Installing OpenStreetMap maps in BaseCamp

I assume you have downloaded and installed BaseCamp, which you can get here. After you have done that, first of all you need to install the map(s) you'll be seeing your tracks on. If you have purchased Garmin maps, install them, and have them registered wit Garmin.

I personally prefer OpenStreetMap maps though, which you can also use in BaseCamp. Some reasons for that:

  • The Garmin maps are good, but they are pretty expensive. 
  • You have to register them with Garmin, and you're only allowed to use them on two devices
  • Since i live very close to the German/Belgian border, i would even have to buy two maps: the Garmin maps are cut off exactly at the country borders
  • The quality of the OpenStreetMap maps for my region is actually better than the Garmin maps, even the smallest paths are in there (this may of course be different in your region, but the OSM maps are free - so why not just give it a try?)

To use OSM maps in BaseCamp, go to garmin.openstreetmap.nl, select your map type and country, and click the "Download map now!" link. Since my tracks are mostly recorded bike tracks, i usually use the "Routable Bicycle" map type (Openfietsmap: "fiets" is dutch for "bike", so it's literally an open bike map).

In the following list, select "Map installer for BaseCamp/MapSource on the Windows platform." Get some coffee - depending on the size of the country, it can take quite a while... 

 

osm-for-garmin-choose

 

 

osm-installer

 

Installing the map

In case you have BaseCamp running, close it. Launch the file you have downloaded. Click through the installer and wait until it has finished decompressing the map data. After the installer has finished, launch BaseCamp.

In the map selection combobox, select the map:

 

 basecamp-activate-map

 

Congratulations! You now have the OpenStreetMap map in place.

Tip: I use the same maps on my Garmin Oregon handheld GPS while i'm cycling. Therefore - if you have an Oregon or similar -  just download the ..._gmapsupp.zip file from the above site, unzip it, and copy the file over to your device. Needless to say, you should backup the gmapsupp.img from your GPS device first!