GSAK send to GPS issue

[+Dgwphotos]

I am using GSAK to send waypoints to the GPS and I have it set to send the name of the cache, type, and container size as part of the comments field. It then fills the rest of the comment field with spaces, which, after about 200 Wpts, fills the space the GPS reserves for messages. I'm using a Meridian Gold. How do I prevent this, because it causes problems with auto navigation such as not showing street names. I don't want to spend the time going through all the wpts removing the extra spaces.

[+PDOP's]

Some troubleshooting steps for problems downloading waypoints to your GPSr

 

If you need more help there are lots of friendly folks over at the GSAK support forums

[cliff_hanger]

I am using GSAK to send waypoints to the GPS and I have it set to send the name of the cache, type, and container size as part of the comments field. It then fills the rest of the comment field with spaces, which, after about 200 Wpts, fills the space the GPS reserves for messages. I'm using a Meridian Gold. How do I prevent this, because it causes problems with auto navigation such as not showing street names. I don't want to spend the time going through all the wpts removing the extra spaces.

 

The problem is not with GSAK. It's with the 200 waypoint limit on your Merigold. True, the Merigold actually has a 500 waypoint limit. But only the first 200 can have comments. And therein lies your problem.

 

When I was using my Merigold, I would send waypoints to the GPS SD card in blocks of about 100 per file. Use the GSAK filters to select about 100 waypoints and then export them to the Merigolds SD card using GSAK > File > Export > Magellan Explorist and SD card. Give your files unique names.

 

You can load or unload those files as necessary to keep under the 200 waypoint limit.

 

As an example, say you make four quadrants around your home: NE, NW, SE, SW - each containing about 100 waypoints. You could go caching to the North East of your home or the North West of your home, etc. Your SD card would have 4 files named NE, NW, SE, SW each containing 100 waypoints.

 

To load Waypoints from SD Card to Merigold internal memory

Menu > Card Utilities > enter > Load WP/Route > enter > (select waypoint file) > enter

 

To clear waypoints from Merigold internal memory

Menu > Setup > enter > Clear Memory > enter > Wpts/Routes > enter > Yes > enter

 

Try to load only the waypoints files you need. You would stay below the 200 waypoint limit and then your autoroute street names would show correctly

[+Nachtraaf]

I have written a blog article on this item: http://geocachingwithweedboer.blogspot.com...map-60-csx.html

 

I had the same problem, but found a solution. It might be usefull for you too.

 

Regards,

Hans

[+Dgwphotos]

I am using GSAK to send waypoints to the GPS and I have it set to send the name of the cache, type, and container size as part of the comments field. It then fills the rest of the comment field with spaces, which, after about 200 Wpts, fills the space the GPS reserves for messages. I'm using a Meridian Gold. How do I prevent this, because it causes problems with auto navigation such as not showing street names. I don't want to spend the time going through all the wpts removing the extra spaces.

 

The problem is not with GSAK. It's with the 200 waypoint limit on your Merigold. True, the Merigold actually has a 500 waypoint limit. But only the first 200 can have comments. And therein lies your problem.

 

When I was using my Merigold, I would send waypoints to the GPS SD card in blocks of about 100 per file. Use the GSAK filters to select about 100 waypoints and then export them to the Merigolds SD card using GSAK > File > Export > Magellan Explorist and SD card. Give your files unique names.

 

You can load or unload those files as necessary to keep under the 200 waypoint limit.

 

As an example, say you make four quadrants around your home: NE, NW, SE, SW - each containing about 100 waypoints. You could go caching to the North East of your home or the North West of your home, etc. Your SD card would have 4 files named NE, NW, SE, SW each containing 100 waypoints.

 

To load Waypoints from SD Card to Merigold internal memory

Menu > Card Utilities > enter > Load WP/Route > enter > (select waypoint file) > enter

 

To clear waypoints from Merigold internal memory

Menu > Setup > enter > Clear Memory > enter > Wpts/Routes > enter > Yes > enter

 

Try to load only the waypoints files you need. You would stay below the 200 waypoint limit and then your autoroute street names would show correctly

 

So you are storing them on the memory card, then loading them into the GPS's internal memory? Is that only limited by the size of the card?

[cliff_hanger]

 

So you are storing them on the memory card, then loading them into the GPS's internal memory? Is that only limited by the size of the card?

 

Yes to both. It's the internal memory that's limited. Even the maps don't get fully loaded into internal memory. The Merigold reads what it needs from the SD card in the case of maps. Unfortunately, that is not the case with waypoints and you have to manually load/unload them.

 

I used a 256 or 512 mB card with my Merigold. I know some folks used 1gB and I've heard some have used 2gB. Don't know what the max size card is. But, the waypoint files are simple comma deliminated text files and you can fit a LOT of them on a modestly sized card. It's the maps that take up card space.

 

The waypoint text files have no file extension and should be stored on the root of the card - not in a sub folder. Also, an individual file can have MANY waypoints, though I tried to keep each limited to about 100.

 

If you opened one of those waypoint files with notepad, you'd see something like these lines which represent two individual waypoints:

 

$PMGNWPL,4030.751,N,07620.792,W,0000000,M,501SHLTR,SHELTER,*14

$PMGNWPL,3519.457,N,08335.406,W,0000000,M,A RUFUSM,SHELTER,*16

 

They are shelters on the Appalachian Trail. Eventually, when you lean more about them, you can edit that text if desired and re-save your file.

[+Dgwphotos]

 

So you are storing them on the memory card, then loading them into the GPS's internal memory? Is that only limited by the size of the card?

 

Yes to both. It's the internal memory that's limited. Even the maps don't get fully loaded into internal memory. The Merigold reads what it needs from the SD card in the case of maps. Unfortunately, that is not the case with waypoints and you have to manually load/unload them.

 

I used a 256 or 512 mB card with my Merigold. I know some folks used 1gB and I've heard some have used 2gB. Don't know what the max size card is. But, the waypoint files are simple comma deliminated text files and you can fit a LOT of them on a modestly sized card. It's the maps that take up card space.

 

The waypoint text files have no file extension and should be stored on the root of the card - not in a sub folder. Also, an individual file can have MANY waypoints, though I tried to keep each limited to about 100.

 

If you opened one of those waypoint files with notepad, you'd see something like these lines which represent two individual waypoints:

 

$PMGNWPL,4030.751,N,07620.792,W,0000000,M,501SHLTR,SHELTER,*14

$PMGNWPL,3519.457,N,08335.406,W,0000000,M,A RUFUSM,SHELTER,*16

 

They are shelters on the Appalachian Trail. Eventually, when you lean more about them, you can edit that text if desired and re-save your file.

 

Hmm, I've been considering getting a 1 gig card mostly to hold a bigger map, though there is some possibility that I may be getting a new GPS soon, so I may not end up doing so. My current card is 64mb, which is filled mostly with maps. I'm strongly hoping to get a Garmin for my birthday or saving up to buy it myself.