The first half of our Version 7, 1:25,000 maps, (the Eastern 8XXX ‘half’) is now published and ready for download.
They’re significantly better in a number of ways than the last 25k series we published (V.5) and it’s definitely worth upgrading if you only have the old ones. They are now the same incarnation as the 1:50k maps, so if you already have those, you may or may not want the larger scale versions. We will also be generating a brand new 1:25k index file shortly which should make selecting the right single or few maps much easier.
The Western 7XXX ‘half’ are in production now and will be available soon. We started with the Eastern block because it’s what most people seem to be downloading. The total time it takes to generate them is actually faster when we do them in sections, as we have 3 separate computers running at once doing the map generation and conversion. And although the western section is many more mapsheets, it’s faster to run because it’s flatter – the topography uses lots of processing power – the Eastern maps are more information-dense.
| West (7XXX) | East (8XXX) |
– Map numbers start with 7
– West of a line which goes through Cockatoo, Seville and the Eastern tip of French island (see map)
– 576 maps
– 55% of total data
| – Map numbers start with 8
– East of that same line, near Molesworth, Alexandra, Shepparton
– 289 maps
– 45% of total data
|
It takes about 2-3 minutes per MB to generate the initial map sheets, then more time to do the conversions so that we can make them available in multiple formats. A 25k production run like this takes about 72 hours (about 100 hours of computer time, with several computers running at once), and that doesn’t include any time spent updating or improving the actual maps, or how long it takes to upload them all.
Download Now
Download the Eastern maps now, or wait until the collection is complete; they’re in separate directories, so it’s easy enough to get half now then pick up the other half later. The folder you want is GetlostMaps_25k_[format]_V7.
Unlimited Downloads
We have had about 25,000 maps downloaded by about 500 people so far, all in less than a week. We are overjoyed that so many people are interested in the maps and think this project is worthwhile.
The server we’re using is doing a good job at facilitating the downloads so far, but we’re about a third way through our data allocation for the month.
The next server subscription tier only costs a bit more than the one we’re on now, and it would allow unlimited downloads. We’d like to upgrade to this plan in the future, but we don’t have the funds at the moment. We need another $50 to cover the server fees for the year of this unlimited plan.
If you have a few dollars to spare, please consider supporting the project. You’ll be instrumental in helping make sure everyone can access all the Getlost Maps they need, for free.
