Updating Garmin GPSMAP 76c

[markpj23]

Have my 'old' reliable 76c handheld and want to update it. Garmin website says that the 76c is a serial device and Windows 10 does not support it's connection via USB.


Anyone know of a workaround for this?

 

[fgarriso]

I haven't looked for one a while back. I would try to find a serial to Usb adapter on the internet or Amazon>

I just now checked Amazon and they have several.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I don't know about updates to the 76c via USB on Windows 10. But I often use the 76c to send lat long to Windows 10 via USB. Coastal Explorer and OpenCPN.

 

[markpj23]

I don't know about updates to the 76c via USB on Windows 10. But I often use the 76c to send lat long to Windows 10 via USB. Coastal Explorer and OpenCPN.

My intended use exactly. I think the Garmin site is misleading... will investigate further.

 

[markpj23]

Well, it looks like my trusty Gpsmap 76C is not supported on Windows 10....

"Product.Support@garmin.com

10:32 AM (8 minutes ago)

to me

Hello Mark,

Happy to help, per the information here: Installing the Latest Software Updates to Your Legacy Outdoor Handheld

Serial port devices can also be updated using WebUpdater, but they are not compatible with Windows 10 or Mac computers. They also require cables and cable drivers that we no longer have or support."


Has anyone found a way around this?

 

[Portage_Bay]

Some of the Garmin 76C series handheld use a round multipin connector. Some also use a mini USB. If yours uses only the round miltipin connector you'll need to connect to Win 10 via a serial to USB device.

When you say you need to update the unit are you talking about charts or the unit's software?

In post #4 you indicated using the unit only to send lat long to your plotter. If so no update should be necessary. It's a matter of configuring the GPS and plotter to communicate.

 

[markpj23]

Some of the Garmin 76C series handheld use a round multipin connector. Some also use a mini USB. If yours uses only the round miltipin connector you'll need to connect to Win 10 via a serial to USB device.

When you say you need to update the unit are you talking about charts or the unit's software?

In post #4 you indicated using the unit only to send lat long to your plotter. If so no update should be necessary. It's a matter of configuring the GPS and plotter to communicate.

I have the mini USB connection also. Problem is that I can't get the laptop to install drivers and / or recognize the device on a USB port. Don't really care if I can update the 76C software - I just want to use it as positional (GPS) input to OpenCPN

 

[danderer]

Seems to me just buying a gps puck would be a cost/time-efficient solution.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I have the mini USB connection also. Problem is that I can't get the laptop to install drivers and / or recognize the device on a USB port. Don't really care if I can update the 76C software - I just want to use it as positional (GPS) input to OpenCPN

i haven't had to install drivers to handle the 76C series in recent versions of Windows. It just happens when I first plug it in. What plotter software are you using? It is most likely a 76C / plotter configuration issue. You may have already done this but check the easy things first. Is the 76C output NMEA or Garmin? Is the plotter input configured for NMEA or Garmin? It it configured for NMEA 0183? One workaround if you can't figure it out is to downlad a trial copy of Rose Point's Coastal Explorer. Of the software based plotters running under Windows that I've used CE's ability to find nav device input and automagically configure it is the most powerful and easiest to use.

Danderer is right on one level. A GPS puc would be inexpensive and easy. But you loose something when you do that, a marine hardened unit with independent power supply for backup. To accomplish that I export important waypoints and routes from my PC to the 76C. Carry a few critical paper charts and you're good to go when it all hits the fan. It won't happen often, just three times in my experience, but when it did I was very happy to be ready to handle it.

 

[markpj23]

i haven't had to install drivers to handle the 76C series in recent versions of Windows. It just happens when I first plug it in. What plotter software are you using? It is most likely a 76C / plotter configuration issue. You may have already done this but check the easy things first. Is the 76C output NMEA or Garmin? Is the plotter input configured for NMEA or Garmin? It it configured for NMEA 0183? One workaround if you can't figure it out is to downlad a trial copy of Rose Point's Coastal Explorer. Of the software based plotters running under Windows that I've used CE's ability to find nav device input and automagically configure it is the most powerful and easiest to use.

Danderer is right on one level. A GPS puc would be inexpensive and easy. But you loose something when you do that, a marine hardened unit with independent power supply for backup. To accomplish that I export important waypoints and routes from my PC to the 76C. Carry a few critical paper charts and you're good to go when it all hits the fan. It won't happen often, just three times in my experience, but when it did I was very happy to be ready to handle it.

The basic problem is Windows 10 not recognizing a serial device connected to the USB port. Windows adds the 76c to "Other Connected Devices" and shows an unknown device. I tried to manually point it to the driver but it does not recognize a USB driver as applicable to a serial device.


Way too hard to save a 12 year old handheld GPS.... guess I'll consider I got my $$ worth from it and buy the new 86sc

 

[Portage_Bay]

The basic problem is Windows 10 not recognizing a serial device connected to the USB port. Windows adds the 76c to "Other Connected Devices" and shows an unknown device. I tried to manually point it to the driver but it does not recognize a USB driver as applicable to a serial device.


Way too hard to save a 12 year old handheld GPS.... guess I'll consider I got my $$ worth from it and buy the new 86sc

Way too hard to save a 12 year old handheld GPS.... guess I'll consider I got my $$ worth from it and buy the new 86sc

12 yrs is good service. Maybe head over to www.thehulltruth.com There are some people on there who are very knowledgable in electronics.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I have a 76Cx which may be different from yours. I got back to the boat today. Fired up the Garmin and Coastal explorer. No Joy. Same with OpenCPN. I restarted everything and tried again this time paying more attention to error messages. CE when it declared it could not find NMEA 0183 devices said something about USB conflicts. That rang a bell from long ago, perhaps as far back as Win XP that the mouse had to be the last thing connected. It was all hard wired then, no WiFi or Bluetooth. So I pulled the Logitec USB connector out and both CE and OpenCPN now find the 76.

Out of curiosity I went into Device Manager to look at USB port drivers to see if I could find something to help you. On my Win 10 setup Garmin has it's own Device Manager heading.

See the screen shots and note the name, path and date of the driver. If you don't have that driver I can try emailing it to you. I don't know if it can be installed that way, I'm far from a Windows techie. I may have the Garmin disc that came with the 76. I can dig through old stuff and see if I can locate it

The basic problem is Windows 10 not recognizing a serial device connected to the USB port. Windows adds the 76c to "Other Connected Devices" and shows an unknown device. I tried to manually point it to the driver but it does not recognize a USB driver as applicable to a serial device.


Way too hard to save a 12 year old handheld GPS.... guess I'll consider I got my $$ worth from it and buy the new 86sc

 

[Portage_Bay]

Regarding my previous post #12. I'm home now and brought the 76 with me to try on the home laptop. It didn't require the mouse being disconnected it just fired up and worked as it always had. Same driver as on the boat's laptop. Both Win 10, both Dells. The boat laptop is older by several years.

Hope all this helps

 

[markpj23]

I have a 76Cx which may be different from yours. I got back to the boat today. Fired up the Garmin and Coastal explorer. No Joy. Same with OpenCPN. I restarted everything and tried again this time paying more attention to error messages. CE when it declared it could not find NMEA 0183 devices said something about USB conflicts. That rang a bell from long ago, perhaps as far back as Win XP that the mouse had to be the last thing connected. It was all hard wired then, no WiFi or Bluetooth. So I pulled the Logitec USB connector out and both CE and OpenCPN now find the 76.

Out of curiosity I went into Device Manager to look at USB port drivers to see if I could find something to help you. On my Win 10 setup Garmin has it's own Device Manager heading.

See the screen shots and note the name, path and date of the driver. If you don't have that driver I can try emailing it to you. I don't know if it can be installed that way, I'm far from a Windows techie. I may have the Garmin disc that came with the 76. I can dig through old stuff and see if I can locate it

Many thanks for your investigation of this. I have thrown in the towel and ordered a bluetooth GPS puck that will connect to 5 or fewer devices. Plan to have a primary and backup OpenCPN laptop for use in route planning. My old 76 will be a standalone track recorder and dinghy GPS.


Again - my sincere thanks!

 

[Portage_Bay]

Many thanks for your investigation of this. I have thrown in the towel and ordered a bluetooth GPS puck that will connect to 5 or fewer devices. Plan to have a primary and backup OpenCPN laptop for use in route planning. My old 76 will be a standalone track recorder and dinghy GPS.


Again - my sincere thanks!

You're welcome. Happy to hear you found a good solution for your needs.