woudentm

My first post!

I am currently struggling with Mapsource and Garmin GPS. Don't get me wrong. I regard these as great products. But, I have a demanding task in front of me. I need some expert help. This means you!

I am participating in a bike race, called Race Across America. I am a member of a 4 man team, Team RANS. Our support crew of 13 people will be operating 4 motor vehicles in a complicated dance following preset routes.

I consider myself an experienced user of MapSource and StreetPilot 2720. I have complete routes for each leg of this race (54 individual routes). During the race, we will have at least one laptop computer and 3 Garmin units: StreetPilot 2720, nuvi 760 and 765T.

I notice that the nuvi can handle only 10 routes, while the StreetPilot can handle 50. I figure this means we will have to update the GPS units during the event. What is the best way to do this? Spare SD cards? direct downloads by USB?

I want to update my StreetPilot with the latest database of POI. What is the best way to do this?

Thanks
Tim Woudenberg
Captain, Team RANS

Andy

Hi Tim, welcome!

To get the latest POIs for the Streetpilot, you'll need to purchase the latest map software for it. City Navigator North America 2010 is the latest I believe. That would give you the most current POIs. Garmin's site will let you put in the serial and it will tell you what the latest is.

When you upload routes to the 2720, will it guide you on the route without recalculating it? I'm just asking because this old "feature" has been long gone in the Nuvi line. Make sure you simulate runs of each segment on the Nuvi's to fine tune the route it picks. It may not be the same as what you designed in Mapsource.

Hopefully some one with a newer Nuvi than what I have will chime in here, but it may be able to hold more than 10 routes on an SD card. There is an option to Import a route from the SD card. Some one prove me wrong, but you may be able to put all 54 routes on the SD card, then import them in groups of 10 or less to the device from the card as you need them.

woudentm

Andy, Thanks this is quite valuable. You put your finger right on my biggest concern: route recalculation by the GPS. I will test this and get back to you.

Other concerns:
1) When I install the latest Mapsource, can I use it to program any of the GPS units? Or do I need to buy a copy of City Navigator NT for each GPS?

2) I would like to put a set of routes on an SD card using the nuvi760, then pop that card into the nuvi765t and import them. Will this work?

Thanks again..
Tim Woudenberg

Andy

With Mapsource, you can manage waypoints, tracks, etc from any Garmin GPS. Doesn't matter what software is installed on the GPS. To access City Navigator NT on a GPS device itself, you have to buy 1 version for each device. Garmin use to offer 2 devices per license but their mapdata supplier changed the requirements.

I'm pretty sure the routes on an SD card will move from device to device. I don't have 2 Nuvi's to test it on though. Anyone have 2 they can check this?

woudentm

If I understand correctly, I should be able to create a route using MapSource and download that route to many Garmin GPS units, with only one copy of City Navigator.

As for updating the POI or Maps on the GPS, I will need one licence (one copy of City Navigator) for each GPS that I update.

Thanks Andy

Andy

Yep, that's right.

woudentm

So I have access to the nuvi765T. Just as you explained, I am able to copy routes to the SD card and then import them.

Next I would like to import waypoints from the SD card. Is there any way to do this?

HumVee

woudentm, This should be no problem with your Garmin nüvi 765T and MapSource. Although the 765T manual does not say anything about waypoints, the specifications page lists capability to store 1000 waypoints/favorites/locations. so it seems that you can create waypoints, but they will be saved to your Favorites. The MapSource manual also confirms that on some units, waypoints are known as "My Locations" or "Favorites." Refer to the manual (pages 12-16) to learn how to send and receive data between MapSource and your GPS unit. The Send/Get data icons in MapSource can be found at the top of the screen.

woudentm

HumVee-
Thanks. More specifically, I would like to load waypoints from an SD card without the use of a personal computer. While a route can be 'imported', I don't see a way to import waypoints. Perhaps there is none?

HumVee

woudentm, the 765T manual (check my link above if you don't have a copy of the manual already) states on pages 32-33 that it is possible. What the manual doesn't clearly state is how to tell the 765T that the files are loaded on the SD card. Presumably, as long as the waypoints are saved in a format that the GPS understands it will see them when it scans the files on boot up.