Garmin Nuvi as primary Topo navigation unit: External Antenna, Hardwired?

[Beowulf]

What is the current consensus on using a Garmin Nuvi as the primary vehicle topo navigation unit? Most all of them can handle the Topo files. But, what about external antennas? Does the Nuvi lines accept external antennas? Also, are there accessory cables that allow it to be hardwired into a fuse box?

What are the cons of using the Nuvi?

 

[dms1]

Hello, I just wanted to comment on the external antenna part of your question. If the Nuvi does have the option for an external antenna, I would mount the GPS first and see if you actually need it. The reason I say this is I use to have a 276c with an external antenna (would not get a signal without it) and I just upgraded to the Montana, the Montana is mounted in the exact same spot as the 276c was and does NOT need an external antenna.

YMMV

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

Garmin Street pilot 7200

I have a garmin street pilot 7200 it can handle topo which is already installed, has an exterior mount antenna, and is color the screen it 7 inches dia, and 6x3.5 I am going to sell it it was 1100 new plus the topo I would like to get 700 for it. My jeep has a screen built it in and I now have an Iphone . if interested PM me. Thanks

 

[locrwln]

Mine is an older nuvi and it has never needed the external antenna. I have used it in multiple vehicles with varying degrees of overhead obstruction and it has never failed to get a signal.

Having said that, I don't know if because mine is older or what, but the topo display isn't that great. It will put you on a trail and show water, but you can't access the information. And you can't change the display fields.

I just picked up an garmin oregon for hiking, put the same card in it and was blown away by the information that it displays.

I do like my nuvi for the simple fact that when I hit pavement, I just switch the map source to highway and use it for road navigation as well.

Jack

 

[kai38]

I use the NUVI 1450 with topos added to the SD card, there isn't any where to plug in an external antenna but it has always worked great in the window on my FJ Cruiser.
I think garmin sells a hardwire kit for all their GPSs. I added a 12v cig plug under the dash and ran the wires there to plug in so I can still move it to another car.

 

[deserteagle56]

For the past few years I have used a NUVI 5000 as my primary offroading GPS. 5.2 inch screen with twice the resolution of any other NUVI, loaded with topo maps from gpsfiledepot which are great for Nevada and Utah. Only some NUVI models have external antenna connections - this is one of them. Because it is hard to see a screen that is mounted on the dash (and the sun is shining on it), I mount my GPS units up against the roof of the vehicle. That causes reception problems, especially in my Quigley, so I use an external antenna. But even in my Wrangler with the fiberglas roof, I get twice the signal strength with an external antenna plugged in than without an external antenna. No, the NUVI cannot do all that a dedicated handheld can do - if you want all that you might want to take a serious look at the Garmin Montana. 4" screen, external antenna connection and all the right stuff. I may end up with one, once Garmin has all the bugs worked out (just do some internet searches!). As far as hard wiring, it should be pretty simple to cut off the lighter plug and then crimp some terminals onto the wires and connect it to whereever you can get 12 volt power. Here are a few screen shots of my NUVI and the information supplied by the gpsfiledepot maps:

 

[kai38]

Before clipping the plug off and putting 12v to the GPS make sure the plug you cut off doesn't drop the 12v down to something lower, you might smoke the GPS with too much volts.

 

[Jamin_GX]

Before clipping the plug off and putting 12v to the GPS make sure the plug you cut off doesn't drop the 12v down to something lower, you might smoke the GPS with too much volts.

Exactly! I recently added a Nuvi 1450 to my vehicle so that I don't have to always run the netbook in the passenger seat (plus it helps when I need street nav). I purchased a "hardwire" kit on ebay which includes a small box close to one end (the end you hardwire) to send the proper voltage to the Nuvi.

Any questions PM me and I'd be happy to help.

Either way, the Nuvi can be a nice topo unit if you are only looking for the basics. Gpsfiledpot is a good spot for free and compatible maps as well.

Good luck!

 

[Beowulf]

deserteagle56,

What kind of things can it not do? Does it allow tracking? Can you import routes from mapsourse? Can you save, download, import waypoints?

What do you wish it could do that it cannot?

Can it route on routeable Tops or only on the city navigator maps?

 

[kai38]

deserteagle56,

What kind of things can it not do? Does it allow tracking? Can you import routes from mapsourse? Can you save, download, import waypoints?

The 1450 does have tracking
Can import routes from Mapsource, & yes you can d/l import waypoints

What do you wish it could do that it cannot? Not sure about that one

Can it route on routeable Tops or only on the city navigator maps?

I'm using topos from GPSfile as far as I know you can't lay out routes on the topos it just shows straight lines across the route but....if you lay your route out in mapsource city nav the route follows the roads/trails as laid out etc. you can then switch topo map on & it lays route on the topo. You just can't build the route on the topo (mapfile topos any way)

Hope that helped

 

[Beowulf]

That does indeed help. I am now torn. I have been finding the Nuvi 5000 on ebay for under $200, but now I am reading about the Montana. The Montana is basically just a touch screen 276 but will all the modern electronics.

However, the 5000 has 5.2" screen while the Montana only has a 4" screen. For hard mounting in the car the 5.2 would be nice. But I could take the Montana on none vehicle excursions.

Choices, choices.......

 

[Beowulf]

Can the 5000 in city navigator be used in non-3D view? I like the old flat map look with my little arrow moving. I don't want to have to use it while looking at a 45 degree angle to the map. Plus, I like North up instead of direction up.