stevesisti

I received my elevation data from http://seamless.usgs.gov/. I can open the .img file in GPSMapEdit and I can see the contour lines for Brown County in accordance to my specified intervals and zoom levels. Can I assume that because everything seems to be working fine in GPSMapEdit that the file is not corrupt? I also appreciate your comments and I will try some of your things. Additionally, thanks to everyone else for responding to my questions. I am a newby at making maps; however, I am definately intrigued by the process and I am sure I will find some personal satisfaction in creating my own detailed topo maps. You originally stated you were having problems converting the the tif file in demtotopo...if you have already imported the file into mapedit, and can see the contours, the file is not corrupted and all is fine. When you first bring the file into Mapedit, you are working on the .mp file. The file is then converted to an image file using MApedit. If you have converted the mp to .img you're halfway there. If you have created a Std. .img file, when displayed on the GPS it will "cover-up" any other map product . In mapedit you have the option at the .mp stage to have the map be "transparent" which means it will lay ontop of and you can see thru it to also see City Select roads at the same time...this gives you the best of both worlds. Again this must be done with the .mp file, before conversion to the .img file.

I just did the 12 quads in Howard county...with 50 ft contour levels, at a moderate detail level, the shape file size is 63MB. It loads just fine into Mapedit. If you like, I could try to E-mail the file, but at 63MB, I don't know what mine and your limits are for sending large attached file sizes. If you do succeed in getting a shapefile, I suggest you use the "imtermediate" contour level as a choice when identifying the contour lines, as the "major" contour line designation really looks terrible on the GPS screen.

What shapefile format do you export it as. I've tried this but can never get it into a format I can load in gpsmapedit where I can add all the GNIS data. A shapefile is a shapefile. In mapedit, you use the "import" function. In Mapedit, under "file" pull down to "import" and then you have a choice of .mif or .shp choose .shp and then navigate to the folder your dhape file is in. Thats all there is to it.

The first question would be where did you get the dem data from. It's possible the data is corrupted and causing the program to fail. Secondly, a whole county is a heck of a lot of data...you might try Geocommunity.com where they have the dem data in sdts form for each of the quads in that county. The info and download is free, though a little slow downloading. Even if the data were OK, you are going to have a long complie in gpsmapper with all that data at once and only 512 megs of ram. Personally, I use global mapper to open the SDTS dem file and then create contours to my specification, followed by a shape file export of the data. The data is then directly imported into gpsmapper.

Been a while simce I tinkered with it but a few tips: Creating the .img is done with mapedit. This conversion just creates the image file, not the .tdb file. In order to use the Ggpsmapper command from the "command" line you need two files to be present in the same folder that you have cgpsmapper...if the two files are not in the same folder as cgpsmapper, the conversion won't work. You need to have the .img file you made in MAp Edit,and the pv.txtfile (a sample file is at the mapedit site). From the comand line you have to navigate to the folder that cghpsmapper is located in, then run the command cgpsmapper pv (your file pv).txt Successful running will yield you with a tdb file, a pv image file,, and a registry entry file. You then need to place the tdb, .img, and pv.img files in a folder where you keep your maps, run the registry entry, and then gon into regedit and modify the path statements for all three entries to point to the folder you created. Personally I struggled quite a bit because this stuff is all Greek to me, but I persisted and all is working now Performing all of the above allows you to add the map into Mapsource as a "normal" map which can be uploaded with all your other Garmin maps. You can also load the .img file directly to your GPS, but when loading other garmin products it's hard to know which areas are which because you no longer have a preview, and are looing at just file names. If your making you own topo maps, make them as transparent and they will overlay the Garmin City Select, enabling autorouting of the city select, with the features of a topo map. Good Luck

THat has happened to me on my 60cs...in particular when I look at tidal info for a location in long island, then hit the quit key...all the writing goes at a 45 degree angle...The only way to correct it is to turn the unit off then back on. I just ignore that tide station now.

There are several programs available that will take 1:24K Dem data (freely available) and convert them into a shape file, which you then can import into Map Edit. Making maps "routable" is a heck of a lot of work.....in order to keep my routing capabilities in City Select 7, I have made custom topo overlays (transparent) to use and view simultaneously with city Select 7. The topo has Contour lines at intervals i have specified for best screen viewing on the 60cs,....included is the hydrography (again, freely downloaded DLG data and converted to shape files for Map Edit import) which contains all streams, rivers, wetlands and swamps. The "topo" overlays the City Select, both maps being visible), still allows for autorouting, and can be "turned off" at any time. Similarly, trails can be converted to vector data for inclusion into a topo overlay.

Probably so...The parent co is Guaranteed Merchandise Inc. in Utah. Incoporated in March of 1998. They have been listed with the Better Business Bureau since Aug 2005. In that time the BBB had one complaint and the issue was resolved.

Reseller Ratings.com is a good source to check the reputation of On-line vendors. I couldn't find a listing there for Megagps, even though they claim to have been in business since 1979. That doesn't mean you won't get your product..but it does mean there is no history available as to the current reputation of the vendor. Since I started using the reseeler ratings, I haven't been on the "short end of the stick" once. I have gotten screwed several times by several "fly-by-night" photography outfits....all three of them are listed in Reseller Ratings and needless to say all three have a terrible rating. You could try resellerratings.com again, maybe I missed it.

Having a few simple GPS units will keep you from getting lost....For emergency situations I don't think the epirb is suited for your use. If you have 10 scouts, they all can't have an EPIRB.....cost prohibits that, but even if you have multiple units, the chance of someone accidentally or unnecessarily triggering one becomes larger. Many people consider the use of one as a "last resort" "dire situation" type need. There have been cases of people using the device when it was not absolutely necessary, and the fellow in question was fined a hefty sum. One fellow, I believe it was out west somewhere, pulled the device because he was caught in a snowsquall. They found him, he looked OK, and deemed while he wasn't in dire danger, they would "let him slide" with regars to unnecessarily triggering the device.....a day or two later he went back to the same area to get his tent and belongings and again triggered the device......this time he was fined..If I remember corrrectly it was around $10,000 I can understand the fact that even in areas that are not "remote", it can take several hours for someone to go get help, or alert others that you need help. Under certain conditions this would be unacceptable. Probably more practical would be a satellite phone......$600 cash outlay and around $35 per month. With the sat phone and a simple GPS, you know where you are and can alert other people where you are. The nice thing about it is you can contact authorities, explain your dilemma in detail so they are prepared when they come. This also lets them decide when an "all-out" effort is required instead of you having to decide whether setting off the EPIRB is required or not. Pull the EPIRB and little cubbie comes walking back into camp, and your going to feel a little uneasy when the chopper arrives for the rescue,......Call them and let them decide (they're trained in this) the seriousness of the situation, and you get the best of both worlds....help arrives without the liability of unwisely triggering the device.

There are 2 factors, the "accuracy" of the map, and the "resolution" of the map. In a simple example, if the state of Florida was displayed using 3 points (less memory, as in a base map) the "rounded" shape of the tip on Florida would have to become a "point". Any major bay or cove along either coast side would be eliminated because you only used three points. The more points you use to define the coast line, the more "resolution" you have. City Select uses many more "points" to define land shapes than the base map, hence it is more "accurate" as far as displaying your position on the map screen. To carry this even further, I have made maps duplicating the 1:24 K topo maps, using as many points as I decide is necessary to define an "accurate" shoreline for example. With the homemade map, I never see my position as "out in the water" when in fact I am on "dry land" It is much more "accurate" than either City Select or Topo at displaying position on the map. The downside is that since I'm using more points to more accurately define these contours, my "Homebrew" maps use more memory. There is obviously a trade-off between map resolution and map size (memory wise), which in fairness, given the memory limitations of some of the handhelds, Garmin seems to have struck a good balance. Using the "zoom" at a reasonable level you will find the City Select or topo much more "accurate" than the base map alone....If I'm not mistaken the 60CS has an 8MB base map for the whole country.....in city select the state of New York is more than 54 MB... you can see how many more points you can use to define shapes with the larger file sizes for a given area. Steve

Yes, I have. But I thought maybe someone here had experience with them - or products which produce similar results. If you can see part of the other map for an instant, you have two maps covering the same area, both selected as "on". This would be a probability if you have "non-Garmin" maps created with "Map Edit" or such. Don't know the exact in or outs, but before I made my topo maps "transparent", I would see the topo for an instant, and then the "other" Garmin map would overlay it and block it out. You will see this happen anytime you have a "re-draw" of the map. Try turning off one of the mapsets.

The "exit" thing is a bit fluky...If I'm on the Palisades pky in New York, all my autoroutes show and use the various "exits"....when I do a "find exit", I get the "I-95" category, and there is no choice for the Palisades Pky. I gave up on using the "exits" feature long ago...the good news is the routings for halifax show the correct exit numbers of the various hwys.....Go figure.

Personally I have never seen multiple sdts files for a given section. (eg. one for rds, one for hydro. etc.) The "non-SDTS" files do usually consist of multiple files, all of which must be loaded to get the complete set of data. You could easily load one set, look at the result, and then load the other set to see if there was any change. Steve

Depending on how you set up levels in mapedit, you might have to zoom way in to a close enough level to have the maps "turn on". The last level you set in mapedit, the one which must remain blank, determines at what level of zoom the maps become visible. If you set the GPS to max detail, "declutter off", you should be able to see a little grey "box" outlining the area you loaded into the map memory, even at a far out zoom setting. Make sure when you are zooming in that you are actually zooming into an area that is covered by the map you created, otherwise you will be zooming into the basemap, which basically has nthing to see.

I generally agree with you but...you can set up the 60CS to only turn the compass on when you are below a certain speed. If you set that value low (e.g. 2 mph), the 60CS will automatically turn the compass on and off in almost the way you describe manually turning it on and off (i.e. off when moving, on when standing still or reading a map). I have my 60CS set up to only turn the compass on below 2 mph and I leave the compass activated all the time with minimal impact on battery life (because the compass is automatically turned OFF whenever I'm moving!). Edit: Typo Thats true unless you stop for lunch, or for a break and leave it on. Really don't see what the fuss is about battery life...you can take 4aa's with you and two in the unit and go camping for a week using the gps with the compass the whole time.

I wouldn't worry about it in the Catskills...-20 is extremely rare for that area, and even if it did go that low, averaged out with the daytime highs, I doubt the inside of the building would get anywhere near the outside low.

Just because you have the maps on the computer doesn't mean you have them on the 60CS....The 60CS comes with just the basemap... you have to go into mapsource on the computer, select the map product you want, and Download the map areas you want into the 60CS.....without these detailed maps, autorouting is terrible at best. Your 60CS can not hold all the maps for the entire US, so again you must choose to load specific sections of the US you are going to be driving in. If loaded correctly, you should clearly be able to "zoom in" and see the streets in your local neighborhood....if you can't see street detail, you won't get accurate autorouting. Once set up you should just have to "Pick" the waypoint (home) you want, then select "go to" and answer the 2 routing questions and the unit itself will calculate the route to take. You don't need to set up routes on the computer to load into the unit to get autorouting.

Don't know where you're getting your info from but it doesn't jive with real usage. If I leave my altimeter on all night, with the gps off, there is no "track log" usage The track log indicator is at zero, yet I have all the barometric readings recorded on the atimeter page for those 8 hrs....If you have tracklog on, say while hiking, track points are being recorded anyway, and the altimiter "portion" is just part of the normal tracklog. You have 10,000 trackpoints..with or without the altimeter portion of the data. In my usage, the bigger power draw is the electronic compass.....I never leave it on...the gps derived "compass" is more than adequate when you are on the move...when I do come to a stop the unit has a tendency to "rotate" the map page back and forth as "wandering" trackpoints from the STD accuracy sometimes confuse the direction you are facing , but turning on the compass re-orientates the map page to my track-up view and makes life easier when you are trying to figure out where you are heading....if you use the GPS with a map, turning on the compass and laying the GPS on top of the map helps you orient the gps and map to the surroundings....when I'm done and ready to move I turn the compass off, as once again the GPS derived compass takes over. There really is no practical reason to have the compass on when you are moving......used this way the compass is of practical use and uses very little battery power. In real life usage, the backlight is by far the biggest power draw, and both the 60c and 60cs have backlights.....If one where woried about battery life, this is probably where you should pay attention to using it sparingly. Steve

The routing offered by the 60cs and City Select will sometimes be "faster" or "better" than routes you would normally take in areas you're familiar with, and sometimes it will be a "slower" route than you already know. If you know how to get were you're going....don't bother with the GPS. It's impossible for a handheld unit to know all the "local" shortcuts and tricks to get where you are going. Local traffic conjestion is also not part of the routing "logic". It's when you don't know where you are going that the unit is invaluable. If I'm going to a new location, I just follow the turn directions...I'm not interested in saving 10 min. on a 1-1/2 hour drive....I just want to get there without a struggle, and constantly watching for the next turn. With the vehicle type options....there are roads that have restrictions on commercial vehicles (trucks) and pedestrian traffic, and bicycles. If I route locally for a bicycle ride, the routing avoids using a major restricted Hwy (Palisades Interstate Parkway) because it knows bicycles and pedestrians are not allowed on the road. If I route to the same destination selecting "Car/ Motorcycle" , the unit now makes use of the Pal parkway because it knows my vehicle is in a category that's allowed to use the road. Depending on the classification of roads in your area, and your final destination, sometimes the routing will be the same, sometimes it will be different. For me there are Three great joys with autorouting...... First, you can tell everyone in the back seat to "shut Up" when it comes to directions. Even if you don't know where you're going Just follow the units guidance. Second...when I'm going to someones house I've never been to, I just ask them for the address and request they spare me the details of "Take a left at the side street that looks like a dead end next to the Wendy's that is now a Burger King, after the 2nd red light....not the blinking red light...the solid one". Third, when and if you do miss a turn, just recalculate and the unit will put you back on track.

I'm going to diasagree with you here......autorouting is horrible using the basemap. Whether or not you need "autorouting" for a long drive, all being on one road is another question. I live in the northeast, and for three weeks before I got City Select, I used the autorouting with just the basemap....I'm not just talking about the lack of secondary roads, I mean the autorouting on included roads on the base map highways was horrible. Sure it shows you traveling down the road, but if you're counting on it to relliably tell you when to turn from one road to the next, it just doesn't work. You certainly can work around this by loading just the map sections where you plane to stop or exit along the way, but I wouldn't rely on the base map in those situations.

Improved reception...expandable memory....$499.00 Knowing when someone is yanking your chain........priceless!

Changing the orientation from "north up" to "track up" does nothing to stop the "spinning". It will spin to try and maintain both track up and north up when the problem occurs. I've had this happen several times and a master reset was the cure. There probably is an internal logic that decides when a series of track points actually represents a "real" directional movement as opposed to the normal variations in track points due to accuracy error. Don't know what causes it to happen but it's not the standard minor rotation or variance you see when standing still......it's acutually "spinning" in circles continuously.

My understanding is that NAD 83 and wgs84 are so close that it's not necessary to change the datum. If you did convert and "plotted" both results on the map, I doubt you would see the difference on your map. Since it's not a big deal to change the datum to NAd83, why not just change the datum and then you won't have to worry about any differential.