Postcodes on Garmin Etrex

[Speshact]

Is it possible to have postcodes on an etrex so you can enter a postcode on it as a destination to navigate to?

[phydaux]

On my E30 it seems to depend on what maps you have loaded.  When I just had an assortment of Open Street Map based maps, I could not use a postcode as a destination.  However, once I bought the City Navigator map from Garmin, then I could use postcodes.  I suspect it is because the postcode database is copyright the post office, and they charge for it, so the OSM can't legally use it.

[Kim]

Yeah, works with City Navigator maps on an E30.

The UI is a bit slow and clunky (it tends to twiddle its thumbs a lot while searching the database to present you with a list of addresses), but it works.

[Greenbank]

I suspect it is because the postcode database is copyright the post office, and they charge for it, so the OSM can't legally use it.

There was work to produce a free version compiled via crowdsourcing:-

http://www.freethepostcode.org/

but then the Post Office released theirs under an open license, it's linked from:-

http://www.freepostcodes.org.uk/