Garmin Plotter PC Software

[Mymobo]

Hi,

Is there any software that I can buy for my PC to plan trips on that is compatible with my Garmin plotter, so I can just take pre plan trips on a memory card to the boat rather then wasting time onboard?

Thanks in advance.

 

[AdeOlly]

Assuming you have a plotter that takes the bluechart cartridges and you bought the charts on a cartridge then the you can buy Garmin Mapsource. You'll need a card reader as well which can be bought cheaply off ebay and a blank card for transferring your waypoints, routes and tracks. This is the setup I use, however the problem is that Mapsource only comes with a basemap and doesn't allow transfer of the charts from the card onto the PC, at least the version I have doesn't, which makes it less useful than it could be. It's better to buy the charts on CD and then download them to a blank card and the plotter.

 

[[2068]]

If you buy the charts on CD, you can use Mapsource to load and view them on the PC, then transfer them to the plotter (depending on the plotter: you can skip the card reader bit: I just stick a USB cable straight in the back of my Garmin 276C).

dv.

 

[oceanfroggie]

1. If you have their newer 4xx, 5xx, 4xxx or 5xxx generation plotters which only work with preloaded BlueChart G2 charts, or optional plug in BlueChart G2 Vision SD card charts then you can use "Garmin MapSource" software or the cut down version Garmin Trip & Waypoint Manager" to transfer waypoints, routes and tracklogs between the boat and your laptop using an SD memory card. You can NOT however view charts on your laptop unless you ALSO buy them on CD (ie BlueChart Atlantic CD/DVD) which comes with MapSource software. You can then use MapSource to view the charts on your PC and passage plan routes, save to SD memory card, and then transfer to boat (ie using plotters System->Card menu). MapSource can NOT display G2 Vision charts off an SD card, but it can display BlueCharts from CD/DVD. This is pricey and has been identified as a problem area Garmin need to look at (ie not being able to view SD charts on a PC for passage planning)
   
2. If you have previous generation plotters (some still current) like the 2xxx, 3xxx, 76Map and 276 series plotters than all is well as you should only buy your charts on CD/DVD and then used them both on the plotter and your PC for passage planning (ie buy only once for plotter and PC). You transfer the charts once only from CD/DVD to a Garmin blank data card (ie proprietary non SD), and then plug this into the boats plotter. If you have a 2xxx or 3xxx series then you can not easily transfer waypoints via cable, but instead use the Garmin USB card reader to exchange waypoints in either direction between your plotter and PC using a blank data card (ie plotters system->card menu). This is the method I prefer and because of it have avoided the new garmin gear until G2 Vision cards can be displayed on MapSource for passage planning

Option 2 is a dream and imho knocks the socks off both Raymarine/Navionics software (ie Raytech/NavPlanner) and C-MAPs PC Planner software (ie both kludgey to use). There are independent software packages that can also write garmin format waypoint files, which you can then transfer to plotter using MapSource (ie just to write to SD or Garmin data cards, but not view). Garmin MapSource is imho the best of breed and a shame it does not "yet" work with the new G2 Vision SD cards.

PS: Mapsource can read/write waypoints from/to SD cards

 

[salar]

I have a Garmin GPSMAP 4008 and Mapsource, which is fine for setting up waypoints and routes at home. However the waypoint name on Mapsource is longer than the name shown on the 4008 which means you have to be careful how you name them. Also, you have to initialise the SD card on the 4008 otherwise Mapsource does not recognise it. Other than those two little tricks it works just fine for me. Pity I cant see the charts on the PC though, that would have been the obvious thing for Garmin to do.

 

[oceanfroggie]

[ QUOTE ]
Pity I cant see the charts on the PC though, that would have been the obvious thing for Garmin to do.

[/ QUOTE ]You can if you buy them "again" on DVD/CD which is a PITA. This is a problem they need to address (ie ability to view G2 Vision SD charts on a PC in MapSource)

 

[kingfisher]

If you have bought the charts for your plotter, would it then be legal to use a copy you found (nudge nudge, wink wink) on the internet to use on your PC?

 

[oceanfroggie]

No - nudge, nudge, wink, no. CD Charts still need to be unlocked even to view on a PC.