Garmin Montana - The perfect road /off road GPS

Hi Sqid, got my Montana now. I've got GB discoverer and CN maps, both on micro SD cards - were you able to copy these onto a single card? When I've tried to do that before it didn't work some kind of copy protection in place, I think but that would be useful. I've copied other maps (sierra tejeda, Marok topo) onto the same card as CN, but can't get the GB discover moved.

The montana has 4GB of internal memory but I have added a 16Gb card so can switch between O/S (which does also do road routing with POI) or full CN or France Topo or Portugal O/S etc
 
Hi Sqid, got my Montana now. I've got GB discoverer and CN maps, both on micro SD cards - were you able to copy these onto a single card? When I've tried to do that before it didn't work some kind of copy protection in place, I think but that would be useful. I've copied other maps (sierra tejeda, Marok topo) onto the same card as CN, but can't get the GB discover moved.

I ended up just putting the second SD card in the battery compartment :thumb2
 
Just to close this off - the Montana behaves the same way as the Oregon in this respect, ie it won't navigate to the start of a track, nor to the start of a route with the "do you want to navigate to the start of route" option. It will navigate a preplanned route, but it will recalculate the route from where you are. if you're route contains some off-road/green lane sections, it will scramble the route to and take you to the road nearest to each of your off-road waypoints. It does this even if auto recalculate is turned off.


2074 by 1mgs, on Flickr


I'm interested in this. Currently using an Oregon 450 with GB Discoverer Maps plus used it with Spanish Topo and road maps and CN NT Euro.

When the mounts come I'd be interested to hear how the unit is powered. I have the TT mount for mine, the original wasn't up to it and the mount kept flying open so they changed it for a lockable one which solved the problem. The RAM mount looks as though it mightn't been robust enough for trail riding.

One thing I can't do on the Oregon, and I'd be grateful if a Montana owner could check, is navigate to the start of a track.

I have most of my trails as MemoryMap files, just the green lane part, saved as routes and tracks. I'd like to be able to:

where to>tracks>(track name) and have the unit navigate me by road to the start of the track - but it doesn't work, the navigation just doesn't start.

BTW, on the Oregon you can change the colour of the track in setup>tracks
 
Hi Mav:thumb2.

Do you mean you put it in the SD slot, or just taped it in somewhere so it's ready to switch over?

The latter - between the foam on the cover and the battery :thumb2
 
I have loads of maps on one 16g card. Just rename the files or they use the same standard file name. They all go on then and you just select which to run fro
m mapping info shortcut on the map view.
To navigate to the start of your off road route just go where to and waypoints and use one you marked the start of the off road section with. Once there pick your saved track. Use tracks not routes for offroad use as much simpler if not already doing so.

Once you get your head around this GPS it is an amazing bit of kit.
 
Thinking about getting the montana. When you buy the city navigator card does it come with the mapsource software for road route planning a la the zumo?
 
Good question, Mapsource is not freely downloadable. But you can download Basecamp and that will read the CN maps of the card and allow you to route plan, although the planning tools still aren't as good as mapsource.

Thinking about getting the montana. When you buy the city navigator card does it come with the mapsource software for road route planning a la the zumo?
 
there is, or at least, used to be a way of downloading a package that contained mapsource from garmin.

can't remember what it was though :blast

...or you can just borrow someone's disc. it's not locked.
 
I have used a Zumo 660 for the last few years and have just bought a Montana 650T on a whim.

Great kit. Not used in earnest yet but have found the following.

- It's probably not worth buying the "t" as the only difference is the included Euro map which isn't great but for road use I have copied the City Navigator Europe map from my Zumo. That works great but a totally free and very good alternative is to look at the Open Street Maps. There is a free download for UK that is really very good.

- The GB Discoverer package provides OS maps and CN type maps so they can be used on and off road. When showing the OS maps it is still possible to route by road or set direct waypoint to waypoint which is necessary if going off road. Someone noted earlier that the text on the maps can be upside down (i.e. the same as using a paper map orientated to the route) but that rather depends whether you set the device to route up or north up. There is also an automotive mode which changes the view to CN type display with route up as well.

- For particular areas the ability to use home made overlays is really good and means you can take a standard OS map and scan in an area you want to travel. The method is simple but can be a little time consuming. Just scan the map area you want and then Google Earth allows it to be superimposed on their sat view and turned and stretched so it fits the ground. Then save it from Google Earth, load it to the Montana and it shows over the Garmin maps in exactly the right place.

I have tried just running Google Earth and screen grabbing a section of map. Loading it back to Google Earth and saving it as an overlay. You can then navigate using the sat view on the Montana. A web search also finds sites with ready made overlays as free downloads. These can be contour maps and street maps.

- The ability to define, store and change modes is useful. For example for road use I have disabled all maps except City Navigator, set it to automotive mode and show some speed and eta data. For hill walking it shows OS maps, overlays, set to north up with a compass overlaying the map and direct routing. For walking on road it is as above but without the compass, road routing and track up. for use with open street maps I have a separate mode which is the same as road but with a different map selection. Finally a "Euro contour" mode which shows my selection of topo maps.

I will probably still use the Zumo for most road trips as the phone, bluetooth and MP3 options are missing from the Montana so I can't link it to my Scala G4 headset without using a lead but if I did not have the Zumo I think the Montana covers the best of all worlds.

I have just bought the car bracket but am still waiting for the ATV bracket fro the States which I will use on the bike.
 
- It's probably not worth buying the "t" as the only difference is the included Euro map which isn't great but for road use I have copied the City Navigator Europe map from my Zumo. That works great but a totally free and very good alternative is to look at the Open Street Maps.

Hi Andy - how did you do that? I thought the maps were locked to one device?
 
Berin,

As I own three Garmin satnav,s I don't see why I should pay to update the same map three times when I can only use one device at a time. If I buy music I can legally play it on any player (including my Zumo) so I think Garmin are a bit naughty locking the maps to one device.

I don't even copy my updates to my wife's Garmin as she pays for her own but I don't think the moderator would be happy if I explained how to get round the lock on this site.

I found the answer on Google.
 
Montana 600

Hi Guys,

Just a quick question, if i buy a montana 600 without the OS 1:50K mapping, is there any kind of basemap or is the montana just blank?

Thanks
 


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