Just Got My Venture HC

[ExclusiveTSX]

So I just got my Garmin Venture HC in and I'm really new to all of this. I was wondering if there are any certain settings or features I should use for geocaching? Also how do I upload geocaches onto it from a Mac? Are there any other maps or anything I should load onto it? Thanks!

[+coggins]

You're going to want the following from Garmin:

1. RoadTrip
   
2. MapInstall/MapManager
   
3. Communicator plugin
   
4. WebUpdater
   

All Garmin Mac Software

 

I'd also get a map, and read the following how to tutorial.

 

You can use the default settings for the unit, and load caches with the plugin or with RoadTrip.

Edited June 4, 2009 by coggins

[ExclusiveTSX]

Thanks for the suggestions.. Will all of these install on a Mac though?

[ExclusiveTSX]

The map that you linked is great for when I'm back home in NJ but do you know of one I can use up at college in RI?

[+coggins]

Thanks for the suggestions.. Will all of these install on a Mac though?

They all installed on my Mac Unless you have a bootleg you should be ok

[+coggins]

The map that you linked is great for when I'm back home in NJ but do you know of one I can use up at college in RI?

Try this.

[ExclusiveTSX]

Thanks for the suggestions.. Will all of these install on a Mac though?

They all installed on my Mac Unless you have a bootleg you should be ok

 

Wow just realized that whole page is all Mac software lol.. Thanks!

[ExclusiveTSX]

The map that you linked is great for when I'm back home in NJ but do you know of one I can use up at college in RI?

Try this.

 

Thanks for the link, I just actually found a Northeast version on the site that I think I'm going to use. If I ever want to take the map or any add-ons off is it difficult? Also will this take up alot of memory on my GPS?

[Rocketsteve]

So I just got my Garmin Venture HC in and I'm really new to all of this. I was wondering if there are any certain settings or features I should use for geocaching? Also how do I upload geocaches onto it from a Mac? Are there any other maps or anything I should load onto it? Thanks!

 

One of the most important features for geocaching is to make sure your GPSr is WAAS-enabled. The way you do that is to go to the "Main Menu", scroll to "Setup" and click. When you scroll to "System" and click, the "System Setup" page will appear and the second item will be "WAAS/EGNOS". Just below is a window and you need to make sure it says "Enabled" in the window.

 

With WAAS enabled and a pretty clear view of the sky, my Venture HC will routinely get an accuracy reading down to 9 feet. The more overhead cover you have, the larger your accuracy reading will become, but overall, WAAS will get you a lot closer to the cache than a GPSr that is not WAAS-enabled.

[+coggins]

The map that you linked is great for when I'm back home in NJ but do you know of one I can use up at college in RI?

Try this.

 

Thanks for the link, I just actually found a Northeast version on the site that I think I'm going to use. If I ever want to take the map or any add-ons off is it difficult? Also will this take up alot of memory on my GPS?

I didn't think the NorthEast map had a Mac version. Good luck.

[Rocketsteve]

The map that you linked is great for when I'm back home in NJ but do you know of one I can use up at college in RI?

Try this.

 

Thanks for the link, I just actually found a Northeast version on the site that I think I'm going to use. If I ever want to take the map or any add-ons off is it difficult? Also will this take up alot of memory on my GPS?

 

When I download a new set of maps to my Venture HC using the MapSource software, prior to the new map sets loading, my GPSr deletes the existing map sets in order to make room for the new download. I'm not sure if the deletion is a function of the MapSource software or the firmware on the GPSr, so you might want to check with a couple more folks for a little more insight before you try downloading.

 

Also, Your GPSr has a fixed memory capacity of "supposedly" 24 MB, but in reality, it's more like 22 MB. When I try to load more than that, my GPSr flashes a message saying the "download excedes the available memory capacity" or something along those lines. Now, 22 MB still allows me to have maps of most of west central Florida, all around the Tallahassee, Florida area for about 75 miles, all of the southern half of Louisiana, all of Las Vegas, Nevada, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and about 10 sq. miles of hunting lease in upstate New York. No too bad, if I do say so myself.

Edited June 4, 2009 by rocketsteve

[+coggins]

When I download a new set of maps to my Venture HC using the MapSource software, prior to the new map sets loading, my GPSr deletes the existing map sets in order to make room for the new download. I'm not sure if the deletion is a function of the MapSource software or the firmware on the GPSr, so you might want to check with a couple more folks for a little more insight before you try downloading.

That's normal.

[ExclusiveTSX]

So what happens if I want to get the old maps back or restore it to default?

[+coggins]

So what happens if I want to get the old maps back or restore it to default?

Well, the basemap doesn't go anywhere, it's burnt into the unit, just turn it on or off as needed. As far as usermaps, you just reload them. To fully erase everything, do a system reset and the unit will be as it was the day you received it (with the exception of software updates). Edited June 4, 2009 by coggins

[Rocketsteve]

So what happens if I want to get the old maps back or restore it to default?

 

I'm not sure what you can do with the software that you linked to, but with MapSource, I can create a mapset and save it as a MapSource File with it's own, unique name. If I add or delete mapsets, when I'm done, I can save that with another unique name. Now I have two different mapsets that share as many or as few maps as I want. If I want a specific set, I open the file, plug in my GPSr, click "Send to Device", and it's done in a matter of 1 minute. It's like socks; you have a lot of them and you choose which color you want to wear based on your outfit.

[+coggins]

He's on a Mac, it doesn't work like that at all on a Mac. MapSource is for Windows.

Edited June 4, 2009 by coggins

[Rocketsteve]

He's on a Mac, it doesn't work like that at all on a Mac. MapSource is for Windows.

 

With the software that he linked to, will he be able to create multiple map sets that he can save to his PC and upload to his GPSr when he wants?

[+coggins]

With the software that he linked to, will he be able to create multiple map sets that he can save to his PC and upload to his GPSr when he wants?

Yes, and no... RoadTrip has an option to send maps with user data, so you can set it up to have thousands of mapsets if you so desire, all at once. Just select the one you want and off you go. If so set, after a transfer of routes, waypoints and/or tracks, it will then boot up MapInstall with the maptiles containing the data already selected. You can then alter it as so desired. Doesn't work well with multiple mapsets, but it's still in beta, so send in your requests to Garmin.

 

Here is where you can find MapInstall for Windows if you want to get a feel for it.

[jmundinger]

So what happens if I want to get the old maps back or restore it to default?

 

I presume that you are building the map set in MapSource and then transferring the maps to the gpsr. Before installing a map set, save it on your computer. Do the same with subsequent map sets. Then, except for the time required to send the maps to the gpsr, it is pretty easy to switch among different map sets.

 

The basemap stays in the unit, regardless of what you do with other map sets. I suspect it is stored someplace other than in the accessible memory that is used for storing map sets.

[+coggins]

So what happens if I want to get the old maps back or restore it to default?

 

I presume that you are building the map set in MapSource and then transferring the maps to the gpsr. Before installing a map set, save it on your computer. Do the same with subsequent map sets. Then, except for the time required to send the maps to the gpsr, it is pretty easy to switch among different map sets.

 

The basemap stays in the unit, regardless of what you do with other map sets. I suspect it is stored someplace other than in the accessible memory that is used for storing map sets.

Please read post #1 and post #16 above.

[+Stripes]

Thanks for asking this Exclusive and thanks for your concise reply Coggins. Will have to download these apps myself.

[+coggins]

Thanks for asking this Exclusive and thanks for your concise reply Coggins. Will have to download these apps myself.

You will be able to find Macintosh maps for your area here: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/

[ExclusiveTSX]

Thanks for the fast responses guys! So basically the stock maps or "base maps" will still remain on the GPS no matter what other maps I put on? So if I ever want to go back to the original stock form I just erase the other maps correct? It seems that in the tutorial in post 2 it says that I will lose all of my base maps even if I don't use a memory card and that they can be retrieved at Garmin.com?

Edited June 5, 2009 by ExclusiveTSX

[+coggins]

Thanks for the fast responses guys! So basically the stock maps or "base maps" will still remain on the GPS no matter what other maps I put on? So if I ever want to go back to the original stock form I just erase the other maps correct? It seems that in the tutorial in post 2 it says that I will lose all of my base maps even if I don't use a memory card and that they can be retrieved at Garmin.com?

You can not erase your basemap on the unit (unless maybe you get hit by lighting). You only can turn it on or off in the map setup.

 

Just select the HC to load your maps to and you will be good to go. I'm pretty sure that the tutorial doesn't mention erasing a unit's basemap. The tutorial in post #2 shows an example of a warning of erasure of a pre-programmed Garmin data, the HC doesn't have any pre-programmed data, like some units that shipped with a marine database poi map.

Edited June 5, 2009 by coggins

[ExclusiveTSX]

Alright Coggins so you were right, there is no Mac version for the Northeast maps, so it looks like I'm downloading the Ibycus USA map. I'll let everyone know how it goes..

[+countrydirt]

I use a pc, so was able to load Oklahoma and Colorado topo maps from gpsfiledepot.com. The ones I loaded are equivalent to 1:24,000 printed maps. Admittedly, the Oklahoma Panhandle only needs 1 contour line, but the maps look functional and easy to load into both Mapsource and onto the Venture.

[+coggins]

Alright Coggins so you were right, there is no Mac version for the Northeast maps, so it looks like I'm downloading the Ibycus USA map. I'll let everyone know how it goes..

We'll see what we can do to get one up on the site.

[ExclusiveTSX]

Ok so I installed the maps and figured out how to transfer geocache coordinates with the usb cable. The only problems I ran into, which I still am somewhat confused about, were that my GPS already had a bunch of memory taken up I have no idea why. Also that on the Ibycus map the states aren't clearly outlined so I sort of had to guess what section of it to import.