Colorado 300

[Geforce]

Ok, first of all. I am new to this GPS and the finer workings of them in general. Here's my issue.

I purchased this unit to do what it was designed for, provide accurate navigation for recreation and HOLY COW! Look at the box, it has these awesome colored maps. Little did my ignorant butt know that when I got it out it only had a standard world basemap that wasn't anythign NEAR like what was pictured on the cover... Clever Marketing Scheme!

So...I did a little research and finagled some topo maps for my area and I was very impressed with it, the GPS takes a while to get used to but I figured it out...for the most part.

Flash forward a few months.

On a long trip on my motorcycle, I wadded some mapquest instructions into my pocket for reference, man what a PITA it is to take them out and try to reference them while riding, not to mention DANGEROUS! So I had a brilliant idea! Why not use my $400 Garmin to get me there! And I wouldn't have to worry about the rest, just go! Well, I tried to get the route to "auto Route" and no such luck. It tells me there aren't any roads nearby...when infact I am STANDING on one. SO i think about it and say.. Hmmm obviously my ignorance is causing my frustration. These topo maps while highly detailed and accurate *for the most part* don't have any sort of routes for the device to "lock" onto, which is why it always draws a rathe ruseless pink line to my waypoint or destination.

Flash forward to tonight, I download a map set by Ibycus that has city navigation and updated streets on it thinking, surely this thing will do the trick. Nope. So what am I missing her egents? I give up. Can this GPS even do what I am asking it to do? Because if it can't I don't want to spend $$$ on a Zumo when I can make this one work. Thanks!

PS - Please excuse the ignorance...

[-Oz-]

Simplest explanation: The free maps are not routable including the Ibycus one.

The best option is to buy Garmin City Navigator

On the other hand here are some free routable maps: http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php (I've never used these)

[Geforce]

The site you mentioned looks like a great idea, but unfortunatley no maps seem to be available for the United States, mainly Europe I believe as they are tiled. I will try it again. Thanks for the help though!

[Indrid Cold]

You would need to move the map with the arrows over the zoom bar to get the US coverage.

Edit to add:

Note: Map update in process.

Check back after the update is done. Coverage is worldwide.

[Geforce]

I saw that as well, I was hoping that was the case. Looks like a really cool server to use for this sort of thing, I really appreciate the help guys!

[Jacqueline.anna]

Now after I've read what you wrote I may not have a second problem after all.   I'm used to using Magellan's topo software and you can see the whole world (continents, oceans, national borders and major cities and a US basemap).  I just assumed that Garmin's Mapsource download would be the same.

I;m thinking now that Mapsource is just a clean slate and you have to plaster the canvass as you acquire map plates (Garmin's proprietary stuff or homemade). Is this correct?

__________________
Lily lara

[Boyd]

That is correct. However, if you download and install Basecamp as an alternative, it includes a low resolution "World Map' like your Magellan basemap. Mapsource was discontinued by Garmin a number of years ago and Basecamp is the replacement. Any Garmin maps that you have previously installed in Mapsource will also be available in Basecamp.

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4435