Discussion: Creating quick map for GPS for SAR purposes

Anyone aware of a relatively quick way to get a Google Earth image converted to a file that can be imported into GPS?
In the past I have used the method of georeferencing a map or an image file created from Google Earth using Image Overlay in Google Earth and then save the file as kmz and place it into the Custom Maps folder of the Garmin.
In terms of Search and Rescue by a mounted patrol, with patrol members being volunteers, in areas where smart phone/iphone coverage would not be good, if one wants to take along a GPS with a quickly loaded map or image in addition to taking a paper map (and lacking the presence of an orienteer ;), any thoughts or ideas what would work better?

I know OCAD 11 has the ability to save in a Garmin-readable format, used much as you describe as a kmz file. Apparently, kmz is raster, kml is vector. There are options for tiling of the raster file. I don't know which is faster---tiled or untiled. It probably depends on how big the map image is.

iirc, KMZ is simply a zipped up KML file.

This might be useful:

http://www.garmin.com/us/products/onthetrail/custo...

The Custom Maps free android app seems useful: Just clip out an image of less than 5 MPix, then load it on the cell phone and georef it using the built-in google maps interface.

Even without cell coverage, using Osmand or a saved Google Maps area would work pretty well I think?

Re cedarcreek: I've been using OCAD kmz export on all my surveying since I got v11, I also load a tiled map image when I'm going out to check or hang out controls:

If the GPS doesn't show me located within 10-15 m of the center of the circle, something is probably wrong.

@cedarcreek - the other assumption is they don't have access to OCAD, none of their members are orienteers. Looking at your link, that is the tutorial I had used to learn for the method I described. The reason I thought it was relatively slow is that you still need to scan a paper map if you have it.

@Terje - you have now challenged me to get a smart phone, as I need to actually be able to try this before using in a presentation ;) I guess it is more likely forthe mounted patrol volunteers to have and carry around smartphones and i-phones than any decent GPS units, but I may be wrong.

I'm thinking there has to be a way to do this in QGIS.

The problem is three steps:
1. You need the map as an image.
2. That image has to be georeferenced if it isn't already.
3. You need to convert the georeferenced image into kmz format.

OCAD 11 makes it easy because the map is usually already georeferenced, so you just need to export.

QGIS is free, but it's very intimidating at first.