Jump to content

segler999

Members
  • Posts

    149
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by segler999

  1. It's Navtek that's off, but only for certain features. GE and many other mapping apps get their georeferencing data from Navtek. The amount that's off varies, too. In eastern Oregon mountains the entire map georeference is off to the east by about 75' or so. I am hiking on a very sharp ridge top, but my gps track shows me way down the east slope. In western Washington, Forest Service roads to the north of Mt. Rainier are off to the east by about 250', but the GE images appear to be pretty close. I have done some recent hiking on logging roads that show up in GE. My gps tracks go right down the roads accrately, but the GE road overlays are off by that 250' feet too far to the east. All these sources are working pretty hard to get their georeferences as accurate as they can. As they get inputs from data in the field, their mapping products will continuously get more accurate. It will take a while.
  2. Why is any of this a surprise? From computers to vacuum cleaners to pickup trucks, as new models come onto the market, manufacturers and vendors mark down the prices of their older stuff, both to (1) respond to reduced consumer demand, and (2) to clean out inventory. The Oregon is Garmin's latest for the handheld market. No surprise that Colorado prices go down as a result. The Colorado has had some problems. Garmin and vendors reduce the Colorado prices to (1) make the problems more palatable to consumers, and (2) clean out the supply chain inventories of Colorados. My "old" 60Cx does what I need well enough to keep me from considering anything newer. I don't cache, I don't use it very much in the car. I use it with 24k Topo maps for hiking, and there is no other, or newer, gpsr out there that improves on the 60Cx for hiking. No, you don't really need the magnetic compass or barometric altimeter of the 60CSx. Just walk 20 feet to get the compass, and just get a good satellite fix with the sensitive Sirf receiver to get a good 3D altitude.
  3. No problem. But what you said was "On the 60csx, there is a limit of 20 tracks of 500 points each." The point I'm trying to make is that this is true only for saved tracks. Also, the saved tracks have truncated data within. I'm trying to point out that track logging need not be performed with saved tracks when you have all this virtually unlimited gpx capability with the uSD logging. Yes, the 60C(S)x makes using these a little harder since you have to enter mass storage mode and copy the files through USB to the PC.
  4. I agree that the Colorado makes it easier to view saved tracks. Yes, the 60C(S)x requires a computer and Mapsource to upload tracks for actual display. However, there is no limit to either the number of gpx files or to the number of points within a file when the active track is logged to the uSD card. At least until the card fills up. The display can be set to display a maximum of 10,000 points, but that limitation does not apply to the gpx files on the uSD card. I have logged gpx track files that contain hundreds of thousands of data points in one file. When the display gets to 10,000 it simply rolls over one point at a time. Meanwhile the uSD card merrily continues to add points to the gpx track log file with no limits. The 60C(S)x limitation of 20 x 500 applies only to "saved" tracks. It does not apply to the gpx active track log file that is continuously written to the uSD card.
  5. OK, so why even bother to "save" tracks? The 60C(S)x and, I presume, the Colorado, both log continuously ALL data points, with no limit of 10,000 points or whatever to the SD card in gpx format. With all data per point and no truncation. The active track log. Forever, or until you run out of SD memory. To get at the files you simply run the mass storage mode and copy across the usb cable to the PC or Mac. Yes, you have to turn on this logging feature in the memory part of the 60Cx menus. I keep mine turned on at all times in my 60Cx. The gpx files are readable by all mapping softwares that I am aware of (except MS S&T). I routinely graph my gpx track files in Delorme, MapSource, and Google Earth. Works fine.
  6. You said "The Colorado preserves the entire tracklog (i.e. no trackpoint removal) and all of the tracklog data (temp, elevation, fitness data) in the files that it archives either manually or automatically." If you turn the feature on in the menus the 60CSx also preserves the entire tracklog as a gpx file on the SD card if you turn the feature on. No trackpoint removal. I have the 60Cx and routinely log tracks to my SD card with no data removal. Only when you use the "Save tracklog" feature do you get truncated tracklogs. Why do this when the SD card will save all tracklogs as gpx files with no truncation?
  7. I need to make a small correction. bmirak said above: "All Garmin devices come with MapSource. It is provided on a CD called "Trip and Waypoint Manager" (why isn't it just called MapSource - who knows?) If the person you are buying from doesn't have this disk anymore, you can download MapSource for free from the Garmin website at this link." Neither my old blue Legend nor my 60Cx came with a CD. Most newer gps models do come with it, however. If you need the Mapsource-only CD separately, you can find it for sale at garmin.com or at vendors. I recall it was something like $26. No, you cannot just download the Mapsource, ver 6.13.7 now, and install it. Right there on their website for it, they say that you must already have a mapping product installed. The download is only an update. So, you can buy Mapsource separately, or buy Garmin mapping products. All Garmin mapping products have Mapsource included.
  8. I concur. The blue Legend does indeed accept maps. I load Topo USA maps to my Legend all the time. Yes, it has only 8 mb of internal memory, so you cannot add very much, but you can do it. Of course, the only way to link is through the Pfrank/RS-232 serial cable that fits to the Legend. Mapsource works fine with the Legend. Note that many computers and laptops these days do not have RS-232 serial ports. You can use a USB-to-serial adapter. Most, if not all, of those are built on a Prolific chipset. As you must for all USB devices, first install the driver, then reboot, then plug in the adapter. The driver will assign a com port which you can then invoke for other software. Even though the old blue Legend has a regular chipset, not one of the new ultrasensitive chipsets like Sirf or MTK, the Legend is still a reliable old workhorse. I use mine in an Aquapac on my arm to log tracks and display speed, distance, and max speed while windsurfing. On open water, there is no tree cover or deep canyons to reduce response. For on-land and in-car use, my 60Cx with its SirfIII does the job just fine.
  9. Google Earth successfully loads this file to show a location as a single point in Turlock, CA. Mapsource successfully loads the file and displays a cache in Turlock, CA. Delorme successfully loads the file and displays it as a waypoint in Turlock, CA. So, yes, I would say this file is in standard GPX format.
  10. I concur. I have a 60Cx. Do not EVER, EVER save tracks. Not necessary. Instead, just simply log all tracks to the card. It saves tracks in gpx format keeping all detailed data and with no limits on size. File names are based on the date. Easy to figure out. With today's microSD cards up to 2gb there is plenty of room for weeks and months worth of gpx files. Then, to recover the gpx files, connect the gpsr to a computer, put the gpsr into mass storage mode, and simply copy the files over.
  11. Since it is a Europe-based advertisement, it would help if the photo would show a location in, oh, Europe, rather than the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state.
  12. This issue of the segment count limit of 2025 for the 60/76C(S)x units has been discussed, and complained about, a lot over the past couple years. I am one of the complainers. So, OK, it's a been 9 months since I last bugged Garmin about this. And the Colorado has come out. I recently emailed tech support: "Do your new Colorado series, as well as your HCx series, have the same 2025 segment count limit that my 60Cx has?" They replied: "The Vista HCX does have the limitation, but the Colorado devices do not have the limitation." So, not wanting to give up just yet, I further asked: "Will Garmin issue a firmware update for the 60/76/C(S)x and HCx to remove or increase the limitation?" To which they replied: "At this point in time there is not a future software update to increase the 2025 map set limitation." So, there you have it. The Colorado is the new king of the handheld mountain, and update support for the 60/76C(S)x will taper off to zero. Too bad, since the 60/76C(S)x units are the ones that everybody loves and have no problems with. Right now, nothing out there from Garmin, Magellan, Delorme, or Lowrance is good enough to motivate me to replace my trusty 60Cx.
  13. Thanks. That sounds good. Garmin is a great company, and my 60Cx is the absolute cat's meow for how I use it. Don't want or need anything else, including the newer models. My workaround is to have a small collection of 512mb cards with different sections of TopoUSA on them. However, Garmin could sure make things nicer if they simply fixed the 2025 map segment count limitation.
  14. Tracklogs are just a series of datapoints. If you want to plot them onto maps, you have to get maps. Since you mention Garmin, the mapping software Garmin provides is Mapsource. Mapsource is included in all their mapping products, and it is available stand-alone as well. Besides Mapsource, you can plot tracklogs onto all other mapping softwares that accept Garmin files or gpx files. Such mapping products include Delorme and Google Earth (which is free).
  15. Hey guys, let's not get confused. The 2025 segment count limit has nothing to do with the memory size limit. When we talk about 2025 segment count limit, we mean that the gpsr can accept up to 2025 map segments, regardless of their individual or collective memory size. For example, for TopoUSA, the map segments are numerous and small. If you try to load up all the western states and you keep track of the segment count in Mapsource, you will find that you hit the 2025 segment count limit at about 375 mb of memory size on the uSD card. Therefore, if you are using TopoUSA for your maps, any uSD card bigger than about a 512mb is a waste of silicon. This is not true for the other mapping products that have fewer, and much larger, map segments. For the street maps, you can put the entire USA onto a 2gb card without hitting the 2025 map segment limit. We need Garmin to modify the firmware to accept more than 2025 map segments, or produce a Topo product with fewer and larger segments, like their street maps do.
  16. I am using the latest firmware for my 60Cx: 3.50. The only reference in the entire list of firmware updates is that the segment limit was increased to 2025 with firmware 2.60. This is the same for the 60Cx, 60CSx, 76Cx, and 76CSx. For all the firmware updates for the 60, 60C, 76, 76C, all the HC units, and HCx units, there is no statement at all about segment limits. So, they might be at 2025. Can't tell. Probably are, though. Same for Mapsource. No statement at all about segment count limit in any revisions. I did not check firmwares for any other Garmin units besides the mapping handhelds above. So, the evidence that I see is that the 2025 segment count limit still applies, at least for 60/76 C(S)x units.
  17. Extremecarver, you wrote: With newer firmware there simply is no more 2025map limit. Can you please document this? Which firmwares? For which gpsrs? Thanks.
  18. You know, there is a way to avoid all the teeth-cutting problems with the new Tritons, avoid the oft-stated customer service problems from Magellan, avoid the odometer-type problems with the HCx units, avoid the slow screen redraws with the PN-20, avoid the smallish installed base of the Lowrance and Bushnell units: simply spend a little more money and buy a 60Cx or 76Cx. Skip the S versions since the compass and barometer add complexity without adding more functionality than what 3D gps provides anyway for most of us. I have the 60Cx. It works. It simply works. For 2 years now my 60Cx has given me zero grief. Just search this forum. You don't see any complaints about the 60Cx or 76Cx. None. You don't need to do any more research. Skip the frustration, buy a 60Cx or 76Cx, and be done with it. You'll be glad you did.
  19. As for the track, if you setup the 60CSx to log (but not "save") tracks to the microSD card, ALL the information in the track, from end to end with no truncation, is logged. The file is saved as a standard gpx file by default. Then, just go into mass storage mode and copy the track file over to the PC. It You can then open the track file (gpx format) in Google Earth and plot it. Works well. I do this with my 60Cx, and old Legend, too, all the time.
  20. You are using Gstart, which is part of the Garmin Training Center. I would ask, how about using Mapsource to load the maps into the card with card reader, then check to see if the problem is still there. Maybe Gstart and Mapsource work differently. Also, since you use different mapping products, including Topo, and since you say you are loading 870mb of map data, is there any chance you are bumping up against the 2025 map segment count limit? Reason I ask this is that for Topo you hit the segment count limit at about 375mb on the card. Compared to the other mapping products, Topo has small segments, and lots of them. The other products have larger, and fewer, segments.
  21. Yes, you can indeed log your tracks to the memory card, if your 2610 supports it. I do this all the time with my 60Cx. There is a menu setting to enable this. Every time you turn on the unit, with track logging enabled, it begins to write the file to the card, and continues to write until you turn off the unit. The file is saved as a .gpx file. You can go into mass storage mode and copy the file to the computer. No need to worry about active tracklog versus saved tracklog, etc., with their inherent limitations. Just copy the .gpx file, which always contains all data. The size of the .gpx file is limited only by the size of the card. I don't know whether your 2610 supports this capability.
  22. Those numbers are a standard surveying convention. They are not coordinates. Instead, they are direction lines. N15 deg 23'50"W means that you stand at the respective corner on the property description and point your compass in a direction that is 15 deg 23'50" west of due north. Same for your other numbers. The convention is that north and south are the zero directions, then you swing west or east, respectively, from them, the amount of degrees-minutes-seconds specified. For example, N 90 deg W would be due west. This would be the same as S 90 deg W. So, no, you can't really use a gps unless your property description includes a lat-lon at one of the corners, or at a reference point. I have never seen a property description that does this. Instead, property descriptions are referenced against township sections or corners, which are all on-ground survey points and mapped as such. So, what you really need is a good compass and tape that lets you sight down your lines so that you can have an assistant mark the next corner while you sight the line. Make sure you know what your mag north declination is, too, since most property descriptions use true north. What you might want to to, however, is use a compass and tape to located your corners, then use a gps to record the lat-long of each corner. That adds new information that allows you find the corners more easily in the future. By the way, once you have all the corners on the ground, you can use your gps to determine the area of the property. Most gpsrs have this capability. Just start the area measurement function, walk to the first corner, zero it, then walk the entire periphery. Back at the the starting point, stop it. It will show you the area. Nice function.
  23. The Delorme PN-20 also uses a STMicroelectronics chipset receiver. Many comparisons show that it performs on par with the SirfIII. One nit with the PN-20 is that the screen redraws are slower than with the Garmin 60/76/Cx/CSx units.
  24. H88 on the Skyline Trail, Strawberry Wilderness, Oregon
  25. Here are some photos of the H88 benchmark. H88 Benchmark 4 GPSRs used to measure lat/lon/alt Looking north toward Rabbit Ears Looking south toward Mud Lake
×
×
  • Create New...