Hi Thinking of buying a new Garmin Chartplotter GPSMAP 172C which you
also can buy 356 blank data card. Can I then upload my computer charts
on the card and read as the blue charts do? A lot cheaper and I have
more computer charts that Blue chart offers. Assume will need a few
pieces of hard/ software to convert?
Chris

On 20 Jan 2006 18:25:09 -0800, "Chris" wrote:

Hi Thinking of buying a new Garmin Chartplotter GPSMAP 172C which you
also can buy 356 blank data card.


Can I then upload my computer charts
on the card and read as the blue charts do? A lot cheaper and I have
more computer charts that Blue chart offers. Assume will need a few
pieces of hard/ software to convert?
Chris

Not sure what you mean by "356 data card", but I think I can answer
all your questions:

Garmin Chart Plotter Hardware ONLY supports (displays) Garmin charts.
Check the area of coverage you need then look up the cost of an
"unlock code" for that area. See Garmins "Blue Charts". You cannot
upload whatever you want to as it (uploading to GPS) is done via
Garmins "Map Source" program that comes with the Blue Charts. Map
Source only recognizes Garmin Chart files of course.

*tip* if you do buy "Blue Charts" try to find a copy of Map source
version 6.5 The later versions have dropped the ability to display
and track your vessel simultaneously on the GPS unit AND a laptop when
connected via a USB or 232. That's a bonus for me and my boats
layout.. 276c in the cockpit, laptop below. Otherwise the map Source
program is good and easy to use.




regards


Capt Spammy
(i have a 276c)

to reply do NOT remove the "spam" from my e-mail address.

*if you need 6.5 and have Skype lemme know (;-)

Chris wrote:
Hi Thinking of buying a new Garmin Chartplotter GPSMAP 172C which you
also can buy 356 blank data card. Can I then upload my computer charts
on the card and read as the blue charts do? A lot cheaper and I have
more computer charts that Blue chart offers. Assume will need a few
pieces of hard/ software to convert?
Chris

Forget it. Don't waste your money.

Anything you buy from Garmin will ONLY read Garmin charts/maps.

If you want to read other format files, use a laptop with the requisite
software for connecting to a GPS. e.g.-

www.oziexplorer.com


Dennis.

What ? Just upgraded the software (sparetime during christmas) to 6.9. Used
to run 6.5

It's a *must* to have both running simultanous.

Just attached my spare gps (etrex) and realised that you are right something
changed. How do you then get the cursor on the PC ?? or: how do you turn off
the screen on the Garmin device ?

/Bjarke

"Spammy Spamson" wrote in message
...
On 20 Jan 2006 18:25:09 -0800, "Chris" wrote:

snip

*tip* if you do buy "Blue Charts" try to find a copy of Map source
version 6.5 The later versions have dropped the ability to display
and track your vessel simultaneously on the GPS unit AND a laptop when
connected via a USB or 232. That's a bonus for me and my boats
layout.. 276c in the cockpit, laptop below. Otherwise the map Source
program is good and easy to use.

snip

Anything you buy from Garmin will ONLY read Garmin charts/maps.

I think that this is not the fact... there is a program that lets you
do your own Gamin maps. The program is GPSMapEdit
http://www.geopainting.com/en/
See description at http://plrecgps.pp.org.pl/bin/view/GPS/UserMaps

I have no tested this with a Garmin GPS, but I have used it to convert
Garmin maps to Ozi format, then used another program to convert the
the Ozi files (.bmp and .map) to be used with my Nokia 3230 cell phone and a
bluetooth GPS.
Works fine, the procedure is quite simple and does not require the time
consuming
setting of the chart calibration points manually.

But doing charts from a scanned image for use with a Garmin GPS will require
some more work...

Regards, TomS


"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message
...
Chris wrote:
Hi Thinking of buying a new Garmin Chartplotter GPSMAP 172C which you
also can buy 356 blank data card. Can I then upload my computer charts
on the card and read as the blue charts do? A lot cheaper and I have
more computer charts that Blue chart offers. Assume will need a few
pieces of hard/ software to convert?
Chris

Forget it. Don't waste your money.

Anything you buy from Garmin will ONLY read Garmin charts/maps.

If you want to read other format files, use a laptop with the requisite
software for connecting to a GPS. e.g.-

www.oziexplorer.com


Dennis.

On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 15:52:59 +0100, "Bjarke Christensen"
(nej, det skal selvfølgelig være med K da jeg
er dansker) wrote:

What ? Just upgraded the software (sparetime during christmas) to 6.9. Used
to run 6.5

It's a *must* to have both running simultanous.

Just attached my spare gps (etrex) and realised that you are right something
changed. How do you then get the cursor on the PC ?? or: how do you turn off
the screen on the Garmin device ?

You DON'T get the cursor on the PC with mapsource above version 6.5.
To do that you have to use "NRoute" which is geared more to navigating
on highways. (blechhhh)

Go back and install 6.5. If you do a search for "Garmin mapsource
6.5 download" you should be able to find the same FTP site I found.

I would uninstall 6.9, reboot, install 6.5 . The registry entries will
direct 6.5 back to your map files so no need to re-do all of that..

As to the "issue" of not being able to run other file formats (non
Garmin) thats not a concern for me. Here in Canada our charts are not
"free". i.e. I cannot download "free" usable charts for Canadian
waters THAT I WOULD TRUST.

Although not cheap (CAD $179.) the Garmin charts I paid for are a
relative bargan. I have at least 130 charts that would otherwise cost
me $22/each (!) - the charts are good, the gear works well. I'm a
happy boater that knows where I am or where I am going (most of the
time).


regards,


Capt. Spammy

to reply by e-mail do NOT remove "spam".

////snip

TomS wrote:
Anything you buy from Garmin will ONLY read Garmin charts/maps.

I think that this is not the fact... there is a program that lets you
do your own Gamin maps. The program is GPSMapEdit
http://www.geopainting.com/en/
See description at http://plrecgps.pp.org.pl/bin/view/GPS/UserMaps

I have no tested this with a Garmin GPS, but I have used it to convert
Garmin maps to Ozi format, then used another program to convert the
the Ozi files (.bmp and .map) to be used with my Nokia 3230 cell
phone and a bluetooth GPS.
Works fine, the procedure is quite simple and does not require the
time consuming
setting of the chart calibration points manually.

But doing charts from a scanned image for use with a Garmin GPS will
require some more work...

Regards, TomS

He has no Garmin Mapsource maps/charts, that's the whole point of his post.
He has some (unspecified format) digital charts which he wants to use with a
Garmin 172C.

GPSMapedit will not convert scanned raster charts to Garmin img files. It
allows you to change existing img files, i.e. edit them, or, if you fancy a
lifetime's work, I guess you could start off with a blank canvas and compile
your navigation charts in vetor format.

Having used GPSMapedit to add new roads to existing img files, I can tell
you that somewhere in the conversion to/from Polish format, the zoom
facility gets corrupted/lost and you finish up with a map which shows the
new road, as long as you don't zoom in or out on it, which is the whole
point of the excercise.

I am not suggesting that GPSMapedit is a substandard program, the author(s)
are to be commended for a brave try to crack Garmin's img files, but to
suggest that I could scan some detailed raster charts, convert them to
vector, and create img files capable of being used in e.g. a new 60CS, I am
sorry, you must have a different version of MapEdit to mine!

The Mapsource Bluechart files are freely, if illegally, available on many
file-sharing programs, and will run on a laptop, if that is what you want,
but you cannot load them to a Garmin plotter or handheld Garmin without the
unlock codes for that specific device, i.e. the one in your possession, with
it's device number, supplied by Garmin, and tied to it's serial number.

If you have a conversion program to convert bitmaps to vectors and use them
on a GPS or Cellphone, you are indeed fortunate, and we will await your next
post, giving full details, with anticipation.

Dennis.

With NOAA giving away "Official" official charts for free and updating them
regularly, it would seem that there is a business opportunity for someone to
build a chart plotter that the end user could use the NOAA charts with.



The current manufactures have no interest in this as they all either produce
or have exclusive relations with electronic chat makers. I currently use
both a chart plotter and my laptop with navigation software that can use
both the raster and vector NOAA charts.



If it existed I would purchase a chart plotter that could use the NOAA
charts. I believe the dedicated chart plotter is more reliable, more rugged,
and probably more water proof than my laptop.



Bottom line I feel that the time has come for a chart plotter that could use
NOAA charts is here. I am willing to beta test such a unit for anyone
already working this problem. E-mail me individually for my electronic,
cartographic, and navigation experience. I am retired and have the time to
donate to this endeavor



Pat Harman



"TomS" wrote in message
...
Anything you buy from Garmin will ONLY read Garmin charts/maps.

I think that this is not the fact... there is a program that lets you
do your own Gamin maps. The program is GPSMapEdit
http://www.geopainting.com/en/
See description at http://plrecgps.pp.org.pl/bin/view/GPS/UserMaps

I have no tested this with a Garmin GPS, but I have used it to convert
Garmin maps to Ozi format, then used another program to convert the
the Ozi files (.bmp and .map) to be used with my Nokia 3230 cell phone and
a bluetooth GPS.
Works fine, the procedure is quite simple and does not require the time
consuming
setting of the chart calibration points manually.

But doing charts from a scanned image for use with a Garmin GPS will
require some more work...

Regards, TomS


"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message
...
Chris wrote:
Hi Thinking of buying a new Garmin Chartplotter GPSMAP 172C which you
also can buy 356 blank data card. Can I then upload my computer charts
on the card and read as the blue charts do? A lot cheaper and I have
more computer charts that Blue chart offers. Assume will need a few
pieces of hard/ software to convert?
Chris

Forget it. Don't waste your money.

Anything you buy from Garmin will ONLY read Garmin charts/maps.

If you want to read other format files, use a laptop with the requisite
software for connecting to a GPS. e.g.-

www.oziexplorer.com


Dennis.

"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message
...
TomS wrote:
Anything you buy from Garmin will ONLY read Garmin charts/maps.

I think that this is not the fact... there is a program that lets you
do your own Gamin maps. The program is GPSMapEdit
http://www.geopainting.com/en/
See description at http://plrecgps.pp.org.pl/bin/view/GPS/UserMaps

I have no tested this with a Garmin GPS, but I have used it to convert
Garmin maps to Ozi format, then used another program to convert the
the Ozi files (.bmp and .map) to be used with my Nokia 3230 cell
phone and a bluetooth GPS.
Works fine, the procedure is quite simple and does not require the
time consuming
setting of the chart calibration points manually.

But doing charts from a scanned image for use with a Garmin GPS will
require some more work...

Regards, TomS

He has no Garmin Mapsource maps/charts, that's the whole point of his
post.
He has some (unspecified format) digital charts which he wants to use with
a
Garmin 172C.

GPSMapedit will not convert scanned raster charts to Garmin img files. It
allows you to change existing img files, i.e. edit them, or, if you fancy
a
lifetime's work, I guess you could start off with a blank canvas and
compile
your navigation charts in vetor format.

Having used GPSMapedit to add new roads to existing img files, I can tell
you that somewhere in the conversion to/from Polish format, the zoom
facility gets corrupted/lost and you finish up with a map which shows the
new road, as long as you don't zoom in or out on it, which is the whole
point of the excercise.

I am not suggesting that GPSMapedit is a substandard program, the
author(s)
are to be commended for a brave try to crack Garmin's img files, but to
suggest that I could scan some detailed raster charts, convert them to
vector, and create img files capable of being used in e.g. a new 60CS, I
am
sorry, you must have a different version of MapEdit to mine!

The Mapsource Bluechart files are freely, if illegally, available on many
file-sharing programs, and will run on a laptop, if that is what you want,
but you cannot load them to a Garmin plotter or handheld Garmin without
the
unlock codes for that specific device, i.e. the one in your possession,
with
it's device number, supplied by Garmin, and tied to it's serial number.

If you have a conversion program to convert bitmaps to vectors and use
them
on a GPS or Cellphone, you are indeed fortunate, and we will await your
next
post, giving full details, with anticipation.

Dennis.



I do not have a coversion program that converts raster charts to vector
charts.
I just claimed that it IS POSSIBLE to make vector charts from a raster
chart,
you'll have to make the vector charts your self.
Have not tested GPSMapEdit to make charts for Garmins, but I have used it
to convert Garmin charts for use with my cellphone, and it works fine.

-Recipie for chartplotter-
You'll need:
Series 60 cellphone
Bluetooth GPS
SmartComGPS (Navigations software for Series60 cellphones)
http://www.wild-mobile.com/eng/news.php
GPSMapEdit (conversion program 1) http://www.geopainting.com/en/
OGF2tool (conversion program 2) included with SmartComGPS
Garmin mapsource charts

1. Convert Mapsource .img chart to .bmp(chart) and .map(calibration data)
files with GPSMapEdit
2. Convert .bmp file to .ogf2 with OGF2tool
3. Copy .ogf2 and .map files to your cellphone
4. Install SmartcomGPS on your cellphone... start navigating.

I'm in chock .... That will "freeze" me on 6.5. I probably have to look at
alternatives. Having everything i one piece of software is the whole trick
with mapsource.

/Bjarke



"Spammy Spamson" wrote in message
...
snip

You DON'T get the cursor on the PC with mapsource above version 6.5.
To do that you have to use "NRoute" which is geared more to navigating
on highways. (blechhhh)

snip