Garmin GPS?

[bz_711]

Got some great info already from earlier posts regarding GPSfiledepot and other options for downloading topo to garmin micro sd cards...this is all new to me and just learning with my new GPS.
Question I have - aside from the Garmin Birds Eye Imagery subscription...is there an easy way to download satellite imagery (or Google Earth) to the same SD card and veiw on your handheld?

Topo is my main focus and think I have found what I need there - but especially when trying a new area, satellite imagery would be nice.

If Birds Eye is only option - can you download multiple states and keep those once subscription runs out?

Thanks!

 

[Kevin Root]

That would be a cool feature if the GPS had a sat image feature built into the topo map on the GPS. I had looked for the same thing a while back. The only thing I could find was how to create a custom map with a Google Earth overlay in the PDF on the below link. I'm not sure if it will work for what you described though. I've not tried it, but if you had the Google Earth sat pic you wanted if you can save the file to KMZ format into a custom map. Perhaps you could download the Goggle Earth picture you want that way.

http://www8.garmin.com/outdoor/custommaps_instruct.pdf#search="google+earth"

For the most part there is also some awesome planning features for your GPS at Hunting GPS Maps. There is a lot of good planning options there as well.

http://www.HuntingGPSmaps.com/

Adding this link as well on Google Earth planning,

http://www.huntinggpsmaps.com/tutorials/scouting-gps-waypoints-and-tracks-in-google-earth.html

 

[Kevin Root]

Got some great info already from earlier posts regarding GPSfiledepot and other options for downloading topo to garmin micro sd cards...this is all new to me and just learning with my new GPS.
Question I have - aside from the Garmin Birds Eye Imagery subscription...is there an easy way to download satellite imagery (or Google Earth) to the same SD card and veiw on your handheld?

Topo is my main focus and think I have found what I need there - but especially when trying a new area, satellite imagery would be nice.

If Birds Eye is only option - can you download multiple states and keep those once subscription runs out?

Thanks!

bz_711, BirdsEye and free BaseCamp looks pretty cool on some youtube clips I've seen and on their site. From my understanding once it's uploaded on your GPS you would be able keep it on your card when your subscription runs out. I was told if you move it around in BaseCamp after the subscription runs out you won't be able to load it again though.

As far as multiple whole states to download? The size of those downloads would be to large for your sd card and it would not run very well on your GPS with all that information. It's really meant for downloading small areas that your interested in.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=70144

[video=youtube;N73rxjD80iw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N73rxjD80iw&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[MOHunter]

I have downloaded several hunt units for various states from BirdsEye. I created folders in Basecamp for each state and for each unit. Then they can be added and removed from your SD card as needed. However, this is the first I've heard about not being able to move them once the subscription is up.

 

[Kevin Root]

I have downloaded several hunt units for various states from BirdsEye. I created folders in Basecamp for each state and for each unit. Then they can be added and removed from your SD card as needed. However, this is the first I've heard about not being able to move them once the subscription is up.

The gal at Garmin today told me they would stay on your GPS ok after the subscription was done. She just said once the subscription was up that if you moved them around on your BaseCamp after the subscription was done it would not upload anymore on to your GPS when the subscription ran out. Sounds like you would be ok as long as you did not move your folders after your subscription ran out but I may be incorrect. I might not be relaying this correctly so my apologies if I'm stating something out of the context in the way she intended. I was just curious. I could not find much about it on the Garmin Web site so I called them.

It would be cool to see these handheld GPS machines get a bit more powerful. I'm sure they will in time. Preloaded with the Google Earth Satellite maps, perhaps in 3D in good detail similar to how the Topo maps for the whole states come now, etc. One of my questions also to Gamin was how much would fit on the SD card and could I download whole states on the card. She said it would bog or slow down the processor or GPS and fill up the SD card pretty quickly trying to upload whole states or that large of an area.

 

[MOHunter]

Before I purchased the Oregon 450t I was also looking at the eTrex 30. I called Garmin several times to find out about SD card capacity and I was told everything from 4 GB to 32 GB on each unit. I think they'll read a 32 GB card, but it would probably slow the unit down quite a bit if it was full. They're probably supposed to tell people a lower number because of that. They did confirm that the older units would only read 4 and 8 GB cards.

It wouldn't surprise me if the BirdsEye maps were locked up once your subscription ran out. I'll make sure to at least have my most used maps on my card before my subscription expires. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[bz_711]

Good info guys, thanks!

I think the free topo maps will be all I need on my handheld...I can just do one GMU at a time since that is all I will need in a season at this point.
I also was forgetting how capable my phone now is with google maps app and it's satellite imagery. Even if I can only access those once I'm back to vehicle and can drive to signal - it will still help me take a quick look over a new area I would maybe want to try.
I don't see myself really using the "planning" capability on my pc linked with my gps...I still rely on the "mental map" I see from months of staring at the same maps waiting for hunting season