Help please. Using Vista Home Edition for Mapsource

[Judge Roy Bean]

First, I am a total newb with GPS.  I purchased an Etrek 20.  Tried to download the Garmin Mapsource so I could then download custom topo maps of my area.  My system will not let me download mapsource onto my hardrive (Using Vista Home edition).  Instructions that came with Etrek 20 are severely lacking.

Any step by step instructions on downloading mapsource or basecamp would be sincerely appreciated.  I want to download Florida TOPO and wildlife preserves as I do much of my hiking in this state.  All my map shows is a black background.

Need to figure out tracking and waypoint marking for my own custom maps as well.  I know this supposed to be easy stuff by I am just starting out.  Any help would be appreciated.,

[Indrid Cold]

What happens when you click this link?: BaseCamp v3.2.2 for Windows

[-Oz-]

Download Basecamp; forget Mapsource. http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4435

[Judge Roy Bean]

OK.  I have downloaded Basecamp on my Hardrive but I not sure how to use the base camp software and what my next steps are.  I know I must seem stupid to most of you but this is all new tehnology and lingo to me.  I wish they had printed out step by step intsructions for us old farts to go by.  I bought this unit to help me navigate in thick Florida cover to locate areas to set up tree stands and Hopefully not get lost in the thick swamps.  I just want to start a route and locate a good spot, mark a way point and be able to find my way back out and return to the same spot to hang a stand at a future time (there is nothing in the world that sucks more than getting lost in a Florida swamp!!).  I am sure there is a lot that can be learned and down loaded with this unit.  Still trying to figure how I can use it with Google earth???

Any help to get this dottering old fold going without getting him lost would be sincerely appreciated.!!!

God Bless.

Do they make a "GPS for dummies??"

Will check for the responses tomorrow..... God bless to all!!!!

[-Oz-]

This assumes you have BaseCamp installed already.
1. Download this Florida Map.
2. Install the map
3. Follow this tutorial to put it on the GPS.
4. Go outside; you should show up on the map.
5. Use the menus to mark your current position (I don't have an etrex so I can't be more specific).
6. Once you are away from that spot you can use the menus and say "Go to" and then go back to your waypoint.  If you want to follow the same path you can use the trackback features.

[Judge Roy Bean]

I was able to download BaseMap to my pc and also downloaded Florida Topo map.  What I notice is that I have a topo-image on my pc but only a small section of satilite like view covering a small section of a few square miles and only on my pc, it is not translated onto my gps.

Am I wrong to assume that you can get sat like imagery on the gps unit when you connect the gps to the pc with basemap and topo installed?  I know I must be missing something here???  Unit will not install "photo birds eye view".   The instructions that came with the Trek 20 are nearly useless.

[Boyd]

If you want satellite imagery (photo's) then your best bet is to purchase Garmin Birdseye. It is compatible with the eTrex 20 and costs $30 for unlimited downloads. Register your GPS at Garmin.com and you will get a 10% discount certificate, lowering the subscription price to $27 - quite a bargain IMHO. See the info and also the instructional video at this link: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=70144

I'm not sure what you're seeing now on your computer, perhaps you have somehow managed to download a small section of Birdseye already? You don't need a subscription to do this on your computer, but you must purchase the subscription to use the imagery on the GPS.

[Seldom]

My 62s came with a demo.jnx file of the Eiffel Tower.  To view it I had to select the worldwide basemap on the GPSr.