Loading Topo maps to Basecamp for trip planning

Former Member over 11 years ago

I'm new to Garmin. I have purchased Fenix to plan treks in Australia and New Zealand. Can I purchase the Garmin Aus/NZ Topo map and load it into Basecamp to plan a route and insert waypoints which can then be sent to my device? I'm aware the Fenix is not equipped to display maps.

On my current version of Basecamp, it will not let me load any maps other than the basemap, but it will not let me run Trip planner with that map. It asks me to load a new one. I've been going around in circles for a week now. I don't want to spend $200 on the Topo map if it won't work, but i'm struggling to find out which maps will.

Any help will be gratefully accepted...feeling very frustrated. Thanks.

0 schinder over 11 years ago

You might want to go here to download maps based on OpenStreetMap that can actually be put on your Fenix. They're not topographic, and they look pretty awful in BaseCamp because they have to be modified for the four "colors" on the Fenix, but it's nice to have the maps actually on your Fenix. Since the Fenix doesn't have much storage, though, you can't install a very large area at one time. openstreetmap.org is in general a good place to get maps, but if you want topographic, you'll have to buy them from Garmin. Garmin topos look very good in BaseCamp, but can't be used on the Fenix, although you can certainly plan with them. Also, the Garmin topo maps for my area of Pennsylvania don't have many of the major trails in the area, while the OSM maps have them all.

As for installing the maps, it's been a long time since I bought my Garmin maps, and a while since I installed any OSM maps, but the Garmin maps must come with instructions and you can find out how to install OSM with a simple Google search. Garmin provides MapManager and MapInstall for free(http://garmin.com/macosx), and I think you use MapManager to install the maps on your computer and MapInstall to put the maps on your device. It's basically just a matter of getting them into the right place for BaseCamp to see them.

0 Former Member over 11 years ago

Thanks so much. I'll check out the OSM maps. Hopefully the Garmin Topo maps will have enough info for my planning purposes.

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

Hi everyone, related question:

how do I display my downloaded OSM maps in BaseCamp? I have stored the data here:

C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Garmin\Maps\OSMfenixEuropeSW_v6.gmap

Do I have to rename the file in order to make it readable for BaseCamp?

Thanks.

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

Forget about my last entry. Just figured it out. Just had to connect the Fenix 2 to the laptop and restart BaseCamp. Under maps, the file containing the data shows up and needs to be selected. Then it shows.

0 5alty over 10 years ago

Just caught up with this thread and ive managed to install the fenix map from gmaptool into basecamp, then install a section of the map I need onto my fenix 2. however when I view the map on my fenix 2 I only see the original basemap. I tried 'deleting' the original basemap.img file from the garmin directory on the device, but then I just got nothing on the map viewer. How do I get the fenix 2 to use the gmaptool with the additional data? thanks.

0 schinder over 10 years ago

Did you rename the map on the Fenix? It has to be named "gmapsupp.img" for it to be seen by the Fenix.