Free GPS routes

Links to GPS related websites

GPS Software Links in this section are intended to be to the software writer/manufacturer website rather than retailers. My advice is to download Babel and GPSU, see if they do everything you need and if not get EasyGPS and/or maybe G7toWin (esp. if you are a Garmin user). I've not tried the fully paid version of GPSU nor EasyGPS (ExpertGPS)

http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/
GPS Babel is an Open Source project which aims to provide conversions between a large number of GPS file formats. Very simple interface: give it filename and filetype for input and output files and it does the conversion. Doesn't try to talk to a GPS.

http://www.gpsinformation.org/ronh/
G7toWin/CE - free utility to download from various GPS receivers into Windows (or Win CE) and convert file formats. Focus is on Garmin but tries to work with Magellan & Lowrance (when I tried it appeared to be struggling with the Magellan data).

http://www.gpsu.co.uk/
GPS Utility - more of the same, a utility to download from various GPS receivers and convert a good range of file formats. This is shareware, a free trial limited capability version or pay up for the works (US$40). Unfortunately I got errors with several of the filetypes I tried to load. However it has some strengths. It can show exactly what data is coming from the GPS in real-time and it does at least convert files in its own GPSU format to GPX successfully.

http://www.easygps.com/
Easy GPS - more of the same - but having had a look around this is the one I ended up using as it handles my primary specific requirement - converting SporTrack downloads to GPX format. It's free and sufficient for my needs at present but it has a big brother ExpertGPS which offer more - but it reads as if the "more" is more use in the US market, i.e. access to US map data (costs US$60). One gripe is that I have to change a config setting on the SporTrack whenever I want to use it with EasyGPS.

http://www.craporola.com/
GPS utilities for "Pocket PC" systems

GPS Hardware Links in this section are intended to be to the hardware manufacturer's website rather than retailers.

http://www.garmin.com/
One of the larger GPS hardware manufacturers.

http://www.magellangps.com/en/
Another of the larger GPS hardware manufacturers.

GPS digital mapping Links in this section are intended to be to the author/manufacturer (rather than retailers) of UK digital mapping which can be used with GPS. The mapping data can also normally be used on e.g. a PC without the need for a GPS. Note that different suppliers may all use the same core data, from the Ordnance Survey but they have different software, features, map coverage/bundles and prices.

http://www.fugawi.com/docs/maptopoframe.html
GB Ordnance survey maps. Not tried this but it looks as if this provides routes in a format accessible by other software such as GPSU.

http://www.memory-map.co.uk/
GB OS maps including 1:25000 detail maps of main outdoor activity regions. Includes aerial photography and 3-D representations of the map/photo. None of the GPS utility software programs appear able to read the .MMO format route files this creates.

http://www.anquet.co.uk/
As far as I can see compared with Memory Map at 1:25000 Anquet is cheaper but lacks the aerial photography.

http://www.tracklogs.co.uk/
I only found this because GPSU documentation said it could read "Tracklogs Digital Mapping (*.trl) files (UK maps)". Reading the blurb it seems to only communicate with Garmin GPS. They do offer customised 1:50000 and 1:25000 maps of anywhere in UK.

US and other non-UK based websites

http://www.delorme.com/
Retailer. Mostly maps but also sell a no-screen USB & bluetooth "connected" GPS for use with PDA/Laptop.

http://gpsinformation.net/
A large collection of information and links relating to all aspects of GPS equipment and usage.

http://www.the-thorns.org.uk/dwg/info.html
Calibration files for Discovery Walking Guides mapping of Canary Isles.

Technical stuff! These sites are probably only for the serious geeks...

http://www.ifrance.com/rlevass47/index.htm
Illustrated guide to making a DIY serial connector for Magellan 315 (and other Magellan models).
a copy of the same page here: http://www.geocities.com/gormikk/conexione.htm

http://www.kolumbus.fi/ari.torpstrom/mag315.htm
Another DIY serial connector for Magellan - in Finnish! but well illustrated.

http://home.online.no/~sigurdhu/Deg_formats.htm
Converting between latitude /longitude formats

http://www.gps.gov.uk/guidecontents.asp
Conversion to & from GB Ordnance Survey grid coordinates. More related links at the same site:
http://www.gps.gov.uk/natgrid/introduction.asp
http://www.gps.gov.uk/additionalInfo/gpsSpreadsheet.asp

http://www.anotherurl.com/mapping/default.htm
In-depth analysis of some mapping accuracy problems which explains some of the complexities and has links to tools to help with some of the coordinate scheme conversion calculations.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/eino.uikkanen/geoconvgb/geobriefgb.htm
A heavy-duty number crunching program for converting between different coordinate systems and more....

UK GPS retailers Well I might as well leave this job to the Google sponsored ads, but ...

http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod451.html
What do you do if your GPS doesn't store enough data? This is one solution, a separate datalogger.

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/reradiating.php
What do you do if your GPS doesn't get a strong enough signal inside your car? Get an external re-radiating antenna. (If your GPS has a suitable connector you could use a passive external antenna instead).