How to transfer way points from old Garmin 126 ro newer Garmin units?

Discussion in 'Garmin GPS' started by Peter Newman, Apr 8, 2017.

  1. Peter Newman

    Peter Newman

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    I want to buy a new Garmin GPS unit for our boat. Will probably buy a new unit with a plotter etc, but I want to transfer the 300+ way points from my old Garmin 126 to the new unit. How do I do this? Do Garmin have a service to transfer old data to new units?.
     
    Peter Newman, Apr 8, 2017
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  2. Peter Newman

    Nuvi-Nebie Moderator

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    Have you ever connected your GPS126 to a computer using an interface cable?, it looks like you can transfer waypoints to a computer using the Garmin/Garmin interface mode, here is some info. from page 44 of the user manual :-

    2017-04-08_10.42.56.jpg

    You can contact Garmin reguarding a file transfer service, but I think it is unlikly you will be offered one, so the only other option would be to manually copy waypoint data from the screen
     
    Nuvi-Nebie, Apr 8, 2017
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  3. Peter Newman

    Peter Newman

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    Thanks for the advice. The issue is that I will need to find an interface cable that can also provide 12 volt power to the GPS. The 4 pin plug in the 126 unit has 2 wires for power and two for data. The two data wires will need to be fitted into a serial port then plugged into a PC, while the other two wires will need to be spliced into a 12volt power supply. I'll check around and see if there is a cable already made up that can do this.
     
    Peter Newman, Apr 12, 2017
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  4. Peter Newman

    Nuvi-Nebie Moderator

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    The user manual I downloaded for the GPS126 only shows a 7 pin plug (see picture)
    2017-04-12_17.18.11.jpg

    Which is quite rare, the 4 pin plug is more common, it is used on GPS38, GPS12 etc. and even newer models like the GPSmap60, the 4 pin plugs used to be sold by a company called pfranc.com but that website seems to have gone, I think both 4 pin and 7 pin cables are still available from marine shops and Ebay, search on 4 pin (or 7 pin) Garmin power cable
     
    Nuvi-Nebie, Apr 12, 2017
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  5. Peter Newman

    Peter Newman

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    Thanks for that. You are correct the plug is a 7 pin. . . .but there are only 4 wires coming out of it. The issue is what to do with the two NMEA wires. I assume they will need to go into a PC via a serial plug (?). Serial plugs have 9 pins. . . so which pins to connect to?
     
    Peter Newman, Apr 16, 2017
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  6. Peter Newman

    Nuvi-Nebie Moderator

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    The serial connections are :-
    7 pin Garmin . . . . DB 9 female
    Pin 4 NMEA in <<< pin 3 (Txd)
    Pin 3 NMEA out >> pin 2 (Rxd)
    Pin 2 Ground - - - - - pin 5 Gnd)

    2017-06-05_09.57.56.jpg

    Also if your computer doesn't have a serial COM port, you can plug the 9 way D plug into a serial to USB converter
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2017
    Nuvi-Nebie, Apr 16, 2017
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  7. Peter Newman

    Javier C

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    Hope you still have the unit. I had the same problem and tried the wiring diagram to no avail. So I opened the unit and found the power and ground cable (red and black) were in other pin locations. I connected battery and ground and was able to retrieve my data.
     
    Javier C, Jun 4, 2017
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  8. Peter Newman

    Peter Newman

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    Thanks for the tip!
    Since last posting I have been in contact with Garmin Australia who have generously taken my GPS, downloaded the data, emailed two sets of files/data back to me and have posted back my old GPS to me. The data files they made for me can go onto an SD card for installation into a newer GPS model. Great Customer service Garmin Australia. I'll be in the market for a new Garmin shortly!
     
    Peter Newman, Jun 6, 2017
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