adkgps

I think there is a better way to put 7.5 minute USGS maps and many other types of marine/european topo maps on your Garmin receiver that can display custom maps. I use a program called Topofusion Pro that georeferences, tiles and loads many USGS quads to your GPS at one time. I can store a number of maps sets in the Garmin Custom map folder. In the field, my Garmin Oregon 450 displays my location on the USGS quads, zooms in and out and is spot on accurate.

I have two questions, has anyone tried using the new 62s with USGS 7.5 minute maps uploaded using the Garmin Custom Maps feature? I understand that the display of the 62s has a lower resolution than the 400/450 series, is the 62s resolution good enough to use 1/24,000 USGS custom maps? 2nd question - does anyone know whether Garmin is planning to use the new Sirfstar 4 chip in a new handheld to replace the 450? I have used the 76/60 CSx series with the superb SirfStar III chip and a quad helix antenna and I have always enjoyed excellent acquisition times and accuracy.

With a clue from New Jersey TJ, I solved the problem, I tried downloading the waypoints using ExpertGPS and it gave me an error message that I needed to use the option of going to Mass Storage. I did that and the waypoints downloaded from the Oregon 400 into ExpertGPS and displayed normally.

I have a Garmin Oregon, I am using the lastest Garmin topographic maps for the NE and my own custom USGS maps. My problem is that I can set way points in the field,save and edit them, but I can not uphold them into either Mapsource, Topofusion or ExpertGPS to display on maps at home. The waypoints show as created on the Garmin`s waypoint list. Anyone have a solution or workaround?

Yes, Rich I tried toggling the Topofusion Pro download icon. As soon as the TF program tried to access the map server and the failure occurred, the download toggle would be disabled.

I installed Topofusion 4.0 and now I am having problems downloading maps and aerial photographs. I love this program for putting tiled USGS maps on my Garmin Oregon 400. Has anyone else had this problem and does anyone have a solution?

To reply to ecanderson's question, I use my 76CSx and Oregon 400 for bushwhacking off trail in the Adirondack Park. I find that the raster aerial imagery and raster USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle maps are superior for route finding than the vector type 7.5 minute maps available from either Garmin or GPSfiledepot. Topofusion Pro offers me a rich selection of different types of aerial imagery and topographic maps. I use actual USGS 7.5 minute maps for map and compass navigation so being able to see where I am on a 7.5 quadrange on the Oregon is a real plus. I always use map and compass generated courses and bearings as a back-up. I started to use Topofusion after reading Rich Owings excellent book GPS Mapping, Make Your Own Maps. Boy, do I wish I could buy a 2010 version of that book!

I have been able to use Topofusion Pro 3.95 to load multiple USGS 7.5 minute quads to my Oregon 400. No special steps are necessary to georeference the uploaded maps. I was able to check the accuracy of both the Oregon 400 and the newly uploaded quads against known reference points and the accuracy was excellent. The higher pixel resolution of the Oregon 400 ( compared to my 76CSx) makes zooming in quite practical. I was able to view the Oregon display just fine in the bright light of sunshine on reflected snow after a backlight adjustment.

OK, I think that I have figured out tiled export in Topofusion Pro. I can refine my question by asking how tiling is done in Google Earth, if it can be done.

Thanks to the previous posts, I have used TopoFusion Pro to send both georeferenced single USGS topographic maps and photographic imagery to my Oregon 400. I have not figured out how to tile to add a larger area of the USGS maps or photographic imagery to the GPS unit. Can anyone explain how you actually do the tiling?

Thank you all for this information and the very useful links.

Can anyone explain the steps to convert Google Earth images or Topofusion photo images to Garmin Custom Maps for use with my Garmin Oregon 400?

I was able to create a 7.5 minute USGS map and upload the map to my GPSMap 76CSx using Moagu. The tutorial is easy to follow. It takes several minutes for the 76CSx to display the USGS map but once the image is rendered, hiking progress is accurately displayed.

I am both a hiker and a paddler. I am very happy with the GPSMap 76CSx. I would add one other difference between the 60CSx and the 76CSx. There have been reports on this forum about difficulties using lithium ion E2 type batteries in the 60CSx. I bushwhack a lot in the winter in the Adirondacks and lithium batteries are essential. I have never had a problem using Lithium E2 type batteries in the 76CSx. One other difference is that the display is slightly recessed in the 76CSx compared to the 60Csx and therefore a little more protected against scratching. Some people claim that the quad helix antenna used in both 60CSx and the 76CSx is more efficient in the horizontal plane (76Csx) then vertical (60CSx). While this maybe true, the signal acquisition efficiency of the SIRFstar III receiver chip used in both units is so good, any differences in the antennae is likely to be inconsequential.

I own a GPSMap 76CSx and for winter hiking. I use Energizer E2 lithium batteries without the turnoff problem and without running same in a flashlight first. I think there is a difference between the 60CSx and the 76CSx with regard to the use of lithium batteries. adkgps