OkMap, best for creating and editing GPS maps. GRATUITOUS

OkMap is perhaps one of the most robust programs for building, editing and managing GPS maps. And its most important attribute: It is Free.

All of us have ever seen the need to configure a map, georeference an image, upload a shape file or kml to a Garmin GPS. Tasks like these are one of the simplest using OkMaps. Let's see some of its attributions:

• It supports vector data of the most used formats, including digital terrain model (DEM) with elevation data.
• You can create layers type waypoints, routes and tracks from the desktop and then upload it to the GPS.
• Supports geocode.
• The data captured by the GPS can be downloaded to the computer to display and analyze them in various forms of reports and statistics.
• By connecting the laptop to the GPS you can know the position on the maps by navigating from the screen and if you have a connection to a network you can send data remotely in real time.
• It connects to Google Earth and Google maps, including with route data in 3D.
• In addition to the kml format with transparency over jpg images in hybrid form, it has the ability to automatically generate kmz formats compatible with Garmin background maps and the OruxMaps format. This includes the mosaic of georeferenced images and including the ECW format, those that go as vector files and the images tessellated in the kmz compressed.

Formats supported by OkMap

• Raster format: tif, jpg, png, gif, bmp, wmf, emf.
• The digital terrain model supports the .hgt extension, which is the DEM developed by NASA and the NGA. The formats that OkMap uses are SRTM-3 which has a 3 second pixel, approximately 90 meters and the 1 second SRTM-1 which is approximately 30 meters.
  With the DEM, OkMap obtains the altitude above sea level for the points captured, assigning each point of a GPX file a relative altitude; With which an altitude chart can then be constructed on a traveled route.
  DEM data can be downloaded from http://dds.cr.usgs.gov/srtm/version2_1
• Regarding vector data, OkMap can load GPX files, which are very commonly used as it is an exchange standard. It supports, both to open and save:
• CompeGPS
  EasyGPS waypoints
  Fugawi waypoints
  Garmin MapSource gdb
  Garmin MapSource mps
  Garmin POI database
  Garmin POI gpi
  Geocaching waypoints
  Google Earth Kml
  Google Earth Kmz
  GPS TrackMaker
  Open StreetMap
  OziExplorer waypoints
  OziExplorer routes
  OziExplorer tracks
• Supported devices, all of which include file conversion using GPS Babel.

Additional features to operate GPS maps

The program seems basic, but in reality it is a monster with everything it does; Here are some other features to try out:

• Calculation of distances
• Calculation of areas
• Vector and raster display on Google Earth
• Open current position on Google Maps
• Generate a map service with .okm format
• Image Mosaic and Grid Generation
• Orient the map to the north
• Trim raster map bit
• Use transformations of GPS Babel
• Create toponymy layers, in GPX, shape file, POI csv (Garmin) and OzyExplorer
• Massive coordinate conversion
• Distance and azimuth calculation
• Conversion between different vector formats
• Send data to GPS
• Navigation along a route, with the inclusion of audio notices
• NMEA navigation simulation
• Includes several languages, including Spanish.

In general, an interesting solution for managing GPS maps. Although its usefulness continues to be for navigation purposes, in aspects such as marine, fishing, rescue services, geocoding and others whose emphasis on precision is not what is important but functionality for geolocation.

It is not free software, it is copyrighted, but it is free. It only works on Windows, and requires Framework 3.5 SP1

Download OkMap

The following video shows how to generate a Garmin Custom Map using this software.