Raster maps - contour lines
Planned
I use my gps (karoo 2 now) mostly for mountain bike rides.
It's already been said that the karoo map is not the full osm map, many secondary tracks are not shown and i mostly miss the elevation/contour lines. When at home you can prepare the most convenient route but on the go you will not know if a given track is taking you along a flat area or up "the vultures cliff".
Having the contour lines on the map gives you a quick idea of how hard the ride will be. I guess this could be easily added to the map though i understand the map would be a bit heavier in megas.
The ideal, and this probably not in the plans of Hammerhead, would be loading a second raster map behind the main vector map with transparency. I mean either a satellite or a classic topo raster. From a visual point of view classic topo maps (an example for Spain is http://centrodedescargas.cnig.es/CentroDescargas/buscadorCatalogo.do# products, mtn25) are the easiest to understand and to know what you have around, a flat valley going down all the way to home or a steep cliff that you won't do by bycicle unless you're a pro.
I know we're limited in storage but you can always load a small area where you're gonna ride and replace maps at home if you're planning a route far from your everyday area.
So, two requests in one:
- add contour lines to the exisiting vector map
- add the ability to load other maps, raster, whatever format, there are plenty of Gis programs to build your own raster maps for almost any part of the globe.
Regards
-
Planned! What does it mean?
Do you plan to include contour / elevation lines in the general map?
Do you also plan to make raster maps available?
As long as you add the ability to load custom maps from k2 storage folder that would be great. Again, any format (ideally rmap like oruxmaps or twonav). Rmap has a very good comrpession rate and are easily made with programs like Mobac.
Thank you!
-
The more i use the karoo the more i think better maps are necessary.
If you are just following a preloaded route and stick to it, fine, but the moment you wanna explore alternatives on the go, the map helps very little.
I'd like to see at least a map like the ocm in the dashboard
See the differences:
Two spots in the Karoo:
Same area in the Dashboard - OCM
Not perfect but at least elevation lines help and one can tell hiking paths from gravel roads
The above ocm would be the minimum i'd like to see in the karoo. Ideally we should be able to load custom maps (raster) like the ones below, either classic maps or satellite:
See the same area in wikiloc (i assume it's based in osm)
Here's another screenshot, Sierra Nevada for Garmin by cartografiadigital.es
Regards
-
A selection of maps to download, including ones with named hiking trails and geographical features (rivers, mountains, etc.), would really expand the utility of the Karoo 2 and the market for it. I have taken it hiking with me, but just to record my hike. It would be almost worthless for navigating in the woods because of the limitations of its available maps. I was thinking when I bought it that because of the Android OS, that would be part of its future software updates or apps. Don't get me wrong, the Karoo 2 is a great road and gravel bike GPS and I'm glad I own it for that. But it could also be a great mountain/adventure bike GPS, as well as a GPS for hikers. Guess I don't get to retire my Garmin GPSMAP.
-
The Karoo displays maps. Its map rendering engine should be capable of rendering contour lines, as it is just map feature data.
I would think that if the map engine can display Suunto heat maps, it can display contour lines. So the only limitation is not having the contour data in the map set.
-
I think the Problem here is that Hammerhead does not really care about Mountainbiking. The unit is heavily marketed to roadies and just not at all optimized for MTB. While I would love for them to cater a bit more towards mountainbiking, I think they currently have enough on their plate on the road side. Maybe in the future?
-
While waiting for Hammerhead to implement this, a workaround is to side load an app that supports maps with contour lines - such as GaiaGPS - https://www.reddit.com/r/Karoo/comments/sqgbti/k2_sideloaded_with_gaia_gps_trailforks_map_overlay/
-
Dan, I sideloaded the GaiaGPS app a couple of months ago and it takes longer to go to the GaiaGPS app in the Karoo than to pull out my phone. Besides, that works if all you need to know is where you are or where you want to go, but not for constant follow-up. We need contour lines in the map and I think it's a quite basic feature. I don't understand why Hammerhead hasn't implemented this yet, given that OSM maps (the source maps for the Karoo) actually include them.
-
To whom this may help. I was able to get the original Karoo app (not sideloaded apps) to show contour-lines even much better map styles. Based on suggestions from great guys in the "Hammerhead Karoo Bicycle Computer Users" facebook group. If you want to have it - join the group, search for the keywords "Peter Huys" and "Walter Pinato" and "Contour" and "locusmaplook_april2020" - you will find instructions on how to get it done. The basic idea is to copy your area maps from "openandromaps" to the Karoo root/offline/maps folder and to adjust the map-style file: root/offline_v7.xml making countourlines and other elements stand out better. There are also some icons and other folders to copy.. follow the intructions
-
Hi, Its not really a link. But try this:
1. Get yourself added to the "Hammerhead Karoo Bicycle Computer Users" facebook group.
2. In that group, search for this document: "locusmaplook_april2020.docx"
3. Look for posts and comments from "Yariv Snapir", "Walter Pinato" and "Peter Huys" for additional information.
4. You will note that one of the artifacts you will need is a map style file (offline_v7.xml"). This file defines styles of different items on the map such as contour lines, rivers, roads etc. In order to get my styles you will need my file. Send me a private facebook message and I will send you back my file.
I hope this helps.
-
@Yariv Snapir, thanks a lot for this!!! I've been able to show contour lines in my map following the instructions, this is really great and my Karoo is now much more usable.
One thing: patterns only show in some zoom levels and not in others (specially in high zoom levels), and whenever they show, they don't show correctly (see picture below). How can this be corrected?
Thanks.
-
Hi, the offline_v7.xml is responsible for the the styles shown on the map in different zoom levels. I didnt get to research each and every style on the file, there are many. But this is where I'd look. This would be a trial and error exercise. If you get to improve any of the styles, please do let us know :)
-
did you try it? NowI found this;
https://gitlab.com/winni/elevate
An optimized xml file for mtb
-
Thank you @Yariv Snapir!
My partner received your files yesterday and they work, we have contour lines an more detail in general on the maps. This will change our experience for the better an should entice us to use the device for much longer.
Any idea about the impact in battery life with these changes?
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
34 comments