Got a Garmin but...

[DaveC]

I have yet to be impressed with the topo map. It is lacking some 10 year old roads which I know for a fact are there. I live on one. I tried to down load the updated map but that did not seem like any improvement. I have an E-Trax and the Mapsource Topo, figuring how to make it useful is a much differant thing. MS street and trips is far more accurate. I am not getting a warm and fuzzy.
Q: Do these things grow on you or are they really just a do dad that burns a lot of time? I could see how having a scrolling map would be very useful but if it is missing data that is 10 years old how good can it realy be? If I can't find my house how can I find a rodeviou?
Q: Am I using the right software, is the city guide what I need and well it have all the county roads in all the country?

[bushwhacker]

I prefer MetroGuide USA. it is newer than topo and has as much detail (sometimes you have to zoom further)

They have MetroGuide North America but do not waste your money. They removed a lot of detail going from MetroGuide USA to MetroGuide North America.

Tell me the street you are looking for and where it is located and I will check and see if it is on MetroGuide USA.

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[Tourmeister]

City Select seems to have quite recent updates and has a great amount of detail. I use Topo as well though, especially when doing the dualsport rides. Sometimes it will show a road that used to exist but has long since vanished. I think much of the topo info is based on a lot of satellite stuff done back in the mid 90's. They are not so worried about the actual roads so much as the topo details.

[Dirtrideroader]

Ok, I have to ask, what is a Garmin but? How do you get one? Sitting on your GPS too long? Maybe you should mount it on your Handle bars.

[Gilk51]

I have yet to be impressed with the topo map. It is lacking some 10 year old roads which I know for a fact are there.
I have made the same complaint recently - I think that some roads that are 15 years old are missing, too. A bunch of my tracks on roads/highways in the area just plow through big, open spaces on the Topo maps.

I may have to get City select...

[Gilk51]

Ok, I have to ask, what is a Garmin but? How do you get one? Sitting on your GPS too long? Maybe you should mount it on your Handle bars.
Chris was up too late again... :-P

It's butt, Chris, butt, not but... :roll:

[jhansen]

Ok, I have to ask, what is a Garmin but? How do you get one? Sitting on your GPS too long? Maybe you should mount it on your Handle bars.
Hi-tech version of monkey but....:rofl: :rofl:

[CBAT]

:rofl: Ok, I have to ask, what is a Garmin but? How do you get one? Sitting on your GPS too long? Maybe you should mount it on your Handle bars.

[Dirtrideroader]

Chris was up too late again... :-P

It's butt, Chris, butt, not but... :roll:

I realize the difference in spelling. I thought he spelled it with one "t" because the naughty word filters wouldn't let him spell it correctly.

But, on a more serious note, does anyone have one of the new Garmins that are supposedly preloaded with all of North America. If so, what granularity of roads do they have? Down to county roads? Neighborhood streets? Dirt roads? My driveway or goat trails?

[WoodButcher]

I realize the difference in spelling. I thought he spelled it with one "t" because the naughty word filters wouldn't let him spell it correctly.

But, on a more serious note, does anyone have one of the new Garmins that are supposedly preloaded with all of North America. If so, what granularity of roads do they have? Down to county roads? Neighborhood streets? Dirt roads? My driveway or goat trails?

Chris, I have one of the newest Garmins, the Zumo. It has City Navigator NT. I also loaded some of my Garmin Topo maps on it thinking I would want the topo info for a stop in Big Bend last week. Turns out all the BB park roads were in City Navigator. I was surprised they had some of the dirt roads even. I suspect I won't use the Topo stuff too much now.

DaveC, why don't you come over and I'll show you what I have. I also use Delorme Topo USA 6 which is much more current. Plus I have their Street Atlas 2006 (about to upgrade to 2007). Between those, the Garmin stuff, Google Earth, and ExpertGPS, I spend way too much time playing with maps.

[TexasTri]

So are you saying the software that came with my Garmin 2720 can be changed? I understand I would have to buy it, but that might be worth it. I am also a little disturbed with how many roads are missing. Thanks for the info.

[WoodButcher]

So are you saying the software that came with my Garmin 2720 can be changed? I understand I would have to buy it, but that might be worth it. I am also a little disturbed with how many roads are missing. Thanks for the info.

Sure, the 2720 supports a bunch of their map products. Mapsource is the GUI for their maps. City Navigator 8 and City Navigator NT 8 are the latest mapsets. The NT product uses a new compression method that not all the units support. So depending on what you have, you may be able to upgrade to version 8. ie CN 7. Otherwise, you need to buy CN 8.

Looking at the Garmin website, it looks like the 2720 comes with CN NT. Right now they are shipping with v8. What does your DVD say it is? Here is the page for upgrade info: map updates (http://www.garmin.com/unlock/update.jsp)

Also be aware that you have to use the upgrade method to get newer version of maps you have preloaded by Garmin. You can load other garmin maps on most units and switch between them. In my case I had the Topo maps that I used with an older unit, then the CN NT was preloaded on my Zumo. So I just added some Topo maps and can switch to them when I want. The preloaded are always there.

Hope that helps.

Oh yeah, don't forget to make sure the GPS (and mapsource) are set to the highest level of detail. And mapsource is set to "show GPS detail" That can hide some smaller roads until you zoom way in.

[TexasTri]

I have the V8 update CD. Was hoping that would help as this thing does not even know about my neighborhood which is at least 3 years old. I'll look at the detail level before I think about switching sfw. Thanks for the info.

[DaveC]

I have gone through 53 pages of owners manual and through the help on the Mapsource. There is no mention on the removing of maps, You can upload and down load you can add routes and way points but there is nothng about replacing the maps in the unit! I don't want to replace my maps with POI data, I just want to load my current maps! :giveup: :confused: :headbang:

[WoodButcher]

I have gone through 53 pages of owners manual and through the help on the Mapsource. There is no mention on the removing of maps, You can upload and down load you can add routes and way points but there is nothng about replacing the maps in the unit! I don't want to replace my maps with POI data, I just want to load my current maps! :giveup: :confused: :headbang:

When you load a new mapset, it removes the old maps on your unit, as I remember. So there is no "remove" map option. I suspect the City Navigator may be the Garmin product you want more.

But please come on over sometime and see what I have and how I use it. I think by seeing some of the different maps on the PC and my two garmin units we can get you set up with what will work well for you.

I have Garmin US Topo, City Navigator NT 8, Delorme Street Atlas 2006, Delorme Topo USA 6, ExpertGPS and GoogleEarth, plus several odd shareware problems that do helpful little things.

[DaveC]

So after a look around, knowing this was a road going unit I opted for the Gamin Marine Mount (http://shop.garmin.com/accessory.jsp?sku=010%2D10354%2D00)
Affordable, designed for boats?
Next was how to mount the mount.

How about up on the left side so I can operate it at speed without taking my eyes off the road for extended periods

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m18/dcarter001/Voyager/Projects/100_0934.jpg

Now thats good but with the mount designed the way it is.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m18/dcarter001/Voyager/Projects/100_0929.jpg
The center peice makes for a bouncy view.
remove that and you get a short stiff mount
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m18/dcarter001/Voyager/Projects/100_0928.jpg
Top View, yes that is a sat radio antenna on another bracket
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m18/dcarter001/Voyager/Projects/100_0927.jpg

I use a off the shelf , shelf bracket 1 1/2 inches long mounted behind my speaker cover using the cover screw to hold it in place.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m18/dcarter001/Voyager/Projects/100_0930.jpg

I held the base to the bracket with #10-32 oval head screw , washer and nut. Stainless of course.

I was so happy with the results I went ahead and mounted the sat radio on the other side.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m18/dcarter001/Voyager/Projects/100_0933.jpg

Now I got all this done, used it the Friday before the Big Freeze of 07 and it has sat since:thpt:
But thats the way I did it, thanks to the Woodbutcher for the tip of packing the batteries with a little tape to keep the batteries from moving, I was getting the image to "cut out" seemed to be blanking but wouldn't totaly die. A little loop side of velcro and it makes the cover "very" snug going on but the blanking screen goes away.

Oh yea , total cost $23 for the Marine Mount off e-bay to the door, ( one of the few good e-bay purchases) $1.29 for brackets and I had the screws already. but a pack would cost you $.99. About 1/4 of a RAM mount unit.

[Beach]

DaveC,

Waht Garmin are you using, is that a Legend or similar unit?
I thought everyone was using zumo and all the other fancy units.
I bought a eTrex Legend C as my first GPS a couple of months ago to try out and haven't been able to spend much time getting familiar with it and had so far been pretty unimpressed, but also keeping an open mind until I had the time to learn it.
Can anyone suggest a good place to learn more general knowledge about them?

[DaveC]

Rusty the Woodbutcher helped me out with understanding the software options. Looks like city select is the mapping software choice for us street ridden types (similar to bed ridden). I digress, what would be handy is a workshop for us novice types. I have marked some waypoints and I even labeled a few. Rusty showed me how to do it on the computer then upload them. What is the hard part is understanding the format and software limitations within your unit.
BTW I am using an E-trax Legend.

[Number 6]

I got a ZUMO 550 that has all of the maps internal, but has chip capability to add other map sets for off road etc. I have used mine on both my bikes, and both cars [comes with mount for bike, and car, with electrical for each]. The mount has been stone stable on my Uly for over three months, which is surprising since that bike really shakes below 2000 rpm. I have been amazed at how much info is in the software when I have been riding. Lots of dirt roads, country roads, park roads, and espeically water locations [creeks, rivers, lakes, and even ponds]. When the road runs out on the screen, the water sources can give you a really good idea of where you are and how far to the next main intersection.

I had some initial difficulity with the software [DVD] but was able to get it straight with the Garmin folks, and those specific updates enable much better routing and way points than I could do before [eventhough the unit was new, the updates completely changed the operation on my laptop>550].

PC Nation had it for < $680 complete [retailed for > $950].