How to Load Maps Onto a Garmin GPS
Garmin GPS devices are among the most popular GPS brands. Many Garmin GPS devices come complete with maps of North America, and even Puerto Rico. But if you are taking a trip to a country in South America, or visiting other parts of the world, you will need to download new maps that represent those countries. Downloading new maps to your Garmin GPS is fairly easy to do.
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Instructions
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Download and install Garmin's MapSource software to your computer. (See Resources for download link).
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Open the Garmin MapSource software.
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Select the map you want to download to your GPS from the drop-down menu at the top of the software. Then let the map load and display on your computer.
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Use the Zoom tools (magnifying glass) to find a certain portion of the map you want to download. Click on the "Map Tool" to drag the selection box around just around the portion of the map you want to download.(This step is not necessary if you want to download the entire map).
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Plug in your Garmin GPS to your computer using the USB sync cable. (If you do not have a USB cable, you can purchase one for your device at the Garmin store, see Resources). Wait for the software to recognize the device.
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Click "Send" to load your map. The map could take hours to load depending upon the file size. Once it has completed you will see the message "The data has been successfully sent."
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit handheld gps image by Christopher Dodge from Fotolia.com
