Hi Mark

You can use openstreetmap maps in the Garmin format on most Garmin gps receivers.
I use osm maps on both my Nuvi in the car and have a eTrex 30 attached to my cycle
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvi05afy7gy0wdw/etrex.jpg?dl=0 
I bought the eTrex because I also use for bushwalking, but if buying a new one might now, I may opt for the slightly bigger Oregon 600.

There is infomation on ready made maps here https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download
All you need to do is get a ready made map in .img format and copy it to a directory called Garmin either on the internal memory of the gpsr or into a Garmin directory on a micro sd card to put into the gpsr and then enable only that map.

You can instead install the maps onto a pc with a different format if you wish and subsequently send the map to your gpsr. 
You can download and use “Garmin Basecamp” to view the maps on your pc or gpsr but be warned it is not a program that suits everyone.

You only need to use mkgmap if you want to produce your own special variety of garmin suitable map.

From the above link, I often use the ready made maps by Lambertus or BBBike but there are plenty of other choices too and all should work quite well.  Both of these sites have a well documented help section.

There is a sub heading on Garmin maps on the Openstreetmap forum for “Questions and development of Garmin maps based on OpenStreetMap data”.   
http://forum.openstreetmap.org/index.php 

DC Rainmaker has a web site which I found very useful to initially get the gist of how it is all done.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/05/download-garmin-705800810.html

A good site for any technical problems with you gps receiver is http://forums.gpsreview.net/discussions where expert users are able to assist.

Personally, when planning to follow a specific route somewhere, I create a gpx track and follow that.
A good site to make a gpx track is http://www.gpsies.com/createTrack.do (sign up for free to use)
An excellent site to upload to and visualise any gpx tracks is this one where you can see the gpx track you created or downloaded from somewhere else, on the openstreetmap or a choice of many other maps. 
http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map_input?bg_map=google_openstreetmap&form=google&width=1500 

That should keep you out of mischief for a while.
Nev

On 18 Feb 2016, at 11:51 AM, Mark Bradley <ethnicfoodisgreat@gmail.com> wrote:

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 11:26:55 +0530
From: Regunathan Umapathy <umapathyxp@gmail.com>
To: Development list for mkgmap <mkgmap-dev@lists.mkgmap.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [mkgmap-dev] Satnav for non-proprietary maps?
Message-ID:
<CANcpy80R_rvjyjy4YoDJ4NjcWRk+gy-
744iMa2fNLVMNBEVMTQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I do not own any android devices yet. I fond some of my colleagues are
using maps.me
application in Apple and andriod phones that make use of the
openstreetmap.

[...]

For me, Ubuntu Phone is interesting, but not enough to warrant a
purchase.
I hope that there will some day be devices that are based on a
system-on-chip that is supported by the mainline Linux kernel. With
both Android and Ubuntu, my understanding is that upgrading the kernel
is practically impossible, because some drivers are tied to a specific
kernel version.

       Marko

_______________________________________________
mkgmap-dev mailing list
mkgmap-dev@lists.mkgmap.org.uk
http://www.mkgmap.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/mkgmap-dev



Regards
Regunathan Umapathy (Uma)
Visit: http://www.panoramio.com/user/69195


When I posed my question to the list, I was thinking of a dedicated
GPS/satnav device, not an app on a smartphone or some other Android device.
I am a cycling enthusiast, and I don't want to use my smartphone while
riding, so I prefer a dedicated GPS device.  I suppose such a thing that
supports open mapping format does not exist (yet).

Mark Bradley


_______________________________________________
mkgmap-dev mailing list
mkgmap-dev@lists.mkgmap.org.uk
http://www.mkgmap.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/mkgmap-dev