I have used the built in card reader on three different computers to transfer data from US Topo and City Navigator to micro sd cards and have the transferred maps successfully work on four different handheld Garmin GPS models.
I would be interested in the Garmin Model numbers you are addressing that requires a Card Reader. A check on the Garmin Card reader shows a card reader and software packaged aimed at the Marine Market.
The interface of different brands of marine electronics is not a simple matter, requiring different cables and adaptors. Mixing equipment from the different manufactures can be difficult and even the same manufacture if the units are of different generations and the electrical and data protocols are not the same. It enough for a fisherman to open another case. Lowrance, Garmin, and some other manufactures make interfaces that accommodate their equipment such as a sounder, Radar, and marine radio. Are you aware of DeLorme having products that fit into these categories?
You can exercise the same option as Lloyd did with his De Lorme and get pre-loaded cards for your computer. DeLorme, Garmin, Magellan, Lowrance offer pre-loaded data cards, and most likely other gps manufactures. Pre-loaded data cards are great for those who do not have the time or interest in loading a card or who are computer challenged. This is from a guy whose wife programs the VCR.
My experience with the Garmin Handheld receivers is that none of them require a specialized card reader. All the units come with a cord to connect with PC. Depending on the generation of the unit it will be serial port to 4-pin data connector or USB to Mini USB connector. The USB to Mini USB connector moves data approximately 32-times faster then the older serial port connector.
Lowrance is still selling units with this accessories package:
Optional Mapping Accessories Pack that includes MapCreate USA Topo mapping software, one digital MMC/SD memory card, and an MMC/SD card reader/writer with USB connector
Navteg Inc. has sold map data to Garmin and to other gps manfactures for years. Navteg Inc. was recently purchased by Nokia. The big financial future in gps is tied to the cellphone industry. The current downside to the gps support from my cellphone provider and most others is that you have to be in range of a cellphone tower. If you are in a remote location, at sea, you maybe out of luck. So a handheld gps receiver is still a viable option for most of us.
The automotive gps market is huge and far over shadows the handheld market. The big names in automotive gps units are Garmin, TomTom, Magellan, and to a lesser extent Lowrance.
De Lorme is a privately held company so there is little public insight on how it operates. One way is to take a look at court records. I bring these up because of the reference of mapping products.
http://www.delorme.com/DeLorme has come back into gps receiver-laptop market after settling out of court with Rand Mc Nally for copyright infringement. After the settlement DeLorme sued its insurance carriers for not paying it’s legal cost in the battle with Rand Mc Nally. The Court found that De Lorme had infringed on the Rand Mc Nally copyright and under the terms of the liability policy the insurance companies were required to pay the DeLorme legal cost.
DeLorme bid on a contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It was a partnership contract between NOAA and the successful bidder. The purpose of such a contract is to reduce cost to the government, and in turn the successful bidder will have access to the finished data for a period time ahead of the competition.
DeLorme lost the bid and it was awarded to another firm. DeLorme then submitted a Freedom of Information request for the future data that was going to be produced under the terms of the contract.
NOAA denied the request and cited a number reasons why they had denied the request.
DeLorme next sued NOAA in Federal Court. The Court found against DeLorme based on the reason of denial given by NOAA, and the terms of the partnership contract with the successful bidder. The Court stated the data would enter the public domain in a five-year period and would be subject to a Freedom of Information Request.
It would have been interesting to see the DeLorme reaction of such a request if the shoe had been on the other foot and DeLorme the successful bidder.
I have early versions of De Lorme software loaded in my Laptop and tower. I used the software on an emergency incident a few years ago, and it showed it’s potential. I see that De Lorme has now created a software package for emergency responders.
Magellan is the number two provider of gps units. Magellan like Garmin offers some specialized gps units for the European market. Magellan products target the automotive and handheld gps market. A few years back Magellan was number one in sales.
http://www.magellangps.com/products/http://www.magellangps.com/products/software.aspLowrance falls into the distant number three slot in the handheld market, but it is strong in the Marine market, and aircraft navigation market with some of its brands.
http://www.lowrance.com/http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Mapping/Bushnell is in the GPS market place and when comparing features it would be interesting to do a side by test with the De Lorme PN-20. It appears that Bushnell offer a few more models then DeLorme. I wonder who will sue whom?
http://www.bushnell.com/gps/gps.cfm?section=GPSThere are other manufacture of gps or sellers of re-branded gps units that are made by a major player.
Garmin is the number one seller of gps units in the world. Garmin sells handheld, marine, and aviation gps units. Aviation units and software sold by Garmin and Lowrance are certified for aircraft use and aircraft type. This equipment is designed to put an approaching aircraft at the end of the correct runway after taking off hundreds of miles away. This is what WAAS is all about.
http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/intheair/Garmin produces a lot of different handheld gps models from the basic to the mapping models. Garmin also produces an in-depth array of marine fishfinders, sounders, and charters.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=132Garmin’s mapping software encompasses more locations on earth then any other manufactures. The criticism has been offered regarding Garmin having another party build its maps. Does Ford and Chevy manufacture the tires, and all other parts what go into their cars?
http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/I can travel the World with my Garmin 76Cx and have a couple 2GB maps that will fill many of my mapping needs. Garmin has agreements with third party developers who have access to Garmin’s code and develop maps for different parts of the world.
http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mpc/Lloyd mention complaints about how difficult it was to use Garmin software, here is a good tutorial to get you started.
http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapsourceTutorial.htmlIf one of my grandkids were heading to Iraq I would look at buying them one of these Garmin models with preloaded maps.
http://gpsworldsupply.com/gps_world_supply.php?step=category&catNum=10Garmin handheld units have dominated the focus of training for Federal Wildland Fire fighters using gps.
http://www.nps.gov/gis/gps/gps4ics.htmlhttp://www.fs.fed.us/database/gps/gpsequip/documents/garqs60c.docGoogle Earth Plus allows owners of Magellan and Garmin gps units to down loaded their waypoints, tracks, and routes onto the satellite image. I have done this a number of times and then e-mailed the image to a friend.
Frankly I would like to hear about how the PN-20 operates and information regarding which will be helpful to others when they purchase a PN-20. Gives us the details on battery life, and navigating with the PN-20. Does it auto route?
Unfortunately I cannot afford to run out and buy a bunch of different brand or models of gps units. Hopefully our members will share their experience with the gps units they own, no matter what the brand and model. There are a lot of older model gps units in the hands of our outdoor friends and partners. Do not be afraid to offer impute or ask a question. Garmin, and some other manufactures have their manuals available on line and can be downloaded.
While I am a strong advocate of mapping gps units, and gps without a map of a certain area has a lot of value. I do not have maps installed in the gps/fishfinder on my boat. I would have love to had any gps that would create a waypoint with me in the Sea of Cortez when setting over a bottom fish hot spot.
A gps is a tool that requires practice, in bad weather you can set in your living room learning the function, when it suits you a walk around the block can become a train session, most of our hunting seasons have passed by in the following months you can get the benefit of a walk woods, gps training, scouting for game and a workout.
