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GPSmap 76cx users?
I've been having some very unsatisfactory experiences with the roads routing
features of this GPS using the MetroGuide software. I'm sure hoping the problems don't translate into similar issues when using it on the boat. Anybody want to talk about this or know of a discussion group specific to it? Anybody had problems with ignored waypoints and strange routing on the water using Blue Charts? -- Roger Long |
GPSmap 76cx users?
In article , rlong003
@maine.rr.com says... I've been having some very unsatisfactory experiences with the roads routing features of this GPS using the MetroGuide software. I'm sure hoping the problems don't translate into similar issues when using it on the boat. Anybody want to talk about this or know of a discussion group specific to it? Anybody had problems with ignored waypoints and strange routing on the water using Blue Charts? I used my 76C (Not X with compass) last summer to record track and for general cockpit usage last summer in Desolation Sound. I didn't use it for tracks, although I did have the Canadian chart pack loaded. I didn't notice any egregious errors when compared to the papter charts--but I was sightseeing and gunkholing in daylight and the accuracy of the Blue Charts was not an issue. The tracks along the major highways on our trip to California also looked OK for the most part between Corvallis and Sacramento. Mark Borgerson |
GPSmap 76cx users?
Roger Long wrote:
I've been having some very unsatisfactory experiences with the roads routing features of this GPS using the MetroGuide software. I'm sure hoping the problems don't translate into similar issues when using it on the boat. Anybody want to talk about this or know of a discussion group specific to it? Anybody had problems with ignored waypoints and strange routing on the water using Blue Charts? In view of the complexity of these modern map GPS units, I have found that most problems are due to lack of knowledge (by the user) of the vast range of functions available. I learnt more from Mehaffey and Weazels' site at http://gpsinformation.net/ than from the supplied garmin manuals. Be warned however that this is a vast knowledge store, and you may take a while to discover the right section(s). A good start would be the site's review of the 76cx. I have used a 60CS on the water and found Bluecharts to be excellent, both on the laptop and on the instrument itself. The biggest difficulty is persuading died-in-the-wool navigators who have been brought up on a diet of Columbus-style navigation that we really DO live in the 21st century, and things really HAVE moved on! This is particularly the case with the "traditionalists" who have acquired Yachtmaster status some years ago, and believe that modern gadgetry has no place on a sailboat. By the way, has anyone noticed how the chart table has diminished in size on many new boats, and has disappeared altogether on some? Dennis. |
GPSmap 76cx users?
"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message ... Roger Long wrote: I've been having some very unsatisfactory experiences with the roads routing features of this GPS using the MetroGuide software. I'm sure hoping the problems don't translate into similar issues when using it on the boat. Anybody want to talk about this or know of a discussion group specific to it? Anybody had problems with ignored waypoints and strange routing on the water using Blue Charts? In view of the complexity of these modern map GPS units, I have found that most problems are due to lack of knowledge (by the user) of the vast range of functions available. I learnt more from Mehaffey and Weazels' site at http://gpsinformation.net/ than from the supplied garmin manuals. Be warned however that this is a vast knowledge store, and you may take a while to discover the right section(s). A good start would be the site's review of the 76cx. I have used a 60CS on the water and found Bluecharts to be excellent, both on the laptop and on the instrument itself. The biggest difficulty is persuading died-in-the-wool navigators who have been brought up on a diet of Columbus-style navigation that we really DO live in the 21st century, and things really HAVE moved on! This is particularly the case with the "traditionalists" who have acquired Yachtmaster status some years ago, and believe that modern gadgetry has no place on a sailboat. By the way, has anyone noticed how the chart table has diminished in size on many new boats, and has disappeared altogether on some? Dennis. |
GPSmap 76cx users?
"Dennis Pogson" wrote In view of the complexity of these modern map GPS units, I have found that most problems are due to lack of knowledge (by the user) ....... Here is the specific issue that prompts my post: I set up a route on the computer with MetroGuide and everything is fine. I transfer it, with the waypoints to the GPS, and it looks fine. As soon as I activate or recalculate it, it drops two of the waypoints and moves the route to crossing the harbor (by car) and then back across the bridge to go through the waypoint I put in to force that route instead of the more round about one it selected first. I verified that the waypoints are in the correct order and active. I tried deleting all routes and recreating the route on the GPS. It then comes up with the same weird, amphibious car required directions. Does this sound like a user error? Everything worked fine the first time I used it on a complex route in the Washington DC area. I was just learing it and, whew, I'd still be circling around down there with a puzzled look on my face without it. Up here, with that learning experience behind me, I can't make it work on the roads I know best. I'm suspecting an error in the local map. It seemed to work fine away from Portand and on a different route from our destination to the airport to drop off my father. -- Roger Long |
GPSmap 76cx users?
Hi Roger,
I've used my 76c for one season and have been pretty happy with the BlueChart digital charts and the routing functions. I did notice a small, frustrating glitch that occurred as a route crossed from one cart to another. In the Thousand Islands some routes that crossed into Canadian waters would not display properly. As the boat crossed onto the next chart area the screen would refresh the the route would then be ok. I've learned to be a little cautious when transiting across multiple digital charts. And I've had numerous problems with my Garmin IQ (running Palm OS)in Washington DC. The routes are a mess, entire map areas fail to load, and the GPS signal appears to be degraded. I just assumed that the signal was scrambled for security reasons. I've stopped using the IQ in DC, it was too aggravating! Jason Roger Long wrote: I've been having some very unsatisfactory experiences with the roads routing features of this GPS using the MetroGuide software. I'm sure hoping the problems don't translate into similar issues when using it on the boat. Anybody want to talk about this or know of a discussion group specific to it? Anybody had problems with ignored waypoints and strange routing on the water using Blue Charts? -- Roger Long |
GPSmap 76cx users?
Roger Long wrote:
"Dennis Pogson" wrote In view of the complexity of these modern map GPS units, I have found that most problems are due to lack of knowledge (by the user) ....... Here is the specific issue that prompts my post: I set up a route on the computer with MetroGuide and everything is fine. I transfer it, with the waypoints to the GPS, and it looks fine. As soon as I activate or recalculate it, it drops two of the waypoints and moves the route to crossing the harbor (by car) and then back across the bridge to go through the waypoint I put in to force that route instead of the more round about one it selected first. I verified that the waypoints are in the correct order and active. I tried deleting all routes and recreating the route on the GPS. It then comes up with the same weird, amphibious car required directions. Does this sound like a user error? Everything worked fine the first time I used it on a complex route in the Washington DC area. I was just learing it and, whew, I'd still be circling around down there with a puzzled look on my face without it. Up here, with that learning experience behind me, I can't make it work on the roads I know best. I'm suspecting an error in the local map. It seemed to work fine away from Portand and on a different route from our destination to the airport to drop off my father. Metroguide in the UK does not autoroute at all. My understanding is that the US version does autoroute. We have to use City Select Europe to invoke autorouting, and this works extremely well, but is expensive, and requires an unlock key, which Metroguide does not. It would be interesting to try one of the other Garmin mapping software applications for the US and see whether it is the Metroguide software that is the problem. Bluecharts Atlantic also requires an unlock key, but I have found it to be totally reliable, with one exception, if I have the same coastal area loaded to my GPS which is covered by both Bluecharts and City Select software, the City Select maps assume precedence over the Bluecharts, so that sailing near the coast, one loses the marine chart. The solution is to untick the road map in the "map page" to allow the Bluecharts chart to display. I found this annoying, but I suppose we sailors are a unique bunch of users in that we want to use our cars to get down to the boat, then use the same instrument on the boat as a navigation tool. Running down to the coast the other day, I found that I ran out of road completely and seemed to be motoring across country, even though I was on a major highway! It would be interesting to try your route in another Garmin equipped with the City Select software, or whatever the US equivalent is, and to see whether the same anomalies apply. Dennis. |
GPSmap 76cx users?
"Dennis Pogson" wrote Bluecharts Atlantic also requires an unlock key, but I have found it to be totally reliable, with one exception, if I have the same coastal area loaded to my GPS which is covered by both Bluecharts and City Select software, the City Select maps assume precedence over the Bluecharts, so that sailing near the coast, one loses the marine chart. I experienced a similar thing with my earlier 76 so one thing I tried this time was unchecking the base map. No difference. This is one reason I like the data cards. I'm going to put the land maps on one card and segregate the charts on another. It all points out why working with the GPS a lot before using it for real is valuable. As a former pilot, I know there are a lot of pilots who hit things or lost control while trying to figure out why the GPS was doing something unexpected. The other weirdness I was experiencing was having the "REF" marker for distance measuring come on and remain stubbornly in the middle of the display every time I paged to the map. The location marker would then move off the screen. Clicking "Stop Measuring" would fix it but it would start again as soon as I paged to something other than the map and back. I went through the manual and every setting and couldn't find anything that seemed to address the behavior. I finally clicked "Restore Defaults" and everything has been fine since. I can't find anything that will reproduce this behavior so the system evidently can get accidently switched into an odd mode. Imagine this happeing when you are sick, bone tired, scared, and making a tight harbor entrance. -- Roger Long |
GPSmap 76cx users?
In article ,
"Roger Long" wrote: "Dennis Pogson" wrote In view of the complexity of these modern map GPS units, I have found that most problems are due to lack of knowledge (by the user) ....... Here is the specific issue that prompts my post: I set up a route on the computer with MetroGuide and everything is fine. I transfer it, with the waypoints to the GPS, and it looks fine. As soon as I activate or recalculate it, it drops two of the waypoints and moves the route to crossing the harbor (by car) and then back across the bridge to go through the waypoint I put in to force that route instead of the more round about one it selected first. I verified that the waypoints are in the correct order and active. I tried deleting all routes and recreating the route on the GPS. It then comes up with the same weird, amphibious car required directions. Does this sound like a user error? Whenever I go backpacking, I do basically the same thing that you've done except I'm working with digitized topo maps instead of charts. After I transfer the route to my 76CSx, I change the "Guidance Method" from "Follow the Road" to "Off Road" (see page 70 of your Users Manual). If I don't, the unit behaves as weirdly as yours does. Actually, I've set the "Guidance Method" to "Prompted" because I've reached the age where I keep forgetting to change the setting from one to the other as I switch between "Road" and "Off Road" usage. I suspect that's your problem. Your Garmin thinks you're in a car. Although I agree with Dennis Pogson in general when he says, "In view of the complexity of these modern map GPS units, I have found that most problems are due to lack of knowledge (by the user) .......", I think that in this case the "lack of knowledge" is due to the documentation that comes with the 76CSx. The manual documents all the features available with the 76CSx but says nothing regarding the various roles they may play as you consider one use of the GPSr as opposed to another. Ron |
GPSmap 76cx users?
Ronald Wong wrote:
I suspect that's your problem. Your Garmin thinks you're in a car. No, I know that much. Actually, it was acting like it thought my car was a boat. However, the route was following roads properly for 80% of the trip but just taking that weird shortcut across the invisible bridge. It's supposed to act one way or the other; not both. -- Roger Long |
GPSmap 76cx users?
Roger Long wrote:
Ronald Wong wrote: I suspect that's your problem. Your Garmin thinks you're in a car. No, I know that much. Actually, it was acting like it thought my car was a boat. However, the route was following roads properly for 80% of the trip but just taking that weird shortcut across the invisible bridge. It's supposed to act one way or the other; not both. Are there still any DUKW's available in the US Roger? I haven't tried it yet but I intend to try to set up a route which involves catching one of our many ferries to one or other of the Scottish Islands. I will let you know how I get on. Dennis. |
GPSmap 76cx users?
"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message ... Roger Long wrote: Ronald Wong wrote: I suspect that's your problem. Your Garmin thinks you're in a car. No, I know that much. Actually, it was acting like it thought my car was a boat. However, the route was following roads properly for 80% of the trip but just taking that weird shortcut across the invisible bridge. It's supposed to act one way or the other; not both. Are there still any DUKW's available in the US Roger? I haven't tried it yet but I intend to try to set up a route which involves catching one of our many ferries to one or other of the Scottish Islands. I will let you know how I get on. Dennis. |
GPSmap 76cx users?
"Dennis Pogson" wrote Are there still any DUKW's available in the US Roger? They are incredibly popular here. I even designed one for the company that operates two here in Portland. If you go to Boston on a summer day, you'll see one go by about every five minutes. Due to their success in the tour business, all the WWII ones have probably been snatched up and refurbished by now. I recently read a fascinating book about ocean waves. The author spent a several years surveying and studying beaches in the Pacific Northwest using DUWK's in high surf and stated something that I would never have expected. They are one of the best surf boats ever designed. The drag of the forward wheels pulls them forward without actually surfing in such a way that they don't pick up too much speed and risk broaching. Despite the fact that they will sink if swamped, the author and his crew survived many years of extensive operation in waves up to twenty feet. The book is at my office and I'm home but I'll post the title if anyone is interested. Well worth reading for anyone whose interests in life bring them into contact with waves. (Would that cover anyone in this group?) Old and probably unobtainable though. Dennis. |
GPSmap 76cx users?
"Roger Long" wrote in message ... "Dennis Pogson" wrote Are there still any DUKW's available in the US Roger? They are incredibly popular here. I even designed one for the company that operates two here in Portland. If you go to Boston on a summer day, you'll see one go by about every five minutes. Due to their success in the tour business, all the WWII ones have probably been snatched up and refurbished by now. there is a tour company, in Washington DC, that has them and part of the tour is a trip on the Potomac. Leanne |
GPSmap 76cx users?
The GPS resource page mentioned at the beginning of this page seems to
be an excellent resource. I checked it our yesterday and found the solutions to two minor but iritating problems I've been aving with my 76CS. One was described in the FAQs but for the other I had to post a quesiton on their forum. Incredibly I had an answer withng a couple of hours. I am in no way afiliated with the site other than that I found some answers. Matt |
GPSmap 76cx users?
"Roger Long" wrote in message ... They are incredibly popular here. I even designed one for the company that operates two here in Portland. If you go to Boston on a summer day, you'll see one go by about every five minutes. Due to their success in the tour business, all the WWII ones have probably been snatched up and refurbished by now. I recently read a fascinating book about ocean waves. The author spent a several years surveying and studying beaches in the Pacific Northwest using DUWK's in high surf and stated something that I would never have expected. They are one of the best surf boats ever designed. The drag of the forward wheels pulls them forward without actually surfing in such a way that they don't pick up too much speed and risk broaching. Despite the fact that they will sink if swamped, the author and his crew survived many years of extensive operation in waves up to twenty feet. The book is at my office and I'm home but I'll post the title if anyone is interested. Well worth reading for anyone whose interests in life bring them into contact with waves. (Would that cover anyone in this group?) Old and probably unobtainable though. Anything like the Vietnam era Lark V vehicles they like to use up here for tours? http://www.harbourhopper.com/About.php |
GPSmap 76cx users?
In article ,
says... Roger Long wrote: Ronald Wong wrote: I suspect that's your problem. Your Garmin thinks you're in a car. No, I know that much. Actually, it was acting like it thought my car was a boat. However, the route was following roads properly for 80% of the trip but just taking that weird shortcut across the invisible bridge. It's supposed to act one way or the other; not both. Are there still any DUKW's available in the US Roger? You can take a ride on one around the Seattle downtown and waterfront. I'd guess that they don't have any problems routing their tours! http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/ I haven't tried it yet but I intend to try to set up a route which involves catching one of our many ferries to one or other of the Scottish Islands. I will let you know how I get on. Dennis. Mark Borgerson |
GPSmap 76cx users?
In article , rlong003
@maine.rr.com says... "Dennis Pogson" wrote Are there still any DUKW's available in the US Roger? They are incredibly popular here. I even designed one for the company that operates two here in Portland. If you go to Boston on a summer day, you'll see one go by about every five minutes. Due to their success in the tour business, all the WWII ones have probably been snatched up and refurbished by now. I recently read a fascinating book about ocean waves. The author spent a several years surveying and studying beaches in the Pacific Northwest using DUWK's in high surf and stated something that I would never have expected. They are one of the best surf boats ever designed. The drag of the forward wheels pulls them forward without actually surfing in such a way that they don't pick up too much speed and risk broaching. Despite the fact that they will sink if swamped, the author and his crew survived many years of extensive operation in waves up to twenty feet. The book is at my office and I'm home but I'll post the title if anyone is interested. Well worth reading for anyone whose interests in life bring them into contact with waves. (Would that cover anyone in this group?) Old and probably unobtainable though. "Waves and Beaches" by Willard Bascom is still available at Amazon. I got my copy as a text for a summer class in coastal oceanography at the Bodega Marine Lab in 1967. We didn't have any DUKWs, so we had to send volunteers out into the surf with measuring rods to get data for that part of the beach profile. Mark Borgerson |
GPSmap 76cx users?
Mark Borgerson wrote:
In article , rlong003 @maine.rr.com says... I've been having some very unsatisfactory experiences with the roads routing features of this GPS using the MetroGuide software. I'm sure hoping the problems don't translate into similar issues when using it on the boat. Anybody want to talk about this or know of a discussion group specific to it? Anybody had problems with ignored waypoints and strange routing on the water using Blue Charts? I used my 76C (Not X with compass) last summer to record track and for general cockpit usage last summer in Desolation Sound. I didn't use it for tracks, although I did have the Canadian chart pack loaded. I didn't notice any egregious errors when compared to the papter charts--but I was sightseeing and gunkholing in daylight and the accuracy of the Blue Charts was not an issue. The tracks along the major highways on our trip to California also looked OK for the most part between Corvallis and Sacramento. Mark Borgerson Desolation Sound is a great area to sail. We've done it three times and are going to do it again within the next year or two. Where are you located? We're in Boise,Id and trailer sail an Irwin 28. Jim -- |
GPSmap 76cx users?
Roger Long wrote:
Here is the specific issue that prompts my post: I set up a route on the computer with MetroGuide and everything is fine. I transfer it, with the waypoints to the GPS, and it looks fine. As soon as I activate or recalculate it, it drops two of the waypoints and moves the route to crossing the harbor (by car) and then back across the bridge to go through the waypoint I put in to force that route instead of the more round about one it selected first. I verified that the waypoints are in the correct order and active. I tried deleting all routes and recreating the route on the GPS. It then comes up with the same weird, amphibious car required directions. Does this sound like a user error? No, but ISTR there is a "known issue" in transfering *routes* from MetroGuide/CityFoo (i.e. Mapsource) in a PC to units that are 'smart' enough (& have the cartography loaded) to autoroute *themselves*. It seems that that GPS see the start & end points and thinks "Pwah! I can route better than that stupid PC" and starts routing itself - part of the problem is that intermediate turnpoints (NOT waypoints) are not always downloaded. 'fraid I can't remember the answer,/workaround but I'm sure someone on the GPS newsgroups can... rgds, 'GPSmap60CS, CS/BC' Alan -- 99 Ducati 748BP, 95 Ducati 600SS, 81 Guzzi Monza, 74 MV Agusta 350 "Ride to Work, Work to Ride" SI# 7.067 DoD#1930 PGP Key 0xBDED56C5 |
GPSmap 76cx users?
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