GPS Maps

As I am shifting to India and well concerned about getting lost, actually wishing to know where I was while soemone was driving me somewhere where I was soon to be lost, the point is knowing where I was and how to get out of there quick as the case may be.

Anyway after a bit of research and heaps of emails to mapping agencies and finding that digital maps are available but unreliable for accuracy. much of this has been due to security issuess preventing maps from being detailed. So I had pretty well given up on finding myself in India on a street map anyway and figured that it will be a long time coming before one could really pin point where you are.

Not so, "Starting January 2005, the Survey of India would make available Global Positioning System (GPS) compatible data for 6 cities namely Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore. (Chandigarh was mentioned in another report) This would kick-off a wide range of applications for various users and particularly the automobile industry, which can then offer vehicle navigation systems based on GPS to its customers. As is prevalent in some developed countries, the car navigation system helps the drivers find out the best possible rout for any destination."

Ok. Pack your PDA's, at least getting from the airport to your hotel will be under control, from there you can turn it off and enjoy yourself.

Will the GPS provide a map of just coordinates (latidtude and longitude? ) I suspect it will be just coordinates, as I think detailed street maps of roads (ala Thomas Guides) of Indian cities just don't exist anywhere. Plus, in some cities the "one way" streets keep flipping directions of allowed traffic flow -- in some cases depending on the day of the week! I wonder how the mapping system will handle that? and ofcourse, road closures and diversions due to construction etc, might make the mapping system pretty ineffective..

My concern is not with the technology, but with the public utility system that typically does not give a damn for anybody's convenience, nor do they bother to keep anyone informed..

just my 2c (or 2p depending where you live)...

It certainly will be interesting to watch it unfold on the little screen, any way I won't get my hopes up but with the technology available in India now it could be surprising to see the results. What happens on the ground is a different story but atleast when a blockage appears one can find a relatively easy way round it. No different to any city really I suppose.

if they developed something that worked, I would sign up in a heart beat.. but then would it show those narrow motorcycle trails in Goa?

Check out the Eicher City Guides: very detailed! (I only know the chennai one, but I guess the others would be much the same.)

Also someone somewhere herein has pointed out some fairly detailed online stuff eg Multimap, so not only the mapmakers but the digitizers* must have been busy.

*Digitizer: A fizzy drink. Most fizzy drinks have only 0-shaped bubbles. This one has 1-shaped bubbles as well. The more obsessed can spend hours decoding the messages in their glass

I have been talking with a few map makers from the Mumbai area who are getting into digitising but I suspect a little pricey.

A reply from a company called Spinsoft
Hi,
we have detailed city maps of seven Indian cities. Bangalore,
Chennai(Madras), Kochi, Hyderabad, Mumbai ( BOmaby), Ahemedabad and
Pune. These maps have been tested with GPS and our errors are in the
range of 25 to 100 metres. We have been correcting these maps with
GPS inputs for some vehicle tracking applications. Do let us know if
you would be interested. We can courier to you a product " Mapcue" of
Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Kochi ( mumbai and Ahmedabad
under development) so taht you can check out the details. please
visit our website www.spinfosoft.com for details
Regards
raj

Not so pricey!
Mapcue Chennai

Our Price: Rs. 445.50
List Price: Rs. 495.00
You Save: 10 %
Shipping Charges : Rs. 25.00

...see http://www.fabmall.com/stores/Misc/f...Id=cdrom+store

How about this?
http://www.gisdevelopment.net/news/v...S:N_jvwhnofuda

But apart from lots of references to the product announcement I can't find any details eg area coverage, detail, cost etc. Anyone more successful?

'Cos I'd just love one

Well apart from the obvious google search http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap276c/ which shows the unit and price, I have not found much else. I have written off to Garmin to see what's up and also a mapping contact in Mumbai so should I hear anything I shall post it.

The Mapcue looks interesting, though it could be like the Maps of India stuff which is pretty basic.

'Tis getting interesting and maybe time for a new toy.

So this is what I have from the Delhi Garmin dealer. Maybe there is something useful already available and one only has to know where to look.
www.garmin.com/dealers/
"The 276C is a product that is launched across the world. However, we
have customized its usage by offering the Maps that are loaded on the
data cartridge which offer the map of cities in India.
Currently there is a substantial data base of the major highways and
cities, already pre loaded on the GPS.
The issue of the maps is yet to be resolved as officially maps are not
allowed to be used in a digitized form unless cleared by the Survey of
India.
In view of the above, we are offering to load user specific data and map
for their own personal use. We hope the issue should be resolved in the
near future.
When in India please do look us up and let us try to offer you solutions
most suitable to you in the current situation."

Mira4bai4; yes I got as far as the Garmin site showing the general description of the world-wide product.

Thanks for your further research: I read this as "we've got all the data, but we're not actually allowed to sell it". Which makes the 'product launch' look a bit premature.

Okay Nick-H things are unfolding a little more as I have just had another reply from the Delhi dealer.

"Any model that has MAP in the name should be useful. e.g. Map76, Map76s, 60C, etc. We can load the map on all these.
We have a duty component of 40% here and you may want to buy yours in your own country. We will only charge you for uploading the map."

So it seems that there are maps available and while they may not be to the level of what will be available soon given the approvals if you own a compatible unit then they can upload the maps onto your data card.

The MAP models are betweeen AUD $900 and $1,000 here in Aust, this link is most helpful http://www.ja-gps.com.au/index.htm These models have a compass, altimeter and coloured screen, so would be a great accessory for the hills orr the city.

Thanks, mira4bai4.

I've got a rather un-fancy Map 12 that occasionally gets me unlost in the car, but I know it's capacity for uploading maps is not that great.

So the advice is to buy the unit outside India and take it with. I wonder if there is a dealer in Chennai?

Taking what you have reported literally, it sounds that they upload the data to the unit, rather than supplying the data eg on a CD. Disadvantage of this is that if you change, loose, break etc the unit the data is gone with it. Garmin's own map data comes on a CD ...you can use it for route planning etc on the PC as well. Some units may have ability to 'back up' to a PC: I don't know (but I think Garmin's manuals are online, so I could investigate that.)

An expensive toy here (except to the proffessional driver), it would be an absolute boon in India: I look forward to developments and will be watching out for a bargain unit!

I believe that there are only 2 dealers in India Mumbai and Delhi, both called Aerial Services Pvt Ltd The email address for both is amlalljee@vsnl.net Okay one with 2 branches.

I thought that the maps were loaded on to a data card and then inserted into the unit much like a storage card for a PDA, from there the maps are accessed by the unit. The CD's run on mswindows platform for loading and I suppose that using the connecting cable the data goes directly to the card.

Try eBay or similar to purchase an updated unit. I shall get one was I sell the house, my wife has said I could!!!!!!!

Yes, the CDs run under Windows, and have software for route planning, defining waypoints etc. My Map12 has maps built in, but it possible to upload greater detail from the CD maps. Actually the Map12 doesn't have enough memory to make this particularly useful. I had a quick look at the manual for the 276C, and realised that it used data cards. That unit is nearly £500 in uk