I have been trying in vain to get my Garman GPS 16x to communicate with my laptop computer through a USB connection so that I can use it as a realtime chartplotter. I have the latest version of Mapsource and Bluechart Navigator V9.0 with all maps unlocked.

I am able to upload and download configuration data using the latest version of the Sensor Configuration Software (SNSRXCFG_200.exe) that came with the GPS Unit when the unit is in NMEA Mode but as soon as I try to place the unit into Garmin mode it losses connection with the computer and despite all effort cannot get it to reconnect. I have to power cycle the GPS unit to get it to connect again in NMEA Mode.

Now, the problem becomes even more interesting in that I am able to get the GPS unit communicate with Garmin Mobile PC but as I don't have any high detailed Oceanographic maps for this program it can't do what I need it to do. The Garmin Web Updater program also finds the GPS16x when it runs so the unit obviously works with several other programs,just not Mapsource.

I am interested in any assistance or suggestion that anyone can give to solve my dilemma. I have thought that it might be the USB software drivers that Mapsource uses but I can't work out how to go about changing these if I need to.

Thanks in advance
Jim

I didn't realize the 16x came in a USB model. I thought it was only serial. If you cannot get it to work with MapSource (or do you mean nRoute), how about downloading a copy of GPS Gate. It can take the NMEA data from the 18x and output Garmin protocol for nRoute. Then you don't have to be concerned if the maps are not unlocked to that particular device. The inexpensive GPS Gate Express should do the job but you can find out with a trial version.

Terry

Hi Jim,

Unless you have an incredibly old version, Mapsource does not work with a GPS. It is strictly for map management, map viewing and trip planning, not for GPS use.

You would need to use another Garmin program called nRoute. It has the same interface as Mapsource and has the GPS functions.

When you say that you have "Bluechart Navigator v9.0", did you mean that you have the Mapsource Bluecharts maps? If so, you can use them in nRoute.

Mobile PC will not show the extra marine charting information in Bluecharts but nRoute will show the same view that Mapsource does, with all the marine charting details.

...ken...

Hi Ken,

Sorry I have been busy and haven't had much time to scan these forums.

According to the informationI have read about mapsource, the recent versions are supposed to support real time mapping functions, although I am unable to prove this, given the problem I am encountering. To top it off, the email link to Garmin doesn't seem to work, so I am unable to ask them.

Can you tell me where to get a copy of the latest nRoute software as it is not available on the Garmin Australia site. Can you also tell me if I need to unlock the maps that I have already paid to unlock for my portable handheld GPS unit?

Thanks
Jim

If you use the portable GPS as your sensing unit for nRoute, your unlock code will work. You will need another unlock code to use those maps with the 16x and nRoute though. Depending on how long ago you purchased the maps, you might be able to obtain another code from Garmin. Check your myGarmin account.

Terry

Hi Jim,

What Terry said.

By the way, there is absolutely no truth to the rumour that newer versions of Mapsource support realtime navigation. There is no GPS functionality in any Mapsource version released in the last few years. You are doomed to total frustration if you keep trying to get a GPS receiver to work with Mapsource .. a complete waste of time.

What Garmin has done with recent versions of Mapsource (6.14.x and onwards) is to start changing the format of the maps so they only work in the new versions of Mapsource and not the older versions (6.13.7 and older). They started with City Navigator Europe 2009 and continued with City Navigator North America 2010. No big deal, but the downside is that any maps that won't work with the older versions of Mapsource also won't work with nRoute.

The semi-good news is that there is a utility program available that can convert the new format to the old format if you still want to use nRoute with them. I'm not sure whether, or how well, the conversion program works with the marine data in the newest Bluecharts products.

...ken...

Hi All,

Well after spending a lot of time chasing my tail and going around in circles, I have finally been able to get my GPS 16x to work as a real time tracker using nRoute.

I have only been able to find version 2.6.1 of the software and I am unsure if there is a more up to date version. It has been extremely frustrating to find any copy, as Garmin no longer support it or make it available on their web site and everyone else wants to charge for it given it was free when first released.

My problem is that despite having the Bluechart maps unlocked on my PC and they give superb quality and detail with Mapsource, the details seem to be lost when I open them in nRoute. I am using the very latest version of mapsource but the maps have always been high quality.

Do I now need a new set of unlock codes for nRoute to get the details back?

Lastly, despite all of the messing around I have done, if I need new unlock codes for nRoute, would it be more worthwhile to use Mobile PC instead and get the maps unlocked for it?

Any ideas or suggestions or advice on this matter would be appreciated.

Jim

The latest version of nRoute is 2.76. Did you have a problem with the link I included? <edit>Expired link removed</edit>

nRoute has a dropdown to adjust the detail, just as MapSource does. Do you have it at 'Highest'? I think that if the maps are locked, you will get an indicator on the screen to that effect. Did you try GPS Gate?

Mobile PC is not a suitable program to use with BlueChart maps. It does not show all the details and many of its features don't work with those maps. Also, you would need to buy the Mobile PC version which includes a GPS so you could have something to unlock your maps to. Plus new unlock codes - definitely not worth it.

Terry

Hi Jim,

Here's another link for nRoute 2.76 if Terry's doesn't work.

<edit>Expired link removed</edit>

Just scroll to the very bottom of the list.

When I look at Bluecharts in either Mapsource or nRoute, I see the same amount of detail at the same zoom levels as long as I have the "Details" display set the same (VIEW/Map Detail) in both programs. "Highest" will get you the most detail without having to zoom in way tight. Otherwise, you can use lower detail levels but you need to zoom in much tighter before the details start to show up. Find the balance that suits you.

I agree with Terry. If your main interest is Bluecharts don't waste your time with Mobile PC. It won't show any of the marine details no matter what you do.

...ken...

Hi all,

Thanks for all of the input and I must be very close to getting it all sorted.

If I open nRoute without the GPS unit attached (remember I have a Garmin GPS16x) the Bluechart Pacific Maps give me excellent detail. But as soon as I plug in the GPS unit, the detail disappears and only seems to give me lowest details. Despite selecting other detail levels the amount of details remains low. Is there something within the GPS unit that might be limiting the detail of the maps?

I know that the GPS 16x is quite an old unit and I have been thinking that I need to change some setting in the GPS unit using the config program that I have, I just can't figure which ones.

If you have any ideas as to which NMEA sentences I need to be sending from the unit I would be most greatful.

regards
Jim

nRoute will not work with NMEA. I believe the problem is the maps are not unlocked to the 16x. Did you try using GPS Gate between the 16x and nRoute. It can hide the serial number of the 16x yet put out the PVT (Garmin) data that nRoute needs. You can download a trial version and if it works, buy the GPS Gate Express version as it is quite reasonably priced.


Terry