Garmin GPS Map 76Cx - Where to get maps?

[jmdkodiak]

Anyone have any experience with these? I am new to handheld GPSs.

The map cards cost $100!! All I want are some free-ware, shareware topo maps for hiking.

Do I really have to spend that kind of coin to buy the SD cards? Or... Can I download maps from somewhere and put them on my own card?

Thanks guys..

[lxskllr]

Look at the USGS site, and see if they have any for download. You should be able to quad sheets from them, but I don't know if it'll work with the GPS. There's open source mapping projects but coverage will be spotty.

Edit:
Google gives a bunch of results
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&b...50l431l0.3l3l0

[snusgetter]

TRY Free GPS software for your Garmin GPSMAP 76Cx

[EricHill78]

Just go old school.. use a compass. Better yet befriend a native American guide, he/she can show you the magic of nature and ways to deflect gypsy attacks.

[jmdkodiak]

Still no luck.. Most of those sites, such as the one you posted snusgetter only share waypoints. I need the actual img files.

Sort of like, if you have a european road GPS you can't come to North America and use it. You need the whole new map package.

Basically I want to turn a marine GPS into a hiking GPS

[EricHill78]

I found this program bro call yer local YMCA. Wont ever get lost for real. Lewis and Clark didn't have GPS.

[Snusdog]

I use an app on my Droid called Back Country Navigator (it cost a one time purchase fee of $10)

I love it ....in fact I used it today on a little 10 mile trek through the rugged East Fork River Valley in the Shining Rock Wilderness.

I down load the maps from Mytopomaps.com.

I can also import routs and way points from a Nat Geo program that has all the Forest maps and trails.

Back Country only uses GPS and the maps are on your phone (thus you do not need cell coverage or towers for it to work). Turn the phone to airplane mode (to keep it from waisting battery life looking for signals) and the GPS navigation records your tracks, gives distance stats and etc.

I would look into the app and try it out.

In the meantime try Mytopo.com

[jmdkodiak]

I use an app on my Droid called Back Country Navigator (it cost a one time purchase fee of $10)

I love it ....in fact I used it today on a little 10 mile trek through the rugged East Fork River Valley in the Shining Rock Wilderness.

I down load the maps from Mytopomaps.com.

I can also import routs and way points from a Nat Geo program that has all the Forest maps and trails.

Back Country only uses GPS and the maps are on your phone (thus you do not need cell coverage or towers for it to work). Turn the phone to airplane mode (to keep it from waisting battery life looking for signals) and the GPS navigation records your tracks, gives distance stats and etc.

I would look into the app and try it out.

In the meantime try Mytopo.com

Thanks! I downloaded a couple apps for the iPhone that are similar, but the problem is you have to "cache" your maps before you are out of signal. I don't want to sit and cache a variety of zoom level maps of the Smoky Mountains just to be able to go and use it.

Plus, I am never too sure those maps are entirely accurate..