6X TOPO map alternative for UK

If you get the British Isles garmin map from

http://garmin.opentopomap.org/

the contours map (about 95MB) is separate from the other data, so you can overlay the 10m contours on any other map you like.

I use these contours with the GB map from

http://www.openfietsmap.nl/downloads/europe

I chose this some time ago so I cant remember exactly what made me land on that combination.

There are many online options for free maps. Some of them do not support routing, some take minutes at the map loading screen so you have to delete them immediately. Worth spending some time to find the combination that works for you.

Nick.

The Talkytoaster maps are based on OSM data and have everything that you are looking for. You can purchase a one off map based on the most current data, or purchase a subscription with updates as regular as once per month.

You can also use the maps downloaded from:

https://openmtbmap.org

For these maps, I made a comment to a Garmin 66ST series user, in the OSM forum.

https://help.openstreetmap.org/questions/22707/how-to-change-the-appearance-ie-remove-the-cross-hatching-lines-of-the-map-on-basecamp?page=1&focusedAnswerId=70773#70773

Obviously these maps can be used easily on the Fenix 6X watch.

In my case, I have improved one of the layout proposed during the installation of map, for a better display on the Fenix 6X watch (screen resolution, contrast, path width, better choice of different colour,..). This is done by editing and changing the "typ" file.

Regards

Gerard C.
FRANCE

Try  frikart.no 

You get one file for the country you're interested in, which makes it easier to transfer the map to the :\GARMIN folder on your watch
Apart from Norway which I use a lot, I have briefly tried Spain and Austria, and they work well.

Stig

I use openmtbmap too. IMO better than talky toaster. 
can you say which changes you made to the typ file and with which editor?

also : do you use it with contour in a single file or do you download as two separate img file? I used the Mac version and map install to send to Fenix as a single file and I can almost swear navigation became slower on the watch compared to sending the img file 

here you'll find an article related to that topic (unfortunately it's in german)

https://www.andrehotzler.de/de/blog/outdoor/84-wie-du-kontrastreiche-openstreetmap-karten-auf-deiner-garmin-fenix-6-pro-nutzt.html

1) To make changes to "typ" files, I use Typwiz 5 and since a few days Typwiz 6 (last release: 6.25). You can download this editor at this link:

https://www.pinns.co.uk/osm/typwiz6.html

For openmtbmap, I mainly made changes to:
- widefr.typ
- clasfr.typ

widefr.typ is used in Mapsource (release 6.16.3) to create gmapsupp.img for Fenix 6x and also GPSMAP66 (recent device from 2018).

clasfr.fr is mainly used in Basecamp (release 4.7.1) to create all my "tracks.gpx" (clasfr.typ is better for display on 4K screens).

To use widefr.typ and clasfr.typ for other countries you just have to rename: widefr.typ and clasfr.typ by wideeu.typ and claseu.typ (for map of all the European countries)

You can also rename widefr.typ by widexx.typ for any other country (Spain, Germany, UK..). The most important point: You need to change the "FID" of the file.typ by editing the typ file with the editor:

For example:
FID: 6391 for France
FID: 6550 for Europe

You will find at the following link the two "typ file" above and a view of all lines in my modified widefr.typ, that indicates also where to change the FID (rar file).
https://www.cjoint.com/c/JCbkA77itPl

After renaming and changing the FID for you country, you replace your original widexx.typ and clasxx.typ in the "openMTBMap/yourcountry" directory.

I made a few changes to have a better display on Fenix 6X:
- 10 changes for polygons (mainly colours, but also in a few cases the draworder)
- 17 changes for:             
a) lines width (path, tracks, street, footway, national boundary, stream,..)
b) colours (polygons, lines)
c) size and position (scale:uphill=0-5)

2) Contourlines and gmapsupp.img

During installation process of OpenMTBMap_france, I select only Integrate Contourlines for France.

And for OpenMTBMap_europe_NonUnicode, I select Integrate Contourlines for Europe, and Install a separate Contourlines only Map for Europe.

Then to generate gmapsupp.img, I use Mapsource to add all the parts of maps that I need.
As an example, I add the part of maps around Paris from the France openMTBmap, and for borderlines parts like (Switzerland/France/Italy or France/Belgium), I select the parts that I need from openMTBeurope.

I add also the parts of openMTBmap-srtm that I need for the contourlines.

Then I generate the gmapsupp.imp (in general the size is between 400-1500 Mo).

Gerard C.
FRANCE

And the above process indicates to me exactly why the talkytoaster maps are superior. Pay for a single map, or a subscription. Download the file and copy it to the Garmin folder of your device. Job done.

Given they’re both based on open street map data, the differences are likely cosmetic only.

With the British Isles maps I update them EVERY WEEK, every other country/region/state/province/federal district I update around once a month...