OnXMaps Map Updates

[MinnesotaHunter]

I would like to get a sense from some of you as to how much/often OnXmaps updates their data. It sounds like they update it yearly, I am mostly curious how big of changes you see from year to year.

The reason I ask is that I am about to purchase the download or chip for MT, and in the past I have downloaded and then uploaded it from Basecamp, but I am now going to be using it for multiple states and I am wondering if it will just be easier to switch out chips, rather than upload different maps all the time.

Thoughts?

 

[roadhunter]

I switch the chips out. I have not sent mine in for updates in a couple of years. might need to go ahead and do that this season but I have not run into any problems as it seems most public land where I hunt has not changed.

I expect some changes moving forward as more and more sates provide the same data on public lands and some are even putting walk in areas on their downloads that these chips will become obsolete pretty quick and you will be able to get the same info on your smart phone or tablet for much less than paying $100 for each state and in most cases free.

Kansas for example offers all that information as a free download including WIHA which is a huge upgrade over the x maps. There is absolutely no need to pay x maps for information that is available for free. I think more states will start doing this.
http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/KDWPT...unty/Fall-Hunting-Atlas/GPS-Information-Files

Nebraska has similar. The app also has other features as well.
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/mobile_apps/pocket-ranger.asp
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/mobile_apps/Google_Earth_Files.asp

South Dakota
http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/gps/default.asp

I'm sure there are plenty more.

 

[WapitiBob]

I would like to get a sense from some of you as to how much/often OnXmaps updates their data. It sounds like they update it yearly, I am mostly curious how big of changes you see from year to year.

The reason I ask is that I am about to purchase the download or chip for MT, and in the past I have downloaded and then uploaded it from Basecamp, but I am now going to be using it for multiple states and I am wondering if it will just be easier to switch out chips, rather than upload different maps all the time.

Thoughts?

Depends on you. It isn't very hard to swap the card out. The downside to multiple states in the garmin folder is that the gps and basecamp both will read in all the maps. On the upside, if you use individual cards, and use a usb adapter for the pc, the waypoints and tracks created and transferred in basecamp will stay with that card.
You can create a storage folder on the card and just move the state you want to use to the garmin folder on the card but that requires removing the card so it's certainly not a time or convenience saver.

One thing I always suggest, when you plug the gps into the pc, you back up that folder tree on the garmin. It only takes a second to save'm or lose'm and all your "stuff" is in there.

 

[onX Hunt]

Great responses from everyone. I just wanted to chime in and let you know a few things.

We do update our maps every year. If we have multiple updates in one year they are still included under the original update purchased.

Differences with the SD to the download is convenience. The SD as you all have mentioned can be changed out very easily. The download is for a little more of an experienced user, you can customize your map to have what areas of the maps you plan on hunting. For instance if you are hunting the southeast side of Idaho and the southwest side of Montana you can just put those surrounding areas instead of the whole map. Then if you go somewhere else you can always change it around.

The information that we have on our products are NOT the same as the free downloads you can get from the state, ours are highly refined. Also, the advantage we will still provide is the combination of multiple layers WIHA, public lands, roads, etc. Just downloading the WIHA isn't the same as having all the data we provide, combined into an easy to use map!

ALWAYS make sure to save your waypoints to Basecamp. If there was something to happen to your GPS or it was lost at least you know your honey holes will be saved!!

Thanks guys and let me know if there are anymore questions.

-Nick

 

[dustinf]

The small chips aren't marked with which state they are. I almost took Alaska to Montana last week.

 

[WapitiBob]

A 1/4" hole punch and an Avery label will fix that.

How do you turn off the different layers on the sd card?

 

[roadhunter]

Great responses from everyone. I just wanted to chime in and let you know a few things.

We do update our maps every year. If we have multiple updates in one year they are still included under the original update purchased.

Differences with the SD to the download is convenience. The SD as you all have mentioned can be changed out very easily. The download is for a little more of an experienced user, you can customize your map to have what areas of the maps you plan on hunting. For instance if you are hunting the southeast side of Idaho and the southwest side of Montana you can just put those surrounding areas instead of the whole map. Then if you go somewhere else you can always change it around.

The information that we have on our products are NOT the same as the free downloads you can get from the state, ours are highly refined. Also, the advantage we will still provide is the combination of multiple layers WIHA, public lands, roads, etc. Just downloading the WIHA isn't the same as having all the data we provide, combined into an easy to use map!

ALWAYS make sure to save your waypoints to Basecamp. If there was something to happen to your GPS or it was lost at least you know your honey holes will be saved!!

Thanks guys and let me know if there are anymore questions.

-Nick

So you are saying that your chips do have the walk in areas for each state marked? for some reason the chips I bought from you don't.


As far as the difference in what your maps offer compared to say South Dakota for example. Here is what they offer. Does your map have school land, wiha, and game production areas marked?


1."What information will I see on my GFP mapping program once I have it loaded onto my unit?"

ANSWER: streams, lakes, roads, all public hunting areas (Bureau of Land Management, School and Public Lands, Walk-In Areas, Game Production Areas, Forest Service, etc.), cities and county lines. Our maps for Garmin units will overlay on top of any maps your unit has preloaded.