HEMA HN7 GPS Map 150 K Upgrade – Restoring the Useful AUS 250K map

[mike48]

HEMA HN7 GPS Map 150 K Upgrade – Restoring the Useful AUS 250K map.

Just a reminder that it is easy to restore the AUS 250 K topo map after the AUS 150 K map upgrade.

The upgrade process removes the 250 K map and installs the 150K map.

But after six months of HN7 use, I find the 250 K map is somewhat easier to read when travelling and touring, as distinct from destination navigation.
For me, the 150 K has some extra detail yes, but the background colours make the map content visually harder to read at a glance on the road.

When you carry out the HEMA 4WD Maps online update, the updater makes a backup of your old system and maps.
Find the backup folder on your PC.
You just copy the three required files for the 250K map back into the “Hema AUS Seamless Maps” folder on your HN7 SD card.
The files are called “Australia Topo 250k 1102”.
There is a MAP file, a Legend file, and an OZF4 file.
Then you will have both 150K and 250K maps.

I have also added the QLD Sunmap 25K topo maps to my HN7, after map conversion from ECW to OZF type.
Make up a separate folder under the “Maps” folder on the SD card and copy your extra map files into it.

If you do the 250K restore to your HN7, you probably should make it also available to the PC based Hema Navigator program, by restoring the 250K map files to the
HN7 Oziexplorer Navigator map folder, or by re-installing the program from your updated SD card.

The HN7 is a truly great GPS unit for offroad use and worth every cent.

No associations with Hema or resellers etc, mike

[rsser]

I'm a fan of the State 50 K topos. That's an added sub with Hema that puts me off that solution but you can get the State packs as part of other mapping programs or individual PDF-referenced maps for an app like Avenza.

It's a matter of horses for courses. Smaller scale maps don't meet my needs for high country navigation but like you mike48 I find them OK for main-road touring.

[Big Shed]

I find the Rooftop series of maps very useful for the High Country.

[rsser]

Yes, they're excellent. Pity they're not digital.

[mike48]

G'day Ern,

Yes, whilst the Hema 150K and 250K maps are great for touring, and the 25K maps (I have only seen the QLD 25K maps) are sometimes too detailed to show the general area, but fine to show the next farmer's gate, I do find myself switching maps back and forth.

The coverage of 25K maps in QLD is mainly coastal, and are dated, and the map files would exceed the capacity of the HN7 SD card if indeed full coverage was available.


The VIC 50K maps which I have obtained via the FAQs on the Hema website, are useful, but are not the best for driving as they don't show "bigger picture stuff" as well as the detailed info, and map details are not contrasted enough for quick viewing glances whilst driving.
It might be just me.

Maybe I will have to look for better VIC maps useable on the HN7, but it is a low priority at the moment.

mike

[rsser]

Yes, small GPSr screens aren't that hot when you need an overview. I prefer vector maps which at least vary the amount of detail according to the level of zoom - so that commits me to Garmins. I rely mainly on Oztopo on those platforms, and the mapping chip can be swapped between the 3 Garmins I use for differing purposes. The effective largest scale there is 25 K.

It's hard to beat good paper maps for planning a tour and of course for much of the country Hema maps are the best or the only option.

I sometimes run Hema Explorer on an 8" tablet just for interest and because the app was on sale a while ago for $20. And I have to say the Hema 150s for the Vic high country are unreliable. There are errors of several years standing (that oddly don't appear on their 4WD digital maps) and there are several users who have posted on Exploroz that their notifications of errors haven't led to changes.

I have had a Hema Navigator and the poor screen performance in sunny conditions turned me off that expensive system. Maybe the latest units are better.