drbugs
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Posts posted by drbugs
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When I was talking to a garmin tech support a couple of weeks ago, the person mentioned that he had heard something might be released this year, but didn't have any real details. Here's hoping!
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I remember reading along time ago about a program that can identify caches along a specific route. For example, I am going on a road trip from Chicago to New Mexico. I know what roads to take but I would like to map out the caches along these roads before I go. Does anyone know how this is done or remember reading this post in the past.
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Premium members have an option under the pocket queries to generate this info, using google maps. It works pretty well. I used it on trips about 700 miles.
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I called Garmin Customer support and asked if the new icons would be added to unit software updates. I was told that it is unlikely to happen. Normally such an update would be with a new product.
I encourage folks to go to the Garmin customer support page and e-mail Garmin asking that the new icons be added to a software update for units still being sold at retail. There are a lot of loyal Garmin customers out there that would appricate the update without buying a new unit.
Be nice
Here's what I just submitted (I do this about once a month)
Requests:
1. mapsource 6.12.0.2 Beta now has several icons for geocaching. Will there be a future update to the 60cx (and other) lines to allow these icons to be used for the cache types on the GPSr? This would be incredibly useful.
2. Request for a better geocaching mode. It would be great to have a geocaching mode that has better icons for different cache types, and actually be able to understand pocket queries from geocaching.com. Ideally all the information from the pocket query would be available (cache type, hints, history, notes, and previous 5 finder comments).
3. Use the external memory to allow this cache data to be stored. Ideally being able to create dirs to strucutre multiple cache types would be GREAT (ie I have a folder and/or a file(s) for work, home, etc).
4. Is there any hope of more recent topo maps?
5. Ability to upload tracklogs from garmin gps's to a garmin site to be used to generate maps. I expect that this can be mostly automated, as there are lots of good how-to's to do your own maps from tracklogs and USGS maps. Maybe offer it as a subscription service?
5. Easier method to toggle between CN8 and topo maps. I use my 60cx to navigate to the cache following roads, then I tell it to recalc and offroad once I've parked. Being able to select the topo map quickly would be nice. Also, an indication of which map is active would be really nice.
6. Three axis compass. I opted out of the CSX when I heard it was the standard 2 axis model. Based off the reports I've seen, this was a wise choice. I noticed that the Astro system has one. Is there plans on a 60csx replacement with a 3 axis compass? I don't need the dog tracking stuff.
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Would that work with the patch antenna and be meaningful? Based on 60Cx family, there's is quite a battery hit using the SiRF and/or quad helix, 32 vs 18 hours.A Venture Cx with the SiRF III chipset would get me pretty excited.Hermit
Our nuvi 350 is sirf with patch antenna. It has a built in LiOH battery, and it runs for about 4 or so hours. I'm not sure of the battery capacity, and it is a nice size screen.
I read on gpspassion.com something about the new garmin bluetooth receiver that indicates it may use the new sirf3 LT chipset, which is supposed to use about 50% of the power of the traditional sirf3 receiver.
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I had cs7 on my cx. When I got my wife a nuvi350 that came with a 8NT upgrade, they were good enough to give me an unlock code for the CX. For the most part I can't tell a difference. It is slightly slower but that can be just my perception.
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I have looked but don't see any on the garmin site
I registered the software and it didn't tell me of any
there are roads that have been in my town for at least 10 years that don't show up on the Topo maps
is this normal, other than that I love it
Thanks
I emailed garmin about that, and was told that there are no plans to do so. I wish that it was possible to send the national geographic topo maps to the unit, but from what I've read, you can only send waypoints. bummer.
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I had a similer problem over the thanksgiving break, on a long drive from St. Louis to Minneapolis. It just happened once (and we were using the GPS constantly). I was driving, and was starting to look for nearest food when the screen just faded to black. I powered it up, and it was fine.
60cx using the garmin power cord. Not sure what is up, or if it is worth notifiying garmin. I'm a little fuzzy this morning, so I can't remember if the 2.90 upgrade came out before the holiday or not .
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I did the update with webupdater, and when I look at the unit software versions (menu->setup->system->Menu->Software VersioN) it lists the GPS SW Version as 0.21. What does it list for others?
I've also downloaded it and ran the installer. Same thing.
Software Version 3.00 and GPS SW Version 2.90 in my Garmin Map 60 CSx
Ok, now this is bizzare. I just turned it off, then back on, and it now lists it as SW version 2.90. wierd.
Tx for confirming the data for me!
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I did the update with webupdater, and when I look at the unit software versions (menu->setup->system->Menu->Software VersioN) it lists the GPS SW Version as 0.21. What does it list for others?
I've also downloaded it and ran the installer. Same thing.
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I just sent garmin a request for a lot of these features. I think this is my third time. Doesn't hurt to let them know what people want. I got the standard reply about forwarding to engineering. Here's hoping!
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Mac compatibility: Mac versions of MapSource, updaters, etc.
Might as well wish for native linux support for all of this too.
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...Very nice, but not probable:
provide a site at garmin.com (or some such thing) to allow people to upload tracklogs. Process these tracklogs and add it to topo maps, and offer it as a cheap subscription service. Maybe allow people to add comments and stuff on the maps. Kinda like a wikipedia approach to maps.
Probably easy enough to do, except for the topo part. One could set up such a service with some Google Maps hacking and photo tagging for the info. Sorta a tracklog blog interfaced into Google Maps.
Acutally if you have the topo maps, it's a pretty straight forward process (tedious, but not rocket science) to roll your own maps. I've done it, following the directions from various posts here (and external sites). I debated trying to do a webapp to do just this, but I'm 95 pecent linux, and the software listed is windows. It just wasn't worth my time to run the various apps in an emulation environment, or three tier it.
Now that I think about it, you can use the usgs maps that are free for download to create trailmaps too. I'm pretty sure I've seen that mentioned here.
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Easier way to toggle maps on unit (topo vs CS/CN). currently have to menu->setup, navigate to the maps option, then menu->hide/show.
Use of the transflash to store waypoints in seperate files and seperate dirs (like the explorists).
gpsr support of pocket queries for geocaching (support putting the cache details, hints, finder comments on the gpsr).
option when autorouting, to show all food/fuel/etc in order of distance, or only stuff that I haven't passed yet.
Not unit related.
More up to date topo maps.
Very nice, but not probable:
provide a site at garmin.com (or some such thing) to allow people to upload tracklogs. Process these tracklogs and add it to topo maps, and offer it as a cheap subscription service. Maybe allow people to add comments and stuff on the maps. Kinda like a wikipedia approach to maps.
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Has anyone tried the web updater? I don't have a cable at work so I can't try it.
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You could always download vmware server for free, and run windows in that....
http://www.vmware.com/products/server/
then you've got windows only when you want it!
Another alternative to VMWare is QEMU
http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/
I just got done building QEMU (with KQEMU acceleration), so if I get a chance this weekend, I'll try building a windoze vm and run mapsource, see how it works. I don't know if I'm gonna have time though.
KQEMU is a binary only accelerator that improves runtime speed. There is an opensource alternate, but I don't remember it at off the top of my head.
If you use gentoo, just emerge -vp qemu (make sure you have the kqemu use flag enabled to get the binary only accelerator).
I plan on one day trying all the opensource linux native stuff listed here. It's really cool to see things like this.
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Another minor issue I have with the nav on the handhelds is if you select find->food (or gas) it will return stuff that is closest to you, but some of them you may have just passed.
I'm not sure, but it seems that the car nav units don't have this issue. Other than that, I 100 percent agree with puddlewalkers.
My wife has used the gps a bit recently for autonav, and she is warning me that she is now addicted to it. Looks like I'm gonna have to buy a car unit now if I want to keep my 60cx.
;->
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I had misplaced (read lost) my city select 7 dvd. I emailed garmin, asking how much to buy a new replacement, but didn't have the serial number, etc. They ended up mailing me a new dvd for cs7 for free with no hassles. what a great support organization.
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FTA:
Newswise — Members of Cornell's Global Positioning System (GPS) Laboratory have cracked the so-called pseudo random number (PRN) codes of Europe's first global navigation satellite, despite efforts to keep the codes secret. That means free access for consumers who use navigation devices -- including handheld receivers and systems installed in vehicles -- that need PRNs to listen to satellites.
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I still have it open in a browser.
Interesting fix history
Changes made from version 2.50 to 2.60:
* Updated WAAS almanacs.
* Further improved tunnel reacquisition.
Changes made from version 2.40 to 2.50:
* Improve tunnel reacquisition problem.
Changes made from version 2.30 to 2.40:
* Changes to support manufacturing.
Changes made from version 2.20 to 2.30:
* Improved velocity filtering.
Changes made from version 2.10 to 2.20:
* Changes to support manufacturing.
Changes made from version 2.00 to 2.10:
* Improved latency.
EDIT: Formatting.
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another possible issue is the hardware/firmware surrounding the sirf3 receiver. GPSPassion had a review of some sirf3 chipped receivers, and one of the was actually not very good (compared to the other sirf3 based receivers). Just because it has a sirf3 receiver doens't guarntee great reception.
;->
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I had a week with it in minneapolis (#35) in the SW, on my 60cx. When I was in california, it read sat 47 almanac, then 35 showed up in the sw. I got solid bars on 35 and 47, with 'D's on all the others, but when I got back home it was in the SE, hollow bar. I'm pretty confident in the fall when the go online with the new system my cx will be fine. FWIW, I still get insanely low EPE's, my best (in the open) being 7 foot. I average 12-20 foot under light-medium cover, where I'm not so sure I'd get waas.
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For whatever reason, yesterday I received signal from two wass sats while out on a lake kayaking. I have been is this area alot lately in clear blue unobstructed skys with no wass signal. Even when I went into tree covered areas and then into my truck I maintained contact with wass sats. My GPS showed the wass sats were both in the western sky.
Any ideas why there could be such an improvement.
Interesting. I notice you're in NY too. Do you remember what the satellite numbers were? I might try to get out at lunch and bake the unit. I'm in the midwest, so I've seen 35, but it is in the southeast (except for one week).
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wow. I had no issues with CS7 and topo maps. good luck dood.
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Yes, really impressive.
However, the Google Mapping Features (Geocaching Network KML) is no longer displaying the right icons. When you view Caches it displays all types of caches (traditional, letter, multi, ...) with the same standard pin.
Is this a bug or a feature?
See Screenshot attached.
I was able to duplicate this too.
Garmin WILL NOT let you keep unlock codes!
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
Hi,
I have a 60cx, which I bought with CS7. I eneded up getting a nuvi 350 for my wife (she kept taking my 60cx), and it came with CS7, but a free upgrade to NT8. I asked the garmin rep if I could get NT8 codes for my 60cx, and they zapped me codes without any questions, so I have NT8 on 2 garmin units. YMMV.
Randy