I recently purchased a Garmin GPS Map76 at the recommendations/reviews on this Discussion group.
I will be using this for mostly kayaking/hiking, in addition to a chart/map, but still want to be able to use it on the road.
The preloaded software has nearly all of the Marine NavAids, which is good, but the shorleine details and the land detail are less than desirable for kayaking. Road details are only major roads/highways and exits.
Garmin makes a US Topo software package that has only some of the Marine NavAids, but much better shoreline and road detail. Bluechart has great marine detail, but no road detail. Metroguide has very good road detail, but no MArine NavAids.
The problem is that I can’t use the preloaded Marine Navaid database with any additonal software according to Garmin. Loading a map from US Topo or Metroguide wipes out the preexisting database.
I am leaning towards the US Topo software and then uploading additional marine aids as waypoints.
What does everyone else recommend?
Thanks.
I just use it as it stands
and transcribe waypoints from a chart. Charting is the best and the batteris don’t wera out. I have the gps as backup for for marshes etc.
us topo
I use it and really like the detail....Some lakes have depth info and there is some ocean detail in areas like San Fran, and other places.
The area around Port Aransas for example shows shipwrecks and other obstacles, and ship lanes, buoys, etc.
I have the Legend C and can put topo maps for all counties from Austin to Ok city in the memory.
Some streetname detail is missing when looking at cities. only major streets have names. But it also shows dirt trails/roads in areas.
My paddling is on lakes and rivers, so it works well for me.
Oh Yeah, as far as "loosing" the old map....what happens with the software is that you click on blocks about the size of a county and transfer those into your gps.It overwrites only the areas you choose. For example, if I go east to Ark., I will go from a "topo" look to the "basic" look in Greenville because I didn't load those smaller map blocks into my unit. If I was to travel to Fl. I would delete my home area and load a Fl. area but the rest of the continent would still look like the base map that comes with the gps.
For loading into the GPS
you’re stuck with the garmin software. If you later want to trace your route, or look at where you’ve been you’ve got lots of choices including Delorme, National Geographic Topo, etc. One of my favorite shareware apps is Quakemap
http://www.earthquakemap.com.
It will take the tracks and routes from your GPS and overlay them on satellite and aerial photos.
Just installed
the Delorme Topo 5.0 software, I don’t have a GPS yet, (been sitting on the software for 18 monthes before I got around to installing it.) There is a download to handheld tab, and pull downs for different GPS units, the Garmin setting is Garmin/Garmin, so I assume it is supposed to work on all the Garmin units. Other manufacturers have specific models in the pull down menu. If I had a GPS I could tell you about the ease of download, but overall, the software is great. There is a built in link to download maps/charts from their website, and there are all kinds of tracking options. Got it as a gift, so I don’t know what it goes for, but it’s worth checking out.
Delorme Topo is nice,
but you can’t load it’s maps into the GPS if thats what you’re looking to do. You can create waypoints in it and load those into the GPS, or take data from the GPS and save it into a map.
That’s a bummer!
Well, I guess that plan is right out then. Like I said, I had the software already and I was just starting to look into a GPS. I haven’t been able to locate any nautical charts on the Delorme website yet either, but if I can’t download them anyway, I guess that isn’t an issue. Back to the drawing board.
Thanks for the heads up.
Each GPS mfgr
uses proprietary mapping software in their units, so if you want to use the GPS as a stand alone unit then your stuck with the manufacturers software. Delorme Topo works great on a laptop interfaced to a GPS say if your traveling in your car,though their street maping software might be more appropriate for that.