Hey all, a little help. I bought a Garmin 78s and then added the chart chip making it the 78sc (didn't research properly). Now I am frustrated to learn I need to purchase another program to imput waypoints for the EC because I am in VT and need to imput for.....Florida. Hitting the "Mark" button only gets me my current location(VT). So with HomePort form Garmin I can imput waypoints but there are about 15 steps to each waypoint. By comparison the gps app I got for the smart phone (isailgps) is so user freindly I want to make it my primary. Anyone using a Garmin 78sc? Advice?
Garmin 78s
(9 posts) (7 voices)-
BustedRudder
MemberI have a 78sc. Press and hold "enter" only lets you mark your current position. Thats intended behavior.
You can enter marks manually under waypoints but that would be VERY tedious considering the number of waypoints (82 for me).
Easier method, use freeware like GeoGarage http://marine.geogarage.com/ to make an online list of waypoints which you can then save to a GPX file on you computer. Be sure to check out the slider on the content settings in geogarage. It will move from chart view to satelite view. A very good way to check chart accuracy which can be quite old. Check out Southern tip of cape Romano.
Once you have your GPX file, you can read it with something like EasyGPS http://www.easygps.com/ and move to your garmin.
I use EasyGPS to backup my car Garmins and 78sc. I maintain sets of waypoints for NCC, EC, fun trips etc. Wipe the waypoints and download just the sets you want.
I bought the Garmin Homeport. It really doesnt add any value over freeware out there. IMO.
Hope this helps
Posted 10 months ago # -
I have a Garmin 78sc, and like it. You can find more information at my web page,
including a downloadable list of about 400 waypoints I created for ECC2012:
http://smittypaddler.com/garmin/index.htm
Posted 10 months ago # -
I would like to say that the Garmin program Homeport works pretty good, and is obviously meant to interface well with the garmin.
Here is an excellent youtube video on how to use homeport and google earth to plan your route.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP74Ak2hbbA
Tom
Posted 10 months ago # -
HonuSail
MemberI use HomePort as well and you can also toggle between the chart view and Google Earth. Waypoints are a snap. It caused me to create way to many for my first attempt at the EC, more than 200!!! That being said I sailed to Guatemala from Key West before I had HomePort and did it with 12 waypoints!
Randy "HonuSail"
Posted 10 months ago # -
I input most of my pre-programmed waypoints using the MapSource software and then download to the GPS.
However sometimes it is convenient to enter a remote waypoint on the map screen. This is not well documented. To enter a waypoint from the map screen, move the cursor to the point you want, press enter quickly (you should get a new screen with the details of the point you selected and a GO button at the bottom), press MENU: this lets you save the location as a waypoint. After you press OK, to enter the waypoint you can press MENU again to edit the information.
Greg Stamer
Posted 9 months ago # -
ZeroTheHero
Memberwell, I went and bought Homeport and so far I am very impressed. The interface is pretty easy. At first I could not figure out why all the work I was doing was not showing on the gps once unplugged from the laptop. Then I noticed the "upload to device" buton. Duh!. One thing I found interesting is it uses the chart on the gps, so you need the proper chart chips are preloads if you want to navigate properly. It has a lot of other goodies that I have been exploring as well, tides for specific times and places, currents for the same. So far I have waypoints entered from the start to CP1 (inside and outside). On my I phone I have waypoints all the way to the finish. But I like the program. There is more to learn but for now it is getting me closer to the goal.
Posted 9 months ago #
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