I am using Maemo mapper and have downloaded the available VE and Google street maps. When I start the nav. it follows me like any other mapping software, but after a few minutes the maps are gone, and I only appear to drive through black space on the screen. Does anyone know why this happens? How can i fix this?

I would guess that you only downloaded the repository settings and the maps for your location while you were still online.

Unless you are tethering to your cell phone for a mobile data connection you need to download the map tiles in advance.

Look in the menu under Maps... Manage Maps...
There you can specify an area to download, but you need to have the Lat/Long coordinates of the Top-Left and Bottom-Right points for the rectangle shaped area for which you wish to download map images.

Personally I took some saved tracks and loaded them as a route and let it download the tiles by route instead of by area.

-r2

Yep, you have to d/l 1st.

If I'm going to an area I try to get overviews of the route. Then more detailed zooms of destinations or stops.

Thanks...that did the trick. I just need to track the trip before I leave and the appropriate maps d/l. Thanks again.