Adding a Range Circle to a Garmin

[Now at Zero Gravity]

Would it be possible to construct a range circle to show ranges on the map screen?

 

Example: An overlay is made that is a circle 1000 yards in diameter. The center of the overlay is located on my present position. When I go to the map screen, this circle appears and shows a circle 500 yards from my position. Additional circles are made for other ranges of interest.

 

Is this technologically possible? How would you do it?

 

Thanks!

NA0G

[+mpilchfamily]

I don't think any hand Held GPSr has that sort of feature. Maybe it could be done through custom icon. Since the scale on most units doesn't change how long it is as you zoom in or zoom out just the distance it represents. So you could make a single custom icon that has 2 or 3 circles around it spaced the same as the scale. Then the distance represented between you and the first circle and the first to the second would represent the same distance as the scale. Make since. Then its a question of weather your unit supports custom icons for where you are at. I know the Garmin Nuvi's can have custom icons downloaded into the unit so instead of an arrow you can have a truck or a boat or some other icon representing you on the map. Don't think many hand helds have that feature. Its also a question of what the max size of that icon can be.

Edited May 6, 2011 by mpilchfamily

[+Indotguy]

I don't think any hand Held GPSr has that sort of feature. Maybe it could be done through custom icon. Since the scale on most units doesn't change how long it is as you zoom in or zoom out just the distance it represents. So you could make a single custom icon that has 2 or 3 circles around it spaced the same as the scale. Then the distance represented between you and the first circle and the first to the second would represent the same distance as the scale. Make since. Then its a question of weather your unit supports custom icons for where you are at. I know the Garmin Nuvi's can have custom icons downloaded into the unit so instead of an arrow you can have a truck or a boat or some other icon representing you on the map. Don't think many hand helds have that feature. Its also a question of what the max size of that icon can be.

 

The Lowrance iFinder H20C had a Range Ring option. When enabled three range rings and their distance from the center would display on the map page. A very useful tool in my opinion.

[xyzee]

Next best, is using the Proximity feature tool, like in the 60 series. One can select yards or metric under Units. I got a tad closer to the "500" using converted meters, when measuring the circle on the Map Page's Measure Distance.

Thankful for the Calculator feature on the Menu Page!

[Now at Zero Gravity]

I don't think any hand Held GPSr has that sort of feature. Maybe it could be done through custom icon. Since the scale on most units doesn't change how long it is as you zoom in or zoom out just the distance it represents. So you could make a single custom icon that has 2 or 3 circles around it spaced the same as the scale. Then the distance represented between you and the first circle and the first to the second would represent the same distance as the scale. Make since. Then its a question of weather your unit supports custom icons for where you are at. I know the Garmin Nuvi's can have custom icons downloaded into the unit so instead of an arrow you can have a truck or a boat or some other icon representing you on the map. Don't think many hand helds have that feature. Its also a question of what the max size of that icon can be.

 

Darn right not many don't! Let's change that!

 

Anyone have experience hacking the big blue triangle on the 60/78 series?

 

(I have a long history with 60Cxxx and now the 62s.)

 

NA0G

[Now at Zero Gravity]

Next best, is using the Proximity feature tool, like in the 60 series. One can select yards or metric under Units. I got a tad closer to the "500" using converted meters, when measuring the circle on the Map Page's Measure Distance.

Thankful for the Calculator feature on the Menu Page!

 

I hadn't thought of that--maybe I can come up with some limited functionality this way. Play time.

 

The main idea here is range estimation with limited key strokes. Here's the map, I'm here and what I'm interested in is over there. Looking on the map, with no other key stokes, I can see by my range circles that it is between circle 3 and circle 4 and ta-da! I have a very close guess on the range instantly--you get the picture, because the picture is right there in your hand!

 

NA0G

[zulutime]

Would it be possible to construct a range circle to show ranges on the map screen?

 

Example: An overlay is made that is a circle 1000 yards in diameter. The center of the overlay is located on my present position. When I go to the map screen, this circle appears and shows a circle 500 yards from my position. Additional circles are made for other ranges of interest.

 

Is this technologically possible? How would you do it?

 

Thanks!

NA0G

 

You could do it on a Nuvi with a custom vehicle for the 2-D maps, but probably only one ring. The ring could not represent a fixed radius, but rather a fixed fraction (or multiple?) of the scale dimension.