Author Topic: How to Download search area assignment to a Garmin GPS?  (Read 10443 times)

theodore.carson

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How to Download search area assignment to a Garmin GPS?
« on: October 07, 2014, 05:23:30 AM »
How can you download a assigned search area track from MM to a Garmin handheld GPS for use during a search?

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Re: How to Download search area assignment to a Garmin GPS?
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2014, 10:36:26 PM »
Being a browser based program, Mission Manager cannot directly communicate with GPS hardware. So here are the steps to pull in a Mission Manager defined search area into your GPS. I'm using a Garmin etrex Vista C. The instructions below assume you have already loaded the GPS drivers into your computer so that when you plug your GPS into the USB port, your computer recognizes your GPS.

1. Define a search area on a Mission Manager map. Use any of the map tools to draw an area or path.
2. Use the "Export Map Data" button on the Map screen. It's on the lower left of your screen.
3. Save the export as a GPX file.
4. Import that GPX file into 3rd party software. I used the free EasyGPS program in my testing. The GPX file imports as tracks.
5. Using the 3rd party software, "Send" the tracks to your GPS unit.
6. On your GPS, go to the Main Menu and click on the Tracks screen or icon.
7. On your GPS, highlight and then click the Saved Tracks you just sent to the unit. It will be named the same name you chose in step 1.
8. On the Saved Track detail screen, there is a checkbox for "Show on Map". Make sure that is checked. You will see on your GPS the tracks outlining the search area you made in Mission Manager.

theodore.carson

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Re: How to Download search area assignment to a Garmin GPS?
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2014, 08:21:07 AM »
After downloading the MM GPX file, I tried to import it into the standard Garmin Basecamp program and it errors out?
In MM, when you select export map data; are you exporting the entire map project, or just the element you have selected?
I tried both ways and Basecamp would not import the file?

I have exported Basecamp and Terrain Navigator Pro files to gpx, and successfully imported into MM......so I'm not sure why I can not do it the other way?

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Re: How to Download search area assignment to a Garmin GPS?
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2014, 02:02:21 PM »
The whole map project is exported. I downloaded and installed Basecamp and also experienced a GPX import error. For now, you can use the freeware program described in the instructions in this topic post to accomplish what you want to do. We will need to investigate the issue further to see what is happening.

Jeff Beckman

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Re: How to Download search area assignment to a Garmin GPS?
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2014, 02:27:53 PM »
Exporting the whole map project is a little problematic for me.  Can it be changed to export just what is displayed?  I often don't want to give a team all the map features, like assignments from previous operational periods.  It quickly gets confusing on their GPS devices. 

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Re: How to Download search area assignment to a Garmin GPS?
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2014, 12:12:35 PM »
That has been logged in as a feature request. Currently the whole map needs to be exported. As clarification on step 5 below, you can isolate the search area assignment. You do not need to send the whole map to the GPS.

Step 5 rewritten:
5. Using the 3rd party software, left click the track segment (search assignment) you want to isolate. One of the choices on the context dialog box is to "Send Track to GPS".

You could send one or more sets of tracks (search areas) to the GPS, if you want your searchers to know about adjacent areas.