area than teh Gramin ones shown above (and below). Possibly due to software - you may not be able to set teh area shown to be exactly waht youwant. Anyway

Garmins World map and Wanderlust world map version 1.6 don't have any detail for that area (and with world coverage I'd not expect them too at this stage)

Garmins City Navigator Australia 2008 has a surprising amount of detail considering it is intended for city navigation - looks like it has most tracks except 2 on the east. The area shown is the same as the above T4A and Shonky. Oh and like the magellan DAST it cost money ... It also does autorouting if your gps supports that.

[Frank Warner]

Another sample - Wandelust version 2,.o beta ..


Both wanderlaust version 1.6 and Garmins World Map version 3.01 have teh same detail .. but both lack teh topographical information of Wanderlust version 2...

[Frank Warner]

Aust Geoscience 1:250k .. raster map .. on which T4A and Shonky are based.

This is not a GPS vector map .. it is a scaned paper map ... "raster" type .. just like a photo. I have put it here for comparision with the GPS maps ..

For other people .. to show a sample map at about the same scale/location the following is of some use
Sample maps are

bottom left corner - S37.983 e145.6615
top right corner - s37.9295 e145.7589
aprox

[Dik from OZ]

Originally Posted by rhino_343

Thanks for the MapCenter link Frank! Can't say that I will be needing the Buutan map anytime soon though Some of the Oz and NZ maps will be useful though.

Can't say I can see Bhutan on the map list there, but I can recommend the riding. A group of us did 3 weeks through Bhutan earlier this year and it is really spectacular.

If anyone does want Bhutan maps for Garmin they are a bit dodgey in places, but I do have them. PM me.

[Frank Warner]

Originally Posted by Dik from OZ

Can't say I can see Bhutan on the map list there,

The vanishing web. Don't know why it was removed .. But there is a 'new' map for Senegal ..
The OSM project is coming along nicely too. errr 'open street map' http://www.openstreetmap.com/

[WayneC1]

The answer is it depends where you are going and having both is best

T4Oz is updated by actual travel by users so corrects some errors in the source mapping especially out west

Shonky can have more detail but the algorithm for detail display drops out tracks too early as scale increases where T4Oz leaves tracks visible on all scales.

[Frank Warner]

Originally Posted by WayneC1

T4Oz is updated by actual travel by users so corrects some errors in the source mapping especially out west

The last time the free T4A was updated was how many years ago?

Open Street map is updated much more frequently .. less detail but if tracks are contributed then they get inculded ...