Author Topic: WOOT a GPS  (Read 27357 times)

simonp

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #25 on: 01 March, 2009, 09:36:07 pm »
I assume 2380 or thereabouts waypoints on the gpx track (from Bikely) won't fit into the unit  ::-) (Mapsource allows me to cut it down to 100)

will something like this work with it? (it's the gpx opened with Mapsource) and how to I change Track 001 to a different name?



You can cut it down to 500 which should fit.  If 500 is too few to make the track accurate enough, then split it into two or more equal-ish sections and then cut them down to 500 points each.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #26 on: 02 March, 2009, 02:12:42 pm »
Downsampling 2380 to 500 is fine - this is one of those jobs that computers are very clever at.  In fact in Mapsource if you set it to '500 points' it normally downsamples to some lower figure like 389 anyway.

As well as doing this, and renaming the track - take the opportunity to give it a colour as well.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #27 on: 05 March, 2009, 12:29:59 am »
It's arrived  :); can I wait 'til my birthday on Saturday before I fiddle?

The Mechanic

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #28 on: 05 March, 2009, 01:19:13 pm »
Quote
TomToms are satnavs - not GPSs. 

Satnav - GPS - Same thing.  The generic tern is a satellite navigation system, hence the term Satnav.  GPS is short for Global Positioning System which is the name of the satellite system that provides the positioning data.

The original satelite system was NavStar which had a bunch of satellites in polar orbit i in a bird cage pattern.  You only got a position when the satellite passed within your visible orizon.  Only one sat at a time.  The satellites were prone to precession wich resulted in them beeing bunched up together.  Not good.  (birds could escape)

The newer GPS sats are in geostationary orbit so you should be able to see approx 12 at any one time in any place on earth.  Accuracy is therefore far better and you can also get altitude, which was not possible with NavStar.  As a point of interest, with six sat reverences you can plot your positbion in 3D, which a used in space.

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #29 on: 05 March, 2009, 01:39:18 pm »
Satnav - GPS - Same thing.

I still distinguish between the two. The main difference being the navigation bit.

For me:-

SatNav includes mapping and provides directions at appropriate junctions. They provide autorouting.

GPS = position (plus arrow pointing in direction of next point of route as the crow flies).

My Forerunner 405 is a GPS, so is my basic yellow eTrex. So are the Edge 205 and 305.

The Edge 605 and 705 are SatNavs, as are the eTrex Legend/Vista/Venture.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Chris S

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #30 on: 05 March, 2009, 01:41:10 pm »
SatNav also includes an irritating voice that's only any fun in Romanian. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/LuZtCEOid4s&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/LuZtCEOid4s&rel=1</a>.

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #31 on: 05 March, 2009, 02:35:20 pm »
The newer GPS sats are in geostationary orbit so you should be able to see approx 12 at any one time in any place on earth.  Accuracy is therefore far better and you can also get altitude, which was not possible with NavStar.  As a point of interest, with six sat reverences you can plot your positbion in 3D, which a used in space.
GPS satellites are not in geostationary orbit except for a couple that provide WAAS/EGNOS corrections. Geostationary satellites are below the horizon once you get north or south of about 68° latitude.
They are grouped in 3 or 4 much lower orbits that are inclined at about 60° - I dare say Wiki will tell you exactly.

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #32 on: 05 March, 2009, 02:51:23 pm »
The Edge 605 and 705 are SatNavs, as are the eTrex Legend/Vista/Venture.

Ahem! Only if you use them in that mode.  They're both.  Hell, they're marine wossnames and have glide ratios too. 

"Satnav" is a use.  A fairly tawdry, white-van kinda use compared to chasing a wiggly line over a Proper Bit Of Map, IMO, but YMMV.  ;)
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
OpenStreetMap UK & IRL Streetmap & Topo: ravenfamily.org/andyg/maps updates weekly.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #33 on: 05 March, 2009, 03:39:50 pm »
The newer GPS sats are in geostationary orbit so you should be able to see approx 12 at any one time in any place on earth.
GPS satellites are not in geostationary orbit except for a couple that provide WAAS/EGNOS corrections.

The main constellation, each sat orbits the earth in approx 11h58m, I believe.

Assuming 24 sats (there are usually a few more, occasionally fewer - they have a finite operational life) then a view of 12 may be the optimum but I think the figure can drop a lot lower (even assuming a clear view in flat country) because of the way the orbits are arranged, you don't get an even distribution of sats in the sky all the time.  24 is supposed to guarantee that at least 4 are visible at any time and any place (with unobstructed sky view) - worst case is in the polar regions.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #34 on: 05 March, 2009, 03:42:57 pm »
"Satnav" is a use.  A fairly tawdry, white-van kinda use compared to chasing a wiggly line over a Proper Bit Of Map, IMO, but YMMV.  ;)

Exactly, but when cyclists use it for that exact same purpose they call it "a GPS" or "a mapping GPS".
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #35 on: 05 March, 2009, 04:10:48 pm »
I've never seen a cyclist using it the way a driver does, only with a turn list or the map screen.  I must just have no shabby friends.  :)
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
OpenStreetMap UK & IRL Streetmap & Topo: ravenfamily.org/andyg/maps updates weekly.

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #36 on: 05 March, 2009, 09:25:11 pm »
Downsampling 2380 to 500 is fine - this is one of those jobs that computers are very clever at.  In fact in Mapsource if you set it to '500 points' it normally downsamples to some lower figure like 389 anyway.

can you give excat instructions for how to do this please?  :)

also it has no micro SD card yet; is it worth getting a bigger than 2GB one?

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #37 on: 05 March, 2009, 09:31:19 pm »
Downsampling 2380 to 500 is fine - this is one of those jobs that computers are very clever at.  In fact in Mapsource if you set it to '500 points' it normally downsamples to some lower figure like 389 anyway.

can you give excat instructions for how to do this please?  :)

also it has no micro SD card yet; is it worth getting a bigger than 2GB one?

1) Select track properties
2) Select Filter
3) select maximum points and set to 499
4) Thats it

2gb will probably do, 4gb only costs another couple of quid...

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #38 on: 05 March, 2009, 09:36:27 pm »
I've never seen a cyclist using it the way a driver does, only with a turn list or the map screen.  I must just have no shabby friends.  :)
I run my GPS with just the map screen. Watching the clock/speedo is just too depressing....

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #39 on: 06 March, 2009, 06:06:55 pm »
Never tried it with a card bigger than 2Gb.  Unless you prefer Topo maps, 2Gb is more than enough to load all the mapping you'll ever need, and still leave loads of space for the daily track log.

[edit] according to Garmin's support site
http://tinyurl.com/aqwljm
their 'x' series GPS don't support more than 2Gb cards, nor SDHC
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #40 on: 07 March, 2009, 11:23:53 am »
OK I've downloaded CN to the SD card; and also copied the gdb of tomorrow's 200 (not into the CN folder) using send to device
 go to routes / tracks on the Vista, get nada, is there somewhere else I should be looking?  ???

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #41 on: 07 March, 2009, 03:34:11 pm »
OK I've downloaded CN to the SD card; and also copied the gdb of tomorrow's 200 (not into the CN folder) using send to device
 go to routes / tracks on the Vista, get nada, is there somewhere else I should be looking? 

The map has to be in a directory on the card called /garmin/ and it has to have a particular filename, I think its gmapsupp.img

In Mapsource, 'send to device' does this automatically, wiping any existing file of that name, but without Mapsource that's what you have to arrange.

'Send to device' (Mapsource and/or T&W Manager) places Routes Waypoints and Tracks into the units own memory, not onto the card.  They should then be accessible via the Route and Track menus.  You don't have to upload all these in one go (though for big projects it is advisable, to be sure of avoiding any naming conflicts)
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #42 on: 07 March, 2009, 03:56:45 pm »
OK; created a Map Set of SE England (36Mb) and sent it over successfully

Now how do I open it?  still no routes or tracks either ???

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #43 on: 07 March, 2009, 04:07:30 pm »
OK; created a Map Set of SE England (36Mb) and sent it over successfully

Now how do I open it?  still no routes or tracks either ???

There is no 'Map Open' - it is just there by default -
Assuming you are in SE England - the map should be displayed automatically on the map page.  Are you zoomed right in on a blank area??
Possibly (but very unlikely) you need to go into Map setup (Menu>Map Setup) and make sure the map is ticked as 'visible' (and if any other maps are covering the same area, untick them) - but really if you're needing to do this then something is wrong with the map build.

But TBH the problem sounds more basic - are you connecting the GPS as an external storage device (not good), or is it being seen and model type correctly identified by your Garmin software (in 'Send to Device')??
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #44 on: 07 March, 2009, 04:17:36 pm »
OK; created a Map Set of SE England (36Mb) and sent it over successfully

Now how do I open it?  still no routes or tracks either ???

There is no 'Map Open' - it is just there by default -
Assuming you are in SE England - the map should be displayed automatically on the map page.  Are you zoomed right in on a blank area?

What's the map page?

Possibly (but very unlikely) you need to go into Map setup (Menu>Map Setup) and make sure the map is ticked as 'visible' (and if any other maps are covering the same area, untick them) - but really if you're needing to do this then something is wrong with the map build.

can't find that in Setup

But TBH the problem sounds more basic - are you connecting the GPS as an external storage device (not good), or is it being seen and model type correctly identified by your Garmin software (in 'Send to Device')??

No it thinks it's a F drive
 :sick:

It also "can't unlock the map" after it's downloaded

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #45 on: 07 March, 2009, 04:28:37 pm »
Ok; the route has gone across but it won't open the map; just the default "2 roads in the whole of Sussex"  :(

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #46 on: 07 March, 2009, 04:36:14 pm »
It sounds like you haven't unlocked your map software onto your GPS.  You did buy map software as well as teh GPS, right?
Your Royal Charles are belong to us.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #47 on: 07 March, 2009, 04:44:33 pm »
Quote
But TBH the problem sounds more basic - are you connecting the GPS as an external storage device (not good), or is it being seen and model type correctly identified by your Garmin software (in 'Send to Device')??
No it thinks it's a F drive
 :sick:

It also "can't unlock the map" after it's downloaded

Martin we are talking about a Vista, right?  And you're using Trip & Waypoint Manager or Mapsource (ie Garmin's software as supplied with the unit) to load the Route but some other method to load a 3rd-party map, is that right?

If I've made the right assumptions there, T&W Man (or Mapsource, or Memory Map, or EasyGPS, or GPSBabel) can NOT transfer Routes etc while the GPS appears as a ext drive.

To transfer Routes etc, just switch the unit off, switch it on again and connect via USB, and use any one of the above software (but I would suggest T&W Man ideally Mapsource).  By default it should connect in non-ext drive mode - your File Manager won't see it.  That is good.  Your transfer software will see it and may identify the model - eg VistaHCx.  That is better.

Transferring the map - if you are creating a map file and then just copying it across to F:/garmin/ - well for a start do that as a separate operation.  Switch the gPS off and on again to remake the connection, then force it into ext drive mode.

If you are using Garmin software to transfer the map (or, AFAIK Sendmap not sure about that) then you don't have to even think about where it is going, what it is called etc - just connect in the default non-ext drive mode as above and let the software do its stuff (its quite slow BTW - only USB 1).

Don't know anything about map unlocking but if you're trying to load City maps then that sounds likely cause of problem too.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #48 on: 07 March, 2009, 04:54:24 pm »
Possibly (but very unlikely) you need to go into Map setup (Menu>Map Setup) and make sure the map is ticked as 'visible' (and if any other maps are covering the same area, untick them) - but really if you're needing to do this then something is wrong with the map build.
can't find that in Setup

Cycle the Page key (top right) to get to the map page,
Press the Menu key (lowest left) once to get the page menu,
scroll down to Setup Map and select it using the Front key.
6 tabbed pages of settings - the map list is the 5th tab.
Every map tile is listed and can be turned on or off - but if correctly set up you wouldn't normally need to do this, as overlapping maps have a 'priority' embedded anyway.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #49 on: 07 March, 2009, 05:07:01 pm »
I'm using City Navigator Europe NT 2008 DVD

Not sure how to unlock it