Garmin custom POIs on a Mac - revisited

Take a look at http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/creating_custom_poi_files.jsp#mapsource.

Look at the section describing custom POI and MapSource. You can use the same method with BaseCamp. This is yet another way to do it. The good thing about this method is that you can use BaseCamp to organize your custom POI's. The downside is that you will have to assign icons and audio files upfront, when you are creating the POI's. This could potentially be a problem when trying to change proximity or speed alert parameters for a large number of POI's.

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Garmin custom POIs on a Mac

After a recent road trip up North I realized I wasn't all that familiar with my Nuvi 1490T and it's capabilities. Then I came across custom POIs while searching the web for Nuvi related articles. Here are a few useful links:

• Gary Hayman's Garmin GPS, Tricks, Tips, Work Arounds, Secrets and Ideas
• Dave Brillhart's GARMIN GPSCustom POI Alerts & TourGuides
• Garmin's POIloader utility

The CSV method is simple and works nicely but it doesn't allow one to specify both speed and proximity parameters simultaneously when installing into your Nuvi with POI loader in express mode. Preparing CSV files mean having to cut and paste coordinate parameters from Google Earth or Basecamp or some other program.

So here's my preferred approach for generating POI files right now (only good for small lists):

STEP 1: Create and export waypoints in BaseCamp
Fire up BaseCamp on your Mac. Load your map (see previous articles). If you wish to create a waypoint by browsing the map and dropping a pin, select a waypoint tool. Keep things a little better organized by creating a new list under "My Collections". Let's call it MyPOI. Now go to File > Export "MyPOI" and give it a path to save the GPX file. Now you have the GPX "source" file.

STEP 2: Edit and rename the exported waypoint GPX file
There are several methods you can use. Here are several examples:

1. Rename the GPX into a XXX_redlight.gpx file. This will turn all your waypoints into proximity alerts. If you specified a proximity radius while creating your waypoint, that will be the distance used. Otherwise it will default to 400m (assuming you select the metric option in POIloader).
2. Rename the GPX into XXX_speed_NN.gpx file, where NN is the speed. That will turn all your waypoints into speed alerts.
3. Rename the GPX into a XXX_speed.gpx file and include "@NN" at the end of your waypoint name. This allows you to set different speed alerts for POI's in the same file. However, this is probably of limited use since the POI icon and sound file are associated with a single file name -- which means you cannot represent the alerts with different speed icons.

Other than renaming the file, you can also delete portions of it. For example, if you are preparing a speed alert POI file, keep all the speed alert waypoint instances, but delete all the proximity alert instances.

STEP 3: Load POI file into your Nuvi with POIloader
FIre up POIloader and follow on screen instructions. Make sure you have your Nuvi connected.

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Problem communicating with the Garmin device

Got this error message this morning when I started BaseCamp and plugged in my 1490T. A quick search on Google revealed the possibility of a corrupt .GPX file. In this case, I had to remove the current.gpx file from my 1490T. Everything worked nicely after that. Strange. Here's a forum post on the topic: http://forums.gpsreview.net/viewtopic.php?t=22672.

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Installing MalSingMap into Garmin BaseCamp on a Mac

Having only used MapSource on a PC, I was not familiar with the BaseCamp equivalent on a Mac. I had just tried loading maps into BaseCamp (Mac version) by plugging in my GPSr only to discover that it would not detect MalSingMap that was installed on a uSD card.

I came across an article in the MalSingMaps Forums with a brief but incomplete description of the process. So here's my idiot's guide version to getting all this to work on a Mac. I really should get around to including some screenshots. But that's a labour intensive task that will have to wait until I retire or feel industrious. Hopefully this plain text version will get you started for now.

STEP 1 - Install VirtualBox and XP
You are going to need a Windows machine. Or a functioning instance of Windows running in a Virtual Machine on a Mac. This is not as difficult as it sounds. Download VirtualBox from Oracle and install. Start VirtualBox, insert your XP disk and follow instructions. Boot XP and Install all service packs.

STEP 2 - Install mapconverter
You will need to install Garmin's mapconverter utility. Get this from http://www.garmin.com/mapconverter. Do this in your Windows XP virtual machine. I had a problem getting this to install. Windows complained that the program could not run because of a configuration error. Fortunately, there's a workaround. Download and install a copy of WinRAR. Then right click on the mapconverter installer icon and select the extract to here option. Double click on the setup.exe file and follow onscreen instructions.

STEP 3 - Download MapSource version of MSM
Download a copy of the MapSource version of MalSingMap from http://malsingmaps.com. Do this in your Windows XP virtual machine. The file comes in the form of an executable. Double click to run it. Follow on screen instructions and allow the map to install into the default location (unless you really want it to go somewhere else).

STEP 4 - Convert the map
Run the Garmin mapconverter utility. Do this in your Windows XP virtual machine. Follow onscreen instructions and select the map you wish to convert. It finds the maps automatically. At least it did for me. That's why you should let the map install into a default location in STEP 3.

STEP 5 - Move the converted map to Mac filesystem
Set up a shared folder in VirtualBox. This will appear as a network drive in your VirtualBox XP file explorer. Move the *.gmapi file into this folder so it becomes accessible in your native Mac OS X filesystem.

STEP 6 - Download and install Garmin MapManager
You can download and install this Garmin utility from the Mac AppStore. Search for Garmin and it will appear as one of the items.

STEP 7 - Install your newly minted *.gmapi
Now fire up MapManager and use it to install your *.gmapi file. You'll need to tell the program where your *.gmapi file is located. And you are done! Congratulations. Give yourself a pat on the back.

Start BaseCamp and look under the Maps drop down menu. You should find your MSM map listed as one of the available maps. Click to select. Enjoy. Thanks to all the fine folks at MalSingMaps for their labour of love.

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MFM and MSM and Garmin BaseCamp on Mac OS X Lion

Sorry about the clumsy blog title, but I can't think of something else that clearly captures the essence of this post.

This may sound silly, but I had been wondering how to load maps into BaseCamp running on Mac OS X Lion. It turns out that all you have to do is plug in your Garmin GPS receiver (GPSr) via the USB cable and fire up BaseCamp. Wait awhile for the GPSr to boot and BaseCamp will detect and cache any maps it finds in your GPSr (it works with Nuvi and the 62s). The available map titles are displayed at the top of the left hand panel. Click on the map you wish to display and that's it! The maps take some time to load the first time around but are cached so it's really quick after the first time. You may wish to go to BaseCamp > Preferences > Advanced to allocate more disk cache.

Just when everything seemed to be working, I realized that BaseCamp was only detecting the NT North America and MalFreeMap (MFM)but not MalSingMap (MSM). I reinstalled BaseCamp and tried another GPSr to no avail. So it was time to figure out how to install MSM into BaseCamp on a Mac.

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Displaying Garmin tracklogs on Google Maps

This is how I did it with my Garmin GPSMAP 62S:

• Connect the GPS to Dell Latitude E4310 with supplied USB cable.
• GPS powers up automatically and enters USB mass storage mode. The USB icon shows up on the GPS screen and a Garmin icon shows up on my Ubuntu 10.10 64-bit desktop. If you have a micro-SD card installed in the GPS, that will show up too. 
• Double click on the Garmin icon. You'll see a Garmin folder. Keep going into Garmin -> GPX -> Current. In this directory, you'll see a file named Current.gpx. This is what you need. Unless the track you're after has been archived. If so, back out one level and look for your .gpx file there.
• Copy Current.gpx to your Desktop or some convenient location.
• Fire up Prune. You can install this from Synatic Package Manager where it is listed as "gpsprune".
• In Prune, go to File>Open file and load your Current.gpx track file.
• To delete extraneous track points, use the Range menu tools. It's quite intuitive.
• When you're done,  go to File > Export KML. Choose your track colour, type in your file name and you're done!
• Go to maps.google.com on your favourite browser. Sign into your Google account. Click on My Maps. Click on the "Create new map" link that appears just below "Get Directions" and "My Maps". Type in your Title and Description and then click on "Import". Upload your KML file and viola!

This is the result! And yes, I should have chosen another colour for the tracks. Next time.


View Marina Bay Circumnavigation in a larger map

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10 excuses to buy a Gpsmap 62s

Here's a short list of excuses to justify that toy you always wanted...

• The Battery Contrary to popular belief, the iPad/2 is not the only device with 10hrs of battery life. The Gpsmap 62s chugs along for 15hrs on a pair of NiMH AA cells. Really. Now, can your Nuvi do that? Besides, you can always pop into a store and pick up alkaline cells for those rare emergencies.
• MCX Connector The Gpsmap 62s has an MCX connector for external antennas. You won't find this on an Oregon nor a Dakota. And only the older discontinued Nuvis have them. It's great for those who have fancy windshield solar films that block out more stuff than it should. You can stick the antenna on the car roof. The best thing about it is that the amplified antennas like the Gilsson are available for a very reasonable USD$25.
• IPX 7 Is your iPhone waterproof? Well, mine isn't. Whip out the Gpsmap 62s when everyone else is packing away their iPhones. It's true you can waterproof your phone by tucking it into a Ziplock bag. But then, you'll loose The Touch. And by the way, if you're into iPhones and trails or hobby mapping projects, check out Motion-X GPS.
• The Stubby It's different. There's an antenna sticking out of the casing! How cool is that. You can tell all your friends that it has a quadrifilar helix antenna. It'll pick up signals from satellite close to the horizon that patch antennas cannot see. Of course you may also want to downplay the fact that you might end up with more multipath interference in urban canyons.
• Buttons It's got BUTTONS! Did I mention it's different? Buttons are great for some things but I wish it had voice commands for when you need to key in addresses.
• The Display It's got a retro 65k colour transflective LCD screen with a purposeful 160x240 pixels. Unbelievably low tech by today's standards. But wait till you mount it on your bicycle and ride into the high noon sun. Your trusty Gpsmap 62s display will your maps in full glory with the backlight OFF while the others just fade away. No contest.
• Custom Maps and Bird's Eye imagery. It's like having cached Google Satellite maps overlaid on your Garmin maps. About time. It's available on Oregon and Dakota GPSRs too. Not supported on Nuvis.
• Barometer It's like having your own weather station. The algorithms used to measure altitude with both GPS coordinates and barometric pressure are somewhat obscure. I do not understand it. Both are problematic.
• Compass This is a lot like the iPhone compass except more highly damped so the needle doesn't do a rain dance when a truck or some other unidentified magnetic object blows past.
• For some reason, I can't come up with Excuse No. 10...

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MalFreeMap postal code search on Gpsmap 62s

Hit the Find button. Click By Address. Leave the house number field blank, proceed with Done. Key in the postal code in the street address field. Hit Done on the soft keyboard. Viola. Okay, okay, you knew that already.

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Gpsmap 62s backlight settings

I've found that it's easier to have the backlight set to "on always" in the main menu and to rely on the backlight level screen to turn it on or off. This is quicker since backlight level adjustment is accessed by a short press of the power button while the backlight duration configuration item is buried in a submenu.

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16hrs and still going...

Here's a picture of the Gpsmap 62s after 16 hrs on a set of Imedion 2400's. Good enough for a trip to KL and back with plenty of juice to spare.

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GPSMAP 62s

The new toy :-). Brimming with old world charm... When was the last time you saw an RF device with an external antenna? My kids thought it was a walkie-talkie.

A Gilsson active antenna and Garmin bike mount came in the same package. Figured that the Gilsson would be a potentially useful gadget to have under heavy tree cover. This was one reason why I chose the 62s over the Oregon 450. Now to take it to the great outdoors!

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