Chuck Anderson <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> Rick Warner wrote:
>
> > Chuck Anderson <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
>
> When you say - set waypoints - waypoint the destination - let me see if I understand you right.
>
> Can I build a list of waypoints using other software (e.g., GARtrip), and then load that list into
> the GPS unit? Or actually, I suppose you use the unit specific mapping software (like MapSend -
> for Magellan) to do this? Can I create my own waypoints with a graphical interface on my computer,
> and then load them into the GPS?
There are a number of ways you can create waypoints. A waypoint is just a set of coordinates. I do
not know GARtrip, just downloaded it the other day, but it looks like it can be used to create lists
of waypoints and download them to the GPS. There are a number of freeware and shareware programs
with similar functionality. Commercial products like Garmin's MapSource series or the National
Geographic Topo! series can be used for this purpose, too. I suppose MapSend, MickeySoft's product,
etc. can all do this. The protocols are well documented so there are a wealth of programs out there
to help do this.
> I assume that the train stations in Italy were in a set of maps you bought and loaded into
> the gps?
Garmins MetroGuide series has maps with a database of locations of things like hotels, service
stations, airports, car rental agencies, train stations, etc. Once you download a map segment into
the GPS you can query the GPS for locations of such destinations, and then tell it to navigate to
that location. I have the MetroGuide Europe, and would keep the one or two map sections for the area
I would cover each day loaded in the GPS.
> How did you waypoint the hotels? Search for addresses (on a GPS screen) and Mark those points?
I would get addresses then query the GPS to locate the address. I would then have it set that
location as a waypoint and use the name of the hotel for the name of the waypoint. This was for
hotels not already in the MetroGuide database. Address lookup is another feature of MetroGuide.
> I'm not looking for laid out, step-by-step instructions. Just let me know if my generalizations
> are in the right direction.
You're getting the idea.
> It's beginning to seem that I will not be happy until I buy a set of maps for my unit. The
> preinstalled maps have nowhere near enough detail. I will not get much use out of it until I buy
> the maps. Right?
I think that depends on you. There is a lot more information in some of the add-on map sets, the
question is do you need or want that information and/or functionality?
> So, you take your normal ride, but you stop at certain points and enter a waypoint into your unit.
Yep; easy to do on the eTrex models. Just press in on the little joystick.
> You get home, download it into your favorite software, create a graphical map, save the track data
> and waypoints lists. Then you can erase them from your GPS unit because you can reload them at any
> time using your the same software.
There are products that allow you to make your own graphical maps for display on the computer, but
not for download to the unit. I download into several programs depending on what I want as an end
product. I am going to make maps, paper and JPEGs to share, of popular local rides annotated with
locations for things like where to obtain water, food, where restrooms are located, etc. For this I
download the data into Nat. Geo. Topo! and then do my annotations - a waypoint for a location with
water is marked with a symbol of a water fountain, etc. Actually, the latest version of Topo! allows
for photographic annotations, so I might add some digital photo segments of particuarly interesting
but overlooked things riders might want to know about.
If I wanted to share data with other GPS users I would save it in one of the generic formats for
interchange with GPS units. I think it would be cool if organized rides distributed routes as GPS
data rather than having paper cue sheets as the only option.
> And can you share this data with someone who owns the same brand unit?
Or other units, depending on how you save the data.
> (Here is one specific question. Can you separate tracks in the GPS unit. Like, the other day we
> drove to the zoo (24 miles) and then spent the afternoon walking around the zoo. I left the GPS
> unit on so I could see a map of the zoo when I got home (we walked on every path). I would have
> preferred to separate the tracks (insert a break?) when we parked the car and got on foot. Is
> there a way to do that, or does that require other software (GARtrip for me, as of now)?)
This is really two questions: 1) can you do separate tracks in the GPS, and/or 2) can you separate a
track log into two logs later. The answer to the first question is, I believe, that it depends. My
eTrex Legend can save a number of track logs; I am not positive of the number but I have never
exceeded it. In Italy last fall I kept the entire tour in track logs. Each day I would save that
days track log and reset wiping out the active (but not the saved) tracks. One day we did two
segments, and I saved those logs separately. I mean it is rather easy in the Legend to save a track,
and then once I saved it I would reset all the values thus wiping out all current data (active
track, odometer, etc.). As far as separating a track later, it is easy of you can identify the point
at which you want to split the track. If I wanted to do this and my unit would not let me save and
reset like it does, then I would keep one track log and set waypoints at the locations I wanted to
do the splits. Later, I would download into the software and manually split the track at the
waypoints I had set.
Enjoy,
- rick -