Configuring my Garmin 62S for geotagging?

[Sgt_Strider]

What are the best settings to use to optimize my Garmin 62S for geotagging purposes? I intend to bring my unit along with me for vacation. I want it to record every single second if possible. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

What are the best settings to use to optimize my Garmin 62S for geotagging purposes? I intend to bring my unit along with me for vacation. I want it to record every single second if possible. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Setup > Tracks > Recording Method > Time and then set it to one second on the Recording Interval.

[seldom_sn]

What are the best settings to use to optimize my Garmin 62S for geotagging purposes? I intend to bring my unit along with me for vacation. I want it to record every single second if possible. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Assuming you want to geotag photos, precise setting of the camera clock is necessary. Make sure the time and time zone are set correctly. A good check is to take a photograph of the date and time page of your 62s. Comparing the time in the photo with the time stamp for the photo will give you an accurate time offset. You can then synchronize the photos with GPicSync or Geosetter. Geosetter has more options.

[+EScout]

Good tips above.

In the settings for Tracks, you might want to set it to Auto Archive Daily if you are traveling long distances daily.

If you are traveling across many time zones, you might want to set your camera's time to UTC, time and date. Track logs record in UTC, so you will not have to remember the offset in the tagging program you use.

[+Red90]

You can then synchronize the photos with GPicSync or Geosetter. Geosetter has more options.

 

Or Garmin's Basecamp.

[seldom_sn]

You can then synchronize the photos with GPicSync or Geosetter. Geosetter has more options.

 

Or Garmin's Basecamp.

BaseCamp is handy for jpegs, and shows the tagged photos right on the map, but Geosetter also tags RAW file formats.

[Sgt_Strider]

Good tips above.

In the settings for Tracks, you might want to set it to Auto Archive Daily if you are traveling long distances daily.

If you are traveling across many time zones, you might want to set your camera's time to UTC, time and date. Track logs record in UTC, so you will not have to remember the offset in the tagging program you use.

 

What does that do? I'll be covering 5 countries in 17 days.

[Sgt_Strider]

I'm also very new to the 62S' interface. How can I check if my track log is saved to the microSD card that I put in there?

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

I'm also very new to the 62S' interface. How can I check if my track log is saved to the microSD card that I put in there?

 

You can't save tracks to the sd card. But the 62S has lots of room on the main unit for tracks. The 62/78 series is not the same as a 60/76CSx, with no memory on the unit itself so it's not really important to save to the SD card.

Edited April 3, 2012 by Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide

[Sgt_Strider]

Whoa? How much space is there for the Garmin 62S then? Will it save as much information as my old 60CSX did? I remember reading that the tracks saved to the 60CSX doesn't save all of the points and or information. if I wanted everything, then I have to use external storage.

 

What about the 62S? Is there anything for me to check to ensure the quality of the tracks match and or exceed my old 60CSX?

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

Whoa? How much space is there for the Garmin 62S then? Will it save as much information as my old 60CSX did? I remember reading that the tracks saved to the 60CSX doesn't save all of the points and or information. if I wanted everything, then I have to use external storage.

 

What about the 62S? Is there anything for me to check to ensure the quality of the tracks match and or exceed my old 60CSX?

 

The 62S has 1.7 gigabytes onboard. Tracks on the 62/78/Oregon/Montana series are all far more detailed than on the 60/76 series. These same gps units can easily be configured to automatically archive tracks each day, if you so choose.

 

The 62S has these track specs: 10,000 points, 200 saved tracks

 

The 60Cx has these: 10,000 points, 20 saved tracks

Edited April 3, 2012 by Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide

[Sgt_Strider]

That's awesome information! How do I get it to auto archive on a daily basis? Will it split the days base on UTC timing and date?

 

What does auto archive mean exactly just so that I know we're on the same page?

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

That's awesome information! How do I get it to auto archive on a daily basis? Will it split the days base on UTC timing and date?

 

What does auto archive mean exactly just so that I know we're on the same page?

 

Press Menu/Menu/Setup/Tracks/Auto Archive and choose "When Full, Daily or Weekly". This saves a copy of the current track into a folder on the unit itself. Not sure what the timing of the track will be but I think it's a complete track archive to the time you start the unit that day. And the file name has date and time info in it.

[+EScout]

Good tips above.

In the settings for Tracks, you might want to set it to Auto Archive Daily if you are traveling long distances daily.

If you are traveling across many time zones, you might want to set your camera's time to UTC, time and date. Track logs record in UTC, so you will not have to remember the offset in the tagging program you use.

 

What does that do? I'll be covering 5 countries in 17 days.

It will break up your track into daily pieces. You may want to geotag your photos by the day's travel and embed them into the track log in a KML file. Depending on how many time zones you travel through, you might want to set your GPSr to UTC especially if you are near Europe. Use the Western Europe time zone with no Daylight savings time for UTC. Then you can use your GPSr time to sync your camera's time.

 

For your track log interval, I would not use one second. It is not necessary and will make the logs too big. Use Auto, Most Often. Try it before you leave. And if you are new to tagging, use GPicSync. It works well and is much simpler.

Edited April 4, 2012 by EScout

[Sgt_Strider]

Good tips above.

In the settings for Tracks, you might want to set it to Auto Archive Daily if you are traveling long distances daily.

If you are traveling across many time zones, you might want to set your camera's time to UTC, time and date. Track logs record in UTC, so you will not have to remember the offset in the tagging program you use.

 

What does that do? I'll be covering 5 countries in 17 days.

It will break up your track into daily pieces. You may want to geotag your photos by the day's travel and embed them into the track log in a KML file. Depending on how many time zones you travel through, you might want to set your GPSr to UTC especially if you are near Europe. Use the Western Europe time zone with no Daylight savings time for UTC. Then you can use your GPSr time to sync your camera's time.

 

For your track log interval, I would not use one second. It is not necessary and will make the logs too big. Use Auto, Most Often. Try it before you leave. And if you are new to tagging, use GPicSync. It works well and is much simpler.

 

Storage space is cheap these days so I'm not worried. I'm still somewhat confused by this. Fortunately I brought my Garmin 60CSX with me so I used that. I just couldn't rely exclusively on the 62S while I was still learning the device.

 

Let's put it like this, can you tell me how to setup my 62S to be like my 60CSX? I want the tracklog to track every single second and to create new tracks on a daily basis. I do setup my camera to UTC time to make the matching process much easier.

 

After this is all said and done, how do I transfer the tracks from my 62S to the PC?

[Sgt_Strider]

bump!

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

Good tips above.

In the settings for Tracks, you might want to set it to Auto Archive Daily if you are traveling long distances daily.

If you are traveling across many time zones, you might want to set your camera's time to UTC, time and date. Track logs record in UTC, so you will not have to remember the offset in the tagging program you use.

 

What does that do? I'll be covering 5 countries in 17 days.

It will break up your track into daily pieces. You may want to geotag your photos by the day's travel and embed them into the track log in a KML file. Depending on how many time zones you travel through, you might want to set your GPSr to UTC especially if you are near Europe. Use the Western Europe time zone with no Daylight savings time for UTC. Then you can use your GPSr time to sync your camera's time.

 

For your track log interval, I would not use one second. It is not necessary and will make the logs too big. Use Auto, Most Often. Try it before you leave. And if you are new to tagging, use GPicSync. It works well and is much simpler.

 

Storage space is cheap these days so I'm not worried. I'm still somewhat confused by this. Fortunately I brought my Garmin 60CSX with me so I used that. I just couldn't rely exclusively on the 62S while I was still learning the device.

 

Let's put it like this, can you tell me how to setup my 62S to be like my 60CSX? I want the tracklog to track every single second and to create new tracks on a daily basis. I do setup my camera to UTC time to make the matching process much easier.

 

After this is all said and done, how do I transfer the tracks from my 62S to the PC?

 

If you want to setup your 62 like your 60, go to Setup/Profile Change and choose "Classic". That gives you the 60 style screens.

 

While you can set up tracking to record every second, it's not usually a good idea. I suggest you set the following: Setup/Tracks, Record Method "Auto", Recording Interval "Normal" and Auto Archive to "Daily".

Edited May 29, 2012 by Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide

[Sgt_Strider]

Good tips above.

In the settings for Tracks, you might want to set it to Auto Archive Daily if you are traveling long distances daily.

If you are traveling across many time zones, you might want to set your camera's time to UTC, time and date. Track logs record in UTC, so you will not have to remember the offset in the tagging program you use.

 

What does that do? I'll be covering 5 countries in 17 days.

It will break up your track into daily pieces. You may want to geotag your photos by the day's travel and embed them into the track log in a KML file. Depending on how many time zones you travel through, you might want to set your GPSr to UTC especially if you are near Europe. Use the Western Europe time zone with no Daylight savings time for UTC. Then you can use your GPSr time to sync your camera's time.

 

For your track log interval, I would not use one second. It is not necessary and will make the logs too big. Use Auto, Most Often. Try it before you leave. And if you are new to tagging, use GPicSync. It works well and is much simpler.

 

Storage space is cheap these days so I'm not worried. I'm still somewhat confused by this. Fortunately I brought my Garmin 60CSX with me so I used that. I just couldn't rely exclusively on the 62S while I was still learning the device.

 

Let's put it like this, can you tell me how to setup my 62S to be like my 60CSX? I want the tracklog to track every single second and to create new tracks on a daily basis. I do setup my camera to UTC time to make the matching process much easier.

 

After this is all said and done, how do I transfer the tracks from my 62S to the PC?

 

If you want to setup your 62 like your 60, go to Setup/Profile Change and choose "Classic". That gives you the 60 style screens.

 

While you can set up tracking to record every second, it's not usually a good idea. I suggest you set the following: Setup/Tracks, Record Method "Auto", Recording Interval "Normal" and Auto Archive to "Daily".

 

Why is it not a good idea?

 

Also how do I transfer the .gpx files to my PC?

[yuesir]

If you want to setup your 62 like your 60, go to Setup/Profile Change and choose "Classic". That gives you the 60 style screens.

[Sgt_Strider]

Sorry for bumping this old thread, but it doesn't seem like one of my last questions are answered. I've had this GPS for almost a year now, but I always find myself using the 60CSX due to the fact that I'm familiar with it. I want to make the 62S my main unit for my upcoming trip.

 

Besides the fact that the GPX filesizes increases if I were to set it to record at every second, what other negatives are there? Is there any way to get the gps to record to an external memory card?

 

How do I transfer the GPX files from the unit to my PC?

 

Thanks again for the help!

[Sgt_Strider]

I don't believe you can get the GPS to record to the card, but equally track files don't take up much space so IMO it won't be a problem.

 

To copy them to your PC either hook up your GPS to your PC and run Basecamp, then copy them from the GPS into 'My collection' or simply use Windows Explorer to copy the GPX files. The advantage of using Basecamp is that you can then also use Basecamp to view them.

 

Should you wish though you can easily view your tracks in Google Earth ... just drag and drop the GPX files into Google Earth.

 

Thank you so much for responding to my post.

 

Here's another thing that I don't quite understand and I'm hoping you can address it for me. It seems like the gps coordinates are split into tracks and I'm guessing that's because there were too many for it to handle. Is it possible for me to sort the coordinates by time from all of the tracks/sessions so that I can easily locate the coordinates that I'm looking for? Does that make any sense? It seems like a mess and I'm a bit confused by it.

[+ThreeTrees]

I don't believe you can get the GPS to record to the card, but equally track files don't take up much space so IMO it won't be a problem.

 

To copy them to your PC either hook up your GPS to your PC and run Basecamp, then copy them from the GPS into 'My collection' or simply use Windows Explorer to copy the GPX files. The advantage of using Basecamp is that you can then also use Basecamp to view them.

 

Should you wish though you can easily view your tracks in Google Earth ... just drag and drop the GPX files into Google Earth.

 

Thank you so much for responding to my post.

 

Here's another thing that I don't quite understand and I'm hoping you can address it for me. It seems like the gps coordinates are split into tracks and I'm guessing that's because there were too many for it to handle. Is it possible for me to sort the coordinates by time from all of the tracks/sessions so that I can easily locate the coordinates that I'm looking for? Does that make any sense? It seems like a mess and I'm a bit confused by it.

Once you receive your data from your GPS into Basecamp... You will see your GPS in Basecamp on the top left pane.

Click on the internal storage folder under the GPS. All of the data will appear in the bottom left window.

Scroll to the bottom. The tracks will there. Click on one and right click. Choose show on map. The track will show on the map and will have a label. Click on that label. the properties of the entire track will show with all of the data. Every point collected with dates and times. You can also edit the track and delete points that are no good etc. Select a point in the track and right click it. you will have options for delete etc.

Make a track at home and play around with it.

[Grasscatcher]

@ Sgt Strider,

Did you ever get your questions sufficiently answered?

 

If not, I have both (or several) models (78S and Oregon 550 and Mont 650) and can explain the similarities and differences between them and their different file system structures. Not here on the forum.....contact me at churst40@gmail.com.