How near by is Nearest?

[+Sputnik 57]

When you press FIND on the 60C, etc., the unit defaults to "Find Nearest" of whatever type of symbol you have selected. The manual says "find nearest" shows the "nearby" waypoints. The "recent finds" list shows the 50 most recent finds. Somehow, forum discussions and the FAQ have confused the two notions, and as a result, the FAQ (incorrectly) says that selecting "Find Nearest" will list the nearest 50 wayponts. Anyone who has loaded 100 far-away caches and then pressed FIND knows that simply isn't true. If it were, the nearest 50 of the far-away caches should show up. Usually, none do.

 

The manual does say how near the waypoints need to be to be found. Has anyone tested this to see just how close the waypoint has to be to show up? Does it depend upon a map zoom setting or something else? What say you, Garmin users?

 

Edit: Based upon a single test, the magic number seems to be about 115 miles. I have about 700 caches loaded on my 60C, mostly in the Houston area. "Find Nearest" from home lists, you guessed it, the closest 50 caches. Running the cursor west as far as Luling, the caches listed finally starts to drop off. Far enough west, and the number drops to 5 or 6. The list shows "distance from cursor" as 115.xx miles. I can't get one to show from 116 miles. Map zoom level does not seem to have an impact. Can anyone replicate this?

Edited August 12, 2006 by Sputnik 57

[Neo_Geo]

I tried your experiment on my 60Cx and got up to 115.18 miles. The next waypoint which doesn't appear is 11 feet beyond that distance. For this test, I have 137 waypoints total, and 13 points showing in my nearest. 6 of the 13 nearest show a distance of 115.18 miles. I'm guessing that that 14th waypoint, which is 11 feet beyond the last one showing is 115.19 miles away.

Edited August 12, 2006 by Neo_Geo

[Hertzog]

I got the same for waypoints - 114.6+, but not 114.7. I also tried it for other FIND categories, first with "All POI" and then "Cities". I got it up to 619+ miles in both cases. This is with a 60CSx. With a 60CS I got to 405+ miles for All POI, but the Cities only went to 310+ miles.

[Grasscatcher]

Sputnik

There may be other factors to consider...

My GPSr is a Map76CS Mapsource Topo, and Metroguide 4.01 (and Basemap)

 

I have 232 Waypoints in my unit at present. Waypoints only...not POIs

Distance from my home varies from 0 to 192.96 miles

Waypoints-If I choose Find Nearest, the list shows only the closest 50 waypoints ,and #50 is only 19.94 miles away.

POI- Find Nearest list shows closest 50 and the max distance is 11.97 miles

Cities-Find Nearest list shows closest 43 and the max distance is 61.93 miles

Exits-Find Nearest list 200+(still going) and max distance 400+ miles(and still going) This is with Routable Americas Base Map

So.......maybe "nearest" depends on software installed as well as difference between units ?