# eTrex 30 and Garmin Connect - downloading courses?



## Lithified (Apr 14, 2007)

I like to play on connect.garmin.com and make courses for road rides and bike tours. I have Garmin communicator installed, but cannot send a course to my eTrex 30 as the eTrex is not "compatible with courses". 

Is there any way to get around this? Even if I could export a course to a *.gpx (not an activity, which you can export just fine) from Connect, then I could load it into my eTrex via Windows Explorer.

Any tips? What am I missing here? :incazzato:


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## Frugaltravelguy (Jan 8, 2013)

same problem here, you can only load an existing activity to it. Best option search for activities people have already uploaded, then export them to the etrex. Seems silly but it works and is the only way I been able to get a course onto the etrex


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## Lithified (Apr 14, 2007)

Frugaltravelguy said:


> same problem here, you can only load an existing activity to it. Best option search for activities people have already uploaded, then export them to the etrex. Seems silly but it works and is the only way I been able to get a course onto the etrex


Glad I am not the only one with this issue. Bummer is nobody around me loads the kind of rides I do onto Garmin Connect! I wonder if there's a third party software that allows you to create GPX files. Then I could load the GPX straight onto my eTrex.

Problem with that is it would need to follow roads and ideally be able to determine routes otherwise it would take forever to "trace" my route.

Frugal: Have you had much luck with finding good rides on garmin connect? I find their search functions are less than ideal and either nobody around me does longer rides or at least nobody uploads them to GC.


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## Lithified (Apr 14, 2007)

In the process of checking this out....

http://gpx.cgtk.co.uk/

I am thinking, create route with GMaps, export to GPX and load GPX onto eTrex through Windows Explorer.


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## Frugaltravelguy (Jan 8, 2013)

ok, here is what I just did. Use Google Earth (the program) then create your route. Save that route as a kml file. 
Download GPS Babel latest version, not the beta. 
Under input
Select the Google KML in the drop down menu then browse to your kml file
Under output
select the gpx format
select where you want to save the file and name it
Hit apply and you're almost done.
Now connect your etrex and open the Base Camp Garmin SW (its a Garmin free download) Import that GPX file you just created. It imports it as a track not a route. 
move it to your memory card or the GPS memory.
finished! you now have a course on your etrex. I do it for 3rd world countries where no GPS maps exist and Garmins birdseye leaves a lot to be desired in Satellite coverage vs. Google earth.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

You are making more work for yourselves than you need to.

Garmin connect offers gpx downloads, for one.

Also, many computer programs allow you to create gpx files directly. No file converting.


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## Frugaltravelguy (Jan 8, 2013)

Care to share the details....??? links and which computer programs?



NateHawk said:


> You are making more work for yourselves than you need to.
> 
> Garmin connect offers gpx downloads, for one.
> 
> Also, many computer programs allow you to create gpx files directly. No file converting.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

like I said, you're making it too complicated.

as far as which programs....any good standalone computer program that can manipulate GPS data, just about. not National Geographic Topo!, however. it handles gpx files funny. I use Topofusion.


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## Lithified (Apr 14, 2007)

NateHawk said:


> Garmin connect offers gpx downloads, for one.


Only for routes that you or others have already ridden and uploaded. So for planning new routes that nobody has uploaded, you can't export to GPX from Garmin Connect.

Here is exactly what I am trying to do....

This route--- Old Weaver Trail to Old Weaver Trail - Google Maps

Onto my eTrex 30. Sounds so simple, but nobody has a clear solution! I can create the same route in Garmin Connect (Garmin Connect - Falls Lake 30 Miler) but because the eTrex 30 doesn't accept "courses," Garmin Connect won't send it.

:madman: Thanks for ya'lls help and suggestions.


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## Lithified (Apr 14, 2007)

MapMyRide.com to the rescue. This does exactly what I need. You can create a route (following roads) and Export to GPX. Load that sun'uva on your eTrex through Windows Explorer and sha-bam, loads as a track on your GPS which you can follow.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

cmscheip said:


> MapMyRide.com to the rescue. This does exactly what I need. You can create a route (following roads) and Export to GPX. Load that sun'uva on your eTrex through Windows Explorer and sha-bam, loads as a track on your GPS which you can follow.


Like I said, most actual standalone GPS file management programs do this, but glad you found what you're looking for.


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## NonConformist (Nov 19, 2004)

Had the same issue with my Oregon 450. A race I'm doing posted their course via Garmin courses, my gps doesn't support "courses" only "tracks", and there seems to be no way to save a "course" file to desktop so that you could convert it from FIT to GPX. I managed to down load the course to my GFs 810 an then drag and drop it to desktop to convert it, but it's really pretty rediculous that there isn't a better way.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

NonConformist said:


> Had the same issue with my Oregon 450. A race I'm doing posted their course via Garmin courses, my gps doesn't support "courses" only "tracks", and there seems to be no way to save a "course" file to desktop so that you could convert it from FIT to GPX. I managed to down load the course to my GFs 810 an then drag and drop it to desktop to convert it, but it's really pretty rediculous that there isn't a better way.


then that is a problem with the race organizer who provided you with the course. courses are only compatible with fitness receivers, and anyone who knows what they're doing knows that not everyone uses the same GPS. providing a .gpx file provides maximum flexibility, as people who need a course can create one from the file. it's annoying that a .gpx cannot be created from a course, but it's the race organizer in that case who is mostly to blame. address this issue with him/her.


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## felixkosmalla (Jul 12, 2013)

A friend of mine had the same problem. I wrote a small Chrome extension which adds a "Download as GPX"-button to the toolbar of the course detail view.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gpx-downloader/dpamipdfplcigmapcdgckimdgpgjidcl

It is roughly tested and I would appreciate any feedback.


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## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

I added your plugin, just curious, let you know.


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## kide (Mar 25, 2008)

I think I had loaded a course to my eTrex previously. Garmin Connect did an automatic conversion before downloading though. Now it just says "No device found that supports Courses." 

That Chrome extension was exactly what I was looking for. Many thanks felixkosmalla!


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## shedmonkey (Jul 23, 2013)

felixkosmalla said:


> A friend of mine had the same problem. I wrote a small Chrome extension which adds a "Download as GPX"-button to the toolbar of the course detail view.
> 
> https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gpx-downloader/dpamipdfplcigmapcdgckimdgpgjidcl
> 
> It is roughly tested and I would appreciate any feedback.


I came across your tool after much frustration at the severely lacking Garmin Connect functionality.

You are a life saver (or at least saving me from getting lost). Thanks to you I have been able to Convert my Course to GPX and upload to an Oregon 550.

Thank you very much.


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## tallpaul (Jan 12, 2004)

felix,

I just came across this thread and this is the perfect solution for the problem I've been having too. Now I'm able to get a route onto my etrex for a bike camping trip I'm doing.

thanks,
Paul


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## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

Works for me :thumbsup:


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## Flying Wombat (May 14, 2004)

felixkosmalla said:


> A friend of mine had the same problem. I wrote a small Chrome extension which adds a "Download as GPX"-button to the toolbar of the course detail view..


Thanks so much for the extension Felix! It worked great for me to get a file from Garmin Connect onto my Etrex. It seems strange that Garmin don't fully support all their products via Connect.

Kevin


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## Lars_D (May 24, 2011)

felixkosmalla said:


> A friend of mine had the same problem. I wrote a small Chrome extension which adds a "Download as GPX"-button to the toolbar of the course detail view.
> 
> https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gpx-downloader/dpamipdfplcigmapcdgckimdgpgjidcl
> 
> It is roughly tested and I would appreciate any feedback.


Awesome...Great work, Felix!!!


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## HOser (Dec 8, 2005)

This is brilliant, worked great for me. Thank!! I was able to download a "course" from Garmin Connect as a GPX, which works with my old Garmin 60 CSx. Without your plug-in, I get the "Your device does not work with courses" message.

No doubt this is intentional on Garmin's part, to encourage people to upgrade to newer products.


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