Garmin Raster Maps (KMZ/JNX)

JNX files are used in Garmin devices to show the raster maps available via BirdsEye service subscription. In the devices, these files reside in Garmin\BirdsEye folder on the internal disk or the memory card. JNX is so called tile format, i.e. a large raster map is divided into smaller rectangular pieces (tiles) to speedup the map rendering.

This format is supported by the following Garmin devices:

Astro 320, Colorado 300/400, Dakota 10/20, Edge 800, Etrex 20/30, GPSMAP 62/78, Montana 600/650, Oregon 200/300/400/450/550, Rino 610/650/655.

In the same devices, you can also use raster maps in Google Earth format (KMZ) - "Custom Maps". Global Mapper v14.0 can save loaded data to Garmin JNX format files using the GPS menu item to send raster maps to a connected Garmin device. You can also load JNX format files in v14.0 and later.

The Export Garmin Raster Maps command allows the user to export any loaded raster, vector, and elevation grid data sets to a Garmin Raster Map file.

When selected, the command displays the Garmin Raster Export Options dialog which allows the user to setup the export. The dialog consists of a General options panel which allows the user to set up the pixel spacing, a Tiling panel, and an Export Bounds panel which allows the user to set up the portion of the loaded data they wish to export.

Format Updates

Below is a summary of updates to Garmin KMZ/JNX format support

Version Description
22.0 Added support for batch converting to the Garmin JNX format. [Item #GM-11334]
18.0 Updated Garmin JNX export to fill the right and bottom JNX tiles all the way to the tile edge rather than cropping at the specified export bounds. [Item #17424]
15.2 Updated Garmin JNX export to include the Product ID everywhere it is needed in the output file so that BaseCamp can activate it properly.
14.0 Added support for importing and exporting Garmin JNX format data sets. This allows much larger data sets (like imagery) to be exported to compatible Garmin devices which already have a Garmin BirdsEye subscription than the officially supported KMZ format. This option is part of the existing GPS menu [Item to send raster maps to a Garmin device and also as part of the list of raster formats from the File->Export->Raster menu command.