Tcat gps ?

[MAXVERT]

I'm in the early planning stages for riding the TCAT (Trans Canada Adventure Trail ) this Summer.

I'm going to need a GPS that can store 200 tracks.
At present I'm using a Nuvi 550, which if I'm not mistaken will not
support uploaded tracks.

Would someone recommend a suitable GPS

or is it possible to load the tracks on a micro SD card and use my Nuvi

I also have a Garmin Zumo 450, could I use this ?

Thanks, Max

[Cannonshot]

Originally Posted by MAXVERT

I'm in the early planning stages for riding the TCAT (Trans Canada Adventure Trail ) this Summer.

I'm going to need a GPS that can store 200 tracks.
At present I'm using a Nuvi 550, which if I'm not mistaken will not
support uploaded tracks.

Would someone recommend a suitable GPS

or is it possible to load the tracks on a micro SD card and use my Nuvi

I also have a Garmin Zumo 450, could I use this ?

Thanks, Max

There are several options for units that take the number of tracks that you would need to have for the TCAT. (By the way I am working on that GPX for the TCAT folks right now so I am familiar with it.)

Some common units that have mass storage that will handle up to 200 tracks include the Garmin 62 series, Oregon series, and Montana series.

I use a Garmin 62S and an Oregon 450 when I require a capacity more than 20 tracks.

If I was going to ride the TCAT in a fashion that required that many track segments being loaded on a unit all at once, I'd buy a unit that takes mass storage. It is a small investment as compared to the scale of undertaking the ride. I'd also ride with others that had mass storage in the event one of these units fail.

I should also add that the number of waypoints could start to approach 1,000. Some units have a limitation on the number of waypoints that can be loaded.

Rather than rely on work arounds, I would just buy a unit that takes 200 tracks and at least 1,000 waypoints.

There are some other issues about powering a unit off the bike. The Montana series may offer the best set-up for that out of the three units I mentioned.

[mcnut]

Originally Posted by Cannonshot

There are some other issues about powering a unit off the bike. The Montana series may offer the best set-up for that out of the three units I mentioned.

Another that has good power options is the Garmin 78.
Garmin Map 78 with free shipping for $199 from West Marine.

Bruce

[MAXVERT]

Originally Posted by Cannonshot

There are several options for units that take the number of tracks that you would need to have for the TCAT. (By the way I am working on that GPX for the TCAT folks right now so I am familiar with it.)

Some common units that have mass storage that will handle up to 200 tracks include the Garmin 62 series, Oregon series, and Montana series.

I use a Garmin 62S and an Oregon 450 when I require a capacity more than 20 tracks.

If I was going to ride the TCAT in a fashion that required that many track segments being loaded on a unit all at once, I'd buy a unit that takes mass storage. It is a small investment as compared to the scale of undertaking the ride. I'd also ride with others that had mass storage in the event one of these units fail.

I should also add that the number of waypoints could start to approach 1,000. Some units have a limitation on the number of waypoints that can be loaded.

Rather than rely on work arounds, I would just buy a unit that takes 200 tracks and at least 1,000 waypoints.

There are some other issues about powering a unit off the bike. The Montana series may offer the best set-up for that out of the three units I mentioned.

Thanks,

My question arose from reading one of your posts in the making of the TCAT thread.

Is it possible to convert the tracks to multiple routes and have then in a
micro sd card for my nuvi.

I'm not trying to be cheap, I really like the 550 nuvi's screen size and
units weight.

I'll most likely wind up just building a route from the existing tracks.

Max

[Cannonshot]

Originally Posted by MAXVERT

Thanks,

My question arose from reading one of your posts in the making of the TCAT thread.

Is it possible to convert the tracks to multiple routes and have then in a
micro sd card for my nuvi.

I'm not trying to be cheap, I really like the 550 nuvi's screen size and
units weight.

I'll most likely wind up just building a route from the existing tracks.

Max

The route thing won't work for the TCAT as a whole. The path sometimes uses segments that are not on maps or are not on routable maps.

But, you could build routes for some long segments and use your Nuvi for those while relying on another unit for the other sections. Once problem with building routes is recalculation. Some units will automatically recalculate when you upload the route and the recalculation might not be visible to you as it may be way further down the line. You have to really pin down the route as you build it. That introduces the potential for the limitations of via points on a route and the number of routes you can store in your unit. Then there is the issue of getting off route and recalculating manually along the way (easily avoided if you are careful).

The best course of action for the TCAT is to get a unit that takes up to 200 tracks and follow the tracklines.

[MAXVERT]

Looks like I'll use the nuvi for general route finding.
I'll be riding out to the start from Idaho, 4,000 mi.

and take your advise and use a Oregon 450 for the TCAT ride.

What map set would you load in the 450, a 24k topo of Canada,
or ?

Would you suggest loading the whole set of tracks on the SD card or
directly into the GPS memory ?

Thanks, Max

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by MAXVERT

Looks like I'll use the nuvi for general route finding.
I'll be riding out to the start from Idaho, 4,000 mi.

and take your advise and use a Oregon 450 for the TCAT ride.

What map set would you load in the 450, a 24k topo of Canada,
or ?

Would you suggest loading the whole set of tracks on the SD card or
directly into the GPS memory ?

Thanks, Max

If cost is a problem, get the 78S. It has all the advanced map/track/waypoint attributes of the 450, but a much better power connector. But better yet, tough more expensive, is the Montana line.

[MAXVERT]

Originally Posted by Emmbeedee

If cost is a problem, get the 78S. It has all the advanced map/track/waypoint attributes of the 450, but a much better power connector. But better yet, tough more expensive, is the Montana line.

Thanks for the info.

After checking the Montana's out, it looks like the 600 would be best for
the trip.

What maps would you suggest.
I see Garmin has the topo Canada set.

I'll be riding solo so I need the most robust GPS I can get.

Max

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by MAXVERT

Thanks for the info.

After checking the Montana's out, it looks like the 600 would be best for
the trip.

What maps would you suggest.
I see Garmin has the topo Canada set.

I'll be riding solo so I need the most robust GPS I can get.

Max

Topo Canada is pretty good and it is auto-routing so if you only get one Canada map, that would be a good choice. It's cheap, generally costing around $70 at GPSCIty and GPSCentral. Also, it's not locked so you can use it on any/all of your gps units.

[Cannonshot]

I agree that Topo Canada is a good choice. It is what I use.

Someone inquired about this so I'll mention it now.

There will also be an image file available from the TCAT site that contains the tracks converted to a map overlay that will be visible over the top your background map. Think of this as a piece of acetate with the track on it taped the the top of your map. It will show the path as if it was part of your background map and will not rely on track lines loaded onto your GPS.

I plan to share this without waypoints (although waypoints can be posted to the overlay).

This could allow people with a more basic unit that takes only 20 tracks to load the image overlay of the path (as a map), load the waypoints, and not load the 130 tracks.

I sometimes load the overlay on one unit and run the actual tracks on another. You can load the overlay map of the path onto a Nuvi.

[ThunderOne]

MAXVERT---Why not just take that TCat track set and convert them to a map then you can use it in any Garmin GPS seems odd to have 200 some odd tracks with a zillion different points!? I did this with my snowmobile tracks I had a ton of and wanted one track so if your handy with a computer and google its a rather simple process! Here is one link below and there are several more online. Hope this helps someone not having to buy an extra GPS to go on a certain trip..LOL

http://www.keenpeople.com/index.php?...tid=4&Itemid=3

[ThunderOne]

I'm sure this has been pointed out already but really good free Topo Canada maps for Garmin unit available here:

http://www.ibycus.com/