[aprssig] Waypoints to GPS Receiver: Navigation

[Keith VE7GDH]

Scott N1VG wrote...

> Keith, have you loaded up the custom symbols yet? Just curious.. the
> process isn't really well documented yet, and I've been meaning to do
> that.

No, I haven't. I've only connected the T2-135 to a 76S so far. I have yet to
install a connector on the end of the serial cable that came with the 276C.
I see the text file included with the custom symbols ZIP file says...

     The included symbol images can be loaded into supported Garmin
     GPS receivers using the xImage utility provided.

That must be the included xImage_23.exe. Will it work over a USB connection,
or must it be RS-232? I see the file is downloadable from
www.garmin.com/software/xImage_23.exe but I couldn't find any information on
Garmin's site about it. Do you have any "words of wisdom" for its use?

Ah... found it. I looked at the 276C on Garmin's site and clicked on
"uploads and downloads" and the file was mentioned. Following the
"downloads" link, I found the following info:

     Instructions for using this software
     1.. Download the xImage installation file into a directory on your
          hard drive. (e.g., c:\garmin).
     2.. Change to the directory in which you downloaded the files,
          (e.g., c:\garmin), and run the executable file (.exe).
     3.. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the xImage
         installation.

I went ahead and installed the program, but using the one downloaded from
Garmin's site, not from the CD. I installed it below Program Files. With the
GPS receiver in Garmin mode and connected to a USB port. It found the 276C.
I went back and unzipped the symbols from the ZIP file that was on the mini
CD that was included with the T2-135. Then in the xImage program, I selected
send images TO the GPS. The next window indicated that I could replace the
Garmin Splash Screen, but I'll do that another time now that I know about
it! I selected "waypoint symbol" from the drop-down selection. I then
selected Waypoint Symbols 000 thru 013 to match the number of waypoint
symbols from the ZIP file. When I told it to proceed, the process failed.
The error message was... "the following images being transferred either cold
not be opened or are not compatible with the corresponding image on the GPS"
and it listed the 14 BMP files.

I then went back and instead downloaded all of the default symbols FROM the
276C without any problems. I compared the BMP files from the supplied ZIP
file and those downloaded from the 276C. The ones from the ZIP file were
16x16 pixels, and the ones from the 276C were 24x24 pixels. Both were 256
colours.

I decided to resize the all of the files extracted from the ZIP file to
24x24 pixels. That did the trick. I was then able to upload the resized
symbols. I'm glad that I downloaded the stock symbols before replacing them!
However, when editing an existing waypoint or creating a new one, I couldn't
see any of the new waypoint symbols to choose from. I'll have to get the
cable for the 276C made up so I can give it a try with the T2-135 and see if
it uses the new symbols.

73 es cul - Keith VE7GDH
--
"I may be lost, but I know exactly where I am!"