Just got a Garmin Etrex Vista HCx...

[Buckrider]

I Just got my Garmin Vista HCx this week (New). I did NOT buy any additional software with it. I DID buy a blank 1 GIG Micro SD card. I HAVE downloaded the CD that comes with the GPSr onto my computer. What I am wanting to do with this GPSr unit for the most part is to go to my deer lease and capture waypoints of where the stands and feeders etc. are and then upload them into my computer into Google Earth or (other?) so I can print out a map of the lease with all the stands and feeders on it! The Question is this....Do I have to buy one of the Mapsourse(?) software programs(Roadmap, Topo, Sea, I forget the 4th one) for this particular unit in order to be able to up/download the waypoints I have logged into the GPSr at the deer lease into the computer namely something like Google Earth or (other?) Or can I still do that with no additional software needed? If additional software is Not needed, HOW?

 

My next question is what is the optional Micro SD card used for? Does the unit save your waypoints into the Basemap or does it have to have the Micro SD card in it to save the data to?

 

And last question for now is, The CD that came with the unit, do you need to reinsert the CD into the CD drive each time you want to use it or does it automatically load itself from your hard drive? I tried to place a shortcut Icon on my desktop page but it would not do it.

 

As you can tell I am kinda new at this

Thanks in advance for any input and assistance you can give me!

 

[+TrailGators]

I Just got my Garmin Vista HCx this week (New). I did NOT buy any additional software with it. I DID buy a blank 1 GIG Micro SD card. I HAVE downloaded the CD that comes with the GPSr onto my computer. What I am wanting to do with this GPSr unit for the most part is to go to my deer lease and capture waypoints of where the stands and feeders etc. are and then upload them into my computer into Google Earth or (other?) so I can print out a map of the lease with all the stands and feeders on it! The Question is this....Do I have to buy one of the Mapsourse(?) software programs(Roadmap, Topo, Sea, I forget the 4th one) for this particular unit in order to be able to up/download the waypoints I have logged into the GPSr at the deer lease into the computer namely something like Google Earth or (other?) Or can I still do that with no additional software needed? If additional software is Not needed, HOW?

 

My next question is what is the optional Micro SD card used for? Does the unit save your waypoints into the Basemap or does it have to have the Micro SD card in it to save the data to?

 

And last question for now is, The CD that came with the unit, do you need to reinsert the CD into the CD drive each time you want to use it or does it automatically load itself from your hard drive? I tried to place a shortcut Icon on my desktop page but it would not do it.

 

As you can tell I am kinda new at this

Thanks in advance for any input and assistance you can give me!

 

You can mark or enter waypoints without a map. You could use Google Earth or Google maps to look at the satellite maps but those maps can be off by up to 200 feet. You could buy some Garmin topo maps off Ebay. But if you ever want to use your GPS to autoroute in your car/truck then you'll need City Navigator.

[+Dumb Luck]

Do a google search for GeoCalc its a free coord conversion tool.

[+Dumb Luck]

sorry, wrong thread.

[jmundinger]

What I am wanting to do with this GPSr unit for the most part is to go to my deer lease and capture waypoints of where the stands and feeders etc. are and then upload them into my computer into Google Earth or (other?) so I can print out a map of the lease with all the stands and feeders on it! The Question is this....Do I have to buy one of the Mapsourse(?) software programs(Roadmap, Topo, Sea, I forget the 4th one) for this particular unit in order to be able to up/download the waypoints I have logged into the GPSr at the deer lease into the computer namely something like Google Earth or (other?) Or can I still do that with no additional software needed? If additional software is Not needed, HOW?

 

You can transfer waypoints, tracks and routes back and forth between your computer and the GPSr with the basic MapSource program that came with your unit. It is a very basic map - the same map is in the GPSr. If you have Google Earth loaded on your computer, MapSource has a function - look under "view" in the menu - that will display your data in Google Earth.

 

You can also download a piece of shareware (free or, better yet, send a donation to the developer) - USAPhotoMaps - from jdmcox.com. USA Photomaps downloads USGS quadrangles and aerial photography from the Terraserver website. You can transfer data back and forth between that program and your GPSr. With the waypoints plotted, you can create a jpeg from the image on the screen and then print that image. Although you can transfer waypoints, tracks and routes back and forth between your GPSr and USA PhotoMaps, you can't load this map data to your unit.

 

My next question is what is the optional Micro SD card used for? Does the unit save your waypoints into the Basemap or does it have to have the Micro SD card in it to save the data to?

 

The basemap is loaded in the unit, not on the card. The card is used to store additional map data. If you don't purchase mapping software, you have no use for that card.

 

And last question for now is, The CD that came with the unit, do you need to reinsert the CD into the CD drive each time you want to use it or does it automatically load itself from your hard drive? I tried to place a shortcut Icon on my desktop page but it would not do it.

 

The CD is used to install MapSource and the base map that is in your unit onto your computer. Once installed, you do not need the CD again. If you buy additional maps, e.g. City Navigator or Topo USA, that data also is loaded onto your computer and accessible through MapSource. Once on your computer, you can select segments of the map to create files that you can then transfer to your GPSr.

[dogwalkers2]

I Just got my Garmin Vista HCx this week (New). I did NOT buy any additional software with it. I DID buy a blank 1 GIG Micro SD card. I HAVE downloaded the CD that comes with the GPSr onto my computer. What I am wanting to do with this GPSr unit for the most part is to go to my deer lease and capture waypoints of where the stands and feeders etc. are and then upload them into my computer into Google Earth or (other?) so I can print out a map of the lease with all the stands and feeders on it! The Question is this....Do I have to buy one of the Mapsourse(?) software programs(Roadmap, Topo, Sea, I forget the 4th one) for this particular unit in order to be able to up/download the waypoints I have logged into the GPSr at the deer lease into the computer namely something like Google Earth or (other?) Or can I still do that with no additional software needed? If additional software is Not needed, HOW?

 

My next question is what is the optional Micro SD card used for? Does the unit save your waypoints into the Basemap or does it have to have the Micro SD card in it to save the data to?

 

And last question for now is, The CD that came with the unit, do you need to reinsert the CD into the CD drive each time you want to use it or does it automatically load itself from your hard drive? I tried to place a shortcut Icon on my desktop page but it would not do it.

 

As you can tell I am kinda new at this

Thanks in advance for any input and assistance you can give me!

 

To me, it sounds like you want the appropriate Topo from Garmin for where you'll be doing your hunting. It's not required and there are other things you could do, such as use Google Earth (which would give you a satellite photo of your area). The Topo map of your area is printable, etc.

 

The MicroSD card is used to store this additional map data, as well as Points of Interest (from the additional map data or custom ones you can create) and it can also store track logs with the full data of an active track log (saving a track on the unit strips the time/speed data).

 

If you installed it properly (like any other software) it should work from your hard drive.

[Buckrider]

Wow, That was what I was needing to know! Thank you very much and now hopefully I am off to a good start with my new GPSr!

[LoGears]

Do you live anywhere near Houston? I have the older version of Garmin Topo that I can give you. To tell the truth the newer version does not have much more detail than the older version. It has the roads around my deer lease but none of the tanks or gas wells or even a large kalechee pit.

 

Fellow Texan, hunter, Geocacher, and novice computer tinkerer,

LoGears

[Buckrider]

LoGears, No I am way up here in the Dallas area however I really appreciate the generous offer! The area That I hunt mostly is flat as a flitter so the Topo maps are not as handy as the ariel photo style maps. This is why I was hoping to use something like Google Earth. One of the places I will be hunting as a guest would really benefit from the Topo map however, it is very hilly and has a lot of varying character to the landscape! I am looking forward to this weekend for the archery season opener!