WOOT a GPS

[Wendy]

When you bought that mapping software, you should have a code certificate with it, with a number on it.  You need to enter that number, plus the serial no. of the GPS, into teh Garmin website in the unlock section, and that will enable  you to use the map in your GPS.  Sorry I can't remember the specific sequence of steps, but the details should be in your manual.

There should be an unlock wizard in the Garmin Mapsource software.  It's confusing, even for someone fairly PC literate.  If you're really stuck, I could probably nip over to your place and give you a hand one evening if you like?

[frankly frankie]

Ah-HA!  Well, I pass on the unlocking stuff, but at least you have Mapsource so everything else should be straightforward.

Check:
Did you install Trip & Waypoint Manager first?
And the USB driver (part of the same install)?
Then added Mapsource? (Which effectively becomes an 'upgrade' to T&W Man, very similar interface.)

I've always found Garmin's software installs routines very flakey BTW - easy to exit too early.

If you power the Garmin before connecting, do you get the 'chime' or some such indication as soon as you connect to PC?

Now, in Mapsource and 'Transfer', and 'Send to Device' - after a short pause your GPS should be ID'd including the model type and a serial number - shown on screen.  And up to 4 tickboxes below allowing you to select all or none of Maps, Tracks, Waypoints and Routes.

A successful transfer will end with a 'transfer successful' or some such message on the PC.
Sometimes there is also a message on the Garmin screen.  A bad transfer (usually duplicate or too many waypoints) sometimes pops up failure messages on either PC or Garmin - always check both before disconnecting.

[edit] unlocking - in Mapsource - Utilities, Unlock Maps

[and edit] since you have Mapsource, you should never need to see the GPS as an external drive (at least, not until you need to retrieve recorded tracks off the card - which is not enabled by default BTW)

[Ivo]

Is transfering tracks possible from one laptop/netbook to multiple GPS's which are not registered in your name? To be clearer, is it possible to transfer GPS tracks to GPS units of riders entering on the line for an audax event? Provided that the Netbook/laptop has either Mapsource or the track&waypoint manager.

[frankly frankie]

Yes, no problem with that, provided the GPS units have a standard USB connection method.  Transferring tracks only takes a second or two.
You probably want 2 laptops - one set up for people with 'normal' GPS where it will only take seconds, and one for people with 'different' setups (we are talking about cyclists after all!) which would take longer.

Owners of the very latest types can also wirelessly transfer tracks from one unit to another - quite a good way of 'cheating' at the finish of an event ...

[Ivo]

I haven't seen any other devices as Garmin among my riders. Since I lack a 2nd laptop I probably can only provide this service for Garmin owners with 'normal' setup. Luckily among my regulars is a computer wizzard.

[Martin]

OK; yesterday was the first time I tried the Vista. I downloaded the gdb file of the 200 to it but it only had the base map so I got a vague line between the viapoints (I think that's what they were; Mr O'Tea converted them). So I happily went round the route depositing breadcrumbs on the map as I went; but it didn't really tell me where I should be going; did not warn me I was approaching any of the via points; did not move the map page along as I went along and there doesn't seem to be any way of telling it to follow the route 

any ideas? turning it to navigate suggested I use the M25 to get from Upperton back to Hailsham.

[frankly frankie]

Does the gdb file contain a 'Route' - or a 'Track'  ??

Sounds like you had a track if you could see it on screen but were not getting prompts.
A route won't display until you've gone into the Route menu to load it, but tracks (usually) display all the time - and you can colour them to make then stand out more. [edit] green is good - because its a colour the Garmin maps don't use much.

So a track is more like a highlighted map that scrolls with you, than anything else.  You won't have seen much in the way of scrolling because you didn't have much basemap detail to look at.  Also in map setup you may prefer to set the display to 'Track Up' rather than 'North  up' - that way the line you are following always points ahead and you can easily see the shape of the next turn.

[edit] but you can also improve the track-following by going into the Track menu and opting for 'Trackback' - this will generate prompts at any turn (deviation in the track) greater than about 30 degrees.

[Jaded]

My City Navigator map came on a MicroSD card. Can I transfer it to a larger capacity card (is there any gain by doing this?)

[frankly frankie]

Only if you want to store other stuff on the card as well, or if you want to set the GPS to log daily tracks to card (a good thing).

[andrew_s]

My City Navigator map came on a MicroSD card. Can I transfer it to a larger capacity card (is there any gain by doing this?)

If you try it, let us know how you get on 

I've not yet come across any definitive answer to whether the pre-recorded SD cards are copy protected or not. If the maps can be copied successfully onto another card, I'd be a lot more willing to save the money over the cost of the DVD version when it comes to update time.
The maps are in file \garmin\gmapsupp.img.

[Martin]

My City Navigator map came on a MicroSD card. Can I transfer it to a larger capacity card (is there any gain by doing this?)

Don't! I bought a 4GB card (HC) and the Garmin can't see it (although the pc can via the Garmin interface )

Just going to try a 2GB card to download the map; if that fails I'll need to buy a map on SD card  

Francis; Yes what I need is turn by turn instructions off the Route / track <heinous crime>

just like a proper SatNav </heinous crime>

[Sergeant Pluck]

Mine is fine with 2GB.

[Ivo]

When I bought my Etrex Vista a few weeks ago the salesman told me that it couldn't handle HC cards.

[Ivo]

Yesterday I logged my 200 on my new GPS. A lot of problems still with briddle paths which Mapsource doesn't know. It constantly wants to send the track back to known roads.

[simonp]

Yesterday I logged my 200 on my new GPS. A lot of problems still with briddle paths which Mapsource doesn't know. It constantly wants to send the track back to known roads.

Turn off "follow road"?

[frankly frankie]

Yesterday I logged my 200 on my new GPS. A lot of problems still with briddle paths which Mapsource doesn't know. It constantly wants to send the track back to known roads.

Turn off "follow road"?

No its "lock on road" which may be doing that.  In Map setup (strangely).
"Follow road" is best set to 'prompted', and that's in Setup, routing setup.

[frankly frankie]

Don't! I bought a 4GB card (HC) and the Garmin can't see it (although the pc can via the Garmin interface )

Mine is fine with 2GB.

See reply #39.  2Gb good, 4Gb bad, SDHC bad.

[harrumph]

frankie, have you ever thought of writing a book on this subject?

I reckon that the person who publishes the manual that Garmin ought to provide with their otherwise excellent products stands to make significant money!

[frankly frankie]

I reckon that the person who publishes the manual that Garmin ought to provide with their otherwise excellent products stands to make significant money!

GPS for Dummies, or SatNav

surely no-one would buy such a title!

But yes, Garmin's stuff is pretty poor (and getting worse with newer models).

[harrumph]

GPS for Dummies, or SatNav

surely no-one would buy such a title!

I've looked at the ones that exist, and they are not much better than Garmin's...

[frankly frankie]

I've not yet come across any definitive answer to whether the pre-recorded SD cards are copy protected or not. If the maps can be copied successfully onto another card, I'd be a lot more willing to save the money over the cost of the DVD version when it comes to update time.

I was assuming they can be copied, but that the copy will still be locked to the same GPS unit. 

[Martin]

Don't! I bought a 4GB card (HC) and the Garmin can't see it (although the pc can via the Garmin interface )

Mine is fine with 2GB.

See reply #39.  2Gb good, 4Gb bad, SDHC bad.

2Gb bad  ; have downloaded the whole of Mapsource CN to it and I still only get the basemap; should CN be in a folder on the SD card?

[Ivo]

2Gb bad  ; have downloaded the whole of Mapsource CN to it and I still only get the basemap; should CN be in a folder on the SD card?

Did you download it via a cardreader or via the USB port of your Garmin? I used the 2nd option and it worked perfectly.

[simonp]

Don't! I bought a 4GB card (HC) and the Garmin can't see it (although the pc can via the Garmin interface )

Mine is fine with 2GB.

See reply #39.  2Gb good, 4Gb bad, SDHC bad.

2Gb bad  ; have downloaded the whole of Mapsource CN to it and I still only get the basemap; should CN be in a folder on the SD card?

Martin,

Are you selecting some maps in mapsource before downloading?  You have to tell it which map segments you want on the device.

[frankly frankie]

should CN be in a folder on the SD card?

The maps are in file \garmin\gmapsupp.img

AFAIK, nothing else stands any chance of working.