Loading maps on a Etrex30?
01-04-24 | 11:48 AM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 15,293
Likes: 1,771
From: Far beyond the pale horizon.
It really is pretty simple. I own and have used an Etrex20 for cycling navigation the past 7-8 years. This is how I do it to meet my own needs. Others may suggest other options, ad nauseum..and good for them.
1) Download a TRACK from RWGPS
2) Download/install Basecamp to your PC
3) Connect your Etrex to the PC via a usb cable (possibly supplied with your Etrex when you bought it, as mine was)
4) Basecamp will indicate your Etrex is connected.
5) Import your RWGPS TRACK into Basecamp
6) Transfer the track to your Etrex from Basecamp via menu on top (Device>Send to Device).
7) done
Eject your Etrex from the PC, fire it up, toggle to your Track Manager..select the track hit Go and you're on your way. This all sounds busy, but can be accomplished in 5 minutes.
1) Download a TRACK from RWGPS
2) Download/install Basecamp to your PC
3) Connect your Etrex to the PC via a usb cable (possibly supplied with your Etrex when you bought it, as mine was)
4) Basecamp will indicate your Etrex is connected.
5) Import your RWGPS TRACK into Basecamp
6) Transfer the track to your Etrex from Basecamp via menu on top (Device>Send to Device).
7) done
Eject your Etrex from the PC, fire it up, toggle to your Track Manager..select the track hit Go and you're on your way. This all sounds busy, but can be accomplished in 5 minutes.
One can just copy the file directly to the eTrex and avoid a bunch of steps.
The following says to copy the GPX track to \Garmin\GPX.
https://ridewithgps.com/help/garmin-etrex
Last edited by njkayaker; 01-04-24 at 11:52 AM.
01-04-24 | 11:54 AM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 15,293
Likes: 1,771
From: Far beyond the pale horizon.
https://ridewithgps.com/help/garmin-etrex
(The latest eTrex works like the Edges.)
01-04-24 | 02:27 PM
#28
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,748
Likes: 2,111
From: Madison, WI
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
...
As I mentioned..I've been using an Etrex 20 for many years and everything you describe has not been my experience. I have an updated background map loaded, I select a track and hit go..I zoom in to a 500 foot scale..and follow the track with all the roads around me completely visible. No muss, no fuss.
There's been a couple Etrex threads lately where some people trash them..from their comments it's fairly easy to see that the trashing's roots lie in the owner not knowing how to use the unit, rather than it not working. Of course they could have a defective unit..who knows.
As I mentioned..I've been using an Etrex 20 for many years and everything you describe has not been my experience. I have an updated background map loaded, I select a track and hit go..I zoom in to a 500 foot scale..and follow the track with all the roads around me completely visible. No muss, no fuss.
There's been a couple Etrex threads lately where some people trash them..from their comments it's fairly easy to see that the trashing's roots lie in the owner not knowing how to use the unit, rather than it not working. Of course they could have a defective unit..who knows.
I have been using these recreational grade GPS units for about two decades if you count the earlier ones with a black and white screen. Use them for bike touring, randonneuring, backpacking, cross country skiing, canoeing, kayaking, and on occasional to drive several hundred miles. When driving long distances, their routing might choke, but otherwise they do pretty well.
On a bike I usually set the zoom scale to 0.2 miles (urban) or 1.2 miles (rural), just because when I try to only use a few zoom scales, it is easier for me to keep track of what is going on. Some times I zoom in much closer (such as going into a roundabout), but overall I have not found any reason to use one of the cycling specific GPS units.
My Garmin 62S got some water in it in a heavy rain while backpacking, not sure how that happened but it still works over a year later. So, do not trust their waterproof rating, mine was not submerged at all, the rating is to withstand submersion for 30 minutes. But I have never had water get in one of mine on a bike.
05-25-24 | 07:43 AM
#29
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 22
Likes: 4
From: Ottawa
Is the Etrex not able to deal with a micro SD larger than 32G? I followed your tips and used a 2G card and it worked well. Now I wanted to upload a new region, and I used another card which didn't work, and after trying all sorts of things, I now realise that card is 128G.
05-26-24 | 04:29 AM
#30
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,748
Likes: 2,111
From: Madison, WI
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
I am largely clueless on this sort of thing, so I default to Garmin instructions or specifications which usually specify no more than 32gb.
I suspect that there is a different formatting system or something like that for different card sizes. I tried a 64gb micro SD in a camera and the camera was not happy with that.
I suspect that there is a different formatting system or something like that for different card sizes. I tried a 64gb micro SD in a camera and the camera was not happy with that.
05-28-24 | 02:29 AM
#31
Zoom zoom zoom zoom bonk
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,922
Likes: 979
From: New Zealand
Bikes: Giant Defy, Trek 1.7c, BMC GF02, Trek Marlin 6, Scott Sub 35, Kona Rove, Trek Verve+2
I think when the ETREX was released in 2011 32GB cards were the maximum, so that might be the reason for the spec.
