park2

Thanks Tripper! That was it. (I was down in the US for the past week and wasn't able to try your idea till just now. The suspense was killing me.)

Hmmm, what am I doing wrong...? I have the new Topo on my Vista but don't see any of the topo lines on the screen. The maps for the area are loaded, they're enabled, I have set to MOST detail, I installed v3.60 f/w and no difference, When I zoom out to the 5km setting the rivers show up as the screen redraws, but then they all disappear after a 1/4 second. When I zoom in the 3km setting, I see topo lines as the screen redraws, but then they all disappear after a 1/4 second. Thanks, Park2

If you want info about WAAS in Alberta, Canada, check out this page: PDOPS WAAS Page

Main Menu/System/then pop down the menu (button 2nd from top right corner)/Software Version

I've seen that exactly several times with my MAP76S and Vista. Same solution too.

Being an electronics geek, I'm just curious here... Does anyone know if the jamming is the 'traditional' type of jamming where you add RF into the area with a directional transmitting antena or do you think they would do it with the SA type software 'adjustments'?

On the eTrexs, the test / status screen is entered by holding in the click stick while powering up. The master reset is done by holding in two buttons at power up but I can't remember which two. (probably just as well)

With some (all?) versions of S&T you had to install the GPS routines as well on to your PC. 'Explore' the install disk and look for an executable that says something about GPS or a directory with similar name.

If you use Streets & Trips, you can go here GC Map data and download a csv file to import. It shows all of Canada and lets you click on it to bring up the cache page. S&T will do routes as well (but not easily upload them into your GPS)

It's actually about 170km N of Calgary, somewhat closer to Edmonton. I see exactly where that crosses the main N/S highway, right at the northbound 2A off-ramp between Lacombe & Ponoka. I'll be up that way in a few weeks, I'll check if no one else got there yet. Here's hopein' Park2

Maybe unshare that CD drive so the machine knows it is local?

I don't think so. I use S&T (2001) a lot and it doesn't export in any format known to any GPS nor does it communicate in anything other then NMEA (which it only 'listens' to). It only Saves As other S&T maps and web pages. You could make the route and manually create pushpins for every turn, but you couldn't automatically export them, just manually enter them. Maybe if you SaveAs a web page and save that to your Palm using Plucker or similar you could see the map. S&T does include a reader for Windoze CE, so that would get you more portable if you have a PocketPC. I haven't used it and it may or may not include the routes it creates into the pocket maps. Garmin MapSource does make & save routes and waypoints that can be uploaded into a Garmin GPS but doesn't do autorouting. Other manufacturers probably do as well but I'm not familiar with them. Park2

There are several bytes in NMEA strings that say if a position is valid. When running in simulator mode on my Garmin 76, they all identify the strings as invalid so S&T must watch these and not use invalid positions. I just tried it and found what you did. Perhaps the other brands don't show sim data as invalid. For example: $GPRMC,044756,V,5057.3311,N,11404.8204,W,54.0,0.0,170903,16.8,E,S*03 (SIM) $GPRMC,045106,A,5056.0894,N,11404.8692,W,0.0,0.0,170903,16.8,E,A*3A (REAL TIME) Field #2 shows A=valid/V=invalid. Good idea though, I've never tried that. Park2

http://www.ribtor.com In Calgary, C$12 for new shiney ones, they may have older beat up ones.

Close caches to Stanley Park are: Hobo Island by Ogganites GC1D95 Seeker's Cache by alt & matt GC3093 Mountain View by Cutarm GC9227 These coords should put you right in the middle of the park: N51 01.019 W114 04.166 Another nice area is around this cache EcoCache - Land Reclamation by 3jaze GCG436 Easy to get to, S on Deerfoot then West on Blackfoot (Ogden Road area) Have fun!

I have not used Delorme but have seen several comments here that suggest MS Streets & Trips has a much better data set for Canada (eh?). S&T does routing but does not have voice prompts, etc. I've used it for a couple years and am very happy with it. It also has MetroGuide type info for TO, Mtl, & Van. with restaurants, hotels, ATMs complete with phone numbers. Addresses are databased for most cities above 8,000 or so population & lookups are easy. Streets added in the last 3-5 years are generally not there though. But I have been very happy with (and amazed by) the cow trails that have made it into the database. PS I don't work for or sell MS

Quite happy, good maps, good screen, lotsa track memory, etc. Seems tough enough. Use alone and feeding PC with lighter/PC cord. There is a lot of screen by screen flexibility, there are so many menus to find, it'll keep you busy for weeks learning all the toys.

If you go for an external antenna, there is always this stylish & functional hat from another GPS manufacturer (I don't work for them, I just thought it was cool)

quote: Garmin set up nmea out That would be your problem there... Set to 'Garmin' in the main menu/setup/interface Have fun!

I remember looking at that and I thought it was the moon (of course if I just happened to be walking towards the moon that day I'm gonna be embaressed)

quote: but even with the electronic compass turned on I will still need to move some to get it to work and then Don't forget there is a timer setting in the menu somewhere that says how long the unit has to be stationary before the e-compass turns on. This is to save battery life when you stop for a few secs. If you set it to a shorter value, you may find it more useful.

The GPS support stuff is in a seperate directory on the S&T install disk. You have to run that install program seperately. When you do hook it up, don't forget to set your Legend interface to NMEA (not Garmin)

Only missing NF (and the 3 territories)

It ain't free though, The electronic compass does noticably decrease battery life. Park2

The tracks were probably set to 'Stop when full' and it got full Main Menu/Tracks Have Fun!