Three rules of GPS mapping software

Consider these three basic tenets before you start to shop for GPS mapping software.

• Not all GPS receivers can display maps. Lower-cost models (typically under $150) or GPS receivers with very small screens usually don’t support maps. If you already own a GPS receiver, make sure that it’s compatible with the map software you’re interested in using. Manufacturer Web sites are pretty good about listing product compatibility. The same holds true if you’re shopping for a new GPS receiver.
• You can use only proprietary products (made by the same company that manufactures your GPS receiver). For example, you can’t use Garmin maps on a Magellan GPS receiver. Likewise, you can’t use thirdparty maps produced by DeLorme or Maptech on a Magellan GPS receiver. Repeat after me, “You can only use Magellan maps on a Magellan GPS receiver” (or whichever brand you happen to be using). Admittedly, I’m belaboring this point, but a fair number of novice GPS users think that they can load just about any map on their new GPS receiver, which isn’t the case.
• Don’t expect the level of detail in a GPS map to match paper maps. In order to maximize memory space, GPS receivers use vector maps (created with lines and shapes) instead of raster maps (scanned paper maps). And because a GPS receiver has a fairly small screen to display a map, don’t expect the map on your GPS receiver to appear as an identical version of your favorite paper map.

Until GPS receivers incorporate science-fiction like, holographic projection systems where a map appears in midair (and I’m not holding my breath), viewing a paper map will always be easier and more effective than staring at a map on a GPS receiver. Keeping these three rules in mind when you go map shopping, you can generally expect to pay anywhere from $100–$150 for a map software product from a GPS receiver manufacturer. You can easily avoid paying suggested retail for map software if you exploit the Internet for dealers offering better prices. Even if your GPS receiver doesn’t support maps, you can still use a manufacturer’s map program with your receiver to download and upload waypoints, routes, and tracks, as well as access maps on your PC.

Using GPS Manufacturer Mapping Software

GPS receivers that support maps come with a basemap of the region the GPS receiver was sold in (such as North America or Europe) that shows city locations, highways, major roads, bodies of water, and other features. Precisely what the basemaps display varies by manufacturer and model. Although base- maps do provide general information, some GPS receiver users want more detailed maps that show city streets, topographic features, marine navigation aids, or places outside the United States.
The good news is you’re not limited to the basemap that came with your GPS receiver: Most mapping GPS receivers allow you to upload more detailed maps. These GPS receivers either have a fixed amount of internal memory used to store the added maps, or they support external Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory cards for map storage. (Check product marketing literature or the GPS receiver user manual for details on how many megabytes of map data a particular model can store. More is always better.) Different types of maps are available from GPS receiver manufacturers and are sold on CD-ROMs, including street maps, topographic maps, fishing maps, and nautical charts. These map products have software that you run on your PC to install the maps, plan trips, and exchange data with your GPS receiver. I will discuss mapping software produced by the Big Three GPS receiver manufacturers (Magellan, Lowrance, and Garmin). I also show you the general features that all GPS map programs share as well as what kind of maps are available for the different GPS receiver brands.

Uploading Firmware Revisions to Your GPS Receiver

Just like software vendors, GPS manufacturers find bugs and add enhancements to their products. New versions of a GPS receiver’s operating system can be upgraded through the receiver’s firmware (the updateable, read-only software that’s embedded in a hardware device). Check that your GPS receiver’s firmware is current every few months or so, especially if your receiver is a newly released model. GPS manufacturers offer free downloads of firmware upgrades on their Web sites, and these bug-fixes or new features can definitely make your GPS receiver perform better.
To upgrade your firmware

• Check the current version of your GPS receiver firmware. Sometimes this is displayed when the GPS receiver is turned on, or it might be shown on an information page. Consult your user’s guide or the manufacturer’s Web site for specific instructions on how to get this information for your model.

• Visit the manufacturers’s Web site and go to the software updates section. Here are the URLs of the major GPS manufacturers: Garmin: www.garmin.com

• If you have a Garmin GPS receiver, you can sign up for automatic e-mail notification of firmware upgrades at the Garmin Web site. I expect other GPS manufacturers to start offering this service. Lowrance: www.lowrance.com, Magellan: www.magellangps.com
• Find your GPS receiver model and check its manufacturer’s Web site for the latest firmware version. If your firmware is older than the current version on the Web site, follow the online instructions to download the firmware installer. Usually, the higher the version number, the more recent the firmware version. Make sure that the firmware installer you download is for your GPS receiver model. If you upload firmware designed for a different model, plan on the GPS receiver not working until you load the proper firmware.
• Follow the installation instructions that come with the downloaded file.

Usually firmware installation files come in two forms:

• A standalone program that runs on your computer, connects to the GPS receiver, and sends the upgraded firmware to the receiver. You need to have a PC interface cable attached to both the computer and the GPS receiver.
• A special file that you copy to a memory card. When the GPS receiver starts, it searches the card to see whether a firmware upgrade is present. If it is, the receiver uploads the upgrade.

After the upgrade is successful, you can erase the firmware upgrade file from the memory card. Upgrading a GPS receiver’s firmware is pretty easy; not too much can go wrong. About the only thing that can get you in trouble is if the GPS receiver’s batteries die midway through a firmware upload. A firmware upgrade usually only takes a few minutes to complete, but make sure that your batteries aren’t running on empty before you start.
Some firmware update software works only on COM ports 1 through 4. If you’re using a USB adapter, (which is usually set to COM port 5 or higher) and are having problems connecting to the GPS receiver, try reassigning the existing COM ports to numbers higher than the USB adapter’s port; then set the adapter’s port number to 1. Refer to online Windows help (choose Start➪ Help) and perform a search for device manager to get more information on changing device settings.