Using Garmin microSD Card BlueChart g2 Vision card

[baz]

Subject: Using Garmin microSD Card BlueChart g2 Vision card

I received my Garmin microSD Card BlueChart g2 Vision VCA018R 010-C1105-00 today. I purchased it from http://www.gpscity.com for some $230 vs. buying it from Garmin directly for $322.

My Garmin/Raymarine setup is as follows

Garmin GPSMAP® 741xs
Garmin VHF 200 Marine Radio
Garmin GMR™ 18 xHD Radome
Garmin AIS™ 300 Blackbox Receiver
Raymarine SmartPilot SPX5-R with a p70R Control head connected to the NMEA network that all Garmin device are on

FYI... The 741XS has two microSD card slots.

The p70R was powered up.

The following was done with my R-21EC on its trailer in my driveway (engine not running). 😉

Today I decided to checkout this g2 Vision card and was expecting to see map data, 3D camera points, POI, Guide To->Auto Guidance, choosing locations/marinas by name, etc just like when I used a g2 Vision card on my R-25 with the 5212 MFD that had a standard single SD card slot.

However, I could not get to see any of the g2 Vision map features.

The first time I inserted the microSD card the MFD wanted to update software, and that went AOK. However, after this I don't see any evidence in any of the 741XS displays that it has discovered the new g2 Vision map data nor its features.

The 741XS comes stock with two built-in maps
- US Lakes Detail Map v2015.01 v16.51
- US Offshore Marine Detail Map g2 v2015.0 v16.50

These two maps show up, but the inserted microSD card map is not being displayed and I presume this is because the 741XS is not discovering it.

I tried the Navigate Auto Guide feature from my current position to a waypoint that would require the 741XS to carefully calculate a 'safe course' but instead it simply made a straight line course from my boat's position to the waypoint.

I did note that 3D view and Fish view etc were available which I think is a g2 Vision feature, right ?

Now, is this because I'm not on the water nor having the engine running. If I'm recalling correctly, this auto guidance and displaying locations by name was possible on my R-25 using the 5212 MFD when in its docked slip and without engine running.

Here are some photos of what the Garmin 741XS displayed for various settings as I explored the use of my new g2 Vision map card.

Thanks for any advice. 🙂

 

[knotflying]

You may be pressing the wrong button. When you want a automatic route you need to press the "Guide to" button. The straight line is usually shown if you press "go to" another way to determine if the G2 card is being read is that you will see spots on the chart with cameras. When you press them you get an aerial picture of the area.
Hope this helps.

 

[baz]

Thanks Mike for chipping in for me on this.

First, I'm quite familiar with operating the "Guide To" vs. the "Go To" features that the g2 Vision card/map software provides as I used it extensively on my R-25 that had the Garmin 5212 MFD and the GH 10 Auto Pilot.

1) I see no camera icons on the chart map
2) I cannot find the feature that allows me to enter a required location name such as a Marina

Simply put, I feel the g2 Vision card is not being discovered and I'm a bit puzzled as to why not. 🙁

I'll keep trying to figure out things mind you.

I'm wondering if having the Raymarine p70R control head is getting in my way somehow.

Normally, after selecting "Guide To" the system starts its calculation to determine the 'safe course' line and then requests you to start the Navigation via "Engage..." autopilot, if I'm recalling correctly.

If I fail to figure things out within a few hours I guess I'll contact Garmin Tech help to see what they have to say.

Any further advice on how to proceed with this issue is appreciated. Thanks... 🙂

 

[Irish Mist]

Are you able to disconnect your Raymarine part from the system? That would help determine that much.. I seem to remember when looking through my Garmin menu there was something that said auto load maps.. Maybe that might help?
I'm sure it's something simple but I know that's what's most frustrating..
Good luck

 

[Connerkip]

I've called Garmin support several times. They are amazing. I'd suggest calling them.

 

[Crewdog]

maybe you've already done this, but have you taken the microSD card and tried to read it with your computer at home to see what folders, file names, file dates, file sizes exist on the card?

 

[baz]

I have an Apple MacBook Pro (17-inch, late 2011) running latest Yosemite. It does not have an SD card reader slot. However, I can place it in an SD reader and then to a USB port on the computer. So, I'll try that.... thanks. 🙂

 

[baz]

OK.... after messing around some....

I now see the camera icons and these allow me to display the photos on the screen. This alone tells me the 741xs is actually seeing and reading the g2 Vision card data/map. However, these camera icons only show up when zooming in a fair amount. I had not done that before and after pressing the "+" several times the camera icons suddenly appeared on the screen. So this result was gratifying.

1) I still cannot get any screen to allow me to "Guide To" a place selected by name. I did this all the time on my R-25.

2) When I select "Navigate To" -> "Auto Guidance" after I've placed a waypoint on the chart the software still insists on drawing a straight line and not calculating and plotting a 'safe course' line.

Here you can see the system has simply drawn a straight line from my current position and the destination waypoint. I'm beginning to think I need to configure something in the 741s to cause the software to calculate a 'safe course'. Over the years I've seen others posting about this 'straight line' issue... but cannot find the discussions so far.

 

[baz]

I spoke with Garmin Tech Help and they told me

1) The auto guidance "Guide To" will only work when the boat is on the water and not inside a Marina. This does make sense when you think about it. I now recall having this issue in my R-25 when docked at my Marina. So I really cannot check this g2 Vision feature until I get on the water with the boat.

2) I asked why the 741xs does not show it has discovered the g2 Vision card even when camera icons are displayed. I was told this should show up in the System screen displays as "Supplemental maps".... I will check this out later.

3) The tech person was hesitant to say if the auto guidance will work and interface with the Raymarine SmartPilot's p70R control head and that it may only work with the Garmin GH 10 Auto Pilot unit.... if this is so, that will be a bummer. 🙁

So, I'm making some progress here and suspect my g2 Vision card I purchased from gpscity.com is AOK.

When at the Roche Harbour gathering next week I'll get Garmin to look over things for me to see if there's more for me to learn about my setup. 🙂

 

[SGIDAVE]

I spoke with Garmin Tech Help and they told me

3) The tech person was hesitant to say if the auto guidance will work and interface with the Raymarine SmartPilot's p70R control head and that it may only work with the Garmin GH 10 Auto Pilot unit.... if this is so, that will be a bummer. 🙁

I don't think you will have a problem with the Raymarine SmartPilot.

When the GArmin produces a 'course' or 'track' for navigational purposes, it outputs a signal which can be used by ANY autopilot on the network. Or, YOU can steer the path directed by the Garmin and it will show your deviation, XTE, etc. So I'm saying the production of the 'route' is independent of any AP being part of the system. The MFD doesn't care if there's an AP on the network and the AP doesn't care where (in the setting of multiple mfd's on the network) its navigational signals are coming from.

For example, you could get a...Simrad, for instance, MFD and connect if to your N2K network. You could set up a route on the Simrad and your Raymarine AP would follow it just fine. A conflict would occur when you have more than one MFD providing navigation directions to the AP at the same time.

dave

 

[baz]

Dave: I agree with all you've said. I do expect the auto guidance and the 'safe course' calculation to work as it did on my R-25 that was 'all' Garmin electronics.

My next step to see how things work will be to employ the Simulator feature on the 741xs.

Since my last post I've now found the "Search by Name" feature and was able to use that as my destination and request the system to plot a course line to it.

It's just that the menu navigation on the 741xs is different from what I was used to on the R-25 using the Garmin 5212 Chartplotter. I recall having to learn my way around on the 5212 menu system as well. Garmin is not renowned for its UX. 😉 whereas Raymarine does a much better job with their UX.

 

[knotflying]

Another question, how do you have your vessel configured and how is your auto guidance set up? You can change distance from land etc. I doubt there is a feature "over land", but check out your settings. As far as in and out before you can see the camera icons; this has been typical for me. I get more detail as I zoom in. Perhaps that is a setting as well. Who knows, they keep updating the software and maybe the detail aspect has changed since your last unit.

 

[baz]

I'll check the setting for sure.... thanks Mike.

Yea... the zoom to see camera icons was kind of subtle and I had forgotten that aspect of the g2 Vision software.

I reckon the g2 Vision card I purchased from gpscity.com was a year or two old as it also had software updates on it. The Garmin Tech person told me they no longer include software updates on the micro SD g2 Vision cards. Software updates are now done as a separate process.... that is, goto to Garmin site and download latest software.

Garmin are doing things these days to improve their revenue flow.... to them and not to the customer of course. 😱

 

[sheral]

Wow the g2 Vision Card looks great (in comparison to the straight g2 card that came with our boat). Glad to hear you are making good progress on it!

 

[knotflying]

Usually when I am in a marina or a spot that has insufficient depth the auto guidance will give me a message " cannot calculate" . I never had it do a straight line to my destination when it could not calculate a route.

 

[baz]

Mike: yes the real test for the 'safe course' auto guidance can only be done when out of the marina and on the open waters. Fingers crossed that my setup works.

 

[captstu]

Is this, "Garmin Bluechart G2 - HXUS039R - Us G2 (Entire Us) - MicroSD and SD" the part I should order to bring my Garmin 4012 charts up to date? Thanks /Stu