Garmin MapSource CD-ROMs - The Hull Truth

Reel Lover · 03-13-2003, 08:43 PM

We do some inland cruising on lakes and rivers and am interested in the Garmin because of the CD capability. Has anyone out there had any experience with either the Fishing Hotspots or any other CD and knows how much actual detail they show? See my post "help me rig my baby" and you will see what I am trying to do. Thanks

snook_hunter · 03-13-2003, 09:56 PM

Reel lover I have only had experience with the Mapsource Blue Charts -- for which the detail is excellent. The Blue Charts however only appear to cover intercoastal waterways and lakes accessible from the ocean such as Lake Okeechobee in Florida. As for Mapsource the application is adequate and relatively easy to use. I'm still learning how to use my Garmin with the CD, but appears that you can upload your tracks from the GPS to your computer so that you can create and new routes from your on the water explorations and can save them there for later use if you don't want to clutter up the memory on your gps.

Plus, its fun to plan your trips on the computer. I'm much happier that I got the CD over the chip. Other benefits include the ability use CD on a second unit -- which could be a back up GPS, or a new unit in the event that you upgrade later. And I've heard its cheaper to buy unlock codes than it is to by new chips, but I haven't verified it yet. I'm still new at it and may not be dead on accurate with everything I have told you, but I don't have any regrets yet with my purchase.

Good Luck

Mumblerone · 03-14-2003, 05:17 AM

The inland lakes will not have great detail, little more than shoreline. I have the BlueChart used with my Garmin GPSMAP 76S. The Great Lakes are good.

"Never enough time to do it right; ALWAYS enough time to do it over." Boston Whaler, "MUMBLER", 24' Outrage (1996), twin 175 HP Evinrude Ocean Pros.

Snowball, the cat...

J.B. Cornwell · 03-14-2003, 06:22 AM

I use the Fishing Hotspots firmware in my 162.

The level of detail is exactly the same as the Fishing Hotspots maps you can buy at local tackle shops.

My maps of Possum Kingdom in Texas and Lake Of The Woods in MN and Ontario are excellent. LOTW is a very dangerous lake to wander in without specific details. The map provides the detail.

You can view the maps on the Garmin site.

Red sky at night. . .
JB

Lead_Head · 03-14-2003, 11:31 AM

Reel,

I think you will like a Garmin unit, as most users on this board seem to like theirs. I also like mine...BUT:

The basemap as programmed in the internal memory of your unit is minimal and will not give you adequate resolution for any inland lake or for that matter most costal regions...if you expect to navigate accurately. In addition, that basemap in the internal memory is not up-datable by you by any on-line or other means that I know of, so you must send the unit to Garmin to get that update if you every need it. (The same is true with all their other products as far as I know.) (Channel markers do move around.)

If you buy their detailed mapping software on CDROM (like Fishing Hotspots or Bluecharts), you will also need a means to load specific area maps to the unit or most likely to one of their propritary memory cards. This means that once you buy the hardware unit, you will need also to buy the detailed map software, a memory card and the necessary cables or card programmer from Garmin or from one of their distributers. (These are not cheap when totalled up.)

You should check Garmin's site to make sure that Software maps of your intended area are available and up-to-date, especially for specific lakes included in Fishing Hotspots. (Many lakes are not included in FHS.)

In addition, once you purchase the unit, the additional software and the additional required accessories to load the detailed maps in to your unit, Garmin will make you to pay for an additional "region" of unlock for any of their software to let you get detailed maps outside of where you normally fish or navigate (Your initial unlock region). These regions are dependent on which software you buy, but have very deffinate described boundaries. If you travel much or live close to or fish across one of their region boarders, you probably are going to want an additional region unlock for the adjacent region or perhaps for many regions. That adds more cost to your software and adds it quickly. Software updates are not usually free from Garmin for any region. For instance, if in a year you decide you need the latest maps, you must pay again for their map updates for each region you have already unlocked.

My advice is not to buy the unit unless you know the cost of ownership. You can buy the unit at reasonable cost (Cough!!!), but figure the required add-on hardware, software with your region un-locks and anticipated future software updates as part of your intitial expenses and on-going expenses.

It is not as simple or cheap as just buying the unit out of the box!!!

If you dont need charting, get a hand-held GPS. If you need charting be prepared to pay for that capability over and beyond the cost of you unit, and be prepared to pay for software maintenance as well.

Hope this helps some, as you need to fully understand the true cost of ownership before you go with a chart-capable unit.

-Lead_Head

J.B. Cornwell · 03-14-2003, 04:36 PM

Good advice from lead head.

Check out all details on Garmin's site.

Red sky at night. . .
JB

Reel Lover · 03-14-2003, 04:45 PM

Lead Head, thanks for the detailed input. I should have said we also do some coastal and off shore fishing, so a plotter should be of value. I have been using a handheld for several years and for the most part, it will do what I need. Just want a new toy! I still am trying to figure out which chart system might suit my purpose best. If the inland Garmin charts are very limited, it might just be good to go with a Furuno or RayMarine unit that basically does just coastal regions. Thanks again for everyone helping. Bil

GeorgeP · 03-14-2003, 05:34 PM

As for what Fishing Hot Spot maps show, why don't you see for yourself. Goto
http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/fhs.jsp

Click on the map viewer. You can zoom in on the lake of your choice and see exactly what would be on your GPS. Unfortunately this option is not available for Blue Charts. I have Region 12 unlocked and my experience is that what is on the chart is what you would see on the GPS.

If you go to
http://www.garmin.com/cartography/ma...luechartCD.jsp
You can select the region you are interested in and follow the links until it will show you which Charts are included.

Once you know the region and charts you are interedted in, goto
http://mfengine.nos.noaa.gov/scripts...rver&cmd=Start
Check Nautical charts, and click on the map on the right for the area you want.
Zomm in to about level 2, check list products and you will get a list of charts. Click on "Gif" for the chart you are interested in and Presto you have the chart in question on you computer screen.

capt_dalton · 03-14-2003, 11:18 PM

You say:

"The basemap as programmed in the internal memory of your unit is minimal and will not give you adequate resolution for any inland lake or for that matter most costal regions...if you expect to navigate accurately."

I say:

OK, so which one does? This is an Aide to naigation, not a stand in for experience in any waterway.

You say:

In addition, that basemap in the internal memory is not up-datable by you by any on-line or other means that I know of, so you must send the unit to Garmin to get that update if you every need it. (The same is true with all their other products as far as I know.) (Channel markers do move around.)

I say:
"OK, again, which one does?" And by the by, when the charts get updated, I'd be willing to put a dollar up that Garmins' subsequent update will incorportate it. Have you ever looked at a printed chart? Notice how often they are updated? By the way, channels move, so do markers. How long have you been boating?

You say:
"If you buy their detailed mapping software on CDROM (like Fishing Hotspots or Bluecharts), you will also need a means to load specific area maps to the unit or most likely to one of their propritary memory cards. This means that once you buy the hardware unit, you will need also to buy the detailed map software, a memory card and the necessary cables or card programmer from Garmin or from one of their distributers. (These are not cheap when totalled up.)"

I say:

Who offers you anything similar in the same price range? Does anyone give the cables, software and cards away? If so, I'd be interested.

You say:
"You should check Garmin's site to make sure that Software maps of your intended area are available and up-to-date, especially for specific lakes included in Fishing Hotspots. (Many lakes are not included in FHS.)"

I say:
Good comment, but you should also have paper charts of the same area. I think you would be sadly surprised at how much time passes between map updates, on paper. You did know thats where all these digitized (i.e computerized) charts came from didn't you?

You say:
"In addition, once you purchase the unit, the additional software and the additional required accessories to load the detailed maps in to your unit, Garmin will make you to pay for an additional "region" of unlock for any of their software to let you get detailed maps outside of where you normally fish or navigate (Your initial unlock region). These regions are dependent on which software you buy, but have very deffinate described boundaries. If you travel much or live close to or fish across one of their region boarders, you probably are going to want an additional region unlock for the adjacent region or perhaps for many regions. That adds more cost to your software and adds it quickly.

I say:
Again, who gives the stuff away? With any resonable expense of personal time, effort and maybe a bit of $, you can figure out how to make your own cables. Garmin, and only Garmin, as far as I know, puts up very regular software updates. I have a Sitex unit that uses NT charts that overlap. I had to buy BOTH cahrts to fish one area. That's the way things are sometimes. So far I haven't received a FREE chart from Sitex or Garmin, but my Garmin unit gets regular free software upgrades from thier website.

You say:
"Software updates are not usually free from Garmin for any region. For instance, if in a year you decide you need the latest maps, you must pay again for their map updates for each region you have already unlocked."

I say:
Don't know about this one. But, I digress to my previous statement. Most printed charts aren't updated anything like what you may believe. Definitely not on a yearly or bi-yearly basis. If they were, do you thnik they would be given out for free? (I wish, paper or software) And, if you read the fine print on the software charts, these charts are digitized from printed charts and are only meant as an aide to navigation to facilitate the use of GOVERNMENT and local charts, not to replace them. The user is ultimately responsible for the safe operation and navigation of the vessel. Even if you read your printed chart, you will find that you are advised: "The prudent mariner will not rely soley on any single aid to navigation...."

You say:
"My advice is not to buy the unit unless you know the cost of ownership. You can buy the unit at reasonable cost (Cough!!!), but figure the required add-on hardware, software with your region un-locks and anticipated future software updates as part of your intitial expenses and on-going expenses.

I say:
What have you found to be more cost effective with the same features? By the way. My 182 just turned into a fishfinder thanks to a recent software update. (Free) Yep, all I gotta do is buy the $83 transducer. (Beats the heck outta a $600+ dual frequency fish finder chart plotter).

You say:

It is not as simple or cheap as just buying the unit out of the box!!!

I say:
Nothing in life is free. You find a reasonably priced tool that works, that offers good customer service, FREE regular software upgrades, a good, knowledgable userbase, you've probably found something useful.

You say:
If you dont need charting, get a hand-held GPS.

I say:
I couldn't agree more. Just watch out for Magellan. They changed hands (ownership) somewhere between my second and third unit and now will not service my current handheld or offer anything to upgrade it.

You say:
"If you need charting be prepared to pay for that capability over and beyond the cost of you unit, and be prepared to pay for software maintenance as well."

I say:
This is true for any chart plotting unit you may purchase. Because, as far as I know, no one is giving anything away. If I'm mistaken, please correct me so I can get in line behinfd y'all. Now, I've downloaded three software upgardes for my 182 from Garmin for free, one, as mentioned above, makes it a fishfinder.

You say:
"Hope this helps some, as you need to fully understand the true cost of ownership before you go with a chart-capable unit"
-Lead_Head

I say:
After fishing with quite a few, I'm real happy with what I paid versus what I got. I fish with others equipment on a regular basis. I'm very impressed with Garmin.

Shawnodese 19' Cape Horn 200 Suzy

Lead_Head · 03-16-2003, 10:53 PM

I thought that's what I said.

Did I not make what I said clear?

Must have been my mistake if I did not say what I said?

I thought I said what I said; but then again it must have been someone else that said that.

Then again someone that knows a whole lot more about what I said must be trying to re-say what I said?

I really thought I said that, and I don't think I made any appoligies when I said that.

Sometimes the truth hurts. (Did I say that?)

Maybe I wish I had not said what I said because what I said put someone here in defensive mode.

I said,

-Lead_Head