Just picked up a Garmin GPSMap 76 What are my options for downloading maps? and who, or which ones would you recomend? I plan on using it mostly for inland lakes and some of the bays in Lake Michigan. This is my first GPS so please be gentle.
GPS
- Thread starter JoeB
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Go to the Garmin site...
See if your GPS is compatible with the Blue Chart products they sell. If so, do a search to see who has them at the cheapest price. I have a Garmin Quest on the way. The web site says the Quest is compatible with the Blue Charts. Nice to have, but not a real necessity.
See if your GPS is compatible with the Blue Chart products they sell. If so, do a search to see who has them at the cheapest price. I have a Garmin Quest on the way. The web site says the Quest is compatible with the Blue Charts. Nice to have, but not a real necessity.
Handheld GPS
Go to this site: you'll find quite a bit of information useful to you regarding the G76 series http://kobernus.com/hunter260/gps/gps1.html
Go to this site: you'll find quite a bit of information useful to you regarding the G76 series http://kobernus.com/hunter260/gps/gps1.html
GPSMAP76cs
I have the Garmin GPSMAP76cs with all the bells & whistles. Most Garmin products use their proprietary BlueCharts. You can download the latest unit operating system software from their website as well as Mapsource which lets you select the exact charts you need for the area instead of a bunch you don't need. You can also get their so called award winning "n-route" which is the live tracking software you can run on your notebook. Even though I have a color screen it is so small that I prefer to run it through my notebook for the 15" display. You may also just look at your coordinates and then to a paper chart but I like to see my boat represented by a little black triangle going through the electronic chart. There is also some new POI software available on the Garmin site for point of interest info which is currently generating much interest. Great little units but too small a screen.
I have the Garmin GPSMAP76cs with all the bells & whistles. Most Garmin products use their proprietary BlueCharts. You can download the latest unit operating system software from their website as well as Mapsource which lets you select the exact charts you need for the area instead of a bunch you don't need. You can also get their so called award winning "n-route" which is the live tracking software you can run on your notebook. Even though I have a color screen it is so small that I prefer to run it through my notebook for the 15" display. You may also just look at your coordinates and then to a paper chart but I like to see my boat represented by a little black triangle going through the electronic chart. There is also some new POI software available on the Garmin site for point of interest info which is currently generating much interest. Great little units but too small a screen.
Have used the GPSMap 76 series a lot
Joe, I started out on Carlyle and moved over to the Mississippi with a GPSMap 76s -- it was stolen out of my truck and I upgraded to the GPSMap 76cs. I like the USB interface as opposed to the serial interface of the base unit. I had never filled up the memory of the 76s and my brother who has the 76 has not used all of his memory either. We have just used the Map Source Garmin software. I can find none of the Blue Charts for the river or Carlyle Lake. I have had to recalibrate the CS several times here lately but I have not been using it as much either. It is nice that all of the accessories for the 76 series fit from the base model all the way up to the CS model. FYI -- the unit works great in the car and if you are a bicycler by the handle bar mount -- it makes the best bike computer (although to expensive to be used just for that). Dan
Joe, I started out on Carlyle and moved over to the Mississippi with a GPSMap 76s -- it was stolen out of my truck and I upgraded to the GPSMap 76cs. I like the USB interface as opposed to the serial interface of the base unit. I had never filled up the memory of the 76s and my brother who has the 76 has not used all of his memory either. We have just used the Map Source Garmin software. I can find none of the Blue Charts for the river or Carlyle Lake. I have had to recalibrate the CS several times here lately but I have not been using it as much either. It is nice that all of the accessories for the 76 series fit from the base model all the way up to the CS model. FYI -- the unit works great in the car and if you are a bicycler by the handle bar mount -- it makes the best bike computer (although to expensive to be used just for that). Dan
re : GPS
Joe, I have a GPS76 which does not have the mapping capability. The GPS76 MAP includes base maps of the world including aids to navigation. What it doesn't have is detail charts. It doesn't show water depth. For my part, I carry paper charts of the areas that I'm sailing in, and reference them for the depth information. The small screen on the 76 makes it a little difficult for 55 year old eyes (at least mine) to see the detail anyway. Your best source for Blue Charts is the Garmin website, or any retail outlet that sells Garmin. The Blue Chart prices don't tend to fluctuate much between different retailers. You can pick up the Mapsource Blue Charts US Recreational Lakes for $116.00 from Garmin. http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/reclakesEast.jsp#
Joe, I have a GPS76 which does not have the mapping capability. The GPS76 MAP includes base maps of the world including aids to navigation. What it doesn't have is detail charts. It doesn't show water depth. For my part, I carry paper charts of the areas that I'm sailing in, and reference them for the depth information. The small screen on the 76 makes it a little difficult for 55 year old eyes (at least mine) to see the detail anyway. Your best source for Blue Charts is the Garmin website, or any retail outlet that sells Garmin. The Blue Chart prices don't tend to fluctuate much between different retailers. You can pick up the Mapsource Blue Charts US Recreational Lakes for $116.00 from Garmin. http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/reclakesEast.jsp#
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