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dogwalkers2

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Posts posted by dogwalkers2

  1. I've had great customer service with Garmin and poor with TomTom. Also, Garmin's maps are better and more up to date by a few years than TomTom's (i.e. TomTom's current maps are about equivalent to Garmin CN v.8 (the version before CN 2008).

     

    I have no clue about Magellan.

  2. This is what I use: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail....D=1211162368013

     

    Works great. It comes with a lanyard and carribeaner so you can clip it to the deck ties and tuck it under or leave on your spray skirt. You can also use it in the case, so no worries about dropping it while using your GPS. I'm sure it's available at other outdoor stores.

     

    The medium has the best fit for a Vista HCx - not too tight; the mini was OK for my old Legend, but it was a pretty tight fit and too small for the Vista HCx.

  3. I've got the rx5910 and use it in my car, but not for caching (I use a Vista HCx for non-auto use). However, it comes with Tomtom Navigator 6 software and the maps are out of date (on the order of Garmin's CityNav v8). I tried updating to the latest map and it turned out to be a downgrade, cutting th POI database into about 1/3 of what it was. Not happy with that...

     

    That being said, I have bought Garmin's Mobile XT on microSD (it comes with an SD adapter). It came with CN 2008, although I'm told that it may now come with 2009. I like the software much better than the Tomtom and the maps are up to date.

     

    Since Mobile XT takes up the SD slot in the 5910, I removed the Tomtom software and use the 2GB internal memory for the data that was on my SD card (also 2GB). Basically, just swapped the roles of the built in memory and the card.

     

    Other than that, it is a Windows Mobile 5 PDA and works great. Both the Tomtom and the Garmin software will access your Outlook contacts list and route to a contact for which you have an address.

  4. The USB Mass Storage Mode makes your GPS data card accessible, just like it was a USB key. It appears as a drive in "My Computer" Once you open the folder (or if it opens automatically, depending on how your computer is set up), you will have access to all of your logged track gpx's, with each file named according to the date it was logged.

     

    You can double click a file and it will open in MapSource. Alternatively, if you open MapSource, click File>Open, find your GPS "drive" and select the file you want.

  5. You can use the same MapSource to upload/download tracks, waypoints and routes to/from as many GPS as you want. So you and your husband will be able to have all that information the same.

     

    The only limitation is with the maps, as noted by DocDiTTo, with CN NT 2008. They will only transfer to your unit, unless you buy another unlock code. Some other maps don't have an unlock restriction.

  6. 6. Now, how can some correctional algorithm be designed to use one to correct the other and come up with predictions having a standard deviation lesser than either of the two measured.

    As I said before - the Kalman filter. Far too complicated to describe here. Google it and you'll get lots of math to explain what you ask, often in much more complicated situations than a simple one-dimensional (altitude) measurement. After a quick look, this link describes it fairly well, with a relatively easy to understand example: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~welch/media/pdf/maybeck_ch1.pdf See fig 1.6 for a good picture of the standard deviations...

     

    edit: julianh posted while I was looking up some stuff, but what he describes is kindof the way a Kalman filter works - a recursive algorithm.

  7. You're also limited to the 2025 map segments, so you wouldn't be able to fit all of Topo Canada on in anyway - it has 7316 map segments, including the high Arctic, 5408 of these are south of 60N.

     

    For what it's worth, to give you an idea of how much might fit for your combination, I've got all of CityNav NT 2008 (Canada and the US) and Topo Canada from about the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border to the East Coast, south of about 50N (55N in Manitoba), amounting to 1468 map segments and 1509.1 MB. This doesn't include Newfoundland. I could almost add as far west as Calgary/Edmonton from 49N to 55N and make it in under the 2025 segment limit. Newfoundland (not including Labrador) would add about another 200 segments.

  8. It's handy if you use a PDA and for travelling around on roads. The TomTom software is definitely no good for off road use. Get a proper handheld GPS for that.

     

    Also, although fairly useful for travelling in a vehicle, TomTom's North America map is out of date. There are some major routes in my area that have changed considerably in the last bunch of years - TomTom still has the old routes, while Garmin's CityNav 2008 has the updated routes.

     

    So, in short, if you are looking for PDA funcionality, coupled with a need for a GPS for on-road work, the rx5900 is good. If you want a PDA but will be working off-road - get a PDA plus a handheld GPS. If you only need the GPS, get something else (Nuvi for on-road, handheld for off-road).

  9. From Garmin's FAQ:

     

    Question: Why don't I see an elevation profile?

     

    Answer:

    There must be an active track log (not a saved track log or activated TracBack) to see the elevation profile. If the track log has been cleared, there will not be an elevation profile.

    Hope this helps.

  10. What is this memory used for and why would I need to purchase a data card? I will be using the unit for geocaching and general hiking and camping purposes. Additionally I will most likely purchase topo. Will this program require the use of a data card?

    The microSD card is used to store maps, POIs and can also be used to store daily track logs (although these can't be access by the GPS, only by your computer).

     

    Are there any other hidden fees that I will probably incur while setting up my gps unit making it ready for what I require?

    Nope. Unless you want to buy other accessories, such as a case, holster, mount, etc. But these aren't "hidden" fees.

     

    Does a GPS unit automatically display the grid coordinates of the particular location it is being used in? Or is this something that needs to be downloaded or set up in a menu?

    Not sure what you mean. It shows your position on a map, but also can display your lat/long or other coordintate.

     

    My buddy has a bushness onix 200 cr and when attempting to aquire a position it gives it in longitude and latitude. Is there a way to convert this to grid coordinates?

    It depends...what kind of "grid coordinates"? I know it will use MGRS and I believe it will use UTM and there may be others.

  11. Anything you buy nowadays will be good enough. Minimum RAM required is 32MB, so 512 won't be a problem.

     

    Here are the "official" minimum specs; they're not onerous by any stretch:

    IBM-compatible PC running Windows 2000 or Windows XP operating system; 32MB RAM minimum; between 300 MB and 1.5GB free hard disk space; CD-ROM drive; available serial port; 256 color display adapter and monitor (24 bit recommended); and mouse or other pointing device; PC Interface cable. Internet access is also recommended to make use of the unlock process.

     

    Edit in response to your edit (we were typing at the same time): If all you need it for is MapSource, that system will be no problems.

     

    Edit #2: I'd just make sure you update to the latest version of MapSource from Garmin after you install.

  12. I would love to know if WAAS makes a difference in real world Geocaching. I know it doesn't matter when looking for a road or a building, but finding a cache is not the same.

    It wouldn't make a bit of difference in the world of geocaching. A geocache's coordinates are only as good as when they are noted when the cache was placed. Even if your GPS had millimetre accuracy, it would still only get you as close as any standard GPS.

     

    The only time WAAS would make a difference is if it was used for both placement of the cache and finding of it. In the "world" of GPS, this would require the coordinates of all caches to be corrected...not very likely.

  13. My Garmin 60csx is great but the altimeter doesn't plot like it used to. If I switch it to barometic pressure it plots that but when I switch to altitude it doesn't plot. It still gives me the current altitude and max and min in the data fields if I want it to but it won't plot. Any suggestions?

    Perhaps this will help:

     

    Question: Why doesn't my Vista Cx, Rino 530, GPSMAP 60CSx or GPSMAP 76CSx display the elevation graph?

     

    Answer:

    In order to view the elevation profile, make sure that the Track Log function of the GPS is turned on. The Track Log is where the elevation profile data is gathered, so if it is not on the elevation graph will not be displayed.

  14. I have been mapping out a local park, the FSRs & trails, & xferrin them individually to google earth. I would like to sorta combine the tracks on my Vista HCX using the mapsource software, & have done so... .However when I load the combined tracks into the GPS, it truncates some of them. I assume this is due to the fact that there are too many points per track, so I need to break them up some more. I couldnt locate a definitive answer in the manual to tell me what themax # of points in a single track are. Can anyone assist me on this please?

     

    thanks!

     

    trav

    Garmin's FAQ sort of speaks to it when looking up a different point:

    A tracklog is a breadcrumb trail left behind you after a walk, so you can trace exact path you have walked. A tracklog contains track points and not waypoints.

     

    A tracklog is different to a saved track. A saved track is a track you have saved; this can contain a maximum of 250 trackpoints. A saved track is a representation of the active track and strips 5 out of every 6 trackpoints as well as other information.

     

    If you delete a Saved Track then this will not free up space in the Track log. The only way to free space is to clear the Track log. Alternatively you could use 'Wrap' so when the track log becomes full it continues tracking but erases the earliest track recorded.

     

    So it seems 10000 points on a tracklog and 250 on a saved track. Hope this helps.

  15. Okay i updated my software and now i see the join under right click. BUT when i select X and Y and hit the right button the join feature is not highlighted bold. There has got to be a way to join three separate tracks under one name without the end of one going to the beginning of the other (i get a long straight line between tracks-Beginning to end)

    I don't quite get what you are trying to do. By joining the tracks, you are making one track the continuation of the other.

     

    However, with respect to the right click join feature being greyed out, you also have the option of using the track tools in the button bar. The track join tool looks like a squiggly "S" with a plus sign in the middle. It will help you join two tracks from one end to the other (start to start, end to start, end to end, etc.). The other tools there will help you modify your tracks but cutting them up, modifying oindividual points, drawing new tracks, etc. In combination, they might help you do what you are trying.

  16. There are settings on the Vista HCx (and other units that have an electronic compass) that determine when the compass kicks in. At all other times the "compass" page actually uses the current direction as determined by subsequent position fixes instead and the compass itself isn't used.

     

    Go to Settings > Heading and look at the values for "Switch to compass heading when below" (enter a speed here below which the compass is used) and "for more than" that tells you how long you have to be travelling below that speed for it to take over.

     

    I have mine set to 3 km/h and 15 seconds, but I seem to remember the default value is much higher, which may mean that the compass is never used under normal walking conditions.

     

     

    How fast is 3km/h ?

    A little less than 2 mph.

  17. These erroneous peak speeds, I think, may have boosted the Average Speed a bit. The calculated Average Speed for 1.05 miles in 18:45 minutes is somewhat lower. I would be interested to hear if other people see this toggling effect in the speed, particularly on other GPSr models.

    Um...1.05 miles in 18 min 45 sec is an average speed of 3.36 mph. To one decimal place it's 3.4...exactly what you got. Peak speed is just a marker. Average speed (moving) will just take distance and divide by moving time, by definition.

  18. Replying to my own post here :grin:

     

    Anyway, after some extensive Googling, it would appear that on some Garmin GPS's (including the 60 series and the GPSmap 76 series) it's possible to completely disable the basemap which might be the answer to my problem. Does anyone have any idea if this is possible on the Vista HCx or it's siblings?

     

    Another option might be to edit the basemap somehow to fake a higher accuracy if I could get at it somehow.

    To disable the map, go to the map page, select menu>setup map, move the cursor over to information, press the menu button again and select either "show none" or "hide basemap". However, the "accuracy circle" still shows - about 20m radius when my GPS is showing an EPE of +/- 6m (30m at +/- 11m). It wouldn't surprise me if the "accuracy circle" is based on 95% probability, while the EPE is one-sigma, or some such thing. However, I can't yet find how to turn off the "accuracy circle' completely.

  19. The manual says that the circle around the location pointer is an indication of the accuracy of the location. In other words, the GPSr is reasonably sure one is located within that circle. This does not seem right to me because for example if I view the accuracy data field, it may say 15 foot, while the radius of the circle may measure 400 feet! Can anyone explain this (at least better than the manual)? Thanks!

    I've come across the same thing. On my old Venture you'd rarely even see the accuracy circle unless you were zoomed right in close, but on my new Vista HCx it's huge all the time. Even when I have a +/- 3m fix, it's still (comparing it with the scale on the bottom left hand corner) about 300m in diameter, i.e. about 10x what it should be.

     

    I asked the same question on Usenet and someone claimed that the size of the circle also reflected the accuracy of the underlying map (whatever that might mean) which in my case (since I'm in Ireland where there are effectively no maps available) is the basemap. Sounds like bullsh!t to me, TBH.

    It is indeed a combination of the accuracy of the receiver combined with the accuracy of the map. As found in the Garmin FAQ:

    Question: What is the circle around my position on the map?

     

    Answer:

    This is the "Accuracy Circle". This circle represents the approximate accuracy of the GPS position based on the Estimated Position Error (EPE) and the map data quality. The position of the GPS device on the map should be located somewhere within this circle. This feature can be turned on or off on the GPS device. Please refer to the owner's manual for instructions in doing this

    It makes sense, since if you have a low quality (accuracy) map, the position of the GPS, however accurate, may not reflect the position on the map. For instance If you had a position +/- 3m, say at a road intersection, if the map's position of the road intersection were out by a lot due to inaccuracy of the map, the GPS would not show you on that intersection. However, the "accuracy circle" should be big enough to encompass the intersection. If you had a more accurate map, the position shown by the GPS on the map would be closer to the intersection, and the "accuracy circle" would be smaller.

     

    With respect to the basemap, yes it is inaccurate, and your "accuracy circle" will be large. In another FAQ from Garmin:

    Question: Why is my position on the map screen not accurate?

     

    Answer:

    The basemap in your unit has been drawn from a map with a scale of 1:1,000,000. You can expect an accuracy of .25 miles (1,320 feet) from a map of this scale.

     

    Additionally, when you view your position on the GPS map page, you will notice that a circle displays around your current position. This circle shows the area you can expect your actual position to fall within. The less accuracy the unit has at the time, the larger the circle will be. The diameter of this circle considers both your GPS accuracy and the accuracy of the map to which you are trying to plot your position.

     

    City Navigator, which is a more detailed mapping program, has an accuracy of about 40 feet. Therefore, you would see a smaller circle around your actual position (assuming you have a good GPS position fix), than you would using a basemap.

    I don't understand why you say there are effectively no maps available to you in Ireland. According to the coverage area, both City Navigator Europe and Metro Guide Europe indicate that they have full, detailed coverage in Ireland. Maybe I'm missing something?

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