The TET is designed to be navigated by a GPS enabled device – either a purpose built GPS receiver such as a Garmin or a GPS enabled device such as an Android, Windows or iOS device.
There are as many opinions on what device to use as there are Adventure Riders out there so the TET is not going to point you in any one direction.
Whatever device you do use, get to know it and love it but don’t depend on it 100%. It’s a gadget and gadgets break. We suggest you carry a back up and/or good ol’ paper maps and compass. If you’re sitting by or (worst case) lying under your bike in the middle of a Finnish forest or Greek mountainscape, having an idea of where you are and how to get back to civilization and your next beer is pretty critical – not to mention giving that search team an idea of where you are.MAPS
If you have the GPX track, you don’t actually need a map but we wouldn’t advise this. All a GPX is is a georeferenced wiggly line and tells you nothing about where you are in relation to the rest of the world. A map is a must.
Many of the Linesmen have supplied links to sources of suitable paper or electronic maps. The choice is wide and you will be best placed to decide the format and scale you need. For those using Garmin units, there is a link at the bottom of this page to a free downloadable routable map covering the whole route which we have sourced from that awesome community powered resource Open Street Maps (OSM). The OSM map is a corridor of mapping extending tens of kilometres, sometimes more, on either side of the TET. If you want/have to detour around a section of the TET or just want to find the nearest campsite, fuel, shop or hotel, then this map will allow you to find a POI and take you there (although it can’t guarantee the cleanliness of the sheets or whether the fuel station is open!) The map is for direct loading to the Garmin GPS unit. The file will not open in Basecamp. The only way to see the map on Basecamp is to first load it to the GPS unit then attach the GPS unit to the PC/Mac running Basecamp. To download and use this map, these are the instructions:For Garmin Units with Removable Memory Cards
You'll need access to a Mac or PC
Best to have access to Wifi otherwise you'll be here all night and it will butcher your mobile data allowance
Try and use a large microSD so as to deal with the map ( almost 3GB) and any tracks, ways points etc you want to log/access/use
1: Download to your computer the file “TETv1.0map.img” 2: Place microSD from Garmin gps unit in computer card reader (plugging and setting the GPS device to Mass Storage is possible but data transfer is immensely slow) 3: Open microSD on computer 4: Find the folder labelled Garmin and open it 5: Rename the file labelled gmapsupp.img as Originalmap.img 6: Cut and paste TETv1.0map.img into the Garmin folder on microSD 7: Rename TETv1.0map.img as gmapsupp.img 8: Eject microSD from computer 9: Place microSD back in GPS unit 10: Turn on GPS 11: TET mapping should now be visible on screen. If not turn it on in Settings-> Maps->Select Map If you want to use a fresh microSD, place this in computer card reader, open it, format it, create a folder entitled “Garmin” and then follow 6-11 above No liability at all is taken for glitches/disasters that the GPS unit may experience or for the accuracy of the map.
1: Download to your computer the file “TETv1.0map.img” 2: Place microSD from Garmin gps unit in computer card reader (plugging and setting the GPS device to Mass Storage is possible but data transfer is immensely slow) 3: Open microSD on computer 4: Find the folder labelled Garmin and open it 5: Rename the file labelled gmapsupp.img as Originalmap.img 6: Cut and paste TETv1.0map.img into the Garmin folder on microSD 7: Rename TETv1.0map.img as gmapsupp.img 8: Eject microSD from computer 9: Place microSD back in GPS unit 10: Turn on GPS 11: TET mapping should now be visible on screen. If not turn it on in Settings-> Maps->Select Map If you want to use a fresh microSD, place this in computer card reader, open it, format it, create a folder entitled “Garmin” and then follow 6-11 above No liability at all is taken for glitches/disasters that the GPS unit may experience or for the accuracy of the map.
TRACKS
The TET is provided in the form of GPX tracks. These are snipped into sections of 10,000 track points or less (suiting those of us who use Garmins (or at least the more modern ones!)) but downloadable as single country packs from the relevant country web page.
Getting the tracks onto your device is up to you. If you’re not au fait with the process then Mr Google is your friend as, we’re sure, will be the TET Forums.
Once out on the TET, don’t treat the GPX as gospel.
If it looks like the TET GPX goes through someone’s garden but there’s a road round the edge, use the road! As you’ll know GPXs don’t detail every tiny twist and turn, use your common sense - follow the trail you see on the ground in front of your wheels. If there’s a sign or barrier in front of you banning entry then don’t insist on the GPX being right but respect the sign/gate. Log it to send to us later - after you’ve found an alternative route.