Electronic map of Greece?

[CrazyCam]

Hi there.

My wife and I are planning a visit to Greece in 08, and I'd really like
to find a decent electronic map of Greece.

(Yes, I have driven in Greece previously, and don't like the local
custom of pasting adverts over the street signs.)

I actually bought Micro$oft Autoroute 2007, and it's bloody hopeless for
Greece. It seems quite good for Athens, but <shrug> we don't want to do
Athens anyway.

Are there any good maps out there?

If need be, I'd buy a GPS (car-type) but only if it has good mapping.

Alternatively, if I can find a raster map showing most of the roads, I
could use OziExplorer, and navigate that way.

regards,
CrazyCam

[Mike Lane]

The best maps are unquestionably produced by Anavasi

That's my opinion too. That are really very good maps.

use a local map datum and grid system.

Since a longer period of time there is shown an alternative grid than
the Greek grid. Small inconspicuous crosses mark the WGS84 grid. The
relevant values are shown on the outskirts. So it's easy to calibrate
the map.

Yes I know that but they are quite inconspicuous as you say, and also rather
widely spaced so I find it quite difficult to interpolate between them. It's
much easier I find, to set up a user grid on your Garmin and use the Greek
grid instead. Some (but not all) the Anavasi sheets give instructions on how
to do this. Once you have done this the scale factors are stored on the unit
and it's easy to switch between the Greek grid and WGS84 or (in my case) the
British OS grid when you travel between different countries.

[CrazyCam]

I think what Ohm was getting at was that if I bought the CD version of
their maps, I could calibrate them fairly easily to use with the likes
of OziExplorer.

OTOH, I can see your method of using the paper map with the GPS set to
the Greek grid, also makes sense.

Thank you both for your input.

It looks like the simplest method for me will be working off the paper
maps, and maybe take my wee E-Trex in my pocket.

The laptop can stay in Sydney, and, unless I see a really good car-nav
system in Greece, I'll manage without.

regards,
CrazyCam

[Mike Lane]

I lived in greece for 5 years and found that the only reliable way to
get around was to use a paper map. I know that things change over time
but personally I would still use a paper map at the moment.
I now live back in the UK and am a taxi driver and use GPS sometimes but
I find it unreliable at times so still use maps, I like to know where
I am being sent by the gps and sometimes find it to be wrong. I still
depend on my maps and knowledge!

It's not a question of using either one or the other. I normally carry both
paper maps and a GPS when traveling anywhere, since each has its strengths
and weaknesses.

I agree that a paper map has great advantages; it has an enormous amount of
detail and is easier to use to plan routes. However it's still quite possible
to get lost using one since one often has no way of finding one's exact
position on the map. That's where the GPS comes in. Used together they are
unbeatable.

When driving long distances abroad I like to plan my route in advance using a
paper map and then transfer that route onto my GPS system. I can then relax
on the journey, allowing my GPS to guide me along my preferred route.