kmz file which finally needs to be uploaded to your device. You will be requested to specify a name for the.

Once your cartography is ready you can use the plugin and export your map as a kmz file, clicking the plugin button. You can add as much layers as you need, just be careful with the styles you choose since the screen of the device might not be optimal to correctly visualize your information. I added the roads which are not available with that level of detail in the GPS base maps and also the rivers which can be very useful when locating points of interest. I manipulated these layers in order to obtain a clear reference and easily locate my points of interest. In the next figure you can see a basic map, with three layers (roads in red, towns in green and rivers in blue) which I want to add to the basemaps in the GPS device which lately I would like to use to navigate in a remote area. kmz files.įirst you need to create you map view in QGIS, adding and personalizing your layers as desired. In addition we will use the QGIS plugin: Garmin Custom Map which allows us to export our maps to fully compatible. kmz files (which are georeferenced) and navigate using them as basemaps. The basic point of this small tutorial is to take advantage of the capability of the GPS device to read. (Open QGIS, click on Plugins > Manage and Install Plugins)

QGIS with Garmin Custom Map Plugin installed.A kmz compatible GPS device (in this case I use the GPSMAP 64S ©).Using the free QGIS and an extra plugin which is also freely available. In this tutorial I will briefly show you the basics of how to add our cartography to the Garmin GPSMAP 64 © and use it to navigate in the field. This capability is especially useful when working in remote areas where general detailed cartography is not available or when you want to use your own-generated cartography. Sometimes it is useful to navigate using our own generated geographic information in addition to maps which can be found in the GPS devices normally. The portable GPS devices are very helpful during field work given their increasingly capabilities and new functions.

Edit kmz file garmin custom maps