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??? For Garmin Users


br549

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I've recieved a Garmin Rino 120 for my 30th year with my company. To load maps into the unit am I limited to Mapsourse or are the free maps available as mentioned in the Dummies Guide to GPS? I've loaded from a friends version 3.0 Mapsource Topo, the area where we live , the maps seem outdated by about 20 years. The local Sporting goods shop want $100+ and Ebay they go for around $80 ish. Does the Garmin work only with Mapsource?

Thanks for any help.

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Yep, Garmin uses its proprietory MapSource for maps. It is MapSource or nothing. Keep in mind that Topo mapping programs for GPSrs are based on the USGS Topo mpas. These maps are also pretty dated. Could be the maps you are seeing for your area are the most recent available.

 

Congrats on your 30th!

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if that isn't the latest version of mapsource you can go the the web site and get an upgrade. I did that with my mapsource street...I had v6.0 and now have 6.7.

The latest version of the base Mapsource program won't effect the topo data.

 

And Tucson Bill is right about them being USGS maps. They will only be as accurate as the USGS maps for your area.

 

yep, your pretty much stuck with mapsource. (magellan does the same thing, only proprietory maps will load to the gps)

 

And Lowrance uses their own maps too. Pretty much every GPS mfr. that I'm aware of requires that you use their maps

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yep, your pretty much stuck with mapsource. (magellan does the same thing, only proprietory maps will load to the gps)

 

And Lowrance uses their own maps too. Pretty much every GPS mfr. that I'm aware of requires that you use their maps

And whistler too (if you want to call them a gps manufacture, with all of 1 model)

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One aspect of this is that I can see where all of the old rail beds are and that there used to be an intermitant stream run through the nieghborhod half a blck away from me. If garmin is up to version 7.who knows what, I'm guessing that there must have been alot of bugs or stuff they wanted to roll out to keep us coming back to buy the newest version. Didn't Microsoft get a lawsuit over this??

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One aspect of this is that I can see where all of the old rail beds are and that there used to be an intermitant stream run through the nieghborhod half a blck away from me. If garmin is up to version 7.who knows what, I'm guessing that there must have been alot of bugs or stuff they wanted to roll out to keep us coming back to buy the newest version. Didn't Microsoft get a lawsuit over this??

There are two things being discussed here:

 

Updating Mapsource, which is the user interface for all of the Garmin map products.

 

Updating the maps themselves (Metroguide, City Select, Topo, Blue Water, etc, etc).

 

Upgrades to Mapsource are free (download from the Garmin site) and include new featuers (e.g. one of the recent upgrades allow Mapsource to read GPX files, another allowed for a change in map format from MPS to GDB, which has more features).

 

Upgrades to the maps themselves include changes in map detial (e.g. new roads, points of interest, etc).

 

Neither is a marketing scam, although what they charge for the map upgrades is highway robbery, considering that you already paid for the previous version! :P

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I've used Mapsource City Select exclusively for the last 1.5 years wsith my GPSV+. Although my primary use is in NJ, I've used this for DE & PA as well.;)

I will say, I've come across outdated sections in suburban NJ areas; but this is only 5% of the time from a guy who travels 75 to 150 miles per day 6 days per week & caches along, in-between and aside from work.;)

So despite the hefty price tag, if you use it [i believe] its worth it.

If you're only going to use it for caching on the weekend, I'm sure a fellow cacher would d/l the appropriate maps for you - how this falls within licensing guidelines :( I do not or pretend to know .

 

Keep in mind, that "streets & roads" won't have that much effect on your caching, just getting to and from. And besides, a rhino is designed primarily for (but not limited to) being in the woods not necessarily outside them.;)

 

I'd like to have a set of [rhino] them to test drive with my 6 year old son, who quite often is by my side during treks. I'd be able to literally bookmark him & hence be more able to focus on my task(s) at hand & enjoying the wilderness - as I always have to have one eye on him so a caching day dosen't turn into a Search & Rescue :(

 

Edited for spelling :huh:

Edited by vfrpilot
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HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a new Garmin GPS60.. It is making me NUTS. My computer is gliching out. So I can't add the Mapsource in, Is there any way to add the way points manually? Please help me.. Other wise I have a $300+ paper weight.

 

Christal

Push mark, then edit the coordinates to whatever you want.

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Christal - can your computer connect to your GPS at all? If yes, maybe you can use EasyGPS to transfer waypoints from geocaching.com to your GPS.

 

I have a 60 CS, which might operate the same way as your 60.

 

To enter a waypoint manually:

1. Press the MARK button.

2. Navigate down to the field marked "location", where the GPS coordinates are shown. The area around the numbers should now be "highlighted".

3. Press ENTER.

4. A little keyboard should show up on the screen.

5. Use the arrows to navigate around the keyboard. The < and > arrows will let you move across numbers you don't want to change.

6. After you punch in the numbers, click on the OK at the bottom of the virtual keyboard.

7. Double check your entry in the GPS against the printed coordinates on the cache page.

8. Triple check your entry in the GPS against the printed coordinates on the cache page :P .

9. Remember the name of the waypoint from the top line on the screen. It will probably be a number, like "001".

 

To find the cache:

1. Press the FIND button.

2. This where I get you confused - on my 60CS I now have a bunch of choices, like "Waypoint", "Geocache", "Attractions", etc. I select Waypoints.

3. You should see a list of waypoints, and "001" (or whatever it was called) should be on the list. If you see another, bigger keyboard with letters and numbers, click on the OK button on the keyboard to clear it off the screen.

4. Highlight "001" on the list that remains on the screen.

5. Press ENTER.

6. At the bottom of the screen, highlight the GOTO button.

7. Follow the arrow to the cache.

8. Trade up! :lol:

 

HTH

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:lol::P:P:P Even though I'm your basic ding bat at times THANK YOU SO MUCH. I don't know why I have been reading over that manual for 2 weeks and not caught that. Oh thank you so much.. Hopefully I will be finding my first cache here in a little bit. Evening caching is highly recommended in a Florida August. THANK all of ya'll again. I can't tell you enough. Thanks

 

Christal

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Keep in mind, that "streets & roads" won't have that much effect on your caching, just getting to and from. And besides, a rhino is designed primarily for (but not limited to) being in the woods not necessarily outside them.:)

 

I'd like to have a set of [rhino] them to test drive with my 6 year old son, who quite often is by my side during treks. I'd be able to literally bookmark him & hence be more able to focus on my task(s) at hand & enjoying the wilderness - as I always have to have one eye on him so a caching day dosen't turn into a Search & Rescue :)

I use the Rhino 120 primarily in the woods, but recently used it to help find a business location in VA that I have never been to before. I simply used the directional/distance display to point where the business should be and how far I was from it (after I got off the major highway).

 

I would have been totally lost in the traffic down there, but my Garmin Rhino 120 showed me the way I needed to go and then I looked for raods leading in that direction. I did the whole thing with NO map OR directions!

 

As for search and rescue (SAR) - the Rhino 120/130 is GREAT for setting up SAR games in the woods. You can also Clip one to your dog's collar to keep tabs on his whereabouts using the polling feature.

 

We also use them for creating a grid search for our own little CITO outings to make sure we cover an entire area. We love the Garmin Rhino!

 

NJPrinceAlbert & RavenRave

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As for search and rescue (SAR) - the Rhino 120/130 is GREAT for setting up SAR games in the woods. You can also Clip one to your dog's collar to keep tabs on his whereabouts using the polling feature.

 

Tell me what the "polling feature" is??:rolleyes: I could literally mark my son (if we had a set of rhinos) and be able to watch his movements without pulling him up on the screen? That sounds GREAT!

 

Please, gimme a little elaboration on this particular feature as it is starting to justify my (looking for an excuse) intent to purchase a pair.:o

 

I believe this would boost my son's confidence :D by allowing him to simply "explore/search" on his own while Dad kept an eye on him via the satillites. :lol: I like it!

 

Thanks, in advance.

 

edited (again) for spelling

Edited by vfrpilot
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You are NOT limited to using Garmin mapsource maps.

 

There is a whole community dedicated to making their own maps usings USGS data for trails, roads, water, etc and custom map making software.

 

It is involved and you have to be a techie sort, but I have 4 sets of custom mpas for the Pisgah National forest area near my house in NC. I have a Garmin map76CS loaded with custom maps and I have also done this with my old Map76.

 

here's a forum where this sort of thing is discussed.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/map_authors/...ges/?threaded=1

Edited by EL34
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Tell me what the "polling feature" is??:) I could literally mark my son (if we had a set of rhinos) and be able to watch his movements without pulling him up on the screen? That sounds GREAT!

This is the excuse I used to justify buying two Rhino 120s. . . . :)

 

To poll a location:

1. Press the Thumb Stick In and hold it until the Shortcuts Menu is displayed, or press the Page button until the Main Menu is displayed.

 

2. Highlight Find ‘N Go and press the Thumb Stick In. Highlight Contacts and press the Thumb Stick In.

 

3. Highlight the contact that you want to poll and press the Thumb Stick In to display the Contact Review page.

 

4. Highlight the Option Menu button and press the Thumb Stick In.

 

5. Select Poll Location and press the Thumb Stick In.

 

Quote from Garmin PR:

"The location-reporting feature combines the unique integration of navigation and communication technologies in the Rino series, enabling users to "beam" their location to other Rino users over the FRS and GMRS radio spectrum. Other users can then see the location of the sender on their display, which shows the distance and direction between the sender and those receiving the broadcast location. Users can also send out a polling request to any Rino radio within range, and the unit will automatically transmit back its location. These features have been lauded for their life-saving potential in search-and-rescue operations and other outdoor emergencies."

 

Quote from the Quick-Start Guide:

"If you have not heard from a contact in a while and would like to know that contact’s current location, you may "poll" the contact’s location. This will update that contact’s location in your Rino 120."

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:)  :D  :(  :)  Even though I'm your basic ding bat at times THANK YOU SO MUCH.  I don't know why I have been reading over that manual for 2 weeks and not caught that.  Oh thank you so much.. Hopefully I will be finding my first cache here in a little bit.  Evening caching is highly recommended in a Florida August.  THANK all of ya'll again.  I can't tell you enough.  Thanks

 

Christal

Don't feel bad. I'm a new 76CS owner and finally figured it out on my own with the manual but I must have looked 8 or 10 times before I found it. I kept thinking I should be able to just manually enter a waypoint. Finally I decided I must have to set one and then edit it so I checked that portion of the manual again and there it was. There is no shame in thinking something should be straightforward. The shame goes to the manufacturers for not making it straightforward in either implementation OR in their documentation.

 

Being a computer nerd I find this to be an idiotic implementation but I'm finding that the GPSr units seem to be waaaaaaay behind the computer industry in feature implementation and user friendly interface. What's up with the pathetic amount of memory in these things when memory is dirt cheap these days? Why do so many of them still use a serial bus interface rather than USB or even Infrared or Wireless or Bluetooth?

 

It's like having a "genuine year 2000 ready" device --- in 2005! :)

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I have 4 sets of custom mpas for the Pisgah National forest area near my house in NC.

Is there a repository for these map and do you have any for the other side of the mountain (the Cherokee National Forest). I live in east Tennessee and would love to have a copy of the maps you have.

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rynd,

I have only made custom maps for the area right behind my house which is Pisgah national forest. Basically the area that shows on the Trails illustrated biking maps of Pisgah.

 

If I was to veture into another area, i would make them for that area but with over 500 miles of trails here at home, I don't seem to go anywhere else.

 

I have instructions on how to roll your own maps with free USGS data.

check out this page.

Garmin map info

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