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Quick Guide to using the Garmin 76CS GPS Unit
Getting Started
Initialization
Turn on the GPS unit by pressing down the red power button on the left. By default, the receiver will
begin "initialization", searching for overhead satellites in order to determine (fix) its location. This
process can take from 5 to 15 minutes. You must be outdoors with a clear view of the sky.
To shorten the time required:
1. From the Satellites page, press the MENU button,
2. Scroll to New Location (using the center ROCKER button),
3. Press ENTER,
4. Scroll to Use Map, and press ENTER again.
5. Use the ROCKER button to move the cursor over the display map, and the ZOOM IN and OUT
buttons to find your approximate location, then press ENTER.
The initialization process will now focus its search for satellites in your area. As the GPS unit finds
satellites, the Locating Satelli tes message will change to Acquiring Satellites. Once three or more are
found (four needed for 3 dimensional orientation), a location can be determined.
Configuration
There are a variety of settings accessible from each of the pages as well as the Main Menu page.
You can cycle though pages by pushing the PAGE button. To open the menu options for a page,
press MENU. For the Main menu page, use the ROCKER button t o sel ect the appr o pr i ate sub men u.
If you wish to stop the initialization (acquiring satellites) process temporarily after powering up, from
the Satellite page press MENU, then ( with Use with GPS Off highlighted), press ENTER. You can
now conserve battery power during configuration. The PAGE button can also be held down to toggle
the compass on or off.
Datum and coordinate system: In GIS, it is critical that the datum and coordinate system of your data,
including base map data, are explicitly defined (and ultimately the same). Before collecting data,
make sure the GPS unit is set to the coordinate system and datum that best matches your needs
(those who are using DNR Garmin will download data as GCS WGS 84 –see Downloading Data
section for changing projection after download).
1. From the Main Menu page, select Setup.
2. Scroll down and select Units.
3. Select the Position Format (coordinate system) you wish the output coordinates to be in. If you're
using a geographic coordinate system (GCS), latitude and longitude should be expressed as
decimal degrees (hddd.ddddd) rather than degrees, minutes and seconds. You can convert DMS
to DD later if you do not select DD before collecting data. You can also change (reproject) the
coordinate system of your data if needed. See the Mann Library GPS tutorial for instructions on
data conversion. Select UTM UPS for Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates. If you are
working with State Plane data, select User UTM Grid. You will need to configure some settings go to http://gpsinformation.net/state-plane.html for details, where you can download a table
http://gpsinformation.net/mapinfow-e.xls listing the information you will need.
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4. Select Datum. It is especially important that the datum be correct, since it represents fundamental
assumptions about the size and shape of the earth. Most US users will find NAD83 or WGS 84
appropriate for use with recent data sets, though some older data sets are NAD27.
5. When done, highlight Save and press ENTER
Batteries: The GPS unit is circulated with two rechargeable batteries. If you need to replace the
batteries with non-rechargeable batteries, change the battery type as follows:
1. From the Main Menu page, select Setup and then System.
2. Change the battery type from NiMH to Alkaline.
Collecting Data with the GPS
Waypoints
The Mark Waypoint Page can be used to record individual point coordinates and attributes (name,
elevation, time and date).
1. Press in and hold the ENTER/MARK key until the Mark Waypoint Page appears.
2. To change the name of the waypoint (optional), use the ROCKER key to highlight the waypoint
name field and press ENTER to display the on-screen keypad. Use the ROCKER key and ENTER
key to create a name for the waypoint. If you choose a name that has already been used, a
"Waypoint Already Exits” message appears.
3. To assign an identifying symbol to a waypoint, use the ROCKER key to highlight the symbol block
next to the waypoint name and press ENTER to display the Symbols Chart.
4. To save the waypoint to the Find Menu Waypoints List, highlight “OK” and press ENTER.
5. If you do not want to save it as a new waypoint, press the QUIT button to cancel.
Tracks
Tracks consist of data (Track Log) gathered automatically (at specified time or distance intervals)
while in motion. Tracks primary purpose is to record path and speed, rather than detailed info for
particular points. The Gar min 76C S c an al so be used to measur e the area of any space you
encompass with a track, and retrace your path in either direction. The Tracks page can be accessed
from the Main Menu page or by cycling though active pages using the PAGE button. The Setup page
can be used to configure logging options.
Routes
Routes are a sequence of waypoints which lead to a destination. Their primary purpose is as a
navigational aid when used in conjunction with a GPS. The GPS will tell you the bearing and distance
to the next point in sequence as you navigate along your route. The 76CS can store 50 routes, with
up to 250 waypoints each. To create a route, access the Routes page from the Main Menu.
Downloading Data
Note: The Mann Library classroom computers have the necessary software and drivers already
installed. If using a different computer, you will first need to download and install drivers from
http://www.garmin.com/support/blosp.jsp, and the DNR Garmin software. It is available for free from
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcview/extensions/DNRGarmin/DNRGarmin.html.
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Preferred Download Method
The easiest method for downloading GPS data is using the DNR Garmin software. It allows users to
save data directly as a shapefile, a format easily imported into GIS software like ArcGIS. DNR Garmin
is installed on the Mann Library classroom computers.
1. Connect the GPS unit to the computer using the USB cable included with the unit.
2. Turn on the GPS uni t.
3. The unit will by default start to acquire satellites. Press the MENU button and select the Use with
GPS Off option, then press ENTER.
4. If you are prompted by the New Hardware Found Wizard on a classroom computer, to designate
the proper USB drivers:
a. Select Yes, this time only, then Next
b. Choose Install from a list or specific location, then Next
c. Make sure Search for the best driver in these locations is checked, and Include this location in
the search lists C:\Garmin\USB_Drivers.
d. Click Next once more, then Finish
5. Start the DNR Garmin software from the PC Programs menu.
6. Under the GPS>Set Port menu, select USB.
7. If needed, select Open Port fro m the G PS me nu.
8. Select the download option from one of the following menus: Waypoint, Track, Route. The data
will be downloaded from your GPS into a data table (if necessary click Data Table button to view).
Once the data is downloaded you may edit it prior to saving.
9. Under File> Set Projection, choose the projection you wish the data to be exported (projected) to.
You can browse for a ESRI projection file as a template if needed by clicking the Load PRJ button
(ArcGIS users may find this in the C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Coordinate Systems folder).
10. Save data to a file from the Data Table. From the File>Save to-File menu, select a location and
name for your output (do not begin name with numbers and make sure there are no spaces or
special characters). Shapefile format is easiest to import directly into a GIS. If ArcMap is open,
you can also save and import directly to it.
Alternate Download Method
To download data from the Garmin 76CS, you can also use Garmin's MapSource Trip and Waypoint
Manager software. The classroom machines at Mann Library have this installed.
1. Connect the GPS unit to the computer using the USB cable.
2. If you are prompted by the New Hardware Found Wizard, see step 4 above.
3. Start the MapSource software from the PC Programs menu.
4. Choose Transfer > Receive From Device from the main menu.
5. If the GPS unit is not listed in the dialog window, click on Find Device.
6. When the computer has found the device, check what type of data you want the program to
receive and click Receive. Click OK when the program is finished importing your data.
7. In the MapSource table of contents, select the tab that represents the type of data you imported.
You should see a list of your data.
8. To import data into a GIS, you will need to export the data using the File>Export (or Save As)
menu option. Save as tab delimited text format, which can be imported into Excel and saved as csv or
dbf. If you have lat/long coordinates, remember to convert "W" longitudes to - (negative).
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Erasing Data from the GPS Unit
Press the Page button until you come to the Trip Computer Page. From the Trip Computer page,
press MENU, highlight Reset, then ENTER. Using the rocker button, select what you want to delete
(highlight Select All for complete deletion), press ENTER, then Apply, then OK to confirm your
selection.
To turn off the GPS unit, press in and hold the power button until it turns off (if you quickly press the
power button the backlight adjustment control will appear -useful if working in low light levels).
Unit Accuracy
The Garmin 76CS is a Wid e Ar ea Aug me nta t ion Sy st e m (WAAS) capable receiver. It offers potential
accuracy of 1-2 meters horizontal and 2-3 meters vertica l, provided ground based reference stations
are nearby. Enabling WAAS in regions that are not supported by ground stations, which corrects
position data, typically does not improve accuracy even when receiving signals from satellites. In fact
it can degrade the accuracy to less than that provided by GPS satellites alone. For this reason, the
Garmin GPS receiver, when in the “WAAS Enabled” mode, automatically uses the method that
achieves the best accuracy.
You can also average a new waypoint over time to produce a more accurate location. For more
information, please consult the complete owner's manual.
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