Backtrack Not Working?

[Civet Cat]

I have had the Etrex Vista for about two weeks, learning more about it as each day passes.

 

But the backtrack is driving me up a wall. I simply cannot get it to work as described in the manuals or in the Etrex advertising literature. I've tried to use it walking, driving in a car and in a boat on a very large lake. The backtrack function sends me off in the wrong direction and completely misses turns every time. If I restart Trackback, it will adjust the heading correctly, but then will hold onto that heading and take me back off course. And I'm talking WAAAY off course, not just the deviation due to GPS accuracy. Signal strength is never worse than 30 feet either when laying the track or trying to return using Trackback. I've tried various record methods as well, to no avail.

 

Hopefully there is some simple setting that I'm missing, or other action that I need to take. If all the Vista GPS's have this level of accuracy on their Trackback, I'm amazed Garmin even bothers to put it in the GPS.

 

Thanks, all, for any help you can give me.

[+harleycache]

Can't think of any suggestion of what could be wrong, but I know I have used back track on my Legend many times, and it works like a charm. I'm sure someone will soon post some help though.

[+Tahoe Skier5000]

I usually just follow the trail back on the map page. It's not only easier this way, but it also gives you better reference to the surroundings if you have to divert.

 

Garmin has a pretty good trackback system though...

[+Couparangus]

Here's something you can try yourself.

 

Try uploading the latest firmware to the unit. This can be downloaded for free from Garmin's website. Having owned an eMap from new, they do make changes and fixes to the firmware that aren't necessarily documented. :-)

 

I'd still love to get a schematic for this thing...<sigh>

 

C-A

Edited June 16, 2004 by Couparangus

[Civet Cat]

Thanks for the replies. I spoke to Garmin this morning, will be sending the unit back for their inspection and hopefully a fix. The software in the unit is the latest available, according to their Tech support.

[+phantom4099]

Although the tracklogging abilities on Garmin units is pretty good, the backtrack function is horrible (and a joke). There use to be a page on Joe and Jacks website that showed the backtrack funtion and it's lack of following the actual path one took. I know the trackback function on my GPS V (v 2.50) is also severly lacking.

 

There probably is nothing wrong with your unit.

 

Wyatt W.

[+harleycache]

... the backtrack function is horrible (and a joke).

I have to disagree with you on that one, at least on the Legend. I first used back-tracking, to see how it worked, driving to and from work, and it worked like a charm. Subsequently used it on the highway, in the woods, on trails. It's managed to get me back each time.

[Mikeomni1]

You don't have it set on course pointer instead of bearing pointer do you?

 

Regards,

Mike

[+greengolftee87]

i also agree with harleycache, i use backtrac on my legend all them time and it has never failed

[+Couparangus]

the backtrack function is horrible (and a joke).

 

I must confess I seldom use it on my eMap & GPSmap units and just rely on visually following the electronic breadcrumb trail. That with the visual knowledge of where I've been is usually adequate to get me back to my starting point.

 

Now if the batteries die I'm hopelessly lost.

 

C-A

[Civet Cat]

Mikeomni1 -

 

Well, er, yes, I am using the Course Pointer. Is that the source of my problem?

[+Milbank]

I only used the backtrack a couple of time on the legend I use to have, but it did work great for me.

[Mikeomni1]

See this pervious post about the 60cs. This should also apply to the Legend as well.

 

Bearing vs Coarse pointer

 

Regards,

Mike

[+phantom4099]

Found the link from Joe and jacks website: http://gpsinformation.net/mgoldreview/trackbacks.html

 

Wyatt W.