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Grasscatcher

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Everything posted by Grasscatcher

  1. Sorry 'bout that if it sounded harsh. It wasn't meant to be harsh, it was meant to cause you (and others)to THINK.....like.... why would I want my GPS to DISPLAY useless (to it) information if I can use it's present capabilities to easily determine that info.....for whatever unknown reason. My point was that it took 25 posts to get the answer......and I hope that this doesn't sound harsh again, but you still didn't "get" the solution......it is not as you described. What about if your location is on "the other side" of the 0 declination line? Would you still subtract True from Magnetic? This is NOT difficult.....it is purely the DIFFERENCE between the numbers and your GPS will show you whether you should add or subtract from True. Just look at the (true)bearing to any saved waypoint in your unit.....now, change the unit's setting to magnetic, and look at the bearing to the same waypoint. Did it increase.... or did it decrease ....and by how much....
  2. If you are out in the field with only your GPS and your compass it should take less than maybe two minutes to determine the declination with your GPS to put on your compass. It ONLY took 25 "posts" in another nearby "declination" thread for someone to finally "get it". For some of the "answerers" ......When you turn your GPS on ......turn your brain on also, or learn to use a GPS yourself before answering .
  3. No, His "Guessing accuracy" needs better calibration.......
  4. Yes, I'm very sure that it wasn't just a "one in a row" for the 78. After MUCH experimentation on multiple trips and based on results comparison here's how the three are carried. 76CSx -carried vertical, inside the pack , close to the top center. 78S- carried in a GPS Outfitters case on outside on top of pack. It is laying partially flat face up. 550- carried in GPS Outfitter case (inserted face out) attached high up on a shoulder strap of the back pack which also lays it partially flat. Hiking in canyons, I carry it on the shoulder "away" from the closest canyon wall. In that position, my head blocks some of the "reflected" signals bouncing off the closest canyon wall, which reduces the bad signals without affecting the good ones. If the trail changes sides in the canyon, then the 550 GPS position is also changed to the the other shoulder. Really skinny slot canyons ?? Nothing works...........
  5. you always like to contradict yourself? the 550 is not a problem to read any time of day, even with sunglasses Quote the entire post not just selected portions taken out of context. There is no contradiction......the problem is when using the camera, at which time the user CAN'T tilt.turn,rotate, etc. and also, in answer to another post above, there are many times when taking a pic that the user cannot move their head or ? enough to eliminate the glare or improve visibility.
  6. @WH, Definitely the Oregon has greatly improved over time. The lost file that I mentioned above very visibly showed the progression from no WAAS thru v 2.6 and subsequent updates to present. I sent several comparison track files (76CSx,550 at the time) to Garmin and they (support) called with questions, so they must have been actually looking at the results.
  7. What he said X2.... I got a 78S very shortly after Rich did and have been pleasantly surprise from the get go. I have a 76CSx , a 550, and a 78S and map a lot of trails I never thought that the Quad Helix could be beat, but actual "on the ground" results have proven that opinion incorrect. It's probably more sensitive, but also more susceptible to multipath error as well as erroneous points logged while stopped. I recently lost (HD crash and simultaneous Ext HD failure) a track file that had 13 copies of the exact same single track trail done with multiple GPSs, on multiple days, X ant or not, sometimes carrying as many as 3 GPSs at once. That file clearly showed the unit differences and suggested what needed to be done differently to improve track quality. Of the three units mentioned above, all carried simultaneously, the "as logged" tracklog of the 78 will require the least editing to accurately represent the actual path.....that pretty well says it all.
  8. To the original poster...... Anyone that says that the Oregon 550 is not difficult to read in bright sunlight is factually incorrect! I have a Map76CSx, an Oregon 550 and a Map 78S.....so I can compare all three. Here's where the main difference is....the camera, and there is no need to get a 550 unless you want the camera.(if you don't need the camera get a 450) No, the 550 doesn't yield "portrait quality" pics but the ones that it does take are very good and they are automatically geo-tagged with location. Much better than having to tote and drag out a second camera for every pic. All 3 unit's screens are visible in bright sunlight but the user must sometimes tilt, turn, or rotate to eliminate glare on the screen on any/all of the units, but mostly the 550. However, if you are trying to take a picture of a specific object, whether close or far away, the camera must be pointed AT that object....DUH. That means that you sometimes CAN'T tilt, turn, rotate the unit to see the screen to frame the pic. Quite often that means the user must just "point and hope" because the image on screen is absolutely and totally impossible to see. NOT just hard or difficult to see, totally invisible due to the glare....the screen might as well be a brick. That being said, pixels are cheap, so the user can take/retake several and discard the unwanted ones. Go to a store that has both and see for yourself.
  9. To help put things in perspective....with all the empty "complaints" about size and weight.... 60--2.4 X 6.1 X 1.3--7.5 oz Mont--2.9 X 5.7 X 1.4-- 10.2oz LI vs 11.7oz AA The Montana is still shorter than the prohibitive "Past Favorite" 60 series, 1/2" wider and 1/10" thicker and as far as weight for carrying while hiking.....you could lose 10X the weight differential in the area immediately behind your belt buckle and be way ahead net weight wise.
  10. Here's my combination..... Maps from GPS File Depot Old MapSource (ONLY)for sending mapsets to GPS (IMHO Basecamp is a PITA) Best digital maps for printing are NG TOPO! either State Series or Trails illustrated ....NOT "Topo Explorer" which is totally worthless. I use Expert GPS for all data conversions and editing, uploading / downloading Waypoints, Tracks, and Routes. Topo Fusion Pro is good also and has some later Aerial Photos. Unfortunately, there is not one single program that does everything "best"
  11. Isn't the obvious answer the camera on the Oregon 550?
  12. AndyT1, I understand what you're saying and what you want.....but I also don't fully understand what's happening, kinda baffling. Look in the Oregon Wiki under Tracks and T15, might help. Are you close to the overall 10,000 pt limit(internal memory)? That's the only reason I can think of that the unit would create multiple archive files for the same date if you have it set for daily archiving. (Wiki explains very well). It starts creating archive files of "approx" 1 mb each. Your "current" file being 9000+ qualifies for "being close" to the internal memory, so that's probably what's happening. Logging 1 per second is very unforgiving and unefficient...if you can possibly change to "auto" and either "more often" or "most often", that would help. On very intricate curvy paths the unit will automatically log up to, and including 1/sec, but when traveling straight, it will reduce the number of points logged (doesn't take as many points to describe a straight line)....just more efficient, without losing path accuracy. All that being said, I'm afraid that you will be stuck with stitching multiple files (when you get more than (close to)10,000 points in a single track.
  13. AndyT1, As Myotis says, on your 450 it should not limit you. On some slightly older units, (76CSx is one) that limit could be set under setup/map. For track logging, I keep my 550 set this way... Track Log-Record,show on map, Record method-Auto, Interval-Most often (or More often),Auto Archive- Daily Archive files will be complete data and kept by a date name. If you run out of battery juice and keep traveling and then stop and put new ones in , the unit will show a "gap " in the track......so just watch your meter and when it gets down to one bar for a while, stop, change batteries, turn unit back on to re-aquire, then start traveling again. No need to "save" or make other settings changes. All the data will be in the same archive file for that date. "Play" with your unit on short practice hikes/trips before you go out to log important data on a trip that might be hard to replicate. Turn it off and restart, change batteries mid track, change logging methods,change logging intervals (makes a difference depending on method/speed of traveling), etc.....do all this while "practicing" so you'll know what the results will be before it becomes important.
  14. Northern P, Go back and re-read all the posts and you can make your own list of statements that are absolutely false. Here's just a few...... Myotis corrected one that was made earlier but it keeps being brought up. The user DOES NOT "Save" tracks to the card. The user has a choice to set the unit to "Log tracks to card". That causes the unit (all hand held "x" models, and Oregons,and 62 and 78 models)to log trackpoints to the SD card along with ALL data including elev. The user can only "save" a track to internal memory. And yes,in that action, some older models dropped elevation and some other data as well as reducing the number of trackpoints to whatever Qty that specific model "allowed" per track.(500 tp on my 76CSx) But Note....if the user's unit was set to "log to card", the data logged there (on the card) is "complete". Even on the older "before "x" models",or "pre SD card" models, all the data was available to the user. They just would have to use the "active log" version of a track instead of a "saved" version. In light of the statements above, re read your own last post and you will see that your own statement "when archiving to card" is incorrect and misleading. Also note that "archiving" only became available on the newer models..... AndtT1's 7:36 post is correct except for the statement about "depending on how full the tracklog is at the time...." ...............the criteria for whether or not the number of points is reduced is whether or not the allowable number of "points per track" (for that model of GPS) has been exceeded. Note that on the newer models,(Oregons,62,78) the user cannot even log tracks to the SD card. Tracks are only logged to internal memory and ALL THE DATA is retained. The user can transfer tracks to the card and the unit can access them from the card but you can't transfer them back to the card from within the unit. Also note that the 3000 points limit in a track that AndyT1 mentioned,... that is a user defined setting in his unit......if he wants more....then he should set it for more.
  15. First of all, this entire thread (not just the above post) has so much MISINFORMATION in it that it should be closed......for reasons of confusion. Information is being furnished as "Facts" when,in fact, it is TOTAL BS. Fizzymagic, your above information is grossly misleading and entirely incorrect. Very BOGUS information! I have logged /mapped literally thousands of miles of hiking, ATV,Snowmobile,4WD roads, etc trails and ALWAYS retain elevation data throughout the process. I presently have a 76CSx, an Oregon 550, and a Map 78S....all Garmins. There are too many errors and misstatements for me to to try to correct in a post. Please learn how to use a GPS before making statements like yours above.
  16. Don't gripe....just think about it logically.....where could a more qualified team be found with a greater variation in opinions, methods, and capabilities ?
  17. Look at the model gps the OP is working with and I believe that what you suggested will not work. All tracks would have to be converted to gdb format then sent to GPS from Mapsource. ( forget GPX files for that model)
  18. Google "GPS Outfitters". They have one to fit the 60 (62)/76(78) series and another to fit the Oregon/Dakota series.....with extra storage for batteries/accessories. When I read all the horror stories of dropped and damaged GPS units, and complaints of batteries dying in the field without spares....I just smile.
  19. Use Garmin Training center Go to Help, Index, Heart rate..... etc Looks like you have to set up your profile first....with several baseline data levels.
  20. I've got an Oregon 550 and also a 78S.....updated both with latest versions (3.42 on Oregon and 2.92 on 78S) and both have exactly the same problem. Both re-acquired sats one at a time, then started looking for WAAS sat #31....(should have been 46,or 48,or 51 in my area W Colo). Units finally gave up looking for WAAS and show no "Ds" Both units see exactly the same (# and qty) sats and last sat is #30. NOTE: Disregard...both units had reset to Normal instead of WAAS. All OK now.
  21. Ver 4.32 on a 550 in Western Colorado is still screwed up............ Started looking for sat 31 instead of 46 or 48 or 51 ...unit finally gave up and now has no WAAS or "Ds" Both units(see below) see exactly the same sats and end with #3o Same on a 78S with new 2.92
  22. The only "skinned" mark on a 76CSx that I have came from a similar "descent" when my "4WD" " (both hands and both feet) momentarily failed. Other than that time, the cord lanyard has been the perfect "insurance" policy.
  23. The "implied" subject that I needed enlightened on is "Is there really a problem with battery life /quality/etc. or is it just in peoples imagination?" Maybe it's the desire / fixation to use only the absolutely latest and greatest (in perception only). Since my 20 Eneloops have lasted since approximately 2006-2007 in multiple pieces of equipment, my "problem" has been non-existent since then. i.e "If it ain't broke, I can't fix it. What more can a battery do than satisfactorily run a piece of equipment for a user? I'm happy, the equipment is happy....end of story.
  24. Maybe someone can enlighten me......I apparently don't speak "battery problem" language. When Eneloop batteries first came out, I bought (8). After about a year, since those were working so well, I bought 12 more plus a MAHA 9000 charger. I carry a set of regular alkaline batteries for spares in each GPS case. Those spares have not even been installed in ANYTHING .......EVER ..... for more than 30 minutes use, maybe at the end of a day, then get put back into "backup roll". Those 20 Eneloops power (3) GPS (76CSx,550,78S), 2 HAM handheld radios, and (1) handheld Scanner that are in DAILY use. NEVER have I ever been without battery power in the field for even one minute! The spares have been carried around so long that the writing is about worn off the outside, but they still check full charge. I recharge overnight when I accumulate 8 or more "low" units, recondition occasionally as required. When did Eneloops come out? I don't remember......, but it was long enough ago that I've forgotten exactly when, and know that I haven't had to buy other batteries since.
  25. Is there a difference in ver # software between older SIRF chipset and the new Mediatek ?
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