Author Topic: eTrex 10 Speed  (Read 2502 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
eTrex 10 Speed
« on: 24 September, 2014, 03:00:05 pm »

Question for the eTrex 10 users: How fast is your first fix in the real world? Assuming a lightly build up suburbia?

Thanks

Julia
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #1 on: 24 September, 2014, 03:23:57 pm »
FWIW, my eTrex 30 just took ~55 seconds to boot (lots of time spent scrolling through copyright notices for the various maps I have installed), by which point it had a warm fix (indoors, first floor, urban terrace).  This is typical.  I expect a 10 would boot more quickly.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
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Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #2 on: 24 September, 2014, 09:56:30 pm »
Just did <40 seconds indoors from switching on with an etrex 30.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
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Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #3 on: 24 September, 2014, 10:56:36 pm »
Cold boot - the GPS straight out of the bubble pack, or unused for weeks, or (maybe) moved halfway round the world.  Could take 20 minutes, though often less.
Warm boot - 'normal' boot time, depends largely on how much mapping you have loaded.  Typically 1-2 minutes.
Hot boot - power-cycling with say less than an hour of downtime (like a cafe stop), maybe 30 seconds, could be less.

All assuming a clear sky view.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #4 on: 25 September, 2014, 07:50:01 pm »
I'd guess my e30 takes under a minute (uk osm)   - what does seem to make a difference is whether it's stationary, try booting it on the move and seems take a fair bit longer, which isn't exactly surprising imo.

Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #5 on: 25 September, 2014, 09:41:10 pm »
What's the definition of "boot".

Is it getting a <10 metre fix on position from switch-on?

'Cus that's really what we want.

Kim

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Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #6 on: 25 September, 2014, 09:45:43 pm »
What's the definition of "boot".

The time it takes a computer system to load and execute an operating system and prepare itself for useful operation.  In this context, the time between pressing the power button and getting a usable map screen or menu, which is filled with manufacturer's logos, copyright notices, progress bars, and the like.

Getting a GPS fix is, as far as I can tell, a function of the hardware, and happens in parallel with (at least the later stages of) the firmware booting.  Therefore, it's entirely possible for the unit to have a fix by the time it's finished booting, or to take considerably longer, depending on all the usual factors affecting fix time.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
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Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #7 on: 26 September, 2014, 08:36:55 am »
In practice I like to switch on and leave stationary for at least 5 minutes before I start riding (in a normal 'warm' boot situation) - partly to help the elevation to settle down.  Anyone who faffs before starting to ride would have no difficulty at all with this.  I'm not a faffer (why do they do it?) but even so it's easy to generate a few minutes of quiet timeTM before setting off.   Others do prefer to hit the ground running, I know.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Euan Uzami

Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #8 on: 26 September, 2014, 08:42:29 am »
Cold boot - the GPS straight out of the bubble pack, or unused for weeks, or (maybe) moved halfway round the world.  Could take 20 minutes, though often less.
Warm boot - 'normal' boot time, depends largely on how much mapping you have loaded.  Typically 1-2 minutes.
Hot boot - power-cycling with say less than an hour of downtime (like a cafe stop), maybe 30 seconds, could be less.

All assuming a clear sky view.
same  with my etrex 30 - definitely has 3 different grades. I normally only ever experience warm or hot. However I don't think warm or hot take that long normally - warm will normally be maximum ~60 seconds, but normally probably about 20-30, and hot boot is usually 10-20 seconds.

I tend to try to make a habit of looking which way out of a control/stop the route leads as I'm pulling in, so I've remembered the first bit of the route while it's booting up.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
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Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #9 on: 26 September, 2014, 08:59:50 am »
However I don't think warm or hot take that long normally -

On reflection, you're probably right.
The amount of maps on board does affect the warm boot time though - 4 maps totalling 1.5Gb will take a bit longer than if you just have OSM for your local area.
Actually, my E30 cold-booted out of the blister pack in 2 minutes (with only the as-supplied base map and no SD card installed) - it was literally one of the first to arrive in the UK so presumably hot off the production line, which makes me wonder if there is an almanac pre-installed as part of the software - that would turn the initial 'cold' boot into a 'warm' one provided it hasn't hung around in the warehouse for too long.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #10 on: 28 September, 2014, 06:38:38 pm »
In practice I like to switch on and leave stationary for at least 5 minutes before I start riding (in a normal 'warm' boot situation) - partly to help the elevation to settle down.  Anyone who faffs before starting to ride would have no difficulty at all with this.  I'm not a faffer (why do they do it?) but even so it's easy to generate a few minutes of quiet timeTM before setting off.   Others do prefer to hit the ground running, I know.

Enough time to drink a cup of coffee and visit the lavvy.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #11 on: 28 September, 2014, 06:50:44 pm »
The 'boot time' ( the time to crank up the CPU, load the maps, and have a useable User Interface ) and the GPS chipset Fix time are not directly related, they both start independently at power-up.
They depend on different things.
The CPU boot time will be largely determined by the mapping you have installed.
The GPS Fix time will be a function of how far in distance and time since it last had a fix.

I usually power it up as soon as I arrive at the HQ, and then start the navigation for the first segment before I go inside.
Because on the slow CPU on the device, the route calculation can take a few minutes before it's ready to go.

Likewise, at any control where I switch to a fresh Route, I always Stop navigating, and Start navigating the next segment, as soon as I arrive at the control.  I let it do the calculations as I go to the cafĂ©.


quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #12 on: 28 September, 2014, 09:20:46 pm »

The main reason that I am asking, is I would like to use a gps on my Brompton to record my journeys, but I don't want to have to sit around for 1 minute while the gps warms up first thing in the morning. Hence a sub 30 seconds or so time to first fix is important.

Julia
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #13 on: 28 September, 2014, 09:48:41 pm »

The main reason that I am asking, is I would like to use a gps on my Brompton to record my journeys, but I don't want to have to sit around for 1 minute while the gps warms up first thing in the morning. Hence a sub 30 seconds or so time to first fix is important.

Julia

One thing one learns as life goes by is that its unhealthy to 'rush' to work.
The healthy bit is riding a little faster going home.

Another thing worth noting is a commute journey need only be measured to the nearest 0.1 mile. For this, use BikeHike.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #14 on: 28 September, 2014, 09:59:33 pm »

One thing one learns as life goes by is that its unhealthy to 'rush' to work.
The healthy bit is riding a little faster going home.

Another thing worth noting is a commute journey need only be measured to the nearest 0.1 mile. For this, use BikeHike.

It's more a case of minimising the time it takes to do Bed -> Train. The longer leg is at the other end of the train journey. I find the cycle ride is a good warm up for a day of manual labour in the Brewery.

Julia
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Kim

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Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #15 on: 28 September, 2014, 10:12:15 pm »
Well, FWIW, I usually parallelise my eTrex 30's bootup/fix time with the time it takes me to open the door, wheel the bike outside, lock up and put my gloves on.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #16 on: 28 September, 2014, 10:42:55 pm »
You could switch it on and put it on a window ledge. Then it will start up and get a signal, ready for you to go.

Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #17 on: 29 September, 2014, 08:28:13 pm »

One thing one learns as life goes by is that its unhealthy to 'rush' to work.
The healthy bit is riding a little faster going home.

Another thing worth noting is a commute journey need only be measured to the nearest 0.1 mile. For this, use BikeHike.

It's more a case of minimising the time it takes to do Bed -> Train. The longer leg is at the other end of the train journey. I find the cycle ride is a good warm up for a day of manual labour in the Brewery.

Julia

So you take the wibbly-wobbly way home.   ;D

Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #18 on: 09 November, 2014, 04:00:59 pm »
I have the Etrex 20.

Generally I think it's great.#

And thanks to Frankie for all the advice on it.

But I remain amazed that there isn't a simple way of giving the thing a heavy hint as to where it is - ie: "I'm very near this waypoint you dunce". It's not unknown to travel a large distance after a switch off to somewhere you already have a waypoint for as it's somewhere you've been before.

Or have I missed something?

Kim

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Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #19 on: 09 November, 2014, 04:26:04 pm »
But I remain amazed that there isn't a simple way of giving the thing a heavy hint as to where it is - ie: "I'm very near this waypoint you dunce". It's not unknown to travel a large distance after a switch off to somewhere you already have a waypoint for as it's somewhere you've been before.

Or have I missed something?

AGPS (common on smartphones) sort of does that, along with obtaining ephemeris data and accurate time from the server, greatly speeding up the first fix.  Obviously it requires a communication link, which rules it out in something like an eTrex.

I suppose, practically, the reason they don't do this is because  a) the GPS chipset used doesn't support this sort of priming  and  b) by the time you've dug around in the GUI and selected a waypoint, it'll have found a fix on its own, unless it has to wait for ephemeris anyway, in which case the bottleneck is the low bitrate of the transmission.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: eTrex 10 Speed
« Reply #20 on: 09 November, 2014, 04:45:32 pm »
It is possible to give the approx location with the older Etrex models (Legend, Vista Cx etc). On the satellite screen, press menu, then new location.
Though as Kim says, it doesn't usually help much. As it takes a while to scroll around the map, then zoom in on the correct place etc. Its probably quicker/easier just to leave it outside for a minute. Unless you have travelled 1000 km or more since you last used it.

Don't know if this is possible in the Etrex 10/20/30? They should have a better, higher sensitivity GPS chipset, with Glonass etc, so quicker to get a position anyway.