Best source for Garmin Mapsource/Bluechart data cards

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Author Topic:   Best source for Garmin Mapsource/Bluechart data cards

peetmin posted 06-21-2003 07:22 PM ET (US)
The card I am looking for is the Inside passage Vancouver Island # MCA001R. Anyone know of a good (online or other) resourse they have used? Thanks
kingfish posted 06-22-2003 08:00 AM ET (US)
Hey, Pete-
Try "Broken Leg Dave's" - no kidding - best selection of electronics, prices and service I've come across yet. http://www.brokenlegdave.com/Manufacture/Garmin/software/bluechart_data_cards.htm
The link above ( I hope it's not too long) takes you to his Garmin Blue Chart data card page where you can purchase empty cards and/or pre-loaded cards.
kf
peetmin posted 06-22-2003 12:50 PM ET (US)
Thanks John, I appreciate the tip, he (broken leg dave) looks like he is $20-30 less than what I had seen so far. Take care hope the summer treats you well. Pete
doobee posted 06-23-2003 05:56 AM ET (US)
When you buy direct from Garmin, you are sure to get the most recent version of the chip. When you buy from a retailer, its possible to get a chip that's been hanging around for a while. Some retailers burn their own chips.
Before you buy make sure you ask if it's the most recent update available.
peetmin posted 06-23-2003 03:15 PM ET (US)
Look at the size of this window to post on...WOW. Anyway I digress. I see on these web sites blank cards for sale. Is it possible to download information from Garmin's website to a blank card? And if so is it any more economical? It seems like you might have to purchase additional equipment in order to interface a card to your PC.
Jimh- I realize there are sites that focus on these types of topics and if I come to find that additional research becomes necessary to figure out what I am doing, I will begin to look into those. The GPS I make reference to is on my whaler...Besides Doobie is like a walking encyclopedia, Johns not too bad either. Thanks
kingfish posted 06-23-2003 04:03 PM ET (US)
Pete-
This is how the Blue Chart/Map Source stuff works:
1. Of the set of Garmin GPS units that utilize this software, some use cards that physically are inserted into the unit and can be removed and replaced by other cards with data for other areas on them, and some units can only receive the data by virtue of downloading directly from a computer via a cable into a port on the unit. I *think* the hand-helds are typically download only, and the dash-mounted units utilize the cards (and probably are also downloadable).
2. Either way, with either type of unit, you need the MapSource Blue Chart CD, to at least help visualize the areas you want more detail on (and there's more neat stuff on the CD besides). What happens is you pay Garmin to give you a coded software "unlock" key that allows you access to detail in a specific area; the data is all on the CD, but you can't get at the higher level of detail in a given area without an unlock key. You can then, once you've unlocked an area on the CD, download it either to the GPS unit, or to a blank data card that you insert into the unit if it is of that type. Alternatively, if you so choose, rather than paying for an unlock code for a given area and a blank data card, you can buy a pre-loaded card from Garmin.
I use the MapSource Blue Chart system with my handheld GPSMap 76, and download stuff into it from either my home computer or my laptop. I would have a dash unit that utilizes the same system, except that I spent about a grand (well a little more than a grand when I consider my DGPS unit), on a Garmin GPSMap 235 Sounder just before they became obsolete, and I have about 3 grand tied up in G-charts for it. I'm going to ride that horse until its legs fall off, and probably by that time there'll be another wholely new generation of software to replace the Blue Charts. It is a really nice system, but they *all* are designed to seperate you from your kids inheritance...
E-mail me if I can be of any more help-
John
peetmin posted 06-23-2003 07:15 PM ET (US)
KF-Thanks for sharing what I'm sure you spent plenty of time learning. I use a Garmin 182 with removable Blue Chart Data Cards.MUS023R serves the Puget Sound area and seldom have I needed anything additional to that. I do know that the 182 has a "World Base map" perminantly loaded that covers the globe but does not have the detail you get with the BCDC specific to an area.The card I would need as we plan to go North in August is the MCA001R that I mentioned previously.(I believe the C indicates Canada)This card has quite a lot of redundant information to the card that I already own. So my thought was if I could avoid buying a second card that shares so much similar information and just download the portions that I do not already own, I would be the smart guy.
I will probably just "pony" up and shell out the $125 and own the Canadain card.I have spent some time on the Garmin website trying to gather information. But often times I find the information unclear as to which unit they are referring to or in the case of connecting my GPS to my radar I found barely any Information available on the subject. Only after speaking to people who had already been down that road was I able to complete the task.
This site is a great resourse, thanks again for your help, Pete
BW23 posted 06-23-2003 09:37 PM ET (US)
Gentlemen,
I purchased my BlueChart from these guys.
http://www.boatfix.com/elec/garminmap.asp
http://www.boatered.com/forum/
More helpful information.
Regards,
Dave

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Author	Topic: Best source for Garmin Mapsource/Bluechart data cards
peetmin	posted 06-21-2003 07:22 PM ET (US) The card I am looking for is the Inside passage Vancouver Island # MCA001R. Anyone know of a good (online or other) resourse they have used? Thanks
kingfish	posted 06-22-2003 08:00 AM ET (US) Hey, Pete- Try "Broken Leg Dave's" - no kidding - best selection of electronics, prices and service I've come across yet. http://www.brokenlegdave.com/Manufacture/Garmin/software/bluechart_data_cards.htm The link above ( I hope it's not too long) takes you to his Garmin Blue Chart data card page where you can purchase empty cards and/or pre-loaded cards. kf
peetmin	posted 06-22-2003 12:50 PM ET (US) Thanks John, I appreciate the tip, he (broken leg dave) looks like he is $20-30 less than what I had seen so far. Take care hope the summer treats you well. Pete
doobee	posted 06-23-2003 05:56 AM ET (US) When you buy direct from Garmin, you are sure to get the most recent version of the chip. When you buy from a retailer, its possible to get a chip that's been hanging around for a while. Some retailers burn their own chips. Before you buy make sure you ask if it's the most recent update available.
peetmin	posted 06-23-2003 03:15 PM ET (US) Look at the size of this window to post on...WOW. Anyway I digress. I see on these web sites blank cards for sale. Is it possible to download information from Garmin's website to a blank card? And if so is it any more economical? It seems like you might have to purchase additional equipment in order to interface a card to your PC. Jimh- I realize there are sites that focus on these types of topics and if I come to find that additional research becomes necessary to figure out what I am doing, I will begin to look into those. The GPS I make reference to is on my whaler...Besides Doobie is like a walking encyclopedia, Johns not too bad either. Thanks
kingfish	posted 06-23-2003 04:03 PM ET (US) Pete- This is how the Blue Chart/Map Source stuff works: 1. Of the set of Garmin GPS units that utilize this software, some use cards that physically are inserted into the unit and can be removed and replaced by other cards with data for other areas on them, and some units can only receive the data by virtue of downloading directly from a computer via a cable into a port on the unit. I think the hand-helds are typically download only, and the dash-mounted units utilize the cards (and probably are also downloadable). 2. Either way, with either type of unit, you need the MapSource Blue Chart CD, to at least help visualize the areas you want more detail on (and there's more neat stuff on the CD besides). What happens is you pay Garmin to give you a coded software "unlock" key that allows you access to detail in a specific area; the data is all on the CD, but you can't get at the higher level of detail in a given area without an unlock key. You can then, once you've unlocked an area on the CD, download it either to the GPS unit, or to a blank data card that you insert into the unit if it is of that type. Alternatively, if you so choose, rather than paying for an unlock code for a given area and a blank data card, you can buy a pre-loaded card from Garmin. I use the MapSource Blue Chart system with my handheld GPSMap 76, and download stuff into it from either my home computer or my laptop. I would have a dash unit that utilizes the same system, except that I spent about a grand (well a little more than a grand when I consider my DGPS unit), on a Garmin GPSMap 235 Sounder just before they became obsolete, and I have about 3 grand tied up in G-charts for it. I'm going to ride that horse until its legs fall off, and probably by that time there'll be another wholely new generation of software to replace the Blue Charts. It is a really nice system, but they all are designed to seperate you from your kids inheritance... E-mail me if I can be of any more help- John
peetmin	posted 06-23-2003 07:15 PM ET (US) KF-Thanks for sharing what I'm sure you spent plenty of time learning. I use a Garmin 182 with removable Blue Chart Data Cards.MUS023R serves the Puget Sound area and seldom have I needed anything additional to that. I do know that the 182 has a "World Base map" perminantly loaded that covers the globe but does not have the detail you get with the BCDC specific to an area.The card I would need as we plan to go North in August is the MCA001R that I mentioned previously.(I believe the C indicates Canada)This card has quite a lot of redundant information to the card that I already own. So my thought was if I could avoid buying a second card that shares so much similar information and just download the portions that I do not already own, I would be the smart guy. I will probably just "pony" up and shell out the $125 and own the Canadain card.I have spent some time on the Garmin website trying to gather information. But often times I find the information unclear as to which unit they are referring to or in the case of connecting my GPS to my radar I found barely any Information available on the subject. Only after speaking to people who had already been down that road was I able to complete the task. This site is a great resourse, thanks again for your help, Pete
BW23	posted 06-23-2003 09:37 PM ET (US) Gentlemen, I purchased my BlueChart from these guys. http://www.boatfix.com/elec/garminmap.asp http://www.boatered.com/forum/ More helpful information. Regards, Dave