Muddling Through My First Route: Help!

[GeoPup&ShelpieGirl]

A few questions. I have Garmin 76S Map & Metroguide v4:

 

This is my first time doing waypoints with MetroGuide, doing routing on my WinXP desktop, and transferring maps, routes, and waypoints to my Garmin.

 

Any pointers welcome! Im wondering: should I keep my waypoint names short - how short? Once I have waypoints, how do I make them into a route?

 

It looks like I like making my own route, rather than autorouting. If Im on a long trip, it seems to make sense to do several shorter routes - will that work? Im going to several cities and looking for geocaches throughout the trip.

 

Also, any help with downloading to GPSr appreciated. I have an AC adapter and serial cable. How do I select & download chuncks of map to the GPSr? Can I fit all of CA in the 24mb that is available?

Edited September 11, 2004 by GeoPup&ShelpieGirl

[+Enspyer]

Well I can help with the waypoint names. For my (unrelated) GPS, if they are too long they cover too much of the map and it makes searching harder. Using one of my caches as an example, if I were visiting 'Patriotic Pond Puzzle' I might call is 'PPP'. I don't bother with the routes or downloading stuff, so I don't have any pointers there.

[+tirediron]

Nothing like asking the nice, easy, one-line answer questions eh?

 

Okay, in special order, as best I know.... (And I am assuming you are using Mapsource Metroguide)

 

I would suggest keeping waypoint and route names as short as practical. Not so short that after a day or two you forget what "Aspne" or "Brxbgy" means but abbreviate so that as Enspyer said, they don't cover too much of the screen.

 

I'm not sure if all of California would fit into 24 Mb or not. I kind of doubt it. All of Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver take up about 15 Mb, so based on that, I would say unlikely.

 

To select maps to upload, open your Mapsource application, and select the "Maps" tab on the left and then the map selection tool from the toolbar (The one shaped like a square with the right side indented. You should also see the map borders appear on your map display. Click in each map that you want to upload and note that it turns pink. Once you have selected all the maps that you want/ your GPSr can hold, then with your GPSr connected and turned on, press the "Send to device" button on the tool bar (The picture of the GPSr with blue arrow pointing TOWARD it).

 

24 Mb of maps on a serial connection will take a while.. get a book or have someting good on television!

 

Uploading your routes and waypoints will be the same process. In fact, you can have the routes all plotted, the waypoints all marked and the maps selected, and when you press the "Send to Device" button, just make sure that "Maps" "Routes" and "Waypoints" are selected in the upload window.

 

Hope that helps.... good luck

-TI

[GeoPup&ShelpieGirl]

Thanks for helping with my encyclopedic question.

 

Your replies were very helpful. Im playing & learning. I wonder - does decreasing the map detail setting result in smaller maps in terms of storage size needed in the GPSr? The drawback it that I like to see those small country roads that only seem to appear at the max detail setting.

 

Also, thanks for the warning re: the download time - I may tie some flies, or perhaps do some weaving, etc.

[+tirediron]

I'm not sure if decreasing the map detail will change the download size, but I don't believe so. I'm fairly sure that all is you are doing is "hiding" the detail. It's still there, regarless of whether or not you choose to display it.

 

Always glad to help!

 

-TI

[+Night Stalker]

It does not decrease the file size. All it does is reduce the amount of information you will see on your screen. If your GPS works the same way as my SporTrak Pro you can reduce the file size a little bit by not checking the points of interest on the download. This wont be enough for you to get all of S. Cal. though.