HanVroon

Correction to my earlier post! This version is NOT OK. Has anyone taken a closer look at the elevation data yet? The total ascent and total descent fields are not calculated correctly anymore. The values are much smaller than reality and than the graph shows. The trip odometer value on the other hand increases more than reality. Seems very sensitive. If you move the device a little while standing still, the meters/feet are added rapidly. Regards, Han

I updated yesterday, no issues after the update. Besides the listed fixes the bug I reported a few months ago was also solved (restoring archived tracks on the device deleted waypoint files).

I recently upgraded from firmware 3.00 to 3.80 (and later 3.90). Now I see a strange behavior. Waypoint files are deleted from \Garmin\GPX when making favorite an archived track. I usually have a gpx file with just waypoints in the \Garmin\GPX folder. I have some gpx files with several tracks each in my \Garmin\GPX\Archive folder. I do my track and waypoint housekeeping with Mapsource and download files to the GPSMAP62 as needed. If I want to make an old track visible in Track manager, I choose it from the archives, select "Make Favorite" in the menu and then it moves to the \Garmin\GPX folder and I can do with it what I like (show on map for instance). The make favorite option actually restores the whole gpx file with all the tracks in it from the \Garmin\GPX\Archive folder to the \Garmin\GPX folder. So if there is more than one track in the file, all tracks get visible in the Track manager. That all worked fine with firmware versions 3.00 and before. Now, when I restore an archived gpx file, all the files with only waypoints in it in the \Garmin\GPX folder are gone. So practically I lose my waypoints while in the field. If just one dummy track is added to the file with all the waypoints, it is not deleted. I went back and forward with the firmware version, with 3.00 no problem, with 3.80 (or 3.90) files with just waypoints are deleted. I started with a fresh situation. Deleted the \GPX subfolder (it will be recreated), installed firmware 3.90. Then marked a waypoint (it will create a gpx file with just that waypoint), walked a minute or two, saved the track, then archived the track. The waypoint was still there. Then recalled the track from archive with "Make Favorite", and the waypoint was gone. I reported this to Garmin and they can't reproduce it... They suggest to return the device for further testing. I don't know what will happen then, I bought it in July 2010, so no warranty I suppose So, just before I agree with Garmin that my device is "broken", has anyone discovered this behavior yet, or am I really the only one? Thanks for any reply and regards, Han

You can go back to any firmware version you want. At the bottom of the following page under "Can I force an upgrade or downgrade to a particular release" the procedure is explained. http://garmingpsmap.wikispaces.com/Versions

Hi Andy, This topic is not about using the right options of the GPSMAP 62, just a call for action towards Garmin. There are a lot of posts regarding the battery indicator of the GPSMAP 62. It has been an issue from the beginning and it still is. It doesn't matter what batteries you use and what battery type you choose. I have tried both options and tried with several brands of recharchables and not recharchables and it doesn't matter, the same with other people that tested and posted their results. So, for anyone, if you would like Garmin to address the issue, let them know!

Hello all, Reporting bugs to Garmin seems to work as long as many people report the same issue. I wonder how that is with wishes, say improvements to the software for better usability. I understand that among thousand people there could be thousand different wishes for improvements which result in little chance that they will be taken serious by the developers. I hope this one is different: I never owned a GPSMAP 60 series device, but I know that it has a detailed reset screen where you can choose what to reset, not just all the counters at once. Personally I would like to reset just the max speed some time because it can be quite inaccurate after distance spikes in a track during low gps accuracy moments. Resetting the Odometer would be nice too. For anyone who has the same wish, please let Garmin know that "we" would very much appreciate more detailed Reset Trip Data options. There will be a time were they stop modifying the software at all... They should get thousands of mails, perhaps it helps.... Regards, Han

Hello to all, As an GPSMAP 62st owner since July last year, I've been waiting for some improvements like a more accurate battery indicator. (Showing 4 bars for 15 hours or more, then dropping down to zero bars within the next 90 minutes or so) Recently I lost my patience and reported it, as I believe many others must have done. I got the kind but not quite understandable answer that "Its not something that we are aware of". Now I got this answer from Garmin Europe in the UK, so there must be several support at garmin dot com departments... I suppose a lot of people would like to see this improved. Would it be an idea for as many people as possible to report this issue again, or has everybody already done that? Regards, Han

I went from 2.80 to 2.92 beta on January 4, now, on January 8, still a full battery (better said due to the battery indicator problem: still more than 90 minutes left:-). Switched the unit on several times for about 3 hours in total. I had another problem: I have changed the main menu icons order in the past, and that was gone. Had to restore my profile to get it back. reported that to the beta team.

Right, the battery indicator doesn't work well yet. I use Eneloop to. It stays on four bars for a long time, by the time you have three bars, it's time to have your spare batteries ready. It doesn't matter what battery type you choose in the setup. Quote from yogazoo post: "My guess is that they will fix the issue in future production runs, silently, without much adue. So for now, we live with squeaks." My idea. In a while I will open the unit and see if I can put something between the circuit card and the front cover. As I stated in my post #308, I read something on a German site. If you can read German, it might give you an idea: http://www.naviboard.de/vb/showthread.php?t=44745 It also has a link to some pictures. The poster also writes that he had contact with Garmin USA and got the reply that the problem is known (for sure, they must have got crazy from all the complains:-) and that Garmin wants to place some rubber in the unit. Suppose that will be the next production run, so we all have to do it ourselves. A tip for lesser squeaking: start using a fingernail to switch the unit on and off. The lesser you squeeze the case with your whole thumb, the lesser noise it makes. Thanks for the addresses.

In Europe the screw would be called a torx size 6 or tx6. Didn't open it yet, maybe Garmin will come up with an anti-squeak solution (wishful thinking?). Once you press the on-button firmly, the case squeaks. Then also the button presses can cause squeaking. Once you gently squeeze the unit front and back cover, the parts get into place again and the button press squeaks are over for a while, at least that's my experience. Can anyone still give me a good address for reporting to Garmin?

Hi Larry, I did some testing with Basecamp. I normally use Mapsource, but recenty installed Basecamp and a new Mapsource version along with Training Center on a test PC. First I used Send to on my waypoints file that is in the library and choose Removable device (the SD card). That created the \garmin\GPX structure on the SD card which I used for the first time for this practice. The transfer created a userdata.gpx file in the GPX subdir of the SD card. Disconnected the device and the waypoints were there. I made sure that I deleted my waypoints file in internal memory of the 62 first, so they must show because of the file on the SD card. Then I deleted the userdata.gpx file on the SD card, so no waypoints on the 62st anymore. I created a waypoint in Basecamp, hope I did it the same way you do, just find a location on the map near my house, New waypoint, change the name. Used Send to, Removable device (the SD card) on just that waypoint. A little userdata.gpx showed up in the \garmin\GPX folder again. Disconnected the 62st again and checked: it was on the map. It also was in the Waypoint list on the device. Just to check the behaviour. Does this proove that it is possible? I can imagine that it is not quite satisfying because it doesn't seem to work with you. I did not change any configuration settings in Basecamp yet, and my Map settings on the 62st are still default. I created the waypoint with just changing the name, did nothing with the default Symbol or Display mode. The Basecamp version is 3.0.5. Regards, Han

You can save Basecamp files as gpx files wih the export function. In the library pane you could choose Add new list to library. Then in the details pane left bottom select any waypoint or track and use the Send to function to add any waypoint or track to that new list in the library. They are copied, not moved. Several waypoints/tracks can be selected at once. The new list in the library can be exported as gpx (choose the file type) to a new file, that file can be transfered to the right location on the GPS with Windows Explorer (see above:-). @lalittle: It could be an idea to look with Windows Explorer to see where Basecamp puts the file if you use send to. The software might use the wrong directory on the sd card.

I got my 62st almost three weeks ago and have played with it a lot since then. Coming from an eTrex Summit, this is what I've been looking for. Signed up to talk about the 62. Like most of you I discovered the same things (squeaking, elevation spikes). Despite that, this is a great piece, highly configurable and good signal strength even in the woods. Being able to put old tracks on the device, recalling them from archive to saved and back without time/date values lost and showing them on the map wlile saved is really great. I would like to report some things to Garmin, and also do a few suggestions that I've got. I won't bother them with the things already mentioned often. Which address could I use? In the Netherlands there is only basic support, far from the engineers and developers that I want to reach (indirectly of course). Their Headquarters is located in the U.S. isn't it? Here are my two cents by the way of what I've found: - Squeaking I find it strange that people who got their unit replaced may finally get a unit that doesn't squeak. Mine started making noise after two days or so. I can't imagine that Garmin has addressed this already and did a modification before starting a second production batch. It seems to be caused not by the front and back cover rubbing against each other, but by the circuit card inside rubbing against the front cover. I've seen a German topic where someone put a piece of paper between the circuit card and the case and solved it. I will wait a while before opening the case, and do it when Garmin doesn't come up with something. Strange that they don't understand that we don't like a few hundred Dollars/Euros piece of equipment to sound like a cheap remote control! Of course it has no influence on the functionality the device was originally designed for, but I want to get rid of it. - Altimeter spikes I will wait for the official firmware upgrade and am curious. To solve a hardware problem (temporary case pressure increases while pressing buttons must be causing the spikes) with software must mean that they use something like resampling of pressure data from the sensor before it is recorded and shown. As is the same for the first issue, a top of the line product deserves a better case, like they do with camera's!!! - Odometer reset I haven't found a way to reset the odometer, which made me classify this field as useless. Even a reset to factory defaults didn't do the job. It made me find out how to restore settings though. The trick is to first activate a profile you don't use, then connect to the PC, then restore your favorite (and previously saved) profile. Than disconnect and activate your favorite profile again. If the unit is connected - though it only is in USB connected mode - it still seems to load the active profile. So after disconnecting the unit, that loaded profile is written back to internal storage, overwriting the profile you just restored. I now have an odometer with 13.0 km. The strange thing is that when I change units to statute, it says 94.5 miles. Very interesting conversion or am I stupid? - When I choose the elevation plot of a saved track, and go back in time, the date/time field shows FEB05 without time. If you do the same in the current track log, so just the main elevation plot page, it shows the correct date and time. If you press enter at some point, you'll see the map with the pointer on the location you were at that time. That is why I like it! - Battery level indicator At least with NiMH, the level indicator shows full, until less than an hour before they are empty. That can be done better. My old Summit was very precise on that. It doesn't matter what battery type you choose. - Find coordinates page You can choose up/down fields in that screen to decrease/increase a value, but they only work on the character fields, not the numbers. Maybe I misunderstood the purpose, of course there is nothing mentioned in the manual. My suggestions for improvements would be (if Garmin listens to customers like for example Canon does recently): - Add sorting options for waypoints and tracks in alphabetic order instead of only distance from current location. I usually know my waypoint names because of naming conventions, but I don't know if they are 10 or 20 miles away, this makes the list sort of random. - Odometer reset option added to the reset menu (or the GPSMAP 60 or 76 menu back which is even much better!). - Being able to choose all the elevation related fields in the Trip Computer, not just elevation and vertical speed, but also the ascent and descent fields. On the elevation plot page where you can choose them, only two fields are possible, so you would end up changing fields all the time. For the rest: it is an excellent start for a device to become a new geocaching icon" Sorry for this enormous post... anyone please mention an address to mail Garmin.