Open Google Earth, under the ‘Add drop down window’, open Image overlay window, in the window, open browse and then open desired map jpeg file, drag image overly window away from map, do not close overlay window yet or save image yet. Step 3:Geo-reference map image in Google Earth. Once the map is scanned and or stitched, level and crop the map to desired size,( I have been keeping the whole map as will be explained in a later sections of the map can be loaded), I then save map as JPEG 300 PXI and with compression of 10, do not forget to name map with desired name, then under drop down window image, choose resize, image size, if doing full map resize image to image width of 6000 pixels, the height will be about 3700 pixels, keep at 300 PXI, save, or if doing part of map, eg half of the map, save width 3000 pixels, (note in Photoshop when adjusting the width the height is automatically adjusted accordingly). Step 2: Note: Step 2 instructions are specifically for Photoshop If you do not have access to a large scanner, it is possible to scan in A4 or A3 and stitch together, I use Photomerge in Photoshop.
Step 1: Scan map on suitable scanner, I scan in tiff 300 pixels per inch (PXI), I keep these Tiff files as masters, then in a photo processing program (I use Photoshop), convert to JPEG 300 PXI, my experimenting has shown that scanning in JPEG 300 PXI is the best quality for reading the maps on the GPS screen without using too much of the 100 x 1 meg GPS custom map memory, I have tried lesser than 300 PXI, but the quality seen on the GPS suffers below this level.
#Garmin custom maps from google earth update#
I am not much of a Techno person, consider this write-up as a Beta version, if you more technical savvy people know that of better ways of doing custom maps or improvements to what I have written please let me know and I will update post, when properly sorted I will post this information in the BA wiki.
#Garmin custom maps from google earth how to#
I have been asked if I would do a post on how to make and prepare Custom Maps for use in a Garmin mapping GPS, while the process is not that hard it is fairly involved and requires some computer skills, a good photo manipulation program, a great little file tiling program called G-Raster and some Google Earth knowledge and skills.