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oz97tj
February 6th, 2009, 04:39 PM
Ok, so I got my new Garmin. I love it so far. Now I would like to get some software for my computer so I can lay down tracks and waypoints.

I would like to be able to transfer the tracks back and forth between the gps and the computer so I don't clog up the GPS, and I would like to be able to print the maps out once the gps tracks are uploaded. Ideally, I would like topo and maybe even color photos.

I've been looking and can't seem to find much info about Garmin MapSource, but I did find ExpertGPS. ExpertGPS looks cool because you can do all of the above, even lay the tracks over Google Earth images. Anyone have any experiance with this? Or should I look into something else?

Thanks!
ragman
February 6th, 2009, 05:06 PM
Hi ragman here
I'm a research junky so I looked up the software problem. There in an upgrade for mapsource 6.15.3 that just came out on January 15. by the way, do you have vista on your computer? it no longer supports xp. It is a 61 meg. program found on the garmin web sight.
shawn
February 6th, 2009, 06:37 PM
What Garmin did you get? If you got a Garmin, then you should have MapSource and City Select. That alone will alow you to upload/download tracks.
oz97tj
February 6th, 2009, 06:48 PM
Hi ragman here
I'm a research junky so I looked up the software problem. There in an upgrade for mapsource 6.15.3 that just came out on January 15. by the way, do you have vista on your computer? it no longer supports xp. It is a 61 meg. program found on the garmin web sight.

I'm running XP. I don't have any program right now for mapping. I was just looking to see what is good and what isn't.

I just found something called TopoFusion.com that you can do a free demo of that is supposedly pretty good... I might give it a try.
oz97tj
February 6th, 2009, 06:49 PM
What Garmin did you get? If you got a Garmin, then you should have MapSource and City Select. That alone will alow you to upload/download tracks.

I got the Oregon 400t. It has topo and stuff on the unit, but no software for the computer. Or is there something I get to download off their website for free? Everything I see you have to buy and being Garmin is like at least $100 bucks.
WhiteRhino
February 6th, 2009, 09:34 PM
I agree with Shawn. You should have gotten mapsource with it. Call Garmin tech support. Their support is awesome.
GreyBeard
February 6th, 2009, 09:50 PM
Take a look at some of the old Boondockers which you should be able to see online. There are articles that might be of interest in the Summer 2006 and Fall 2007 issues.
There is information in there on DeLorme Topo USA, OziExplorer, EasyGPS, ExpertGPS, GPS Utility, and Garmin's Mapsource.
I think you will find that Expert GPS, Mapsource, and DeLorme Topo would all give you a lot of what you are looking for.
oz97tj
February 6th, 2009, 10:00 PM
I agree with Shawn. You should have gotten mapsource with it. Call Garmin tech support. Their support is awesome.

Um, ok. I'll check.
oz97tj
February 6th, 2009, 10:41 PM
Ok, I found that the mapsource software doesn't come on a CD with the unit, however you can download it for free on the Garmin site.

I'm going to have to download it when I get home and do some playing with it.
joe_jeep
February 7th, 2009, 10:38 AM
the little bit of gps stuff ive done i used easygps. it was free and worked ok for what i was doing. just a thought.

congrats on the new toy!
USMC 0369
February 7th, 2009, 10:39 AM
I'm not sure about YOUR Garmin...but I have the GPS 76 and I used "easy gps (http://www.easygps.com/)" software, free download. And it was compatable with Google Earth, I could download and upload tracks to the GPS with it.
GreyBeard
February 7th, 2009, 02:16 PM
EasyGPS and ExpertGPS are both from the same company, TopoGrafix.
EasyGPS is free, and they hope someday you may move up to the other product. ExpertGPS is available with a 30 day free trial. That says a lot about how satisfied they expect their customers to be.
These are among the many products that let you upload and download tracks and waypoints and view them over a map background on your PC.
There are few products that actually let you upload the maps to you Garmin unit. The Garmin MapSource products, and VVMapping (www.vvmapping.com (http://www.vvmapping.com)) are the only products I am aware of that provide uploadable maps for your Garmin. VV Mapping is a local product and is Michigan specific. VV Map actually works with MapSource.