Hi:  I'm going to make a trip to WCPP this spring.  Leano to Mexican Hat.  I want to find some waypoints and plug them into my Garmin 60 GPS.  I'm a bit behind the technology curve, and I could use some advice on how to achieve this task.
Thanks!!

white_cedar wrote on Jan 8^th, 2011 at 1:13am:

Hi:  I'm going to make a trip to WCPP this spring.  Leano to Mexican Hat.  I want to find some waypoints and plug them into my Garmin 60 GPS.  I'm a bit behind the technology curve, and I could use some advice on how to achieve this task. Thanks!!

Did you get Topo Canada, so you'll have maps of the area?  (If so, this should mean that you also got a copy of MapSource on the same CD.)

dd

Hi DentonDoc:  I don't have any data stored on my GPS, I'm not sure what to get.
Thanks, Whitecedar

white_cedar wrote on Jan 8^th, 2011 at 4:03am:

Hi DentonDoc:  I don't have any data stored on my GPS, I'm not sure what to get. Thanks, Whitecedar

Your GPS is likely loaded with a generic US map (assuming you bought it in the US).  This doesn't help much if you are going to WCPP.  I think you'll need to pick up Topo Canada ... gives you topo maps of all of Canada.  The CD also includes MapSource, a program that will help you manipulate the maps, add waypoints, tracks, routes and upload them from your computer to your GPS unit.  (You can also reverse this process after a trip to save waypoints, etc. that you've entered during your journey.)

If you want to do is add waypoints directly to your GPS, you can do so my pressing the menu button on your unit until you see a screen that has waypoint showing ... this will enter your current position as a waypoint.  (Of course, you can edit the waypoint to show a different location, but that's a tad more complicated.)

dd

Hi Denton Doc:  Ok, lets see if I have this right.  I'm going to get the Canadian Topo CD.  I use the data on the CD to locate my trip on my laptop.  When I zoom in on the waypoint location, say for instance a portage trail, I download that point into my handheld GPS.  Is that right?  Also, where is a good place to purchase the CD?
Thanks!!

white_cedar wrote on Jan 9^th, 2011 at 1:55am:

Hi Denton Doc:  Ok, lets see if I have this right.  I'm going to get the Canadian Topo CD.  I use the data on the CD to locate my trip on my laptop.  When I zoom in on the waypoint location, say for instance a portage trail, I download that point into my handheld GPS.  Is that right?  Also, where is a good place to purchase the CD? Thanks!!

One of the cheaper places is probably   (You need to Login or Register.  Keep in mind that the included material is ONLY topo maps.  You'll need to add (via the MapSource software) other items (portage locations, campsites, etc.) yourself.  Then you can use the software upload feature to add them (and selected maps) to your GPS.

Of course, any inukshuk (donating member) that ask, I'll e-mail them the files I have (canoe routes, portages, campsites from the WCPP staff, extra lake names ... stuff like that) that are MapSource compatible.  But none of this is of any use unless you have MapSource.

BTW:  Inukshuks also have access to WCPP for Memory Maps, with much of the same information ... shared between members by CD/DVD.  I use this mostly for producing hardcopy maps for my trips.

dd

Hi, DD.  Everytime I read you educating us about the use of GPS and other high-tech gadgetry, I am envious...you are Topo-Emeritus in my book.   ;D

But, I have to say, Holy Crap, Batman!  I'll need to add (via the MapSource software) other items (portage locations, campsites, etc.) myself??  Now my head is really hurting trying to keep up with you.   :-?  

Will I have to quit my job so I can devote myself full-time to getting a handle of this stuff.  Please say it isn't so... :-/  ;D

pine_knot wrote on Jan 9^th, 2011 at 3:17am:

Hi, DD.  Everytime I read you educating us about the use of GPS and other high-tech gadgetry, I am envious...you are Topo-Emeritus in my book.   ;D But, I have to say, Holy Crap, Batman!  I'll need to add (via the MapSource software) other items (portage locations, campsites, etc.) myself??  Now my head is really hurting trying to keep up with you.   :-?   Will I have to quit my job so I can devote myself full-time to getting a handle of this stuff.  Please say it isn't so... :-/  ;D

Well ... I DID retire this year!   ;D

What do you need (fellow inuk) ... I have material on Quetico and WCPP ... working on Wabakimi now.   (That's not to say that I'm not doing updates to all of them at some point during the year)  Current formats include MapSource, Memory Maps and ArcGIS.

Its amazing how much material you can find online.  You just need to know how to get it translated into a form you can use.

Yes.  I guess I'm a bit OC on mapping stuff.   ::)

dd

MapSource came with my Garmin 60csx on a CD. Not sure if White Cedar got that or not. I'm learning myself. My question to DD would be... Do you need to remove maps from your GPS to add maps? Or do you just add maps and the older ones just dissappear? I put on some Minnesota Topo's and BWCA waypoints. And when I load the WCPP Topo's and waypoints it sort of messes up the BWCA maps like the older info is replaced even though they are in two seperate areas.

nctry_Ben wrote on Jan 9^th, 2011 at 8:57pm:

MapSource came with my Garmin 60csx on a CD. Not sure if White Cedar got that or not. I'm learning myself. My question to DD would be... Do you need to remove maps from your GPS to add maps? Or do you just add maps and the older ones just dissappear? I put on some Minnesota Topo's and BWCA waypoints. And when I load the WCPP Topo's and waypoints it sort of messes up the BWCA maps like the older info is replaced even though they are in two seperate areas.

It is, by-in-large, a replacement operation.  

What I typically do is create an independent file for each park or area.  Then prior to a trip, I'll make selections from this "master" area and paste them to a "trip file."  This tends to reduce overall clutter and makes processing a bit faster.

When you load up your GPS, you'll likely find many of your previous entries replaced.  This is in part due to multiple items having the same name.  For example, if map 1 has waypoint 1 and map 2 has waypoint 1 ... if file 1 is loaded "over" file 2 then waypoint 1 from map 1 is replaced by waypoint 1 from map 2.

At least on my system, when I upload new tracks & routes to my GPS, it will "over-run" the GPS's storage for those entries, but keeps the older ones that are not replaced.  This is one reason why I tend to "clear all" entries from my GPS before loading new material.

dd

[quote author=DentonDoc link=1294449211/0#9 date=1294612607... At least on my system, when I upload new tracks & routes to my GPS, it will "over-run" the GPS's storage for those entries, but keeps the older ones that are not replaced.  This is one reason why I tend to "clear all" entries from my GPS before loading new material.

dd[/quote]

That's what I'm wondering... How do you clear all entries? Does that put you back where you started from... the base map originally on the GPS?

nctry_Ben wrote on Jan 9^th, 2011 at 10:45pm:

DentonDoc wrote on Jan 9th, 2011 at 10:36pm: ... At least on my system, when I upload new tracks & routes to my GPS, it will "over-run" the GPS's storage for those entries, but keeps the older ones that are not replaced.  This is one reason why I tend to "clear all" entries from my GPS before loading new material. dd That's what I'm wondering... How do you clear all entries? Does that put you back where you started from... the base map originally on the GPS?

On my GPS (Garmin eTrex Vista Cx), each (waypoints, tracks, routes) are cleared (deleted) independently. However, the starting point is from the same screen.  I cycle my screens until I see the "Main Menu" screen.

For waypoints, I enter the "Find Waypoint" mode and once a list is shown, I press the "menu" button.  "Delete" is the last menu choice shown.

For tracks, I select the mode to view Tracks.  "Clear" is one of the options shown on the screen.

For routes, I select the mode to view Routes, the I press the "menu" button.  "Delete All Routes" is one of the options on my screen.

(your mileage may vary)

dd

How about removing maps?

nctry_Ben wrote on Jan 10^th, 2011 at 2:49am:

How about removing maps?

When I upload maps from Mapsource to my unit, the uploaded maps replace previously stored maps.  There may be a way to have more than one set, but I've always just swapped memory cards on my GPS when I wanted to carry multiple sets of maps for some reason.

Of course, the basemap continues to be always resident in your GPS unit ... it is essentially "built in."

Just keep in mind that you must select map quadrants in while in MapSource to have them uploaded with the other material.  The maps will go from a yellowish tint to a pinkish tent when selected by using the mapping tool (at least with the version I'm using).

dd

So Doc, your saying I could have a memory card for say the BW and one for WCPP. Or even two for WCPP with waypoints for different legs of the trip on each one?

Thanks db for putting us "in our place."  ::)

nctry_Ben wrote on Jan 10^th, 2011 at 2:18pm:

So Doc, your saying I could have a memory card for say the BW and one for WCPP. Or even two for WCPP with waypoints for different legs of the trip on each one?

Ultimately, you'll probably need to check the manual for your unit.  For my GPS, only the maps appear to be on the memory card, while other material seems to be only stored in the memory of the GPS itself.  However, this distinction is a function of the firmware (software) within the GPS unit itself, for which Garmin provides frequent updates/fixed which can be found on their web site.  

An illustration of memory use for my unit is apparent with track storage, which is limited to something like 20 tracks.  This is unfortunate, since things like portages are often recorded as tracks.  So on trips where there is a significant number of portages, I replace the tracks with waypoints marking the beginning and ending of the portage.  

dd

Most of this has been covered but in case it helps.

There are 5 kinds of "data" in your Garmin 60: maps, POI (points of interest),  waypoints, routes, and tracks.  Maps determine the picture you see on the screen.  POIs are those points that the maker of the maps has included as points of interest (duh).  Waypoints are points that the user determines are of interest.  Routes are an ordered collection of waypoints, again created by the user.  A track is a sequence of points indicating where you have been, generated autmatically by the GPS (you can create tracks in software, but that is more advanced than needed for this discussion).

A garmin 60 comes with a basemap, but you can buy more sophisticated maps like Topo canada and topo usa.  Mapsource is a program for moving maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks between your computer and your GPS in either direction.  I have an older garmin 60 but it appears to work as other have reported about the newer ones.  The basemap is never erased.  Each download of supplemental maps erases any supplemental maps already loaded on the GPS.  Moving waypoints, routes, and traacks to the GPS does not erase existing ones.  There is a mechanism on the GPS to erase existing waypoints, routes, and tracks.

My garmin 60 did not use a memory card, all its memory was built-in so I do not know about using mulitple memory cards.  But for a trip to quetico, I downloaded maps from Topo Canada and Topo USA.  For areas near the border, the GPS had three sources for maps: the base map, the Topo Canada map, and the Topo USA map.  The two topo maps were in different scales, so as we paddled down the border, weird displays occurred. Normally the supplemental maps overrides the basemap, but there is a way to tell the GPS to pick a particular map.  In my case, when we were on the border, I told the GPS to ignore the TOPO USA map and just use the TOPO canada map.

You probably have enough memory that you do not have to worry about using multiple memory cards while on your trip.

Wow.  Not meant to diminish the fine info and updates from our esteemed members, but this GPS neophyte was getting ready to take a bunch more tylenol trying to decipher things.    

Azalea, that's about the best summary instruction I've read yet.  You've provided a basic layman's guide to the different aspects of the GPS and mapping and how these things interact.  Thx!   [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Someday soon, I'll have to buy a decent GPS and make time in my busy schedule to learn the ropes.