How to get and install the OpenStreetMap (OSM) on your computer and the GPS

[Lone Rider]

Got an urgent call yesterday evening from a guy who had seen a free Thailand GPS map announced on the other forum. He tried to download it but gave up as he ran into problems with the map not being available or something like that.

So, told him where and how he would be able to download the latest version of the Thailand GPS map or for any other country/area in the world. Later he asked me what the OSM map is all about and if I could prepare a brief "manual" on how to go about it as it would be useful for him and others as well. So here it is:

The OpenStreetMap or OSM in short is a worldwide collaberative effort of people like you to create a free editable GPS map for the world. The data is free to download and can be used for free under its open license. You can create a user account which then enables you to uplaod GPS tracks and waypoints to the site so that the map can be improved for the benefit of all.

Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been a) restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and b) the advent of inexpensive portable satellite navigation devices.

Created by Steve Coast in the UK in 2004, it was inspired by the success of Wikipedia and preponderance of proprietary map data in the UK and elsewhere. Since then, it has grown to around three hundred thousand contributors, who collect data using GPS devices, aerial photography, and other free sources. This crowd-sourced data is then made available under the Open Database License. The site is supported by the OpenStreetMap Foundation, a non-profit organization registered in England.

Rather than the map itself, the data generated by the OpenStreetMap project is considered its primary output. This data is then available for use in both traditional applications, like its usage by Craigslist, Geocaching.com, Foursquare and other sites to replace Google Maps, and more unusual roles, like replacing default data included with GPS receivers. These data have been favorably compared with proprietary datasources, though data quality varies worldwide. For more background info on OSM go to OpenStreetMap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of the Thailand map as shown on the main OSM site

There is one major site for OSM data - OpenStreetMap In addition to this site, there are also a lot of other sites which are more specifically geared towards their own country or region but in the end, all the data is derived from and/or ends up at the main site OpenStreetMap

In order to help people download particular maps or for specific purposes there are also sites which help extracting the data and "re-package" the data into a map which can be installed on Mapsource and/or Basecamp or as a "ready to install" map for the GPS.

Some of these are:
Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap from where you can downlaod maps in various formats
Openmtbmap.org ? Mountainbike and Hiking Maps based on Openstreetmap which is geared towards the mountain biker community
Outdoor Navigators - Welcome which is a more general site from where you can download smaller sized maps, but, in case you need maps for a larger area, you will have to sign up (which is free) and you can then select the maps for a larger area (again with some limitations on the number of "map tiles" you can get in one go.
OpenCycleMap.org - the OpenStreetMap Cycle Map Site for getting maps designed for cyclists, showing cycle routes and infrastructure, and emphasising useful amenities.

We will take the first of these sites Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap to show how you can get a map for Thailand on your computer or on your GPS.

Open Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap and you will see this:

Now you can select the type of map you want to have: Generic Routable, Generic Routable (new style), Routable Bicycle map or a Generic Nautical (Non-Routable).

Let's just select the Generic Routable Map and then select the area we want - in this case Thailand (Select Asia and you will get a list of the countries covered)

In case you want to include Laos and Cambodia as well, just tick the box "Enable manual tile selection" and you will be able to select additional map tiles. Or if you want maps for another countries you can reset the selection process by clicking on the button "Reset Selection"

Once ready selecting the maps we want, we can now order the maps by going to the next step "Requesting your map or download it directly. Enter your email address and click the button "Build my map"

You will receive an email indicating that the request has been accepted with a tracking ID so you can see how much more time it will take before the map is ready for download

Once the map is ready, you will get another email with the URL from where you can download the map. Open the URL and you will be able to select what you want/need - maps for Mapsource/BaseCamp either for Windows or for the Mac, a map for the GPS, an overview map, etc.

Select what you want, and the download will start. Once the download is complete, you can either install the map on the computer or, in case you selected osm_generic_gmapsupp.zip, just copy, after un-zipping the file, the gmapsupp.img file to the GPS.

That's it but in case things are not clear or you are running into other problems just send me a P.M. and I'll try to help

 

[KTMphil]

Thanks for the detailed explanation LR.

 

[Russ McDermid]

Thanks Auke ... I have been a OSM contributor for many years, and its fair to say that EVERY track I have ever ridden in Thailand & Laos has gone on the map. I know Captain Slash (and probably many others) are keen believers in the principle and freely contribute their GPX tracks. Some people like to add their own traces onto OSM, while others give the info freely for people like me to add.

Another benefit is that most of Thailand has a Bing aerial photo available, so its easy to see what appears and whats missing, allowing any user with local knowledge to improve the area of the map thats of interest to them.... which is great for seeing where all those junctions you pass on the trail, go to ! Your GPX track shows up as an overlay on the aerial photo, and if its not already showing, you can add your track, and even trace others that are visible on the aerial shot.

I think OSM is a great concept, and with the gmapsupp.img download site (from Lambertus, as you show above), the up-to-date map is rarely more than a week old... not even Garmin can do that !

Rightly or wrongly, I have held the belief that promoting OSM on Ride Asia, was a conflict of interest for you & Phil (selling maps commercially), so have held back ... but your post dispels this myth. And like you, I'll be happy to help any users (or potential users) if they require it.

Thanks, Russ.

 

[Lone Rider]

Rightly or wrongly, I have held the belief that promoting OSM on Ride Asia, was a conflict of interest for you & Phil (selling maps commercially), so have held back ... but your post dispels this myth. And like you, I'll be happy to help any users (or potential users) if they require it.

Thanks, Russ.

No, we have no problem with conflict of interest at least not from my side and I guess the same is true for Phil. Actually, although I am still collecting tracks and waypoints to be added to the North Thailand as well as the Laos map, my involvement stops there more or less. I do send the info to a company which is based outside Thailand and they take care of compiling the map and making sure that the GPS map gets to the sellers here in Thailand. I get a few free copies for my own use or to give away but that is basically it. Reason for me pulling out was a threat made that I should be careful as I am on a retirement visa and therefor should not make maps as that could be considered "work" - not sure if that is true but it was reason enough for me to play it safe.

Anyway, as I am getting a bit older (just paid a senior-citizen price at a National Park), I might go the OSM way with my Laos data as the Laos OSM maps is still far from where the Thailand and Cambodia OSM maps are.

 

[Nightrider70]

OSM may (or may not) kill the market for electronic maps but the market for printed maps will remain. OSM data is free to use for commercial purposes so it is okay to print and sell maps based on OSM. If OSM really takes off and updates fast there might be a market for cheap disposable maps. When one door closes another opens.

 

[crs]

^Good point.

Thing is with OSM, there's little you can do to detail/describe tracks. An easy single track and a crazy 'goat' track would look the same, from what I understand. This can obviously cause problems...

Paper maps could be used to offer more description - colour-coding, a legend, etc. Maybe not so handy out in the field, but good for planning. Custom electronic maps might also be made up individually or to suit particular needs/uses.

 

[Nightrider70]

The main OSM page does not render much of the track tags but there actually are tags to describe tracks like 'tracktype'. You can also make up a new tag if none fits your need. Like you say, a custom printed map could make better use of these tags.

 

[Lone Rider]

BUMP for the guy who called me yesterday asking how to get the Open Street Map (OSM Map) into Mapsource and/or BaseCamp on a Mac

Got an urgent call yesterday evening from a guy who had seen a free Thailand GPS map announced on the other forum. He tried to download it but gave up as he ran into problems with the map not being available or something like that.

So, told him where and how he would be able to download the latest version of the Thailand GPS map or for any other country/area in the world. Later he asked me what the OSM map is all about and if I could prepare a brief "manual" on how to go about it as it would be useful for him and others as well. So here it is:

The OpenStreetMap or OSM in short is a worldwide collaberative effort of people like you to create a free editable GPS map for the world. The data is free to download and can be used for free under its open license. You can create a user account which then enables you to uplaod GPS tracks and waypoints to the site so that the map can be improved for the benefit of all.

Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been a) restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and b) the advent of inexpensive portable satellite navigation devices.

Created by Steve Coast in the UK in 2004, it was inspired by the success of Wikipedia and preponderance of proprietary map data in the UK and elsewhere. Since then, it has grown to around three hundred thousand contributors, who collect data using GPS devices, aerial photography, and other free sources. This crowd-sourced data is then made available under the Open Database License. The site is supported by the OpenStreetMap Foundation, a non-profit organization registered in England.

Rather than the map itself, the data generated by the OpenStreetMap project is considered its primary output. This data is then available for use in both traditional applications, like its usage by Craigslist, Geocaching.com, Foursquare and other sites to replace Google Maps, and more unusual roles, like replacing default data included with GPS receivers. These data have been favorably compared with proprietary datasources, though data quality varies worldwide. For more background info on OSM go to OpenStreetMap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of the Thailand map as shown on the main OSM site

There is one major site for OSM data - OpenStreetMap In addition to this site, there are also a lot of other sites which are more specifically geared towards their own country or region but in the end, all the data is derived from and/or ends up at the main site OpenStreetMap

In order to help people download particular maps or for specific purposes there are also sites which help extracting the data and "re-package" the data into a map which can be installed on Mapsource and/or Basecamp or as a "ready to install" map for the GPS.

Some of these are:
Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap from where you can downlaod maps in various formats
Openmtbmap.org ? Mountainbike and Hiking Maps based on Openstreetmap which is geared towards the mountain biker community
Outdoor Navigators - Welcome which is a more general site from where you can download smaller sized maps, but, in case you need maps for a larger area, you will have to sign up (which is free) and you can then select the maps for a larger area (again with some limitations on the number of "map tiles" you can get in one go.
OpenCycleMap.org - the OpenStreetMap Cycle Map Site for getting maps designed for cyclists, showing cycle routes and infrastructure, and emphasising useful amenities.

We will take the first of these sites Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap to show how you can get a map for Thailand on your computer or on your GPS.

Open Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap and you will see this:

Now you can select the type of map you want to have: Generic Routable, Generic Routable (new style), Routable Bicycle map or a Generic Nautical (Non-Routable).

Let's just select the Generic Routable Map and then select the area we want - in this case Thailand (Select Asia and you will get a list of the countries covered)

In case you want to include Laos and Cambodia as well, just tick the box "Enable manual tile selection" and you will be able to select additional map tiles. Or if you want maps for another countries you can reset the selection process by clicking on the button "Reset Selection"

Once ready selecting the maps we want, we can now order the maps by going to the next step "Requesting your map or download it directly. Enter your email address and click the button "Build my map"

You will receive an email indicating that the request has been accepted with a tracking ID so you can see how much more time it will take before the map is ready for download

Once the map is ready, you will get another email with the URL from where you can download the map. Open the URL and you will be able to select what you want/need - maps for Mapsource/BaseCamp either for Windows or for the Mac, a map for the GPS, an overview map, etc.

Select what you want, and the download will start. Once the download is complete, you can either install the map on the computer or, in case you selected osm_generic_gmapsupp.zip, just copy, after un-zipping the file, the gmapsupp.img file to the GPS.

That's it but in case things are not clear or you are running into other problems just send me a P.M. and I'll try to help