GeoATVer

Welcome aboard BigJonny. I've logged over 700km of trail with the 60cx under my snowmoble jacket, haven't lost reception yet. The other day I had it wrapped up in a jacket in the storage box on my quad and logged about 80km of trail without losing reception. So far it has been great no problems at all.

I posted this to another thread where we were talking about making ATV trails, but it will also work for hiking trails aswell. The following info is how I create and add a basic trail map to Mapsource TopoCanada maps. Required software: (free on the net) - MapSource (came with your Garmin GPSr) - TopoFusion - GPSmapedit - cgpsmapper 1. MapSource - Download your GPSr tracks with MapSource - Clean up the tracks in MapSource - Click file > Save as a .gpx file 2. TopoFusion - Open the saved MapSource .gpx file with TopoFusion - Click analysis > make network > make network - Click the two little flags on the tool bar to toggle the waypoints (turn them off) - Click file > Save as a .gpx 3. GPSmapedit - Start GPSmapedit - Click file > open > select the map from the garmin folder that you want to modify. (In my case for TopoCanada it was C:\Garmin\CT2\00105050.img) - Click file > add > select the file you saved with TopoFusion - Click edit >select all tracks - Right Click on a track > convert file > polyline > select level (this is for the zoom level I select all three levels) >object type (I use walkway/trail) > ok - Click edit > select > all tracks (now press your delete key this will remove the tracks and leaves the vector object trails) - Click file > save as > polish format - Click file > export > Garmin IMG / cgpsmapper.exe (use the file name of the original map in my case it is 00105050)(you will have to point GPSmapedit to where you saved cgpsmapper.exe on your hard drive) 4. Go to the Garmin folder where the original map was located and rename it (in my case I renamed 00105050.img to 00105050org.img) 5. Now copy the file you created in GPSmapedit (export) to the Garmin folder where the original map was located. 6. Upload the modified map using MapSource as you would any other map. (MapSource and your GPSr will think it’s the original map as long as you used the original file name and put it in the original folder)

Well I finally got the chance to write up how I create trail networks that I add to the original TopoCanada maps. But first I would like to say that these steps are how I create a basic trail network map, so please remember that this is only meant for information purposes only and should not be taken as the correct or best method to do it. Well here goes… Required software: (free on the net) - MapSource (came with your Garmin GPSr) - TopoFusion - GPSmapedit - cgpsmapper 1. MapSource - Download your GPSr tracks with MapSource - Clean up the tracks in MapSource - Click file > Save as a .gpx file 2. TopoFusion - Open the saved MapSource .gpx file with TopoFusion - Click analysis > make network > make network - Click the two little flags on the tool bar to toggle the waypoints (turn them off) - Click file > Save as a .gpx 3. GPSmapedit - Start GPSmapedit - Click file > open > select the map from the garmin folder that you want to modify. (In my case for TopoCanada it was C:\Garmin\CT2\00105050.img) - Click file > add > select the file you saved with TopoFusion - Click edit >select all tracks - Right Click on a track > convert file > polyline > select level (this is for the zoom level I select all three levels) >object type (I use walkway/trail) > ok - Click edit > select > all tracks (now press your delete key this will remove the tracks and leaves the vector object trails) - Click file > save as > polish format - Click file > export > Garmin IMG / cgpsmapper.exe (use the file name of the original map in my case it is 00105050)(you will have to point GPSmapedit to where you saved cgpsmapper.exe on your hard drive) 4. Go to the Garmin folder where the original map was located and rename it (in my case I renamed 00105050.img to 00105050org.img) 5. Now copy the file you created in GPSmapedit (export) to the Garmin folder where the original map was located. 6. Upload the modified map using MapSource as you would any other map. (MapSource and your GPSr will think it’s the original map as long as you used the original file name and put it in the original folder) Making your own maps is a lot of fun, so I hope this info helps you get started.

Yes, yes...please tell us more. I'm am avid snowmobiler and a member of the Hardcore Sledder (www.hardcoresledder.com) forum. A group of guys there are working on this same concept for our local snowmobile trail network, and they would be very interested to know the best/easiest way to accomplish this. Man, this forum just rocks! Thanks for your interest, I will try to get the info on here in the next day or two.

I just tried to auto route on a modified map, unfortunately it appears to have lost this function. Lucky for me I don't use this function on the TOPO maps.

I have not tried to auto-route on a modified map so I'm not sure if it works.

I am also mapping ATV trails, but I'm creating a trail network then adding it to the original TOPO Canada map I then upload the modified map to my GPS. These trails are now part of the map just like the roads etc in the original topo map. The best part is the software is free and you don't have to have any other maps like TOPO to create your own trail networks. If you are interest I could try to explain how it's done.

Your right! I noticed that after I posted. I'd like to get the 60cx but have a hard time paying that much when I know it will be getting full of mud ATVing. I should have been more specific and asked if the new Lengend Cx drops out as much as the old GPSII+ or do I need to spend the big bucks and move up to the 60Cx to eliminate the drop outs?

Are the Cx versions really worth the extra money or am I just getting caught up in all the hype. Does the new reciever chip set help the Legend Cx like it did on the 60cx? At this point in time I will be using it mostly for ATVing and geocaching, with that in mind which one would you recommend, Legend C/Cx or 60c/cx. Thanks.