Exporting Garmin Quickdraw Maps?

[gorf37]

Hi everyone,

I've been drooling over the current generation of chart plotters for years, and I ultimately got a Garmin echomap 95SV, with the potential to use panoptix down the road as the deciding factor.

Thing is, I was always more interested in making bathymetry maps than marking fish.  (Detailed maps are non-existent in my area, the shores are even in the right place on the base maps...)

Is there any way to view the contour maps other than on the chartplotter itself? 

I thought I could view them on Garmin Homeport, and print hard copies from there.  The only way to do it appears to be uploading to the Quickdraw Community, and I'm not interested - I'd rather have nothing than pay to make maps for Garmin.

Fingers-crossed, thanks for reading.

Gord

PS - at least if I'm wrong someone will find this forum post and avoid the same mistake...

[Seamonkey84]

Tagging along as I have the ice package and would also like to know if I could study the maps without starting it up and scrolling around (I have last years model so not touchscreen). Also, sorry for the slight hijack, anyone know how the QuickDraw works with the ps22 transducer?

[Gunflint]

I was told that it does work, but that the traditional boat side imaging one works better.  Never had mine out yet so I cannot say more. I am going to the Ice fishing show today and the entire Garmin Ice team is there.  I will see if I can get an answer.

[kayl]

Is there any way to view the contour maps other than on the chartplotter itself? 

Unfortunately there is not.

. Also, sorry for the slight hijack, anyone know how the QuickDraw works with the ps22 transducer?

My understanding is that when used in downview mode that it works significantly better than the other transducers due to the cone angle and ability to read differing depths across a wider angle. The other transducers use only the 2d beam, not side imaging for the mapping.

[AlgaeKilla]

I understand wanting to keep the maps to yourself, but if all Garmin owners share their maps we all benefit as end users, not just Garmin.

Just ordered the echo map 63cv, so still learning/reading. Are you saying you can't view custom maps on Homeport or you just can't print? Can you view then on your smart phone using Active Captain app? Can you view preloaded/purchased contour maps on Homeport?

[gorf37]

Thanks all!  (Dang!)

AlgaeKilla, you're right, I could choose to take a generous approach to it, to a great extent my outlook is specific to my location.  Up here we have many large lakes and very few people.  It would take 1000s of hours to map just one of our big lakes (sounds like the panoptix 'ducers make it go much quicker, and will be one more reason to get the upgrade for me).  So if I do 3-4 trips to a lake over a summer, then upload, I'm not providing much in terms of mapping, but I'm giving a very clear map of where I fish.  Beyond that, I simply can't get over the fact that I'm paying Garmin over $1000 for the privilege to spend my time and gas to make something that directly benefits them.  (I realize that when I then turnaround and use Facebook I'm a big hypocrite, but it doesn't change how I feel.)

Homeport shows my waypoints and tracks, but doesn't show my quickdraw contours, which is what I'm really after.  It does show pre-purchased maps, but the Canada Lakeview 2016 which came with my 95sv is in 15 or 30ft increments for the lakes around me and low accuracy at that.  I haven't tried the Active Captain app - I'll look into it, thank you for that prompt.

I ice fish in -20C and below a lot, so I don't really want to subject my Garmin to that, having seen the toll it can take on my much simpler Marcum LX-5.  Having realized the limitations of my SV95, I'm much more likely to put together an ice kit so I can get the function I was hoping for, at least when it's warm out.  The other thing I can and should do is ask Garmin to upgrade their software.  They might even be receptive to my concern about sharing a map of where I fish.

Overall the chart plotter has been a revelation for marking fish, which is neat, but not that important to me.  From a mapping standpoint it has been way below my hopes & expectations, but there's not a lot of info online, so I don't feel so bad about having taken the risk and lost.
- Quickdraw doesn't use the Lakeview files as a base and improve them, it uses a quickdraw base map which doesn't even show the shoreline in the right place in my neck of the woods.
- Quickdraw doesn't show colour coded contours while recording, it shows in green/white where you have/haven't recorded, so you can't take advantage of the colour coded topo until your map is 'done'.
- Can't view quickdraw maps on computer to study at home and plan trips.  I thought I would be picking my ice hole spots from home, then uploading them to my handheld GPS and walking right to the spot, all with a hard copy of the map in my hands.
- Lack of that computer functionality appears to be intentional to encourage people to upload to Quickdraw Community, and is sleazy, in my opinion.

[Drift Dodger]

Yes, it definitely sucks that I can't plug my micro-SD card with QuickDraw contour maps into a computer for review. My solution is to review directly on my echoMAP (powered via my custom ice kit) anywhere ... including my living room. If desired one can create waypoints and download to the SD card for export to GPS or computer. You could also take a 'screenshot' of any portion of a map, download/export the resulting 'bmp' file to computer to review or print, but really not much worth the effort IMHO.

[gorf37]

Thanks Drift Dodger! I didn't consider the screen shoot tool.  Could be a good work-around.  Combine that with making waypoints in the chart plotter and exporting them to my Garmin handheld through Homeport, and in-theory I'm getting most of the ice fishing function I was hoping for.

I can definitely see why the custom ice kit is so essential.  Right now I'm setting up with a truck battery and the summer 'ducer in my living room to review maps.

[AlgaeKilla]

Gord, I can appreciate your perspective and thanks for all the insight. I'm gonna use my unit on the ice and the boat so I think I will get the use out of the mapping software. Lowrance my have a better mapping system, but their sonar units have not been fluid real time readings since the x67 era. So the Garmin should fit my needs.

Let me know what you figure out with the active captain app. Garmin just acquired the app this year so I expect they may appreciate any feed back in improving customer experience. At least I would hope. Lowrance customer service sucks since they fired Linda years ago and that's another reason I'm moving to Garmin.

[gorf37]

Update!

Still haven't taken the dive on ActiveCaptain, b/c I don't have my own cell, just a work phone.  Haven't taken the plunge on borrowing my wife's phone to try it.

The screenshot method did work.  It took some work, because when zoomed-out enough to see the whole ~750m long lake I had mapped, the contours weren't distinct enough for printing (the screenshot files are 750kb).  So to get my hard copy map I took about 10 screenshots another two levels further 'zoomed in', then combined them all using Draftsight (AutoCAD clone).  The result is a beauty 11x17 bath map with my reference waypoints on it.

Thanks Drift Dodger for your insight!  I'll be sure to update again if I find increased functionality on the ActiveCaptain app.

[Drift Dodger]

Great, glad it worked out for you.

[kpd145]

I use a garmin 73sv. I transfer all my data to my laptop via the sd card.

I had to download another app to view it on my laptop

Not sure if it was active captain or not. I do upload my contours to make them public.

[kayl]

I use a garmin 73sv. I transfer all my data to my laptop via the sd card.

I had to download another app to view it on my laptop

Not sure if it was active captain or not. I do upload my contours to make them public.

Garmin Homeport will show the built in maps only.

[kpd145]

Garmin Homeport will show the built in maps only.

Never used homeport

I just upload my contours through active captain and it gives me access to the contours anyone has uploaded so i can download them if I like.

My 73sv does not have wifi so I remove my sd card and upload through my laptop.

I can also watch any recorded fish finder activity if I recorded that as well. Good to watch all the Lakers that I never caught 

[kayl]

Never used homeport

I just upload my contours through active captain and it gives me access to the contours anyone has uploaded so i can download them if I like.

My 73sv does not have wifi so I remove my sd card and upload through my laptop.

I can also watch any recorded fish finder activity if I recorded that as well. Good to watch all the Lakers that I never caught 

Homeport is the app that plays back sonar as far as I'm aware. Which app are you using? Thanks!

[kpd145]

Homeport is the app that plays back sonar as far as I'm aware. Which app are you using? Thanks!

I've only had to download active captain. I've been able to playback my sonar through that.

Admittedly I havent played around with it alot.

If your unit supports wifi, it makes it a breeze to use. My 73sv doesnt have wifi

[kayl]

I've only had to download active captain. I've been able to playback my sonar through that.

Admittedly I havent played around with it alot.

If your unit supports wifi, it makes it a breeze to use. My 73sv doesnt have wifi

And you're using a Windows PC? I can't find Active Captain for PC. I have it on my phone, but Home Port is the only Windows program I've used with my chartplotter. (I use Garmin express and Basecamp for my handheld GPS)

[Drift Dodger]

https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-US/

https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-CA/

[kpd145]

And you're using a Windows PC? I can't find Active Captain for PC. I have it on my phone, but Home Port is the only Windows program I've used with my chartplotter. (I use Garmin express and Basecamp for my handheld GPS)

I'll check my laptop...I'm was almost positive it was active captain....

[kayl]

https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-US/

https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-CA/

That's the Active Captain community, not a program that allows you to see maps and play back sonar recordings.

[Drift Dodger]

There's a link to the app on the ActiveCaptain website.

[kayl]

There's a link to the app on the ActiveCaptain website.

For Android or IOS...not a laptop like he's talking about. I have Active Captain on my phone, I'm curious to see which program he's using on his laptop.

[kpd145]

For Android or IOS...not a laptop like he's talking about. I have Active Captain on my phone, I'm curious to see which program he's using on his laptop.

I'm gonna check tonight when I get home

[kpd145]

I use a garmin 73sv. I transfer all my data to my laptop via the sd card.

I had to download another app to view it on my laptop

Not sure if it was active captain or not. I do upload my contours to make them public.

Gord

Your right. You cant unless you upload to community. I checked on mine and I am using homeport as well. I was confused between that and garmin Express.