Hi everyone,
I was trying to post this to the gps forum but think it may be private? Anyway, i was reading through everyones comments on mapping programs for Garmin and cannot figure out the difference between:

Garmin topo maps: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/91300/pn/010-D1025-00#coverage

Birdseye Satellite imagery: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/digital/p/70144

And the built-in Basecamp software that seems to integrate with Birdseye.

I just bought this Garmin and want to use it to plot our next 5 day route in the bwca. I know using a good old fashioned map is best but with my navigating skills, I feel a lot more comfortable having the gps as backup.

Anyway, i dont mind spending the money on the best mapping option and curious to know what the "experts" think?

Thank you all. As always sincerely appreciate the willingness of people to help out!
Drew

While it's listed as a Private Forum, GPS Forum is open to all members. Info on both mapsets you mention are discussed.

The Topo is a Garmin mapset, others from Garmin are available.

Birdseye Topo, is a subscription download map service, 25K topos and Quad 7.5 included with Canada 50K. Also decent satellite imaging available on a separate subscription. Maps will be licensed to one GPS unit and your home BaseCamp.

BaseCamp is a computer mapping program from Garmin. Allowing maps to be customized and installed on GPS's. And info downloaded from GPS's.

butthead

I use the TOPO Boundary Waters (PART NUMBER: 010-D1025-00) chip for my Garmin Oregon 450. It works great. Bought it on Amazon for around $60.

Hi, I bought the topo boundary waters chip and have been fiddling around with that. This is probably a basic question but i cant figure it out. Is there a way to plot out our route once the maps are downloaded into the gps unit? I cannot figure out how to navigate in the maps to a specific lake to start plotting a course.
Or do you use it more to just reaffirm to yourself that you actually know where you are once out on the lakes?

any help you can provide would be appreciated.
Drew

Use the BaseCamp program to draw the route, save it, and transfer to the GPS.
Once transferred you can find it in the Routes page and use it.

Personally I do not follow routes or set them up on the GPS. They will be made and used in BaseCamp and printed out as a navigational map.

If you just want to pick a spot on the GPS and get directions to it by line of sight the process is called projecting or casting a waypoint. Looking at the GPS move the cursor to the desired destination and mark it as a waypoint.

butthead

DP, oops.

butthead

OK thanks for the assistance. I noticed in the Base Camp software that, as a mode of transportation, paddling is not an option. Closest available option is hiking it seems, so you cant set up routing w/ portaging like you can on the paddle--planner website.
Anyway, I am probably over thinking it. Sincerely appreciate the feedback, thanks again.
Drew

Right, Drew. I never use pre-drawn routes to follow, just collect automatically created tracks of previous trips by copying them from gps to BaseCamp. Best you can do for getting a route on your unit is by using BaseCamp's Track Creation Tool to draw your line on its map. Like you say, not a route but a track. That will give you a measure for planning purposes, and as bh says, it can be transferred to your gps to follow along on your actual trip. Limited usefulness to me, other than approximating tracks of old pre-electronics trips for my map collection.

Other websites are available for route planning -- with or without a gps.

quote Drewb1979: "OK thanks for the assistance. I noticed in the Base Camp software that, as a mode of transportation, paddling is not an option. Closest available option is hiking it seems, so you cant set up routing w/ portaging like you can on the paddle--planner website.
Anyway, I am probably over thinking it. Sincerely appreciate the feedback, thanks again.
Drew
"

On the BaseCamp map use the track tool, draw a freehand track to your destination. Open the track from the list. The Create Route option is at the bottom center. Chose a manual number of waypoint for conversion. You now have a route named "track#" showing the number of waypoints chosen, as a direct waypoint to waypoint route.
Further explanation can be requested in the GPS forum. I will not bog down the gear thread with more details. I do too much of that as it is!

butthead

I wasnt aware of that tool in Base Camp, thanks for the heads up!
Drew

quote schweady: "Right, Drew. I never use pre-drawn routes to follow, just collect automatically created tracks of previous trips by copying them from gps to BaseCamp. Best you can do for getting a route on your unit is by using BaseCamp's Track Creation Tool to draw your line on its map. Like you say, not a route but a track. That will give you a measure for planning purposes, and as bh says, it can be transferred to your gps to follow along on your actual trip. Limited usefulness to me, other than approximating tracks of old pre-electronics trips for my map collection.


Other websites are available for route planning -- with or without a gps.
"