Calisdad

Greetings,

I have an eTrex Venture HC. How do I name waypoints or waypoint groups?

I downloaded Topo US West. The unit only holds about 9 maps. Does this seem right? My StreetPilot would hold half of California.

Any tips to lift me up the learning curve?

What do you like best about your device? What do you use it for mostly?

Any pitfalls or things to avoid?

regards-
C-dad

HumVee

I have an Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx, which has much the same functionality as your Garmin eTrex Venture HC. There is a 4 GB / 2025 map tile limitation with these older models. That's the largest size that any one Garmin map image file can be, and these older models only allow you to load one map image. Newer model Garmin handhelds (Colorado, Oregon, Dakota) can apparently see multiple map image files with different names, so you can keep adding maps as long as you have storage. I don't have one of these units yet, so I don't know for certain.

You could carry more than one 4GB or 8GB microSD cards loaded with maps, and swap them out as needed. One forum member also says that he's used a 16 GB microSD card with a number of map image files saved to it (but only one which is named 'gmapsupp.img') and renames them as needed. To do that you'd have to have a laptop with media card reader or a SmartPhone with microSD slot along with you.

Now, it's been a while since I built my map image using my own Topo US West 24K and City Navigator North America NT 2010 maps. But if I recall correctly, I also learned (thanks to the help of the members of this forum) that the maximum map image size was only 2 GB if you were building the map file with the microSD card loaded inside the GPS unit, and plugging the GPS unit into the computer via USB cable. If you take the microSD card out and load it directly to your computer using a media card reader (or SD card adapter if you have a laptop with built in SD card reader), then you can create a map set that goes up to the 4 GB limit.

Doing that, I loaded all of the City Navigator North America mapset, plus about half my topographic 24K maps (Oregon, Washington, and a portion of northern California). When using MapSource to build the map set, I selected all of the roadmap (click and drag over a zoomed out map of the USA) until all the tiles were highlighted, then went to the map selector and selected as much of the topo maps as I could. It took some trial and error to find the maximum number of tiles I could select to get right up to the 4 GB limit but not over. I zoomed in on the topo when needing to select or deselect.

I hope that helps! I've taken enough of your time for now, and will respond to your other questions later....

MTalvola

I remember reading somewhere that multiple micro SD cards can also be stored in the battery compartment underneath the batteries so they can be swapped for different maps "in the field". I thought that was a nifty idea. No clue on the 16GB cards, though, as the largest I've used is 8GB.

HumVee

Doh! My apologies, Cali's dad. I just pulled up the specifications of your Venture HC, and discovered that this model has 24 MB of internal memory, and no media slot for adding more memory. With that being the case, my intire post about image file size limitations doesn't matter to you. If you're loading 24K quality topo maps onto the Venture HC, you simply won't be able to get very much on due to the amount of detail. If you wanted to cover a larger area, you'd have to use 100K maps in order to be able to save more map tiles to your device. I don't know if there's a way to "turn down" the level of detail on a 100K map when you build a file, to simulate a lower detail map and get more square miles of map onto your device. I'll try to find time this weekend to look into it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your Venture HC, and it's a fine gift - but if you think you want to be able to load more maps onto it, then you may wish to return the Venture HC and upgrade to a Legend HCx ($70 more than your Venture) or Vista HCx ($100 more). Those models are the least expensive Garmin mapping handhelds that have a microSD slot for adding storage. But the Venture is fine for doing what you have stated you want to use your GPS for (geocaching, hiking, fishing, etc.).

MTalvola

Dayum! I looked on Amazon and the new Vista HCx units are going for well over $200. For the same price, or a bit more, he could step up to a 60/76CSx. Watch the prices as I got mine for $230.

Calisdad

Thanks Everyone.
I'll stick with my unit until I become more proficient. I just wanted to make sure I was doing stuff right. I do want all the detail I can get and it looks like 24k is it. I just have to start using it more.

I would like to know how to name waypoint groups tho, kind of like saving routes.

HumVee

Isn't "waypoint groups" exactly like saving Routes? I don't think Garmin differentiates like that - so this may just be a terminology thing. A sequence of waypoints in specific order is a Route, as far as Garmin is concerned. Creating a Route is described on Page 20 of your Owner's Manual. It's the same whether you're selecting marked points manually on a topo map, or selecting waypoints from a roadmap.

Waypoints (page 7, page 13) can't be "grouped" in any way I know, other than perhaps by selecting the same icon for the waypoint. You could differentiate different "groups" of waypoints by having a different icon represent them. Does that help?

Calisdad

Thanks, I'll give it a look. Now I just have a list of numbered waypoints. If I can catalog them it would be more useful when I need them again.

Also in their examples some have names. I was hoping to be able to name my own.

C-dad

HumVee

Sorry, C-dad - this is just a case of trying to understand each other's different terminologies for things. Yes, you can totally rename waypoints in your device. Pages 7 - 8 of the manual discuss this, though they do a pretty poor job of it (a common failing with GPS manuals). Basically, you select your waypoint in Find, highlight the field you want to change, and then use the cursor to select the characters you want to rename the point. Be aware that in our older units (pretty much everything before the Colorado/Oregon/Dakota series), you're very limited in the number of characters you have for naming. I think 14 characters is the limit.

HumVee

Have you tried Garmin's BaseCamp software for your PC? It's free, and is far easier to use to edit and manage waypoints and routes than by laboriously doing it right on your handheld (at least if you have a lot of them). Simply install the software, connect your handheld to your computer, and upload your data to BaseCamp. Make your edits, and push it back down again. Caution: the program will allow you to make long waypoint names (since the newer units can handle them) - but as soon as you push the data back down to your Venture, the name will be truncated to 14 characters!