Errant Random Tracking With Garmin Legend

[JRybicki]

What is going on with my new Garmin Legend? I have owned the unit about a week.

Today I fired the unit up at about noon and went to the state land exploring. I turned the tracking on before I left home.

When I returned and downloaded my tracks and waypoints I noticed several tracks showing up on MapSource Topo( version 3.02 ) that were very strange. These tracks show as straight-line tracks running for several hundred miles. The details show the tracks occurring at speeds of 1000 to 5000 mph and at elevations ranging from 800 ft to 5000 ft. The starting or ending points don't seem to be related to any geographical features. Two of the bigger tracks cross at the waypoint I designated as my starting point. Others are short random tracks located around the state miles from where I was and seem to be not associated with the other tracks. These tracks occurred during today’s outing and some occurred within a minute or two of each other though not all as consecutive events. Is there a chance my movement both on foot and in my vehicle through the woods caused errors reading the satellites resulting in the random tracks being recorded? I understand the tracking gaps are often caused by thick foliage canopy such as large Oak trees, but to have random tracks occur during an outing? Has anybody else experienced this phenomenon? No I don't use drugs or believe in the supernatural but this has me wondering if I should start. I am new to GPS and am wondering if there is a possibility I did something to create those effects such as movement during the acquisition of the satellites at start up? Is there some buggy software from Garmin doing this? Are these GPS units flawed?When I reread this posting I realize it sounds crazy but this is a serious inquiry. Any ideas or is this just a freak random event?

[+Cymbaline]

Chalk it up to "occasional freaky behavior".

 

I've seen speeds of 200+ mph on my units when navigating turns... or, when in the woods, suddenly be transported miles from where I'm at and then back again when disappearing behind a ridge and reapppear in a different spot.

 

It happens now and then. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Neo_Geo]

Check out "Anyone Get Very Strange Gps Readings Today?, Mine was 1100 miles from where I was!!!!". Mine showed me traveling through Canada at over 1,000 MPH when I was actually standing on the street corner in Washington, DC.

[+briansnat]

I've seen this happen on rare occasions. Not log ago I was watching my 60CS draw tracks all over creation while I was standing still. It said I had walked hundreds of miles when in fact I only walked about one.

 

With another unit, I turned it on and it told me I was somewhere in West Virginia but I was pretty sure I was standing in New Jersey. It took close to 20 minutes before it reported my correct position.

 

I have no idea why this happens, but I guess its one of those fluky things that happens from time to time. Maybe sunspot activity playing with the radion waves, or who knows what else.

Edited November 14, 2005 by briansnat

[+BlueDeuce]

Not saying this is why you are seeing it, but I see those long straight lines when I have shut down the gps, traveled and turned it back on. The track simply thinks you traveled instantly to where ever you are now, it connects the track if you save off more than one days worth of traveling. Or on and off time.

Edited November 14, 2005 by BlueDeuce