Just bought the garmin 62s Now I need help.

[+subnate]

Well I just bought the new 62s and now I want to load some of these free maps I heard about but I have no idea how. I'm running a Mac I don't know if thats makes a difference. But my questions are where is the best place to download free maps from and whats the easiest way to get them on the unit. Also will it erase my base map or is that just other maps you've down loaded. Well any info would be great thanks.

[+Too Tall John]

Not sure which free maps you might have heard about, but that series, as well as the Oregon (my GPS) and maybe the Dakotas now have the option to load your own custom maps.

 

Basically, you need Google Earth & a digital copy (JPG format) of the map you want to load. (A scanner will be handy if you've got paper maps!) You load the jpeg into Earth as an overlay, make it fit the GE maps, then upload it into your GPS. Easy peasy. And free.

 

Step-by-step How-to on the Garmin website

Added screen captures with (left) and without (right) custom maps (but with Garmin's topo maps).

Edited November 24, 2010 by Too Tall John

[+geodarts]

I would go to gpsfiledepot. They have free (legal) maps and instructions on installing maps for mac users

Edited November 24, 2010 by mulvaney

[+kwcahart]

Too Tall John, how did you add the screen capture? If you could lead me to the instructions I would really appreciate it. You are right Mulvaney, gpsfiledepot.com has instructions for downloading maps for PC and Mac. I just downloaded several to my 450T.

[+Too Tall John]

Too Tall John, how did you add the screen capture? If you could lead me to the instructions I would really appreciate it. You are right Mulvaney, gpsfiledepot.com has instructions for downloading maps for PC and Mac. I just downloaded several to my 450T.

From the Main Menu: Setup>Display>Screen Capture>On>OK

 

Then, press the Power key to capture the current screen.

 

Screen captures can be found in the Garmin\scrn folder while in mass storage mode.

 

YMMV for the 62 series.

[Skippermark]

Relocating to the GPS section.