eleavtion data

True, but converting from track to route removes the elevation data.

i was talking about converting a track to a course, not to a route. The elevation data will be included in the course.

I don't understand why it is not possible to map free DEM data on a navigation map. Especially since a lot of DEM data is free, one might think of ASTER.

It's not the data that is the problem, but the software to create a DEM map...

I don't understand why it is not possible to map free DEM data on a navigation map. Especially since a lot of DEM data is free, one might think of ASTER.

I make my own maps, some of which you can download at GPSFileDepot.com. What you don't understand is that Garmin does not approve of any of these third party maps. They have never documented their map format and they consider it proprietary. Third party maps are made with a variety of user contributed tools created by reverse-engineering Garmin's format. Unfortunately DEM is one of those things that nobody has reverse-engineered yet.

Garmin has a tool, MPC, that can make this kind of map but it's only available to their licensed partners and the entry price is $5000 IIRC. However, even if someone is willing to pay the price, Garmin will not provide the software to anyone whose maps compete with their own. And they make maps for most of the world.

So there's no problem in getting excellent DEM data, there just aren't any tools to put it into Garmin's format. I made this map from USGS 1/9 arc second LIDAR NED for example: http://boydsmaps.com/#lidar,39.711730,-74.467628,15

And I created a low resolution version that works on any Garmin device as well. It has the appearance of DEM, but the device does not read it like DEM. http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/276/

Sorry, this is getting pretty far off topic for the Basecamp forum...