How to backup/upload GPS data on the road w/o notebook

[Kudi]

(sorry if this is to technical, the prob is quite complicated but it might be of use for some of you...)

Inspired by one of Grants topics in the communication forum (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000036.html) I had the idea that it should be possible to backup tracklogs and upload routes/maps to the GPS without the need of either carrying a notebook or having to install GPS software in i-cafes. And it works!

What you can do:
- Backup/upload tracklogs/routes/waypoints of most Garmin, Magellan and Lawrance units having either RS232 or USB interface
- Upload MapSource maps to Garmin units with RS232 interface

What you need:
- Your GPS unit
- GPS-PC interface cable
- A memory stick for backups/uploads OR a CD for uploads only (and a CD writer to create it at home)
- A Windows PC (eg. in i-cafe) with a free USB and COM-port (or what ever enviroment you work with)

How it works:
The main point is to use software which does not need any installations and which runs on the fly. Mapsource is not the way to go, unless you are a very experienced user (it would be possible, but it's difficult). We do not need MapSource, we can use G7ToWin for up- and downloads of routes, tracklogs and waypoints. G7ToWin is freeware and you can download it here: http://www.gpsinformation.org/ronh/g7towin.htm Simply unzip the file, plugin your GPS and go. The configuration (Menu File -> Configuration) might be tricky, but eg my GPS V worked without configuring anything. Now put the G7ToWin.exe file on a memory stick, put your routes and waypoints on the stick as well and once on the road simply plug the memory stick and the GPS into any windows based PC and upload your data or backup data from the GPS using G7ToWin.

Now the tricky part, how to upload maps to Garmin units w/o MapSource:
First of all I'm not 100% shure if all of this is 100% legal but I guess it actualy is... and just to make shure: I cannot guarantee anything, if you try this you do it on your own risk! In any case you will need a working and properly licensed MapSource installation at home, this procedere will not bypass Garmins unlock codes.

Ok, first off all you have to locate the map data. It's usualy stored in the MapSource installation directory (std path is "C:\Program Files\Garmin"). You will find several sub-directories there, eg. EUROCS400 for "EU City Select" maps or Worldmap30 for the "World Map" product. There might be more sub-directories in each of them, just find for each map product the one with the most *.img files. There are some 1971 img files in the Worldmap30\Worldmap directory and 614 img files in the EUROCS400 directory on my PC. Just remember where they were, we will need them later on.

Now download the software we will need to upload the maps to your Garmin GPS. We're not doing this with MapSource for the same reasons as before. You need "SendMap DOS version" and "Sendmap Windows GUI" which both can be downloaded here: http://vip.hyperusa.com/%7edougs/GPSSM/index.html (or find them on the official site: http://gps.chrisb.org/). Both freeware again :-) Unzip both files and put both exe files into the same directory (anywhere on your HD, GPSSendMap.exe needs sendmap.exe to run properly).

To upload maps with GPSSendMap start GPSSendMap.exe, locate the map directory we found beforehand, select a file, setup the COM port and speed (try as fast as possible, eg. GPS V works with 115k) and press [Upload]. You will immediately mention that you have 2 problems:
1. Uploading a file of a product secured with a unlock code will end in a "Connot unlock map file" (or simillar) message in the GPS unit.
2. You do not know which files to upload cause you do not know which file is which part of the world

Solution 1: Find your (legaly obtained) unlock code of your map product. This code looks like "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX". Enter the code into the "Use unlock key" textbox of GPSSendMap and enable the option. Do NOT enter the hyphens ("-") or the code will not work. I have no further experiences with this but it worked fine with my "Europe City Select" maps. Btw: The "World Map" product does not seem to need any unlock code, at leat in version 2.0. Try this at home before you leave...

Solution 2: I found a way to get the names and corner-coordinates of each file so they can be referenced. This needed some hacking and the procedure is not automated at the moment. It would need some further development to automate it which I might do if there will be some postive feedback. For the moment, I have the indexes for the "European City Select 2.0" and "World Map 2.0" products. I do not know if other versions use the same filenames, so we'll have to try this. If you're interested in the indexes drop me a mail and I'll send it to you in either text or excel format. Or drop me a mail for other indexes, I'd need your help to get them.

Put SendMap.exe and GPSSendMap.exe on a memory stick and copy all map data you need as well. It will need some effort to select the files you need or simply buy a BIG stick and copy all of it ;-) You also could burn a CD/DVD instead of puting the stuff on a memory stick, that's certainly a cheaper option. The upload procedure should work on any windows based PC running Windows 95 and newer. Please remember, the MapSource data is protected by copyrights and doing this might be against the law. But I cannot see any probs, the data is linked to your units serial number so it cannot be copyed to the "wrong" unit...

Any comments/suggestions appreciated.

Save rides, Kudi
http://m2s_kudi.cape-x.net/?L=1

[This message has been edited by Kudi (edited 05 February 2004).]

[PanEuropean]

Hi Kudi:

Interesting idea, but it sure seems like a great deal of work - in other words, a major pain in the ass.

In past years, I have used a Garmin SP III, and needed to carry a small laptop computer with me to allow me to upload new map segments to the data chip on the GPS as I move around (I mostly tour in Central and Western Europe). This year, I have a new Garmin SP 2650, and have a 1 gig CF (compact flash) card in it. I can upload the entire contents of the CityNavigator Europe 6.0 CD onto the Compact Flash card - so, no need to carry a computer to load maps.

This still does not address the need to download tracks, though. Personally, downloading tracks is not that important to me, but I suppose if I just carried around a CD that had the MapSource application on it (this means, any recent Garmin map CD), then I could install MapSource to a computer in an internet cafe (without needing to install maps, just the program) and then get the tracks out of my GPS using the MapSource application. I could then save them to a floppy disk - tracks alone don't take up much space.

However, it does seem to me that it would probably be cheaper and simpler for the average touring rider to buy a very small (meaning, small physical size) laptop, and carry the laptop around with them, for the purpose of loading maps and downloading tracks. IBM made a computer called a "ThinkPad 240" - this is a tiny little thing, would fit in a tankbag, but it runs the full Windows OS (anything up to XP). To buy one of these things on eBay now costs about USD 300, which might, in the long run, be the cheapest and simplest fix.

PanEuropean
(Zürich)

[Kudi]

Hi PanEropean

I certainly agree it's a lot easier to have your own laptop with you. The whole thing is thought for situations where you either do not want to carry a laptop or, that's my reason for this, where you want to save weight. Even if you buy the smallest and lightest laptop it'll cost you at least 2kg (including charger, cables, bag, CDs, etc.). I'd say even 4-7kg is realistic if you cannot spend a fortune on it. That's weight and space I want to save for more important stuff like tools, spares and water. Actually I had to send my laptop back home in the middle of my last trip to get rid of the extra weight. Crossing a desert is tricky, sometimes...

Installing MapSource might be difficult if the admin of the iCafe restricted access to certain system ressources. To bypass this would be a real pain in the ass for non-IT-professionals. The above solution works completely without any installations and should work on any system where unknown exe-files aren't restricted, therefore in most iCafes.

By the way, it was the first try. I found a software in the meantime to read Garmin map index files and to show them graphicaly. This works also with Garmin map files, even with the secured ones. I do not want to advertise the software here cause it might be illegal. Drop me a mail if you want further informations.

Save rides, Kudi
(17km to Zürich ;-)

[PanEuropean]

Hi Kudi:

Send me an email, perhaps we can get together for a coffee. I'm actually in Balsberg now and will be here till mid-March.

Michael

[Kudi]

OT: Michael, did you get my email?
Kudi

[A.B.]

Very helpfull Kudi, Thanks.

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A.B.

OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara.
ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations.

[george t]

I have just found this old thread,

I have tried all the downloads etc but somehow it doesn't quite work.

Has anyone else been using mapsend or similar for sending maps to gps without having to carry a laptop and go through garmin mapsource installation, while on the road (using internet cafes ..)

I am trying to find an easy way to load maps from city select (europe) to a garmin gpsmap 60CS

any ideas / suggestions welcome

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gt

[This message has been edited by george t (edited 11 August 2005).]

[Kudi]

Hi George

I havent tested the procedure with a 60CS but else it should work. Where did it fail?

In the meantime I found a soft to read the Garmin "index maps" which makes the search for the individual map tiles a lot easier. If someone's interested I'll post a howto.

Cheers, Kudi

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Ride Your Dreams

[JoHS]

Nice tips Kudi!
The Garmin 26XX-series is running their data(maps) from CompactFlash, so a CD-R with the maps together with a tiny usb CF-cardreader should be able to transfer the stuff over in this case.
Problem is that mapsource is packing all the selected .imgs into a huge file. It's not possible to dump single .img-files to the CF - I've tried. :-/
I will check out your tips with the other software. :-)
BTW: With some fiddling it's pretty easy to have mapsource run from a CDR/DVDR with all your maps included on the same disc. You only need to build yourself a nice .reg-file (registry export modified) that you import into the i-cafes computer and off you go. (not all of them are really locked down) A large USB stick will do the same trick as you say.

JoHS

[trevor_s]

Originally posted by Kudi:
I had the idea that it should be possible to backup tracklogs and upload routes/maps to the GPS without the need of either carrying a notebook or having to install GPS software in i-cafes. And it works!

I just use a Pocket PC, works for me. I even have it mounted on my bike at the same time as the GPS, so no real luggage extra space is taken up ( a bonus) and it's charged up as I ride/ With the tiny foldable keyboard I can use it as a travel diary, I have it loaded with a Starchart Program for when I am camping, along with many hours of MP3 files (saved as OGG Vorbis files for size reasons), all works a treat for me, even under harsh off-road conditions. A Notebook PC is out of the question for me, way to bulky and way to fragile, I doubt it would last a day. Of course, I also use a Magellan Meridian GPS, so I have the abiltity to load lots of maps, basically only limited to the size of the SD card (2 GB SD cards about at the moment) This "hassle" is also one of the reasons I avoid the Garmins.

Mounted on my BMW 1150 Gs Adv


Mounted on my KTM 640 Adv

[This message has been edited by trevor_s (edited 31 August 2005).]