Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Woodsy · 07-01-2009, 07:14 AM

Just got a Garmin Nuvi 500...

What a slick little unit! It is Garmins version of a do it all GPS... Car, Boat, Hike, Bike etc. Small, accurate and waterproof.... and Garmin sells a pretty good map of Lake Winni you can download for $9.99!

I am VERY happy with this unit!!

Woodsy

Lakegeezer · 07-01-2009, 07:32 AM

Would you mind posting the link from Garmin that offers a Winni map for $9.99?

Highlander · 07-01-2009, 07:45 AM

I have the same unit but have not used it on the boat yet. Where did you get the map of the lake to download, was it on garmins site? I have used it snowmobiling and it worked great. It is a super all around gps, great for off road use.

Woodsy · 07-01-2009, 07:52 AM

Here is the link to the Garmin Lake Winni map.... the screenshots looked good so I bought it! I figured for $9.99 how could ya go wrong? Especially considering the Bizer version is $110 or $124 if you dont already have the MicroSD card

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?...400&pvID=37702

Hope this helps!

Woodsy

ishoot308 · 07-01-2009, 08:38 AM

Hi Woodsy;

Does the Nuvi have tracking capabilities?? That mapping software looks great for 10 bucks!

Thanks!

dan

Woodsy · 07-01-2009, 08:49 AM

ishoot...

It does...

It has a trip log (think breadcrumb trail) and it has a track back feature that allows you to retrace your steps...

I will try to post some screen shots as soon as this !#@$ weather breaks!

Woodsy

4Fun · 07-01-2009, 10:56 AM

I am very interested in seeimg some screen shots too. Some detailed shots when zoomed in. I am also curious if you find the markers are acuratly depicted too...

Mee-n-Mac · 07-01-2009, 12:54 PM

I note that the lake chart is supposed to work with our Nuvi 260. For $10 I'll have to give it a try. Still I wonder if these auto GPS units can do waypoints and routes like a marine GPS/chartplotter ? Breadcrumbs are good but having a set of routes to follow through the tricky markers (especially if the prefered route lines aren't displayed) is better yet. I wonder if you could use the custom POI feature and then navigate from POI to POI ?

Woodsy · 07-01-2009, 01:25 PM

M&M...

I just turned the unit on in the GPS simulation mode, (boating) and the Garmin Map does show a white line preffered navigation course through the bouys up in the graveyard... they also show a course through the bouys at the witches...

Woodsy

Gatto Nero · 07-02-2009, 12:51 PM

Thanks Woodsy!

I just downloaded it and it looks great. Can't wait to give it a try once this weather breaks. I had tried Bizer's map on my nuvi 350 but because it is not designed as a marine unit the buoy colors where not differentiated, which made it somewhat less than useful. Here is a screen shot from the Bizer demo on the my nuvi 350.

Garmin's map gets around that by showing the black buoys as black dots and the red buoys as white circles. Here's a screen shot of the Black Cat Shoals

Still not perfect but certainly worth $10.

MassCamper · 07-02-2009, 03:53 PM

Gatto...I also have a Nuvi 350 for my car. When you use the 350 on the lake do you just use it for your current position, or with the map install will it set preferred routes for you? I have been boating on the lake for 4 years using a chart without any problems, but never thought of using my vehicle GPS on the boat. I have considered buying a gps for the boat but just haven't bitten the bullet yet. If the 350 will plot preferred routes, I'll just use that!

upthesaukee · 07-02-2009, 04:09 PM

My Garmin 550c has the Bizer Map in it, and the buoys are marked bw or rw for black or red. I set my dock as a favorite (Parker Marine), and while north of Rattlesnake heading roughly toward towards the Weirs, I hit favorite, selected dock, and said go. It said (and actually said, because it does have text to speech) "Drive to highlighted route, and then turn left." . The highlighted route, of course, was route 11. I do not think any of the Nuvi auto units will do routes and waypoints, but the crossover model(s) probably will. Just my experience, and humble opinion.

Gatto Nero · 07-02-2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MassCamper

Gatto...I also have a Nuvi 350 for my car. When you use the 350 on the lake do you just use it for your current position, or with the map install will it set preferred routes for you? I have been boating on the lake for 4 years using a chart without any problems, but never thought of using my vehicle GPS on the boat. I have considered buying a gps for the boat but just haven't bitten the bullet yet. If the 350 will plot preferred routes, I'll just use that!

I believe upthesaukee is correct. You cannot install waypoints or your own preferred routes, but both Bizer's and Garmin's maps do showed preferred routes between the markers. I just use it for current position in relation to the buoys. I don't really need it during the day but it is helpful in keeping me on track at night.

Phantom · 07-03-2009, 07:48 AM

Maybe I'm missing something here and you all can help me out........

I too use a GPS ..... what I'm failing to understand is -- If you have the lake markers properly depicted (and theroticaly know where your going). Why is the "route" (or for that matter the breadcrumb function) so important?? And yes, I drive extensively at night -- probably the only time when I actually pay any attention to the GPS --other than perhaps trying to find a particular marker in the sunlight glare or extremely choppy waters.

If you are relying on a "route" -- sounds to me that you shouldn't be out there. Again, not attacking anyone here ....just failing to understand (a mind is a terrible thing to waste -and I've burnt way too many brain cells over the years )

Slickcraft · 07-03-2009, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom

Maybe I'm missing something here and you all can help me out........

I too use a GPS ..... what I'm failing to understand is -- If you have the lake markers properly depicted (and theroticaly know where your going). Why is the "route" (or for that matter the breadcrumb function) so important?? And yes, I drive extensively at night -- probably the only time when I actually pay any attention to the GPS --other than perhaps trying to find a particular marker in the sunlight glare or extremely choppy waters.

If you are relying on a "route" -- sounds to me that you shouldn't be out there. Again, not attacking anyone here ....just failing to understand

We stay out on Welch Island a few days a week mid April through mid October and normally boat into Glendale early in the morning. In September and October with a warm lake and cool mornings there is often a good layer of fog out there. We travel across at a slow speed and it is very useful to monitor the position of the boat relative to the stored path to Light 26 and then to the docks. Yes we have a compass but it is hard to keep to a precise heading at slow speed so the chart plotter is a good check. Also we found that we could not totally isolate the dash mounted compass from the electro magnetic fields set-up by running lights and windshield wipers.

We have had at least one occasion when we had to take a person to the mainland at night in fog and rain and it was real nice to be able to follow the stored route as a check on the compass.

Phantom · 07-06-2009, 06:53 AM

Slickcraft -- I'll give you that one!

I did forget about the foggy mornings I've experanced in the Fall .... to be honest, a couple of times I've totaly reversed direction back out of thick banks --- my fear is not in where I'm going (but being a "little guy" with no sophisticated radar) I fear the BIG guy whose trucking along in the merk oblivious!

My point simply is I think too much is made of the "Route" function. I know some folks that use the "route" function to simply get from Paugus Bay to Wolfboro (in the DAYTIME!!)

Woodsy · 07-06-2009, 12:17 PM

Used the Nuvi 500 on the lake friday & saturday. It aquired the sattelites very quickly (esp comapared to my CP-160) Its accuracy was pretty impressive, according to the unit, the GPS signal was accurate to within 16 feet even under all that cloud cover (I kept checking the accuracy randomly throughout the dayit ranged from 12 to 26 with an average of 16) The Garmin Winni map was pretty accurate at least going by the different markers it sure seemed it. The red and black markers are pretty clearly delineated. The screen is a little small compared to my CP-160... but you can see it in the bright sunlight. The suction mount Garmin gives you worked well on the fiberglass dash of my boat. The speedometer function was pretty handy too..

All in all I am very pleased with the unit!

Woodsy

(I forgot the screenshots I will try to remember to take some next time)

Phantom · 07-06-2009, 02:27 PM

Thanks Woodsy --

What you just gave in your last post has thrown me "over the fence"!!

Anyone want a Nuvi 255W slightly used

I'll let it go cheap.. lol

Highlander · 07-26-2009, 03:40 PM

Looking for help, I loaded the winni map onto my Garmin Nuvi 500 last week. I don't seem to be getting any detail, all I see is a brown outline of the lake and a boat icon, there are no markers shown at all. I does give gps position but that's it. I've been in touch with Garmin tech support with not help. Is there a trick to getting it to work that is not in their instructions. Any help would be appreciated.

ishoot308 · 07-26-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highlander

Looking for help, I loaded the winni map onto my Garmin Nuvi 500 last week. I don't seem to be getting any detail, all I see is a brown outline of the lake and a boat icon, there are no markers shown at all. I does give gps position but that's it. I've been in touch with Garmin tech support with not help. Is there a trick to getting it to work that is not in their instructions. Any help would be appreciated.

You need to make sure your GPS is in "boating mode"...

Click on "tools", then click "settings", then click "system", then click on "usage mode" and make sure your in boating mode.

Hope this helps!

Dan

Highlander · 07-26-2009, 04:18 PM

i did make sure it is in boating mode and that the map is checked off in the map info screen.
thanks

ishoot308 · 07-26-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highlander

i did make sure it is in boating mode and that the map is checked off in the map info screen.
thanks

Hmmm...Maybe the download didn't take?? I would try downloading it again. There is no charge to re-download into the same unit.

I hope you figure it out!

Dan

Gatto Nero · 08-11-2009, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highlander

Looking for help, I loaded the winni map onto my Garmin Nuvi 500 last week. I don't seem to be getting any detail, all I see is a brown outline of the lake and a boat icon, there are no markers shown at all. I does give gps position but that's it. I've been in touch with Garmin tech support with not help. Is there a trick to getting it to work that is not in their instructions. Any help would be appreciated.

I just ordered a Nuvi 500 a couple of days ago and have not yet received it, so I can't speak directly to it. However, I do have the Nuvi 350 with the Garmin Winni chart. With the 350 you need to make sure the Winni map is selected and the standard map is de-selected. If both maps are selected the result is exactly as you describe.

mcn520 · 08-05-2009, 01:01 PM

Woodsy
I hope you are right. you sound knowledgeable so i purchased one from amazon along with the download from garmin.
too bad i won't have it for next week but i'm looking forward to trying it.
the great things about these forums is the stuff you learn from people
thanks

longisland60 · 08-10-2009, 09:51 AM

I've got the nuvi500, too. I bought mine last winter from REI.com. I paid around $270 for it. I wish I had seen this thread before I bought the Garmin Northeast inland lakes map for about $80 from ebay. $10 would have been better and $80...oh well...

But, I am pleased with the unit itself. The "bread crumbs" feature is really nice to have. A couple weeks ago, I took some friends back to the island home that they were renting around dusk. By the time I headed back home it was fully dark, and the bread crumbs allowed me to trace back along the same route that I had followed going in. While not my primary means of navigation, the little unit did help make it easy to find the path back.

All in all, I have no issues with the 500. My wife uses it in her car like a "normal" GPS in the off season. The only feature that my unit doesn't have is the text to speech feature that speaks street names, though I may have read somewhere that the latest 500 version now has this feature.

longisland60

Winni-Retired · 08-10-2009, 06:26 PM

recieved the Nuvi 760 series as a 62nd birthday give last winter.. only comes with a usage setting of Auto / Bicycle or Pedestrian ..... no boat. Looks like the 760 is not designed for the boat ..... So I need to get a 500 series to have the Lake map or am I missing something here.

Jetman · 08-12-2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winni-Retired

recieved the Nuvi 760 series as a 62nd birthday give last winter.. only comes with a usage setting of Auto / Bicycle or Pedestrian ..... no boat. Looks like the 760 is not designed for the boat ..... So I need to get a 500 series to have the Lake map or am I missing something here.

I have the Nuvi 660, downloaded the Winni map from Garmin and it works well. After downloading, you need to go to tools, select Map, select Map info, then select the winni map and deselect the US map.

I can not select "Boat mode" on my unit either, although I went to the Garmin site and dowloaded a boat Icon.

To see the recommended navigational paths, you need to try different zoom levels. Markers show up etc..

I don't think I have a "breadcrumb" feature however.

07-01-2009, 07:14 AM	#1
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,964 Thanks: 80 Thanked 978 Times in 439 Posts	Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS Just got a Garmin Nuvi 500... What a slick little unit! It is Garmins version of a do it all GPS... Car, Boat, Hike, Bike etc. Small, accurate and waterproof.... and Garmin sells a pretty good map of Lake Winni you can download for $9.99! I am VERY happy with this unit!! Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

07-01-2009, 07:32 AM	#2
Lakegeezer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 1,677 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 353 Thanked 639 Times in 290 Posts	Would you mind posting the link from Garmin that offers a Winni map for $9.99? __________________ -lg

07-01-2009, 07:52 AM	#4
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,964 Thanks: 80 Thanked 978 Times in 439 Posts	Here is the link to the Garmin Lake Winni map.... the screenshots looked good so I bought it! I figured for $9.99 how could ya go wrong? Especially considering the Bizer version is $110 or $124 if you dont already have the MicroSD card https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?...400&pvID=37702 Hope this helps! Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

07-01-2009, 08:38 AM	#5
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,226 Thanks: 2,382 Thanked 5,275 Times in 2,049 Posts	Tracking? Hi Woodsy; Does the Nuvi have tracking capabilities?? That mapping software looks great for 10 bucks! Thanks! dan

07-01-2009, 08:49 AM	#6
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,964 Thanks: 80 Thanked 978 Times in 439 Posts	ishoot... It does... It has a trip log (think breadcrumb trail) and it has a track back feature that allows you to retrace your steps... I will try to post some screen shots as soon as this !#@$ weather breaks! Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

07-01-2009, 07:45 AM	#3
Highlander Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 74 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	I have the same unit but have not used it on the boat yet. Where did you get the map of the lake to download, was it on garmins site? I have used it snowmobiling and it worked great. It is a super all around gps, great for off road use.

07-01-2009, 10:56 AM	#7
4Fun Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 283 Thanks: 1 Thanked 66 Times in 38 Posts	I am very interested in seeimg some screen shots too. Some detailed shots when zoomed in. I am also curious if you find the markers are acuratly depicted too...

07-01-2009, 12:54 PM	#8
Mee-n-Mac Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,943 Thanks: 23 Thanked 111 Times in 51 Posts	Interesting I note that the lake chart is supposed to work with our Nuvi 260. For $10 I'll have to give it a try. Still I wonder if these auto GPS units can do waypoints and routes like a marine GPS/chartplotter ? Breadcrumbs are good but having a set of routes to follow through the tricky markers (especially if the prefered route lines aren't displayed) is better yet. I wonder if you could use the custom POI feature and then navigate from POI to POI ? __________________ Mee'n'Mac "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by simple stupidity or ignorance. The latter are a lot more common than the former." - RAH

07-01-2009, 01:25 PM	#9
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,964 Thanks: 80 Thanked 978 Times in 439 Posts	M&M... I just turned the unit on in the GPS simulation mode, (boating) and the Garmin Map does show a white line preffered navigation course through the bouys up in the graveyard... they also show a course through the bouys at the witches... Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

07-02-2009, 12:51 PM	#10
Gatto Nero Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Isola Gatto Nero Posts: 697 Thanks: 162 Thanked 263 Times in 81 Posts	Works on nuvi 350 Thanks Woodsy! I just downloaded it and it looks great. Can't wait to give it a try once this weather breaks. I had tried Bizer's map on my nuvi 350 but because it is not designed as a marine unit the buoy colors where not differentiated, which made it somewhat less than useful. Here is a screen shot from the Bizer demo on the my nuvi 350. Garmin's map gets around that by showing the black buoys as black dots and the red buoys as white circles. Here's a screen shot of the Black Cat Shoals Still not perfect but certainly worth $10. __________________ La vita è buona su Isola Gatto Nero Last edited by Gatto Nero; 07-02-2009 at 04:31 PM.

07-02-2009, 03:53 PM	#11
MassCamper Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 8 Thanks: 1 Thanked 10 Times in 3 Posts	Gatto...I also have a Nuvi 350 for my car. When you use the 350 on the lake do you just use it for your current position, or with the map install will it set preferred routes for you? I have been boating on the lake for 4 years using a chart without any problems, but never thought of using my vehicle GPS on the boat. I have considered buying a gps for the boat but just haven't bitten the bullet yet. If the 350 will plot preferred routes, I'll just use that!

07-02-2009, 04:09 PM	#12
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,596 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,450 Thanked 1,979 Times in 1,080 Posts	Streetpilot 550c My Garmin 550c has the Bizer Map in it, and the buoys are marked bw or rw for black or red. I set my dock as a favorite (Parker Marine), and while north of Rattlesnake heading roughly toward towards the Weirs, I hit favorite, selected dock, and said go. It said (and actually said, because it does have text to speech) "Drive to highlighted route, and then turn left." . The highlighted route, of course, was route 11. I do not think any of the Nuvi auto units will do routes and waypoints, but the crossover model(s) probably will. Just my experience, and humble opinion. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

07-03-2009, 07:48 AM	#14
Phantom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Berlin, Ma / Gilford Posts: 1,934 Thanks: 450 Thanked 605 Times in 341 Posts	Maybe I'm missing something here and you all can help me out........ I too use a GPS ..... what I'm failing to understand is -- If you have the lake markers properly depicted (and theroticaly know where your going). Why is the "route" (or for that matter the breadcrumb function) so important?? And yes, I drive extensively at night -- probably the only time when I actually pay any attention to the GPS --other than perhaps trying to find a particular marker in the sunlight glare or extremely choppy waters. If you are relying on a "route" -- sounds to me that you shouldn't be out there. Again, not attacking anyone here ....just failing to understand (a mind is a terrible thing to waste -and I've burnt way too many brain cells over the years ) __________________ *A bad day on the Big Lake (although I've never had one) - Still beats a day at the office!!*

07-06-2009, 06:53 AM	#16
Phantom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Berlin, Ma / Gilford Posts: 1,934 Thanks: 450 Thanked 605 Times in 341 Posts	Slickcraft -- I'll give you that one! I did forget about the foggy mornings I've experanced in the Fall .... to be honest, a couple of times I've totaly reversed direction back out of thick banks --- my fear is not in where I'm going (but being a "little guy" with no sophisticated radar) I fear the BIG guy whose trucking along in the merk oblivious! My point simply is I think too much is made of the "Route" function. I know some folks that use the "route" function to simply get from Paugus Bay to Wolfboro (in the DAYTIME!!) __________________ *A bad day on the Big Lake (although I've never had one) - Still beats a day at the office!!*

07-06-2009, 12:17 PM	#17
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,964 Thanks: 80 Thanked 978 Times in 439 Posts	Nuvi 500 Update... Used the Nuvi 500 on the lake friday & saturday. It aquired the sattelites very quickly (esp comapared to my CP-160) Its accuracy was pretty impressive, according to the unit, the GPS signal was accurate to within 16 feet even under all that cloud cover (I kept checking the accuracy randomly throughout the dayit ranged from 12 to 26 with an average of 16) The Garmin Winni map was pretty accurate at least going by the different markers it sure seemed it. The red and black markers are pretty clearly delineated. The screen is a little small compared to my CP-160... but you can see it in the bright sunlight. The suction mount Garmin gives you worked well on the fiberglass dash of my boat. The speedometer function was pretty handy too.. All in all I am very pleased with the unit! Woodsy (I forgot the screenshots I will try to remember to take some next time) __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

07-06-2009, 02:27 PM	#18
Phantom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Berlin, Ma / Gilford Posts: 1,934 Thanks: 450 Thanked 605 Times in 341 Posts	Thanks Woodsy -- What you just gave in your last post has thrown me "over the fence"!! Anyone want a Nuvi 255W slightly used I'll let it go cheap.. lol __________________ *A bad day on the Big Lake (although I've never had one) - Still beats a day at the office!!*

07-26-2009, 03:40 PM	#19
Highlander Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 74 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	No detail Looking for help, I loaded the winni map onto my Garmin Nuvi 500 last week. I don't seem to be getting any detail, all I see is a brown outline of the lake and a boat icon, there are no markers shown at all. I does give gps position but that's it. I've been in touch with Garmin tech support with not help. Is there a trick to getting it to work that is not in their instructions. Any help would be appreciated.

07-26-2009, 04:18 PM	#21
Highlander Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 74 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	i did make sure it is in boating mode and that the map is checked off in the map info screen. thanks

08-05-2009, 01:01 PM	#24
mcn520 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	nuvi 500 Woodsy I hope you are right. you sound knowledgeable so i purchased one from amazon along with the download from garmin. too bad i won't have it for next week but i'm looking forward to trying it. the great things about these forums is the stuff you learn from people thanks

08-10-2009, 09:51 AM	#25
longisland60 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 27 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	bought the nuvi500, too... I've got the nuvi500, too. I bought mine last winter from REI.com. I paid around $270 for it. I wish I had seen this thread before I bought the Garmin Northeast inland lakes map for about $80 from ebay. $10 would have been better and $80...oh well... But, I am pleased with the unit itself. The "bread crumbs" feature is really nice to have. A couple weeks ago, I took some friends back to the island home that they were renting around dusk. By the time I headed back home it was fully dark, and the bread crumbs allowed me to trace back along the same route that I had followed going in. While not my primary means of navigation, the little unit did help make it easy to find the path back. All in all, I have no issues with the 500. My wife uses it in her car like a "normal" GPS in the off season. The only feature that my unit doesn't have is the text to speech feature that speaks street names, though I may have read somewhere that the latest 500 version now has this feature. longisland60

08-10-2009, 06:26 PM	#26
Winni-Retired Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: SE Mass / Lake Posts: 125 Thanks: 96 Thanked 102 Times in 22 Posts	Nuvi 760 recieved the Nuvi 760 series as a 62nd birthday give last winter.. only comes with a usage setting of Auto / Bicycle or Pedestrian ..... no boat. Looks like the 760 is not designed for the boat ..... So I need to get a 500 series to have the Lake map or am I missing something here.