Maps on eTrex Legend

Tagged: gps

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- February 10, 2011 at 14:22 #95465
  
  Rmontgo21
  
  Hello All,
  
  I am just getting into mountain biking and had a few questions. I have a garmin etrex legend that I bought a few years ago for geocaching. I lost the data cord and software. My understanding is that I can download maps from singletraks.com and upload them into garmin mapsource and install them into my gps. Then I can store up to ten tracks on my gps and have a map to follow. Is this process correct? Is there any other software I would need to upload the map from this site the the GPS? Sorry if this is a commin question I’ve just never used the gps for anything but inserting geocaching coordinates.
  
  Thanks!
- February 10, 2011 at 15:11 #95466
  
  Jeff Barber
  
  The process for transferring tracks is identical to the process for transferring waypoints for geocaching. We’ve posted a short set of instructions for various GPS devices here:
  http://www.singletracks.com/gps/how-to.php#load
  
  Just to be clear, the trail you’ll see on an eTrex is really just a solid line to follow with at least one waypoint (no roads/landmarks etc.). To see the trail in context you need a set of basemaps loaded on your GPS (since you already own MapSource it sounds like you do).
- February 10, 2011 at 15:20 #95467
  
  Rmontgo21
  
  Yea, I read that article and still came away a little confused. I recently moved and lost everything except the gps and no I dont have mapsource, I figured I would have to purchase the topo package from garmin and get it. Is there a free, or differant method to insert the gpx files onto the gps?
- February 10, 2011 at 15:47 #95468
  
  GoldenGoose
  
  You can download mapsource again from the garmin website if you need it. I had to do this for the unit I am using. But, instead of mapsource, I’d suggest you download the free version of Topofusion and use it. WAY simpler to upload and download maps and the software is pretty sweet too.
  
  Check out Trek’s review here.
  [url:lt8mgbe2]http://www.singletracks.com/blog/gps/topofusion-a-mountain-bikers-dream-app/[/url:lt8mgbe2]
  
  To download a free version just pick the version your computer can handle and check out the FAQs page. Pretty simple really. I like it a LOT more than mapsource too.
  
  [url:lt8mgbe2]http://topofusion.com/download.php[/url:lt8mgbe2]
- February 10, 2011 at 16:03 #95469
  
  Rmontgo21
  
  and I can use this software to insert the gpx file and it will simply upload into my saved tracks on my etrex legend?
- February 10, 2011 at 16:14 #95470
  
  GoldenGoose
  
  Yes. Very easy. It will also break large gps files into mulitple smaller usable files. For example: I downloaded a 25 mile ride with a pretty good amount of detail and the file was simply too big to be used by my unit, Garmin Etrex Vista. Topofusion gave me the option to break it down into 6 smaller files that could be used on my unit. Labeled them A, B, C, D, etc. Just turned each one on and they formed the entire map. Easy.
  
  You will need a transfer cable, obviously. But the rest is super simple.
- February 16, 2011 at 07:12 #95471
  
  Rmontgo21
  
  So the eTrex accepts straigth up GPX data for maps. I just upload the map to Topo and then send to device?
- February 16, 2011 at 07:20 #95472
  
  Jeff Barber
  
  So the eTrex accepts straigth up GPX data for maps. I just upload the map to Topo and then send to device?
  
  Not exactly. TopoFusion reads the GPX file then puts it into Garmin format before sending it to your device.
  
  Many new Garmin GPS units (like the Edge 705, Colorado) can read GPX and even KMZ (Google Earth) files directly – just drag and drop like you would with a USB memory stick.
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