Question about Garmin, Maps, and what I want to do

[Sawyer]

After having an extremely frustrating evening with Garmin Base camp.... I am wondering if it is even possible to do what I want. So, I turn to you whom have a better understanding with all this than I.

A little back ground...

So, I am headed down to Baja this weekend. I dont really need any Navigation to get where i am going as some of the people I am going with have been there before. But, I wanted to get a little better with trip planing and using a GPS. I pulled out my old trusty Etrex Vista CX only to find out my 24K topo maps for California and Nevada where erased at some point in the past (crap!). I really dont even use my Garmin GPS very much if any since I started using Backcountry Navigator. But, I cant find any good maps for Baja to bring into Back country navigator... I can create my route we are planning to take in Google Earth or Google Maps no problem. I can even import the KML file to my phone to use in Back country Navigator... But again no good maps to use. Just a grey screen with a line when I zoom in.

So.. I thought it was time to force myself to get better with my Garmin. I found some pretty good topo maps at http://cartografiagps.com/mape32/index.htm. They seemed better than the old LBMaps I have. Still they are no where near the sat imagery I have gotten used to with BC Navigator. But, if it works I will be happy enough for now.

So, I try and import the KML file I created in google to baseCamp to load into my Garmin. When I do this and load it, I get the message route is truncated. I can recreate the route in basecamp but it is really time consuming. I am also not able to load multiple maps onto my GPS. Unless I am doing it all wrong, I can only load the lBMaps, or the Cartografia GPS map, or say the Garmin topo 24K map set. But not everything at once to be able to select between them.

Any tips using what I have?

Also, what I want:

I have really held off on making a full switch over to apple ipad & Iphone because I like BC Navigator SO SO much. All of my home computers are Apple though. I would like to the following features:

1. Something larger than my droid phone but smaller than an Ipad however the size and platform isnt as critical if I can get it to do what I want.
2. I am initially thinking I should stick with the droid platform because I love the BC Navigator features and ability to use Sat imagery or topos if I want. However, I looked hard at the Lowrance Baja and then a Garmin Montana... Of those two the Montana is more appealing because the screen sizes are almost the same and it is overall a smaller package. But, again I am torn over my affection with BC Navigator... however, it is on my phone... So, I will still have it.
3. I would like to be able to load maps for different areas for example 24K topo of parts of the US AND maps for Mexico AND maybe Sat imagery (my preference) for use. It would be great if they all worked together seamlessly, but it wouldnt be the end of the world if I had to go to a menu to choose the map background if the route I am following goes off the currently loaded map.
4. I want to be able to load pre-determined routes I do using Google earth/maps
5. I dont need turn by turn nav... but if it has it I wont complain.
6. I want to be able to record my tracks and create waypoints.

I hope I am not rambling too much here.... Is there a way to make what I currently have work? Is there any decent Maps or Sat imagery I can load into Backcountry Navigator for use offline? If not, I will just load the topo I have for Mexico and same my tracks for use later. knowing what I want to do, what way should I be looking to go for hardware and software? Ipad, tablet, larger GPS unit????

Thanks for the help and advice. If you need more info, please let me know.

 

[RobRed]

The answer seems obvious - you love BC navi so get a 7" android tablet.

 

[Sawyer]

Yeah... That is defiantly the way I am leaning.... Just thought there might be more input from others that may have accomplished what I am looking to do...

 

[BurbanAZ]

i use an ipad for navigation and just used it for the first trip on the way to OX12, we did an 8 day trip offroad and i cant see how i navigated without it lol. If you love a certain program that you cant get on an iOS device then like RobRed said get an Android tablet. Trust me though there are some really good apps for navigation out there for the iPad

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks, I will spend some more time looking at what is available for the ipad before I make a final decision. Curious for you and RobRed, with what is available for Ipad... Is there a program (I know most are using and love motionx) that will let you choose different map sources including fairly high res aerials?

 

[BurbanAZ]

i use motionx (almost all the time) downloaded topo maps, the motionx gps drive hd for navigating streets, topo maps for extra downloaded stuff, and gaia gps

 

[RobRed]

Sawyer - Motion X has Bing downloadable aerial maps



Here are the apps I have on board

Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

 

[SanDiegoCruiser]

I started using MotionX recently on my iphone. I like it alot, but still sometimes find myself resorting back to my kenwood Nav system (Garmin) due to how easy it is to scroll around. I may look into mounting my iPad in the truck and load MotionX on it to see how that works out. I like the fact that you can pre-dowload all of your maps ahead of time so they will work when you are out of cell range.

On another note, does anyone have a good site to share gpx files? I am sure a ton of people have some great tracks we could all share..

 

[RobRed]

GPX Files

I've started a section on tlcfaq to share gpx files and there are a few websites that are specific to waypoint share files. I kind of like to know what other like minded users have come up with. I've seen some on the other sites for areas that I know and they are sketchy. If you download some cross check them.