BaseCamp vs Mapsource....?

[jwwphoto]

I am confused....

I bought a Garmin GPSmap 62st, which comes with the 100k Topo's preloaded, and I am fairly sure that I will buy the 24K maps for the Southeast US. 

Since, I have not yet recieved the unit, I wonder what software is used to load or manage waypoints with the unit?  Mapsource or Basecamp?

I downloaded Basecamp.  Did Basecamp replace Mapsource?  Will Mapsource come with the unit as it has the 100k maps preinstalled?

Dang I am confused.....

Jeff W Waldrop
JWWPHOTO
Southwest Louisiana

[Boyd]

With your new model you will need to use BaseCamp to transfer waypoints. Garmin has changed their system for storing the files with these newest units and the Garmin developers said they will probably never support it with Mapsource.

Hard to say whether Basecamp will replace Mapsource, probably not for awhile since they have a lot of differences. But clearly they are moving their handheld units towards Basecamp as there are several other things that can't be done with Mapsource, like downloading BirdsEye imagery, accessing pre-installed maps on your computer and viewing custom (.kmz) maps.

Mapsource has nothing to do with the 100k topo's and wouldn't help you with them. It was used as a medium to distribute the topo's on disk and transfer them to a GPS, but the map data is independent. If you want to use the 100k topo's on your computer, you will have to do that in Basecamp. Connect the GPS and run Basecamp. It will take a little while to cache some data, then you can open the 100k topo maps on the GPS and use them on your computer.

You should also be able to copy the map file (gmapprom.img) and GarminDevice.xml file to a USB flash drive, then access the maps from that drive if you don't want to connect your GPS for this (must be a removable drive though, and not a hard drive).

If you still feel you want Mapsource, AFTER installing Basecamp, then install Mapsource. If you install Mapsource first, you will get an error saying no maps or previous version was found.

[jwwphoto]

Boyd,  Thanks for the in-depth response.....   

That clears up quite a bit.  I was hoping I could copy the 100K map set from the GPS and back it up on my PC.  Sounds like the thing to do as they are not shipping a disc for reinstallation if needed.




Jeff W Waldrop

[maps4gps]

It is a good idea to make a copy of all the files which came preinstalled.

[Boyd]

Just to be clear.... copying the 100k topo to your PC is a good idea since it provides a backup. But that backup cannot be accessed with any software on the computer. Mapsource will not be able to open that map. Basecamp can access the map on a removable device, such as the GPS itself via USB or a USB flash drive with the appropriate files copied to it. Basecamp will not access the file if it's stored on the PC's hard drive.

Why? You'd have to ask Garmin, that's just the way it works.