What map datums are supported and what should I use?

What map datums are supported and what should I use?

The maps I supply are datum/position format agnostic (means that the maps are not set to a specific datum or position format).

You can use whatever map datum you like, but bear in mind that many (mainly Grid Based systems) are only suitable for specific geographical areas, such as British Grid (this is no use elsewhere and can actually be dangerous to use outside the UK as the accuracy will be increasingly out as you move further away from the British Isles)

All grid systems are only designed to be accurate in the country they were created for. If you try and use them outside the intended area of use, the accuracy drops off very quickly, making them at the very least less useful, and at the worst highly inaccurate and dangerous.

Personally, I use WGS84 as my preferred datum as this is accurate anywhere in the world as it was designed for use across the world, not just a small geographic region. As to position format, I personally use: hddd° mm.mmmm’ WGS84 is as accurate in New Orleans as it is in Copenhagen, Paris, Madrid, London, Abu Dhabi, Dohar, etc.

There are a full list of the Datums supported on most Garmin devices, here: https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=CuRXNp4JBU25QHE8cwRI26

As to position format for use with WGS84, you should use either UTM UPS, MGRS, hddd.dddddd, hddd° mm.mmmm’, or hddd° mm’ss,ss” (all of those are as accurate anywhere in the world) or if you prefer, the correct Grid system for the country/region that you are going to use the GPS device in.


    • Related Articles

    • Do the Talkytoaster maps have grid lines?

      No, grid lines are country or region specific and only usually available on fixed resolution maps; our maps are not a fixed resolution and are not datum specific. You can use whatever datum you want (that the Garmin device supports) and that datum ...

    • BaseCamp & Garmin Explore

      Garmin BaseCamp was the replacement for Garmin MapSource (both are desktop applications for Windows or Mac). BaseCamp allows you to plan (and upload/download) routes, tracks, waypoints (and other data) between you Garmin devices and your computer. It ...

    • How do I Remove or Delete the Talkytoaster Map(s) from my Garmin?

      The answer to this is much the same as for how you installed the map in the first place, except you are removing/deleting the map instead. Simply either insert the MicroSD card into your computer (if you used a MicroSD card) or attach your Garmin ...

    • Do the Talkytoaster maps use more battery than Garmin maps?

      No, the Talkytoster maps do not seem to have any additional battery drain/impact than the Garmin supplied ones (and they almost certainly have less battery impact than the OS maps will); I've certainly not noticed it on my Fenix 5X, my Fenix 6x, my ...

    • Can I use the map(s) on multiple devices?

      Yes you can! Unlike Garmin, our Talkytoaster TT HD Topo/Topo Pro maps are licensed per customer/user, not licensed per device (unlike Garmin's own maps) so they can be used on as many Garmin (or other compatible systems) as you personally own (for ...