help with gpsmap 76csx

[senatorcongressman]

I bought a used Garmin GPSMAP 76csx, loaded the BlueChart for the Chesapeake and used it a few times. It shows waypoints and stuff fine, but how do I get it to display depth contours? What's the trick?

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by senatorcongressman

I bought a used Garmin GPSMAP 76csx, loaded the BlueChart for the Chesapeake and used it a few times. It shows waypoints and stuff fine, but how do I get it to display depth contours? What's the trick?

There is a "declutter" option that removes depth contours and other useful but non-essential data. If you're not seeing the contours, my guess is that "declutter" is turned "ON".

You'll have to work through the menus to find the "Declutter On/Off" option. I'd walk you through it, but ours is on the boat and I can't remember the exact steps. I think it's under "Marine" set-up, or maybe it's in the general system preferences.

[TejasSailer]

Try here for an online copy of the manual if you don't have it.

Garmin: Manuals

[EO32]

Mine shows the depth contours but they don't all have values. You only get a value here and there. I find that annoying.

[gtod25]

I'm pretty sure it will only display spot soundings.

Title should be "Depth Contours OR Spot soundings?"

[bossk]

My Garmin 60CSx also have levels of detail with the declutter. Might want to check that, should just be a matter of hitting the menu button when your on the map and scrolling down to options..... I think.. Trying to remember, it's mounted on the motorcycle at the momment.

[senatorcongressman]

I tried it yesterday while on the water. Turned "spot soundings on" and de-clutter off. It looks like when drawing the map it shows depth contours for a second then redraws over them. Its weird. I can never get it to look like the images in the manual or on the box. Maybe its a zoom level thing?

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by senatorcongressman

Maybe its a zoom level thing?

Possibly. It's a small screen and those kind of details don't show up until you're zoomed in fairly tight.

I'll try to look at mine and see if I can replicate the problem...

[nk235]

I am pretty sure you are seeing this because you don't have the chip and gps chart software for your area. When I first got this device I thought the same thing as the GPS looked nothing like what the pics on the box looked like. It only showed a basic "drawing" of the land and water and gave my coordinates. I then had to go spend an extra $150 or so to unlock the detailed maps for the area I sail in, (Long Island Sound). You do this all online and then plug the GPS with chip inside into your PC via a USB cable. You then sync it using the supplied Garmin GPS/Chart software and then your GPS will have the detailed charts with depth contours, soundings, and everything else you would see on a regular marine chart, just like the pics on the box.

I think this is probably what you are referring to but if not sorry.

[Faster]

Assuming the 76csx display is simlar to the 76MAP:

At the bottom of the screen there is usually a scale indicator...immediately beneath that it will say "mapsource" if you're zoomed in enough to get all the chart detail that you have asked for in set-up.