Loading Garmin with the At trail

[Wise Old Owl]

Yep Im stuck. I went to this website and checked it thoughly. http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.851255/k.4226/Appalachian_Trail_GIS_and_GPS_Data.htm

Discovered there isn't a direct download in Garmin's .GDB exstention. I have a small version of Topo! of Pa/Nj that is old. & a very up to date Mapsource (Garmins). Out of the choices which one worked best or "How did you do it. I am guessing load one of them into Topo and push it out to the reciever and let the software do the conversion?

Thank you for your replies....

Mark

[jhick]

There is a free program that you can you to convert them called GPS TrackMaker.
http://gpstm.com/

I DLed the ArcView shape file of the AT centerline and opened it with TrackMaker. Then Save As... in the .grm format. Then open that file with MapSource.

[ki0eh]

Yep Im stuck. I went to this website and checked it thoughly. http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.851255/k.4226/Appalachian_Trail_GIS_and_GPS_Data.htm

Discovered there isn't a direct download in Garmin's .GDB exstention.


Here is step by step but not precisely blow by blow because the software's on my home computer, but this program isn't very big or tricky so hopefully you can figure it out. You don't even need to be running MapSource for this.

1. Download the free DNR Garmin program: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcview/extensions/DNRGarmin/DNRGarmin.html

2. Load the "ArcView Shapefile" from the ATC site in a new folder on your end (you may have to unzip it), a "shapefile" is from three to six actual files. The shelters you may want to do as "waypoints", the path as "track", when you save to the GPSr.

3. Run DNR Garmin, set it to NAD 1927 (this is because the ATC data is in NAD 1927 but your GPS will be looking for WGS 1984/NAD 1983). If in the future you get the bug to do this with other shapefiles you find online, you will want to find out what map projection it is in and set the DNR Garmin to that projection before you open those files.

4. Plug in your GPS, set DNR Garmin either to USB or to one of the serial ports depending on the cable setup you have for your particular unit and computer. If successful DNR Garmin will say "Connected"

5. Load from File, the shapefile from your new folder, into DNR Garmin (a little window in the program will have many lines of data in it after this point)

6. Send it to your GPS using DNR Garmin commands (a line on the bottom of the data window will increment slowly for a serial connection and much more quickly for USB if this is done right)

7. Hike!

[Panzer1]

I just ordered a Garmin Nuvi 750 for Christmas. IT should be here soon. Can I use these maps on that device.

Panzer

[Cuffs]

I think the Nuvi is pretty much for street navigation only...? Not 100% sure tho.

[dessertrat]

AT Trail? Isn't that a bit like PIN Number or ATM Machine?

[CoyoteWhips]

Oh, what a great program! I was using another program and an online converter to get directions from Google Earth to my eTrex. This is bettah!

[Wise Old Owl]

Thank You

Most appreciated Ed & Peter (Jersey Hick & Kioeh)

That saved me a lot of time - Mark