How big are the files if I set GPS to record every single second?

[Sgt_Strider]

I know Garmin's handheld GPS devices only store around 10,000 points before a new GPX file is created. I'm just wondering if I set my Garmin 64s to record one coordinate per second, then how big will my files be over a 24 hour period?

Thanks.

[+Mineral2]

You know you can do this math yourself.

60 sec/min x 60 min/h x 24 h =  86,400 seconds (and points). Yes, it will keep recording points even if the unit isn't moving. 

[+BCNorwich]

Hi, the GPX file stored to the memory card will be for the whole day, that's the file that's accessible. The trip data (of maximum 10,000 points) is stored internally on the unit and not the memory card, hence the need for a limit.

The 10,000 points limit refers to the recording of a trip. I think you can archive the trip when the limit is reached, then the unit starts a new trip and so on. On my 60CSX I can have the trip set to wrap when full so when the 10,000 points is reached the unit records over itself from the start. I have the whole days travelling set to be stored to the memory card.

The GPX stored to the card is for the whole day so the limit is 24 hours. I've not deliberately left my unit on 24 hours (don't think the battery's would last out). I have though sometimes left the unit on overnight laying on my desk. The biggest GPX  file I've recorded is a huge spider web of 52,630 points, that's 5.856 KB recorded over 14 hours and 44 minutes.

So converting that info I make it approximately 86,600 points and about 9.530 KB for the GPX file in 24 hours

Hope that helps, any more questions please just ask. Regards Bernard

 

[Sgt_Strider]

18 minutes ago, BCNorwich said:

Hi, the GPX file stored to the memory card will be for the whole day, that's the file that's accessible. The trip data (of maximum 10,000 points) is stored internally on the unit and not the memory card, hence the need for a limit.

The 10,000 points limit refers to the recording of a trip. I think you can archive the trip when the limit is reached, then the unit starts a new trip and so on. On my 60CSX I can have the trip set to wrap when full so when the 10,000 points is reached the unit records over itself from the start. I have the whole days travelling set to be stored to the memory card.

The GPX stored to the card is for the whole day so the limit is 24 hours. I've not deliberately left my unit on 24 hours (don't think the battery's would last out). I have though sometimes left the unit on overnight laying on my desk. The biggest GPX  file I've recorded is a huge spider web of 52,630 points, that's 5.856 KB recorded over 14 hours and 44 minutes.

So converting that info I make it approximately 86,600 points and about 9.530 KB for the GPX file in 24 hours

Hope that helps, any more questions please just ask. Regards Bernard

Thanks for the post Bernard. I also have the 60CSX myself and I think it's only that unit that allows me to save the GPX files on to a microSD card. I don't see any option to get the 64S to save directly to a memory card. 

So it's 9.530KB for 86,600 points in 24 hours? You sure you don't mean 9.5MB?

[+BCNorwich]

Hi, very sorry that should have been a comma not a decimal point, it's 9,530 KB so yes 9.53 MB.

Regards Bernard

[robertlipe]

From your recent round of questions, you seem to looking for something beyond a typical geocaching GPS. 

If you're looking for the ability to log a bazillion points at a second aparts (or even sub-second) you probably want to explore the niche of GPS data loggers. Various members of that family have mechanical sensors to know if you're moving (lower power than GPS itself, using vibration), the ability to write to huge SD cards in a more compact format than GPX, and so on, you're looking for GPS Loggers. 

My first stop when researching members in this family is http://www.semsons.com/datalogger.html . They've been helpful with nerdy questions developing GPSBabel.

Logging the performance of a race car or litter in a park or movement of a shipping container have different GPS needs than geocaching.  This tidbit may not be what you're looking for.  

The 60Cx models - which are a 2006 rev of a 2004 product, which is eternity in tech - handles mass storage and GPX pretty funky in a "bolted on" kind of way. They were amongst Garmin's first receivers to do either GPX or Mass storage at all - and they didn't do it at launch. It looks like an afterthought in those models because it was.