Garmin Montana

I've got a new 650T. I have CityNav2010 from a buddy on MicroSD. I used BaseCamp to create a route from Wasilla, Alaska to Dawson, YT using Glennallen, Tok, and Chicken (via the Top of the World Hwy). This darn thing REFUSES to route me up and over TOW and wants me to go thru Whitehorse! (350miles vs 900+miles). It does this only on CityNav. When I try the route w/ CityNav disabled and Topo enabled it beeps and says "Route Calc Error - Maps do not have routable roads in this area". Yes, I know Top of the World Hwy isn't the most well traveled route ever, but it is shown on both CityNav and Topo. Any assistance in getting my settings right would be greatly appreciated! Yes, I already know how to get there....just having fun learning this new toy.

I plan to use this GPS for work (turn-by-turn street instructions), on-and-off road motorcycling, and kayaking.

Gracias,
Jim

AdvRonski,

Mounting the GPS up high like that on your bike looks good. I think you will like it up there where you will not have to look down or off to the side to see it. I did something similar on my V-Strom and really liked it up there and plan to do the same on my FJR.

Jon...

Yeah that sounds correct. I just looked and I don't have a file by that name so that must have been the one I changed to CNNA 2012.img

Just make sure you do a backup of your files so you don't have to go through what I did if something goes wrong :eek1

Information overload......you got that right. It took me forever to read through this thread but I've learned a lot while doing so.

Jon...

I've never tried Geocaching but while trying to find out more about the hobby I came across this video that I thought might be of help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YmXs6CfebE

Jon...

Gmapsupp.img is not the custom map, it's the supplementary map. Not the same thing at all.

Here's the Garmin site on Custom Maps: http://www.garmin.com/us/products/onthetrail/custommaps

This is another good place to find out about Custom Maps: https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?f=205

One more site, with videos: http://www.gpscity.ca/buzz/2010/04/garmin-custom-maps-video-tutorial.html

And a short video from the GPSCity site showing how to get Custom Maps onto the device:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tQZ6_hzdljA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And finally, one source of Custom Maps, so you don't have to make your own: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/

Thanks for the links, Emmbeedee, but I created and installed the maps without too much trouble. But, since I have 2 different custom maps for the same area, I wanted to be able to select each one separately. However, since I installed them at the same time, they are all together as one Custom map on the unit. I am hoping to find a way to install them so there are at least 2 different selectable Custom maps available. Perhaps the renaming trick might allow that?

No, the renaming trick is for the file called gmapsupp.img only. That file is a throwback to the days where all we had was gps units which could only work with one extra "supplemental" map file like the 60/76 line. That file could contain many maps combined in the one download, but it's nothing to do with Custom Maps which are in a directory of their own.

I don't know if you can have multiple custom kmz files which are enabled or disabled independently through the gps, but the Garmin forums I suggested are where Garmin staff hang around and that would be the place to ask your questions.

Unfortunately, all Custom Maps (Imagery) are loaded to a single "map" loader. This is the case even if you load one to the Internal and one to the external (SD Card) storage. You will not be able to switch between the two maps that are in the same location. They will overlay each other.

Same holds true for BirdsEye Imagery.

Cheers,

Hi

Thanks for that it was informative

But, it does not show me how to use a downloaded bunch of caches, maybe I will try and import them as a gpx file?

I did try out the Garmin site for caches, but as an example, my hometown has about 60 or so in the town and surrounding area but this site shows one, so it is next to useless at this time until it propagates more caches.

I guess another thing I can try is to download a pocket query to the gps, but I don't really need for example 500 Italian waypoints cluttering the device until I actually get to Italy

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Cheers
TravellingStrom

Yes, just import them as GPX. The Geocache Profile should have worked with or without Geocaches loaded. Anyway, transfer your caches via GPX and the Geocache app will work. Garmin has it's own "OpenGeocaching" site not affiliated with GroundSpeak.

Cheers,

Garmin's site is called "OpenCaching": http://www.opencaching.com/ OpenCaching also has an iPhone app which is free and works really well.

Only Premium Members can download multiple caches through the GroundSpeak (Geocaching.com) site.

Thanks DB and MBD

I can do stuff via open geocache but as mentioned above it is lacking in caches. Maybe in a year or so it will be better

I guess the Geocaching profile needs a 'tag' or something to identify waypoints as geocaches

I have a premium account with geocache dot com which allows me to download a massive amount at any one time, this lasts a year and is less than I drink on a Friday night session( just to keep it in perspective)

I am downloading in advance around 500 caches per country throughout Europe and Asia in prep for my trip in April. I only expect and plan to find one or two per country while away( I want to ride) but as I have no idea where I will be riding exactly I prefer multiple choices.

Back to the Montana, I will try the gpx thing when I get home from work


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TravellingStrom

Thanks for the correction Emmbeedee on the OpenCaching name. I tried Garmin's site but I don't think they will ever catch up to GroundSpeak (Geocaching.com). I'm a Premium Member there as well.

Oh, when you send Geocaches from BaseCamp they are placed in a file named: geocaches.gpx and sent to the GPX folder.

Cheers,

You may want to dig into the settings. I had a similar refusal to route until I clicked one one of the routing options that says to allow routing along dirt roads. Once this was checked, the routing worked correctly.

Good luck!

Post 1037.
and I quote Dan.

Picking the right words to describe this setting is going to be a life long endeavor for us I think. . .:huh

For me to remember how this goes, I use the words "Green Check" = Use in Routing, "Red Not Symbol" = Don't Use in Routing.

JMR and TowPro,
Thanks for the quick response and I'll give it a shot when I get home. I'm diggin' the Montana! Just got to figure out how to use it. Sold an eTrex, eMap, TomTom and two other unused GPS's to get this monster and I really need to get dialed in or my bride is gonna kill me!
Marbee

Ok that will help I think.

I will be home soon( rain has shut down worksite) so I will play with copying across some gpx files into the right folders and see if that works.


**edit** Well, all is good.

I imported the pocket queries(gpx files) and everything is shown as I wanted, included all the logs and other info for paperless geocaching.

Now I need the rain to stop so I can go and trial out the different profiles to see which is best for me, or whether I need to make a custom one, probably the latter

Cheers
TS
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TravellingStrom

I've riden that route a few times over the years, I loaded an old route done in MapSource that had only a Fairbanks Start and a Dawson End Point. In BaseCamp that Route follows the intended path just fine with no via points to shape the route. On the Montana, no matter which Routing Profile I choose, the only way to get the path as intended was to put a via point on the George Black Ferry line in the middle of the river. Then the Montana routed the path as intended. I have no Avoidances set.

The Montana team still has some Route calculation work to do.

Cheers,

Checked again last night and all avoidances were green EXCEPT ferry crossings. I completely spaced about the ferry crossing on the Yukon, right as you get into Dawson, so I never unchecked it. AHHHHH! Now I gotta wait til I get home again to make Ferry Crossings green. If that doesn't work, I'll drop a marker in the middle of the durn Yukon and try that next. THANKS!

For those using the Montana to run up to Inuvik from AK or lower 48, better make sure Ferry Crossings are checked green, cuz there's a BUNCH of them!

Jim

The unit I have used a lot MAP76S is very rugged as it was bolted to my Vstrom and has covered 80,000km in Oz and 90,000km north to south of the America's with plenty of dirt roads.

It 'failed' in only one way, the four pins that are used for the comms cable and for power on the bike became fatigued with use and eventually 2 broke off. I ended up inserting long metal pins into the sockets of the two cables just to keep using it until I got back home to Oz.

The unit was mounted and dismounted at least once a day sometimes more and my trip lasted over 450 days

I got a replacement refurbished unit for $200 when I got home


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TravellingStrom