Uploading GPX tracks

[Hardman]

Hi there

 

Can someone help answer my question. I have a basic Garmin Etrex unit. It has no mapping software and only gives bread crumb tracks, but for me its great. I use it for geocaching and finding my way back after my daughter and I trail ride great distances through the bush.

 

My daughter and I are planning to ride out in BC this summer on various ATV trails (we are dirt bikers). Other ATV riders who have ridden there have provided GPX tracks for uploading into GPS units.

 

My question is if I upload the GPX track into my GPS unit, does my Etrex unit know where to start and where the end point is?

 

Some of these tracks are a loop and another one is in the shape of a "Y".

 

Would very much appreciate if someone can help me out with this.

 

Thanks

Hardman java script:emoticon('',%20'smid_4')

[Bob Morphew]

You need to open the GPX file in Mapsource and then you can transfer the tracks to your Etrex. There are MANY Etrex models and the specs may vary, but when I had an Etrex Legend I could transfer up to 20 tracks to the GPS. Each track can have a maximum of 500 points so any larger tracks need to be "filtered" to 500 maximum (use Track Properties/Filter).

 

When the track is displayed on the GPS there is no directional imnformation - you need to use "Routes" for that. You could make routes on your PC using the tracks in the GPX file but it's probably easier just to display the track and then watch the screen to "follow" the trail. The basic (yellow) Ettrex only allows one route, whereas most other Etrex allow 20 routes.

 

Bob

[Hardman]

Hello Bob

 

Thanks for your answer.

 

I have checked my Etrex and it is capable of handling up to 20 routes. I guess if what you say is true, that there is no starting point or end point when uploading the routes, than I assume I can mark a waypoint from where I start on the route and always return to that point in the route to find my way back.

 

I hope this is right.

 

Hardman

[Bob Morphew]

Not sure if we are talking about the same thing regarding routes and tracks. The basic Etrex (the yellow one) only handles one route (route = a series of waypoints) but seems to handle several tracks (track = series of "breadcrumbs" recorded while moving).

 

A route ALWAYS contains directional information as the waypoints are navigated to in the pre-set sequence.

 

A track has directional information while it's still in the GPS internal memory as the Active Log because every "breadcrumb" point has a time stamp. That's how you can do a TrackBack. Once the track is Saved, it loses the timestamps so there's no directional information - it's just a line.

 

If you are saying you can load 20 tracks and add waypoints at the start to navigate to, then I'd agree.

 

Bob

[Hardman]

Hi Bob

 

Thanks for the information and yes you are correct.

 

My Etrex only allows one route and up to 20 tracks.

 

Now if I upload a GPX track, mark a waypoint at the place where I start in the track, I'm assuming that I can select "Goto" on my Etrex and return back to that waypoint.

 

Is that correct?

 

These trails out in the BC mountains are very long and winding and I want to make sure my daughter and I can come back to the same point we started from on that GPX track which I uploaded.

 

Thanks

Hardman

Edited February 4, 2010 by Hardman

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

A waypoint will give you a straight line to it. But you should be able to see the track on the screen too. I'm assuming it has trackback mode, for following the track, but that has always seemed so awkward to me that I don't use it.