MAPS

I want to create a Google Map and Upload it to my Magellan GPS. I also want to distribute that map (free)?

The software that comes with the GPS device is pretty basic. It seems like it only has major highways on it. The route I am creating is part on-road part off-road. National Geographic provides TOPO maps but they are expensive and really don’t fill the bill either since I need streets in my map occasionally.

With Google maps (or Yahoo maps for that matter) I could use the satellite imagery to help me create the route, but then I want to upload the finished route to my GPS. It would be a plus if I could then post the route I make on a website.

The GPS is a Magellan Triton 500, if that makes any difference. I am reluctant to spend another couple of hundred on software packages only to find they don’t help. I’ve used Google Earth too, but again don’t want to get into the premium service. There has to be a way to create this easily without spending more than time.

Is it too late for you to return the Triton? I ask that in all seriousness. That is the worst GPS receiver I have seen since I started following those products five years ago. There are plenty of Triton horror stories on the internet.

The only way to get map data to your Triton is through Magellan’s VantagePoint program. One thing you can try is creating your route in Google Earth and saving it to a KML or KMZ file, then see if VantagePoint can send that KML/KMZ file to the Triton.

The Triton is harder than most GPS receivers to work with because VantagePoint is the only program that can be used to send data. Magellan has refused to share the program’s code or info about how the Triton communicates, so this has prevented third-party developers from developing their own free open-source programs to transfer and convert data for the Triton. There are some difficult workarounds for creating your own maps for Magellan Meridian and eXplorist GPS receivers, but that’s because those GPS receivers can communicate via other programs, and in the case of the eXplorist, shows up as removable storage on a PC. Garmin and TomTom developed web browser plugins for having routes sent from Google Maps and Mapquest to their receivers. Magellan’s tech support and engineering are so lackluster or don’t care enough about their customers to develop such browser plugins.

Magellan hasn’t even come up with a firmware revision yet that will let the Triton autoroute and provide turn-by-turn directions. Magellan hasn’t released a new version of their DirectRoute maps in nearly two years. So if Magellan even released a new version of DirectRoute, you wouldn’t be able to use the maps to get directions out of the Triton.

Using eTrex GPS with TOPO! Custom Maps PT 1

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National Geographic Maps Adirondack Park Explorer 3D $24.95 Adirondack Park Explorer 3D gives you the five Trails Illustrated maps for the entire 5.8 million acre park in one seamless package. You can automatically highlight trails, view the maps in 3D, use the maps with your GPS, and print beautiful custom maps for your next outing. Four map levels make it easy for you to find your destination, and to create and print beautiful, detailed maps for your adv…

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Garmin MapSource TOPO! US 24k West Topographic Coverage for Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada (DVD) $82.41 Topo U.S. 24K Topo U.S. 24K DVD gives access to a wider coverage area than Garmin’s Topo U.S. 24k data cards. The new Topo U.S. 24K West DVD provides up-to-date detailed 24k topographic coverage for Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada. Built-in DEM (digital elevation model) data supports 3-D terrain shading and route elevation profiles to help estimate terrain difficulty. With routable road…

National Geographic TOW0020514 TOPO Maping Software Arizona $54.56 TOPO Arizona features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020523 TOPO Maping Software MidAtlantic $54.56 TOPO MidAtlantic features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020517 TOPO Maping Software Colorado $54.56 TOPO Colorado features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020520 TOPO Maping Software Idaho $54.56 TOPO Idaho features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020536 TOPO Maping Software Texas $54.56 TOPO Texas features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020527 TOPO Maping Software Nevada $54.56 TOPO Nevada features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020537 TOPO Maping Software Utah $54.56 TOPO Utah features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020526 TOPO Maping Software Montana $55.21 TOPO Montana features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020516 TOPO Maping Software California $55.21 TOPO California features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020540 Topo Mapping Software Wyoming $54.56 Topo Wyoming features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.

National Geographic TOW0020519 TOPO Maping Software Hawaii $54.56 TOPO Hawaii features include 3D views and flythroughs elevation profiling that allows you to draw a route and immediately calculate elevation gain or loss and live map updating that lets you search for and download updated USGS quads. Customization options such as updated street overlays that can be toggled on or off the ability to add your own notes and photos and the option to choose from either latlong or UTM grids let you create the perfect map for your activity. GPS compatible waypoints and routes sync with your GPS unit. Maps can be exported and viewed on the Magellan Triton series of handhelds PC version only. PCMac compatible. Required Windows 95 98 NT ME 2000 or XP 486 DX 66 MHz PC of higher 64 MB RAM plus 8 MB video memory. Mac OS 10.2 or higher 350 MHz G3 or better 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.