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Saving routes
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GWRider
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:59 am    Post subject: Saving routes Reply with quote

I am a new owner of a Garmin Quest.

I want to be able to follow a group of fellow motorcycle riders with the unit on and then save the route we just travelled (in order to duplicate it in the future). In reading the manual and experimenting with navigation, I'm not sure that is possible without being connected to a laptop computer. Am I right?

It would seem that if the "backtrack" function is possible (without a hotlink to a host computer), it should also be possible to save a route that has just been ridden.

Maybe I just don't understand the available commands.

GWRider
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Lisbon
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 29, 2005 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think this is a very interesting question. I also would like to know the answer but as you got no reply I was looking for a solution myself...

This might not be the most correct way to do it, I mean maybe a specialist could give you the proper answer... But a possibility is to view the tracklog and based on that create a route on the PC and than transfer it back to the Quest. Just try it and please let me know if it works.
Thanks a lot,
Jorge
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GWRider
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 29, 2005 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since my post I have gotten some additional info. I emailed Garmin tech support and found some additional data in the Mapsource software manual.

When you use the Quest, it keeps an ongoing track log. When memory is full, it overwrites the oldest track information first. When you sync the unit to your computer (using the USB cable), you can view the track information the Quest has saved (by sending track data to the computer from the GPS). You can select and save (and rename) the track you've selected. This much I have tried and it works.

The following is my assumption based on the knowledge I've gathered:
You can then send the named route back to the Quest if you want to navigate the route from the saved track. The Quest is supposed to be capable of having 50 saved routes.

Since the frequency of track points (i.e. "breadcrumbs) is user-adjustable, I would assume that you can "space" them further apart from the default (1 second) intervals for longer, more complex trips you wish to repeat.

So, the scenario I envision to do what I want to accomplish is this:
1) Reset the track info on the GPS unit (using the Quest menus).
2) Ride the route with the unit activated.
3) Upon return, sync to the computer and save the track with a unique name.
4) "Send" the named route back to the Quest to add to your list of favorite trips for future use.

If I'm mistaken about the capabilities of the Quest, someone let me know.

GWRider
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ayresmas
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:37 am    Post subject: saving routes Reply with quote

Hi!

It is a bit complicated to save a track you have done in the Quest. I do not know how to convert a track into a route in the PC. If you edit (in a PC) your track and convert it into a route, up to 50 routes with different names can be uploaded into the Quest.

But, about tracks, Quest saves the track we travel automatically, in its memory, as a unic long track. When it is full, Quest starts erasing the oldest saves to overwrite the new ones.

You can not name and save a newly (last) recorded track and start recording a new one, like (in my case) I did many times in my old eTrex Vista.

Tracks in Quest MUST be named as and only ACTIVE LOG 001, ACTIVE LOG 002, etc.

regards you all

ayresmas
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GWRider
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ayresmas,

Thanks for your notes. I've not had the opportunity to attempt the process I described, but hope it will be do-able! If Garmin is listening, I hope that they can integrate this function through an upgrade revision in MapSource. If not, at least make it an integral part of a future rendition of the Quest (new model).

GWRider
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Skippy
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To convert a tracklog into a route, you just need to upload it into mapsource and then create a route with intermediate points that follows the track log you recorded.

You can't automatically convert a tracklog into a route as far as I know. You can "trackback" using a recorded tracklog but this is more for offroad use - it doesn't give you the turn by turn directions you will be wanting for use on the road.

1. Ride the route then upload the track into your PC when you get home.
2. Use Mapsource to create a route which follows the track you recorded.
3. Name the route and upload the new route into your GPS
4. Next time you want to ride the route, just select it from the list of routes in the GPS.

When I ride I generally have a fixed time limit so I prefer to plan routes on my PC before I go then upload them to the GPS. This way I know how long I will be gone! You can also choose some interesting looking routes and try them out. When I follow my nose I tend to go in circles, up dead ends or end up on major roads all the time. :x
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GWRider
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Skippy,

Thanks for your informative reply. Sounds like you've done this! I have yet to get the Quest mounted on my Gold Wing, but have used it a little in the car.

The reason I am interested in recording a route I have ridden is this...
I ride with a group of motorcyclists who have gone for day rides once a week for years. They have some great rides they have honed after years of riding together. We usually do a variation of the same basic dozen or so destinations... riding 125-175 miles in the day. We ride mostly back roads (all paved) or state roads and it is too hard to remember the way we went and write it down later.

I would like to have the routes saved, so that I'm prepared if our ride leader is absent... or if I want to lead a ride with another group, etc.

I'll try your suggestion and see how it works out. Thanks again.

GWRider
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Skippy
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For mounting on your bike check out RAM mounts. They are reasonably priced and work well.

http://www.ram-mount-uk.com/

Have Fun!
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Pingvin
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,

I am planning to buy my first GPS and Quest looks very interesting. I will mainly use it for motorcycle riding. As GWRider I would like to be able to convert a logged trip to a route which sounds like it is possible but some work.

What distance (or how many days of riding) can you log approximately?(can you store a 2 or 3 week trip or is it more like one day before it starts to over-write?)

Can I use the Quest without back-light in day-light? I will accept reduced readability, I just need to see if I should make a turn in the upcoming intersection. The reason for not wanting back-light is of course to run the GPS on battery power.

How well does the Quest work for off-road/hiking?

Is trackback mainly for off off-road for going back the same route you came (can be a bit scary on the road if one-way street I guess)?

I think the Quest stores travelled distance and average speed BUT only ONE (you can manually read it out and reset to zero whenever you wish). Is this correct?

Any other good or bad points I should know about?
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Skippy
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello and Welcome, Pingvin

What distance? My GPS-V records 3000 track points which is about 200 miles. The Quest can do 10,000 points. You can also save 10 track logs in the GPS unit (might be more on the quest). The GPS has a number of options to record track logs. Automatic (with a choice of 5 resolutions - I use medium), by time or by distance. Tweak the setting to a more corse resolution or remember to save them every couple of days.

The track log records your exact speed and position about every 10 seconds. Depending on your riding style, you may want to know how to reset this quickly if your GPS was about to fall into the "wrong" hands. ;)

My GPS-V gives about 30-90 seconds warning of an upcoming turn (less warning on urban roads, more on motorways) and when it does, the backlight comes on, attracting attention. The light goes off again when the turn is complete. I find that it works well.

I find that the screen is readable enough, but mine is a black and white screen - often these are easier to read than a colour one when the backlight is off. Generally speaking, it's harder to read a GPS on a bike than it is in a car (it's further from your line of sight and the bike tends to wander more than a car when you are not looking where you are going). Some people want to have the sound connected up but I get by without it when I use my SmartPhone and CoPilot - your mileage may vary.

You might want to find a shop to demo a quest so you can see what it's like. The main thing you are looking for is the "Distance to Next" countdown or "off route" warning. The backlight stays on if it is wired into an external power supply.

The cool thing about Garmin's GPS units is that they are equally at home when used on the bike, car, boat, on foot or in a plane. There is an "off road" option for hiking which shows a compass heading with cross track error and lots of other funky features. When you park your bike in a big parking area, mark it's position as a waypoint and use the off road feature to find your way back to it. Deadly cool. 8)

I haven't really used the track back feature much, but you can use it in Off Road (retraces your exact path, but using a compass or following a line on a map rather than turn-by-turn directions), Fastest Time or Shortest Route (I think these other two just calculate a route back to point of origin). I tend to set a waypoint at the place I want to navigate back to and find my way using that.

Quest calculates and can display any one of about 20 different parameters (distance, speed, altitude, moving time, stopped time, max speed etc) for display on it's Trip Computer page. You can customise the page to show the ones you want.

Any other points? Yep, there are a few.



Good:

Quest is waterproof and rugged. Ideal for bike or outdoors use.

There are lots of cool features that you will discover over time, Garmins work well when hiking, boating or flying.

Stability and reliability of Garmins appears to be quite good compared to the Pocket PC based systems.


Bad:

You can pretty much only load Garmin maps and run Garmin software on the GPS.

You can't use it as a warning system in conjunction with the Speed Camera database (if you are that way inclined) Wink

The GPS should be able to save it's track log to an unused part if it's 243Meg of memory rather than imposing the arbitary 10,000 point limit.

Good luck!
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ayresmas
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:21 am    Post subject: Saving tracks Reply with quote

Hi GWRider

About saving many tracks into the Quest to re-navigate in a one or two weeks trip, the point is:

1) Quest saves only one continuous track...
2) To handle this, you can act as suggested by Skippy: You download the everyday saved track to your computer Map Source and plot, for every different trip, a route over each track. Every route you will name a different name and save all.
3) You upload those many routes back to your Quest and that is all. You navigate every one as you please.

(I would prefer if we could name and save those many - up to 20 for example - tracks straight!)

I used my old eTrax Vista to pre-plot routes for biking in Europe (France and Italy) and USA (Vermont) in bicycle. I bough my new Quest last December and I have not used it yet. I think it will do the job well.
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Skippy
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:56 am    Post subject: Re: Saving tracks Reply with quote

ayresmas wrote:
1) Quest saves only one continuous track..


Hmm, I don' t know about the Quest, but my GPS-V will appear to have one single track in the GPS but when you upload it to the PC the track log is presented as one track per trip.

A new "trip" is started if the GPS is switched off and on again or it loses signal for a while.
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GWRider
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pingvin,

I don't have much to add to what Skippy and Ayresmas have contributed. Their comments have been most helpful.

I have been using MapSource to plan a few routes and navigate them and have opened the track log to see it displayed in MapSource. Should be easy enough, then, to select the route (using the pointer selection tool in Mapsource) and add Waypoints to the route. Then saving the route for future use should be simple.

I did try, twice now, the reverse route function of the Quest (different from Backtrack). Both times, the unit seemed totally disoriented... taking me way off track. I must have done something wrong. A little more experience with the unit will help.

As far as screen visibility... the unit is no problem inside the car when powered externally. I have thought of adding a "velcro'd" visor to prevent reflection of the screen in the windshield. The necessity of this would be dependent on your windshield angle. A visor may also be helpful on the motorcycle, as it might prevent direct sun from hitting the screen of the Quest.

Garmin is making a bare wire cradle (with plug-in connection for the audio) available for uses such as motorcycle. Retailers here are saying it should be available mid-February. I'm planning to order that along with some RAM mounting hardware soon. Wink

GWRider
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ayresmas
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 12:21 am    Post subject: saving routes Reply with quote

Hi friends,

Have you ever tried GPS-TrackMaker software? It is excellent for editing tracks.

For example in the case of Skippy when he says that “a new trip (I would say a new track log) is started if the GPS is switched off and on again or it loses signal for a while.” In cases like that the TrackMaker allows you to link those pieces of track, delete parts of then, optimize a track and a lot more. You can get a free version or TrackMaker at http://www.gpstm.com/.
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ayresmas
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Quest family!

About converting tracks into routes to save each one with a particular name, I found a way through in http://www.elsinga.net/portal/206.html

About that, the site webmaster says:"The Quest does not work with tracks that well, even though it was advertised as capable of saving 20 tracks. There is a way around it (see Howto: use downloaded tracks on the Quest), but it has the disadvantage that you use the same tracklog you save your currect movement in and you cannot distinguish seperate tracks. Now there is another way that makes the Quest behave as if it is using trackback of a separate track and where you can name the track anything you like. It does however require some extra work in advance, which we describe here."
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