Using Google Maps with Garmin Nav

[Levisp]

I use Google maps quite a lot but up until now have resorted to using Basecamp to plan routes. I found this video on using Google maps to plan a route and then use this in Basecamp to convert the file and send it to your Nav. Been playing with it and it seems to work rather well. In the video he is using Windows OS but the principle works the same on Mac OS, just the menus are a little different.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMv0yK7XCrY


The basic principles:


1. Need to create a Google Account
2. Log in and use My Maps to create a route
3. Save route as a KML/KMZ file to your hard drive
4. Open Basecamp and import the KML/KMZ file
5. In Basecamp convert KML/KMZ file to GPX file and send to your device.


Like all software programs it takes a little playing with to get to grips with creating routes using Google My Maps but it has some very neat features. It uses layers which can be turned on/off. This means you can have lots of different routes in one Map all on different layers. Turn the layer on reveals the route. Each route can be saved as a separate KMZ file. I believe a KMZ file is a compressed version of KML.


There are ways of converting KMZ files to GPX files without using Basecamp but using Basecamp as a converter and transfer to device is very easy.


If you like Google maps and hate Basecamp this is certainly an option for creating your routes.

[Casbar]

That looks cool. Will have to have a play

[timminator]

Very cool, will definitely give it a try.  I have also used this site, http://www.motogoloco.com/ to do the same thing.  Anything is better than basecamp.

[Levisp]

If your on a Mac finding My Maps is different than on the video which is demonstrating on Windows OS.


Sign in and open Google Maps.

• Click Menu  Your places  - Maps.
• To edit a map, choose a map and click Open in My Maps. You'll be taken to My Maps, where you can edit your map.
• Once My Maps is opened I bookmarked it in my browser for quicker access. Hope this helps if your trying to follow the video but are using OSX.

[Sprintgull]

This is really good and, funnily enough, something I'd been blundering my way through a couple of days ago.  At risk of being thick, something I'm good at, are we absolutely sure that the waypoints and routes that get created remain confidential to me unless I actively share them.  Pretty sure this is a 'yes' but I'm plotting these for a scatter rally; things get really obnoxious if someone mistakenly leaves the door open and everyone finds them!  Great spot though - many thanks

[Levisp]

Confidential Yes unless your Google account gets hacked.