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GPS City Q&A » Outdoor GPS » How to set up the track log and tracking points?

Outdoor GPS (12 replies)

Item

Original Question

How to set up the track log and tracking points?

› Garmin Oregon 550t with Camera and US Topo

Author

Reply

Stecyk
Calgary

Original question asked on Aug 27, 2009, 9:23am

Tracking Points

If I were to start tracking from when I left Calgary and drove to Banff, hiked around, and came back late that evening, I suspect that I would exceed the 10,000 tracking points for one track? When that happens, does the 550T just start another track?

I went on a four hour bike ride through the southern part of Calgary, and that used 4000 tracking points. So I am sure a full day would easily exceed 10,000. I am not sure what happens when the tracking points exceed the maximum number.

Stecyk
Calgary

Reply #1 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:25am

Memory

I purchased a 2GB card from you. When I loaded the Canadian Topography software onto my GPS, I loaded the southern parts of Alberta and British Columbia. I noticed that I used roughly 50% of the 1094.5 MB available. Because 1094.5 MB exceeds the 850 MB on-board memory, I know that it saw and recognized the card. I am curious though why I didn't have 2000 MB available for a 2 GB card? What happened to the additional memory?

Stecyk
Calgary

Reply #2 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:26am

Memory Part II

According to Garmin's website, the 550s should use 4 GB cards for optimum performance.

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/support/searchsupport (searched under 550T optimum card size) (Because of post size limitations, I won't copy Garmin's message)

Stecyk
Calgary

Reply #3 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:31am

Software Updates

From the reviews on your website, I noticed that the 550T has an issue with corrupted tracks file and that Garmin is looking into this matter.

http://www.gpscity.com/garmin-oregon-550t-with-camera-and-us-topo-reviews.html

Assuming that Garmin issues a software update, how do we update our GPS units? Will Garmin notify us?

GPS City
Calgary, AB

Reply #4 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:37am

Tracking Points
If you turned your track log on and left it on throughout your entire trip, it would save a single long track. You have the ability to stop the tracklog, and adjust the interval at which the track points are dispersed: manually by time, distance or automatic. If you manually change the track point intervals by time, ie. one point every 2 minutes, you can easily complete a 4 hour bike ride within the 10,000 track points.

GPS City
Calgary, AB

Reply #5 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:38am

Memory
In order to load to the 2GB card you must select that drive on your computer, in basecamp you can choose where to send the data. When it asks where you’d like to send the data, choose “no name” as opposed to “Garmin”.

GPS City
Calgary, AB

Reply #6 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:40am

Memory Part II

I read the FAQ section thoroughly and nowhere did it say “optimum”, it said “acceptable” and “compatible” in relation to 4GB cards, but the optimum capacity would still be a 2GB card, not completely full. The less memory the unit has to scour through, the better it will perform. We do carry the 4GB cards at $22.95.

Stecyk
Calgary

Reply #7 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:42am

Follow-up Questions

1) Trackpoints: What happens if I exceed 10,000 datapoints? Does Garmin automatically start a new tracklog.

I know from experience that on the automatic setting, a four hour bike ride is easily accomodated. My question is, if I leave it on automatic, go for 18 hoursn and exceed the 10,000 trackpoint limit, what happens? How can I ensure that I don't lose data?

2) Memory Part I: Ah, the "no-name" must be my drive F that was added. How do I get rid of Cdn Topo on Garmin? (I can figure out how to put it on drive F.)

3) Memory Part II: See prior link: "It is recommended that a standard speed 4GB microSD card be used in order to get the best performance from the device." I interpreted "best performance" as optimum.

4) Cameras and Time: I want to sync my cameras with Garmin atomic clock. Where do I find Garmin's time with the seconds displayed.

5) Software Update: Thank you for the helpful information. Where do I find the WebUpdater Program?

GPS City
Calgary, AB

Reply #8 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:44am

Clock Sync

The GPS is atomic time, you cannot change it, as it is more accurate than your camera. Please synchronize your camera to the GPS time.

GPS City
Calgary, AB

Reply #9 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:45am

Software Updates

If you have registered your unit, and selected the “handheld units updates” to be subscribed to, Garmin will automatically email you when the updates are available. Otherwise, once a week you may wish to connect your GPS to your computer and run the WebUpdater program. It will not affect your unit if you already have the most current update.

Stecyk
Calgary

Reply #10 on Aug 27, 2009, 9:59am

Clock Sync: I need to be able to see Garmin's time so that I can sync my camera to Garmin. If I can't see Garmin's time, then I am unable to sync my Camera. Just so we are very clear: I have no desire to change Garmin's time. Instead, I want to view it so that I can SET my camera to the same time.

GPS City
Calgary, AB

Reply #11 on Aug 27, 2009, 10:14am

Follow Up Questions

1) If you exceed the 10,000 trackpoints the Garmin will start writing over the first trackpoints laid. To ensure you don't lose data, set your intervals manually, by time or distance, so that you are not dropping points unnecessarily.

2) The next time you load information to the internal memory of the Oregon, it will overwrite the data currently on there. Do not try to delete the files manually, just load a small portion of the topo maps to overwrite the current mapping.

3) As stated before we still recommend the 2GB cards as the more data the GPS has to scour through the slower the processing will become. Ie. the writing of the maps will be slower, the more mapping you have loaded.

4)Unfortunately at this time the Oregon will not display the seconds on it's time. If you would like to contact Garmin directly, they may be able to produce a firmware update to fix this.

5) WebUpdater can be found on Garmins support section of their website, http://www8.garmin.com/products/webupdater/howtoinstall.jsp.

Stecyk
Calgary

Reply #12 on Aug 27, 2009, 10:29am

All your answers have been extremely helpful. Thank you!

Later this afternoon, I will try uploading provinces AB and BC to the card (rather than Garmin). I hope that this process removes my prior uploaded data for AB and BC.

As a follow-up, is there a way that I can easily clear my current AB and BC data? And then follow-up with reloading of the information to my 2GB card?

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