# Gps



## 71Fish (Feb 6, 2005)

What's a good GPS recommendation? I know nothing about them.
Not sure if this is the right forum, but I am passionate about where I'm going and where I've been


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

I have the Foretrex 201, which works great for mounting on the bike. Gives you all the ride details and you can upload the data to your PC. Doesn't have a lot of navigation features, but at least won't let you get lost

If you are looking for a full size model with a color screen and maps, this isn't for you. The best part is that it isn't much larger than a standard computer.


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## Squash (Jul 20, 2003)

*For features, ease of mounting...*

and small size I would recommend the Garmin Etrex Legend or the Etrex Vista. Both are mapping gps's (you can load highway maps and such into them), are compact, water proof to 1 meter, easy on batteries, and are easy to learn to use. Both come with a PC interface cable included so there are no worries about purchasing one later, and the handle bar mount is available direct from the Garmin website. The nice thing about these two is you can even mount them on riser bars. Just snuggle it up close to the stem and you're on your way. That and the Legend is quite reasonably priced, retail is $182, the Vista is a bit more at $289, but then it has a few more features as well. I've been using a Legend for a couple of years, both on my bike and in Iraq. I can say that they are rugged, reliable and accurate. With an Etrex and a map you should NEVER be lost. Anyway, that's my recommendation.

Good Dirt


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## TC3 (Apr 22, 2004)

Got my Garmin GPSMAP 60CS for $317 from Amazon.
Good reception, and user interface is simple.
I also bought both U.S. city and TOPO maps, good for either on the road or trails.
Most importantly, it works with my Powerbook (thru VPC)


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## dave54 (Jul 1, 2003)

I have a Garmin 76S.

I seldom mount it on the bike though. I use it to periodically check my location but not constant navigation. The Garmin Mapsource software is too inaccurate in my area.

I have found some great routes while lost or taking a 'wrong' turn. As long as I can get home I don't care if I am on the right trail or not.


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## JerryBoneJr (Jan 21, 2004)

GPS doesn't work while under the forest canopy. It needs an unobstructed view of the southern sky to calculate position. IMO, it doesn't work well enough to try to use while MTBing. $.02


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## Lutarious (Feb 8, 2005)

*What he said...*

."...GPS doesn't work while under the forest canopy. It needs an unobstructed view of the southern sky to calculate position...."

WRONG

I Use an etrex legend and I love it. Stick it in my camelback and forget about it. I download the tracks when I get home to see the details about my ride. I only wish it would tally the elevation changes. (it does read elevation) Most folks around the boating world trust garmin for durability and ease of use. Anything you can save maps to your PC will do the trick, you dont need a lot of color and big display etc when you're trying to ride....


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## Stuart B (Mar 21, 2005)

JerryBoneJr said:


> GPS doesn't work while under the forest canopy. It needs an unobstructed view of the southern sky to calculate position. IMO, it doesn't work well enough to try to use while MTBing. $.02


GPS doesn't just need to see just south if your are in the northern hemisphere. The sattelites arn't geostationary. there are 24 sats that rotate around the world about 2 times a day on different orbits that provide global coverage. Although tree cover can afffect the the signal if it is thick enough.

I also have the Garmin Foretrex 201 on my bars. Seems to work well. Had it a week.

Stu


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

JerryBoneJr said:


> GPS doesn't work while under the forest canopy. It needs an unobstructed view of the southern sky to calculate position. IMO, it doesn't work well enough to try to use while MTBing. $.02


Never had a problem with the signal not reaching through the trees. Only once when going through a very deep canyon was I getting a poor signal, but still had enough data to download good enough ride data to plot out the course on TOPO.


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## zod (Jul 15, 2003)

I just upgraded from the Etrex Vista to the Vista C. I love both of them.......great small GPS with lots o' memory and it's waterproof in case you fall in a creek


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## Jessep (Dec 1, 2004)

I just found the fortrex 101 for 112 bucks with the bicycle mount, how fast does your 201 mow through batteries EBrider? Tthe only difference between the 101 and 201 is the 101 uses two AAA's rather than a lithium. Garmin says 15 hours, is that pretty accurate? Also, where did you get your Topo maps for download?


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

I'm also using a Etrex Legend. I've only used it on 1 week long ride, I did find someplaces where either the tree cover or cliff faces obstructed reception enough to completely loose the satellite signal. Otherwise I was impressed with it.

I'm also using the bar mount. I also have the windshield mount for driving.

I've bought the Cdn topo maps, but haven't used them yet, but will shortly. I need to find a source here in Canada to buy the US topos. The main Garmin dealer doesn't stock it for some reason.

Search the archives, there are some good GPS threads in there.


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

Jessep said:


> I just found the fortrex 101 for 112 bucks with the bicycle mount, how fast does your 201 mow through batteries EBrider? Tthe only difference between the 101 and 201 is the 101 uses two AAA's rather than a lithium. Garmin says 15 hours, is that pretty accurate? Also, where did you get your Topo maps for download?


15 hours may be close. I think when I first got it, I rode two consecutive days without a recharge (proabably about 8 hours) and I was down to one bar on the battery indicator. But at 24HOA, I probably had it on for 7 hours and only got about halfway through the indicator. It may depend on the signal strength.

Not having to replace batteries is kind of a nice feature, but if I ever go on a multi day trip through the rockies or something, I would need to find a different solution. Think I paid $130 and another $15 for the mount.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

The local dealer will order it, but at the time I was trying to find it in stock for a upcoming trip.


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

CraigH said:


> I need to find a source here in Canada to buy the US topos. The main Garmin dealer doesn't stock it for some reason.


Try the REI website. They have all the National Geographic software, and I am sure they ship to Canada. When I looked, the price was US $100 no more or less wherever I checked.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

EBrider said:


> Never had a problem with the signal not reaching through the trees. Only once when going through a very deep canyon was I getting a poor signal, but still had enough data to download good enough ride data to plot out the course on TOPO.


same here, only time that we've had trouble is on fast downhills through a dense forest.

Instead of Nat Geo Topo, looks at topofusion.com It connects with both a US topo map server, and the terra server, so you can build your maps with either topographic look or arial photo looks. Plus you can get the whole US, the software is $40 and there is shareware available.Forget it if you are on dial up, though. Bonus, it's written by a couple of mountain bikers. 

I've found the TOPO series to be slighly problematic for two reasons. One, a lot of the topo map data is OLD - at least in Idaho there are things on the maps (roads, trails) that do not exist any more, but were present when the mapping is done. Two, new info (road trails) are not on the maps either. Three, the *.tpo format is proprietary. Once you down load from your gps, you can't convert it very easily into the universal *.gpx format to import into other programs. The only way to get the map data into a different program is to upload the map back into your gps, then re-download it into the other program.

formica


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## 71Fish (Feb 6, 2005)

Thanks for all te replies. I went with the Megellan SporTrak Pro. Got a good deal ordering it through the BX/PX web site. Lots of uncharted trails in the Black Hills, and I'm the type who can get lost once I leave my driveway.


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## Lost81 (Dec 14, 2004)

Stumbled into this thread. 
Thanks for the wealth of information!

All I want is a GPS unit to keep track of my riding, not for navigation.
When I get home, I want to connect it to my PowerBook, download the data, and construct an elevation/distance chart, as well as superimpose my route on a map.
That's all.

As for mapping software, I have the macintosh version of National Geographic State Series Topo! and Backcountry maps.

I am thinking of the Foretrex 101 for my purpose.
I am not comfortable with the Foretrex 201's non-user-replaceable lithium ion battery.

What do you think? Or will the etrex Summit suit my purpose better?
I don't want overkill if I can help it.

Thank you!


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## SwissBuster (Jan 19, 2004)

*Foretrex 201 here.*



Lost81 said:


> All I want is a GPS unit to keep track of my riding, not for navigation. I am thinking of the Foretrex 101 for my purpose. I am not comfortable with the Foretrex 201's non-user-replaceable lithium ion battery.


 I use my GPS more-or-less as you describe, and couldn't be happier with my 201. The wrist watch format is a big bonus to me, as I can use it running or skiing, for example. I don't see an issue with the rechargable batteries on it (in fact, I wouldn't want to use AAs), but to each his own.

Another model you could consider is one from the Forerunner series. My Dad has the latest model (301?, with heart monitor). For me, the Forerunner's layout is setup better for sports use, less for navigation.

Any questions, PM me.


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## Squash (Jul 20, 2003)

*Is the 201 or 301 capable of tracking....*



SwissBuster said:


> I use my GPS more-or-less as you describe, and couldn't be happier with my 201. The wrist watch format is a big bonus to me, as I can use it running or skiing, for example. I don't see an issue with the rechargable batteries on it (in fact, I wouldn't want to use AAs), but to each his own.
> 
> Another model you could consider is one from the Forerunner series. My Dad has the latest model (301?, with heart monitor). For me, the Forerunner's layout is setup better for sports use, less for navigation.
> 
> Any questions, PM me.


altitude change? I believe that's one of the features that Lost81 is looking for. I don't recall for sure, but I don't think the 101, 201 or 301 actually track altitude. Most GPS don't, they will display altitude of course but most do not track it from one point to another and hold it in memeory except for a specific point. So track log points would have an atltitude attached to them as would way points etc. But anything in between would not. The beauty of th Etrex Summit, while it is on it constantly tracks altitude and postion and can even be set up to display an altitude profile right on the screen. Anyway, while almost any gps will do what Lost is looking to do, the altitude/distance profile would be more accurately accomplished with the Etrex Summit I think. After all that is what the Summit is designed for. Just a thought. I can see where the Forerunner series would be convinient, just not sure if it is the right tool for the job. 

Good Dirt


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

Squash said:


> altitude change? I believe that's one of the features that Lost81 is looking for. I don't recall for sure, but I don't think the 101, 201 or 301 actually track altitude. Most GPS don't, they will display altitude of course but most do not track it from one point to another and hold it in memeory except for a specific point. So track log points would have an atltitude attached to them as would way points etc. But anything in between would not. The beauty of th Etrex Summit, while it is on it constantly tracks altitude and postion and can even be set up to display an altitude profile right on the screen. Anyway, while almost any gps will do what Lost is looking to do, the altitude/distance profile would be more accurately accomplished with the Etrex Summit I think. After all that is what the Summit is designed for. Just a thought. I can see where the Forerunner series would be convinient, just not sure if it is the right tool for the job.
> 
> Good Dirt


The foretrex does not track altitude internally, but once the track point data is uploaded, TOPO will give you the altitude profile.


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## AZClydesdale (Jan 12, 2004)

*Garmin 60CS*



71Fish said:


> What's a good GPS recommendation? I know nothing about them.
> Not sure if this is the right forum, but I am passionate about where I'm going and where I've been


I just purchased my first GPS and have gone back and forth over features, software, and device. This is as I understand my research the last few days...

First decide if you want to take the maps with you. All gps units (Foretrex, etc.) will allow you to load waypoint directions before your ride. Regardless of the bells and whistles on the device, the data you bring back to your home computer will be the same. That is when the software you own matters.

Software adds considerably to the total cost of your GPS system. If you decide on a mapable GPS, then you will probably want both a topo map (for MTBing) and a city street software (for driving around town). If the device is just used for your MTBing expoits, then you could probably get by with only the Topo software.

If you decide on a device with auto-mapping (car directions, notifies you on a turn by turn basis)..then you will probably want the City Select software application.

On your rides do you want to know the altitude, ave speed, max speed, baromic pressure, digital compass feature, etc? If you live in an area with tree cover then you may want an external antennae feature. Do you travel alot and need maps of an entire state (or more)? Then you need 56MB+ memory in your mapable GPS.

I originally bought a Garmin Vista bundle (city streets and topo software included) for $390 at . I then had remorse about the older software it came with (v4?), low hours with battery life, memory, and lack of auto-mapping. I returned it for the Garmin GPSMap 60CS for the same price (but I had to buy the software for another $200). Considerable expense but I want to do this once.

Good luck

Steve


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## AZClydesdale (Jan 12, 2004)

www.gpscity.com


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## johnbspinnen' (Dec 13, 2004)

*Good Choice*



71Fish said:


> Thanks for all te replies. I went with the Megellan SporTrak Pro. Got a good deal ordering it through the BX/PX web site. Lots of uncharted trails in the Black Hills, and I'm the type who can get lost once I leave my driveway.


Good choice. I've been using the Magellen SportTrac Topo for almost a year. It's last years model of the one you got. As someone said above nothing beats Topofusion for the price. They just came out with an update also. The dude who writes the code is a MTBer. I use the handlebar mount, and have only lost a signal once. Remember to set the track recorder to .01 mile. You get 100 data points per mile for a nice track. I've had some trouble transferring very large tracks (>2500 points) but hopefully the new update will fix this. Mounted on my bike:










Some sample maps:









Big Bear 24 hour Race trail See more here









18 hour on the farm trail


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## 71Fish (Feb 6, 2005)

That's awsome johnbspinnen. That's some of the stuff I want to do with it. I also want to use it on my motorcycle. I do a ton of cross country riding. Just got back last week from riding from my home in SD to Nova Scotia and back. There were times it would have been handier than a map.


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## Lost81 (Dec 14, 2004)

Thank you for the excellent information! When I was reading up on the GPS units, I was actually considering the eTrex Summit as well  Not so much for the altimeter but that its reception is much better. But yes, the altimeter sounds like a nice function.

I found a Forerunner 101 bundle for $101 on the net.
The Summit is going for $157, although they are offering a remanufactured / refurbished unit for $100.
The Summit can sit nicely in a holster (attached to a lanyard) in the netting area of my camelbak hawg. Reception there will be similar to having a Foretrex on my wrist, I'd think.
Looks like either way, I can't lose


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## chruby99 (Dec 11, 2004)

*Magellan Sportrack pro*

I found a Sportrack pro for $125 Im waiting for my mount I picked up for $30 I use it now in my car because my spedometerer is dead. It keep MPH accurate to the tenth of a MPH I dont have any software yet but it has lakes and county roads and hwy's altitude and a bunch of stuff I havent even figured out. I know I don't get reception in the house I hope it works under a canopy because most trails in Ohio are in the deep woods.


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## Squash (Jul 20, 2003)

*DUH!!! My bad, I left the exteral software out of the...*



EBrider said:


> The foretrex does not track altitude internally, but once the track point data is uploaded, TOPO will give you the altitude profile.


mix! You are right the software on your computer would fill in the altitiudes for the stretches in between the track points. Provided the program was worth the media it was written on.

Good Dirt


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## TD64 (Jan 6, 2004)

For Magellan and Garmin owners that have an extra $20 to blow go and check out https://earth.google.com and upgrade to the plus version (it will allow you to download your data); dump your data, zoom in and ride the trail!








TD (Garmin 60CS owner)


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## Scary Mc (Mar 10, 2004)

JerryBoneJr said:


> GPS doesn't work while under the forest canopy. It needs an unobstructed view of the southern sky to calculate position. IMO, it doesn't work well enough to try to use while MTBing. $.02


 So very wrong.


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## SwissBuster (Jan 19, 2004)

*A tick for altitude.*



Squash said:



> I don't recall for sure, but I don't think the 101, 201 or 301 actually track altitude... I can see where the Forerunner series would be convinient, just not sure if it is the right tool for the job.


 Yep, the 201 can display altitude, and your track also contains altitude data which you can download to a PC and so measure total altitude gain, highest points, etc. A track point is taken about every 50m or so. I deliberated about buying a GPS with a barometric altimeter for accuracy, but have found I don't need it. Whenever I have checked it, my altitude has been within 5m. Usually, that is more accurate than a barometric reading as you have to accurately reset the barometric altimeter for each ride (air pressure changes). One of the big surprises once I bought the device was how good the altimeter function is.



Lost81 said:


> The Summit can sit nicely in a holster (attached to a lanyard) in the netting area of my camelbak hawg. Reception there will be similar to having a Foretrex on my wrist, I'd think.


 I don't know which has the better reception,, but something to consider: with the wristwatch format, the foretrex can easily be used for other sports such as running where you might not be carrying a camelback.

And to set the record straight: a GPS is definitely accurate and reliable enough for mountainbiking.


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## Jessep (Dec 1, 2004)

where did you find that chruby?


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## Jessep (Dec 1, 2004)

Swissbuster, is that the fortrex or forerunner your talking about? Or do they both display altitude. (GPS altitude is good enough for me) or if someone that has one could tell me that would be sweet.


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## chruby99 (Dec 11, 2004)

*Found it at...*



Jessep said:


> where did you find that chruby?


Found it at Ebay. I put all of Sportrek pro's on my watch list for a week and scored mine. Brand new Mabee used once. I have seen quite a few sell for @ 90-100 bucks. Worth the time I think retail is like 200+ dollars


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

Does the Summit have the ability to load map software? I don't see any internal memory listed. What about the Legend and Vista. I guess i want something that has an electronic compass, can load a reasonable amount of software on to and has an altimeter to track mtb rides. Which fits the bill the best?


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

*wow..*

Thanks for the info. Google gps software looksl like its easy to use, does it mark alititude on the maps (when you load your own) as well?

man, why cant they upgrade the garmin into using usb?? I also hate the fact that it doesnt even come with any software with the gps units, so if I hook up my gps to the comp, it doesnt know what to do with it. (of course)


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## drnich (Dec 20, 2004)

*Garmin forerunner 301*

I got the 301 a couple weeks ago with a bike mount. After a couple rides i ditched my bike computer. It does monitor altitude and a whole bunch of other stuff. Not the best navigational aid but for the size its pretty sweet.


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

*yup..*



drnich said:


> I got the 301 a couple weeks ago with a bike mount. After a couple rides i ditched my bike computer. It does monitor altitude and a whole bunch of other stuff. Not the best navigational aid but for the size its pretty sweet.


hey swiss buster, Im too lazy to look up old posts, but you did a post of trails with a gps map overlay on it. how did you do that again?

yours looked the best!


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## Jouster (Aug 1, 2005)

*SportsTrak Topo*

I have a SportsTrack Topo as well. Heve taken some huge spills with it and it has endured. Get the lastest bios version as well. There is some nice topo profile functions with it that are very useful for MTB rides.

For those who aren't familiar with the Topo, it is a receiver with 110 MB of ROM that stores height for all of North America. It's very useful to see what terrain is ahead of you.


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## nrsrex (Jun 7, 2005)

71Fish said:


> What's a good GPS recommendation? I know nothing about them.
> Not sure if this is the right forum, but I am passionate about where I'm going and where I've been


i'm not really into the gps deal, i have one in my car, but for mtb'ing i'd say i'll stick with one of suunto's supa fly watches with altitude gains and stuff like that. right now i'm waiting for my YELLOW Suunto Vector. it's on sale at rei for 149.99 or so, cheaper than the suunto site. check em suunto's out. before i forget they have computer interface too, just depends on what u lookin fer.

"no worries"


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## Jouster (Aug 1, 2005)

johnbspinnen' said:


> Good choice. I've been using the Magellen SportTrac Topo for almost a year. It's last years model of the one you got. As someone said above nothing beats Topofusion for the price. They just came out with an update also. The dude who writes the code is a MTBer. I use the handlebar mount, and have only lost a signal once. Remember to set the track recorder to .01 mile. You get 100 data points per mile for a nice track. I've had some trouble transferring very large tracks (>2500 points) but hopefully the new update will fix this. Mounted on my bike:


Topofusion looks great! I have the Sportstrak Topo and grabbed the demo version. Unfortunately it can't connect to the Topo (even though my Topo! software can with the same settings). Did you have to do anything special to get that to work?

Thanks!


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## johnbspinnen' (Dec 13, 2004)

*Its a bit finicky*



Jouster said:


> Topofusion looks great! I have the Sportstrak Topo and grabbed the demo version. Unfortunately it can't connect to the Topo (even though my Topo! software can with the same settings). Did you have to do anything special to get that to work?
> 
> Thanks!


I assume you're using the USB adaptor to connect and therein lies the problem. When I hook directly to a serial port it's never an issue.

Try this:

Open the Magellen software and run the autodetect routine from the GPS settings under Options with the GPS unit plugged in and turned on.
Then open Topofusion, make sure the settings are the same (under options menu), it should now recognize the unit. 

The problem is in the USB driver from Magellen.

Hope this works for you.

PS - The unit is definately durable, I launched it from my road bike at 20+ and it went bouncing down the road, it still works fine.


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## Jouster (Aug 1, 2005)

*Serial port is the same issue *



johnbspinnen' said:


> I assume you're using the USB adaptor to connect and therein lies the problem. When I hook directly to a serial port it's never an issue.
> 
> Try this:
> 
> ...


Yeah, that was the first thing I tried.

My USB adapter isn't Magellan's but I did try the serial port as well. It doesn't work. I tested it through four other GPS applications and they all work.

At the moment, I'm reading in GPX files through a little freeware app and then loading the file into TopoFusion.

Thanks for the tip!


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## @dam (Jan 28, 2004)

Stuart B said:


> JerryBoneJr said:
> 
> 
> > GPS doesn't work while under the forest canopy. It needs an unobstructed view of the southern sky to calculate position. IMO, it doesn't work well enough to try to use while MTBing. $.02
> ...


You're both wrong, to a certain extant. If I remember correctly, there are no GPS satellites in an inclanation above about 55 degrees. Therefore, in the general area of the canadian border or so, you'll occasionally get a satellite dead overhead, but most of the time you'll have a tendancy to find them southward. In Alaska and northern Canada they'll always be southward. In the Continental U.S. they'll be occasionally northward just a bit, but you're still more likely to find satellites south of you. Only at the equator are you just as likely to find a satellite north of you as you are to find one south of you.

Forest canopy can interfere with signals, but doesn't necessarily have to. Again, the more satellites you have in view, the fewer problems you'll have with the canopy, so it can again be more of a problem the further north you go.

That said, I don't have a GPS receiver so I can't give a recomendation on that


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

*yah..*

I have the same issue.  but my Garmin uses the old school parellel port.


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## Jouster (Aug 1, 2005)

@dam said:


> You're both wrong, to a certain extant. If I remember correctly, there are no GPS satellites in an inclanation above about 55 degrees. Therefore, in the general area of the canadian border or so, you'll occasionally get a satellite dead overhead, but most of the time you'll have a tendancy to find them southward. In Alaska and northern Canada they'll always be southward. In the Continental U.S. they'll be occasionally northward just a bit, but you're still more likely to find satellites south of you. Only at the equator are you just as likely to find a satellite north of you as you are to find one south of you.
> 
> Forest canopy can interfere with signals, but doesn't necessarily have to. Again, the more satellites you have in view, the fewer problems you'll have with the canopy, so it can again be more of a problem the further north you go.
> 
> That said, I don't have a GPS receiver so I can't give a recomendation on that


This explains how I got lost in that forest above the arctic circle last weekend.


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## raegeno (Mar 17, 2004)

*GPS Question*

I've seen alot of GPS users download maps onto local forums and such. Now, can these maps be downloaded to my GPS somehow?

It would really come in handy if I were at a trail system that I'd never been to before.

Raegeno


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## BigLarry (Jul 30, 2004)

raegeno said:


> I've seen alot of GPS users download maps onto local forums and such. Now, can these maps be downloaded to my GPS somehow?
> 
> It would really come in handy if I were at a trail system that I'd never been to before.
> 
> Raegeno


Each GPS vendor usually has a proprietary map format that can be used, and not all GPS will accept maps or have enough memory. For instance, on my Garmin eTrex Vista, I can download MapSource maps such as MetroGuide USA (very detailed street maps and points of interest like ATMs, gas, food, bike shops,..) and MapSouro TOPO (not be confused with the National Geographic Topo! product, that cannot be downloaded to a GPS - it's picture based, not vector, anyway). With 24 MB of memory, I can store all the streets in the SF bay area, and all the Topo maps of all the trails from Santa Cruz to Auburn.

I can switch on the GPS to show either the street or topo. I use street maps to get to the trail head, and topo once on the trail.

For navigating, you may want to down load a "Track", which is someone elses breadcrumb you can follow . I like it better to instead set way points at trail intersections and turns on my computer, often using someone's track. I then navigate to the each waypoint or turn using a "Route" made by a series of these waypoints. I usually make a Route with 15-30 waypoints I've set, approximately from 0.5 to 3.0 miles apart, depending on what the trail looks like. The GPS can display the distance to the next waypoint and let me know if I'm on track and motivate me to get there. Again GPS units vary in how may track points, way points, and routes they can store.


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

*bump..*

Bump for more tips!

So guys, i got the cali national geographic software. (REI tent sale, 25 bucks yo!!!)

Now, how do i use my breadcrumb on one of their maps? Their instructions are pretty crappy.

Also how do I do a elevation profile graph as well? thanks guys!


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## BigLarry (Jul 30, 2004)

carbnjunkie said:


> So guys, i got the cali national geographic software. (REI tent sale, 25 bucks yo!!!)
> 
> Now, how do i use my breadcrumb on one of their maps? Their instructions are pretty crappy.
> 
> Also how do I do a elevation profile graph as well? thanks guys!


That's a great deal. I think I paid around $90 for mine.

Did you import the Track (what you call a breadcrumb)? The instructions vary slightly from version to version, but in general you want to go to the Handheld Menu and select Import from GPS or txt Wizard. Then select GPS if that's what you want to import from, and then in the next window choose Tracks. Don't select make a waypoint for each track points or you'll have hundreds of track points, which is too many. Instead choose make a Freehand Route for each continuous track. Also, if you have more than one Track saved on the GPS, you may want it to make a new route for any new track more than say a mile away, if that's the distance between start points on the two rides, and you rarely loose signal more that a fraction of a mile. With the other options, the import wizard will connect all routes stored, or break the routes up into zillions of disconnected pieces.

Also, I use the default datums, usually WGS84 which is what you should use unless the map or software you're working with needs something else. You want to make both the GPS and software use the same datum when transferring data. Otherwise errors will occur from differences in reference systems.

To build an altitude profile, right click on the freehand route, and from the popup menu, select Build Profile. It should do the work and then display the height versus distance profile and climb info under the topo map. You can resize the windows to get better scaling. Also, a + symbol on the lower right of some versions allow zooming in a separate window, but the zoom window lacks smoothing and the climb data is not as accurate since false spikes will add erroneous extra climb.


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## Wherewolf (Jan 17, 2004)

*Plunge profile?*

Where is that Plunge profile?


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

carbnjunkie said:


> Bump for more tips!
> 
> So guys, i got the cali national geographic software. (REI tent sale, 25 bucks yo!!!)
> 
> ...


Be sure it is the TOPO! software and not one of the other packages.


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## BigLarry (Jul 30, 2004)

EBrider said:


> Be sure it is the TOPO! software and not one of the other packages.


Good Point. But he said he got the CA version of the National Geographic software, which would imply he indeed got the Topo!

The $25 price also sounds like the price of Streets and 3D Views expansion pack. It's very worthy add-on as it gives 3D views that I post frequently, 3D route fly-over movies, can overlay street maps on the topos, and it upgrades NG Topo! to version 4.0 as well. Buuuut, it only works if you already have a version of NG Topo!, which runs around $90 usually.


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

*yup...*

Dont worry guys, I indeed got the cali topo software with the 10 cds.

The reason why it was so cheap since it was opened software, and it was missing the actual manuel. 
(the previous buyer complained they couldt load it on to their own gps)

REI used tent sale rules!


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

ok guys, help me out.

I'm using a laptop with no serial connection, so im using a serial to usb converter. The program cant find the gps, and i tried changing from com 1 to com 8.....what should i do?


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## EBrider (Aug 3, 2004)

*Just got a new computer*



carbnjunkie said:


> ok guys, help me out.
> 
> I'm using a laptop with no serial connection, so im using a serial to usb converter. The program cant find the gps, and i tried changing from com 1 to com 8.....what should i do?


Without a serial port, so I bought the USB-Serial Cable, installed the driver that came with it and it works fine. Had to try a few different Com ports before it worked, but had success on com 3.


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## Jouster (Aug 1, 2005)

carbnjunkie said:


> ok guys, help me out.
> 
> I'm using a laptop with no serial connection, so im using a serial to usb converter. The program cant find the gps, and i tried changing from com 1 to com 8.....what should i do?


First find out if your PC "sees" it. 
1. Right click on your "My computer" desktop icon, select "properties"
2. Select the "Hardware" tab
3. Click "Device Manager" button.
4. Open the "Ports (COM & LPT) tree item
5. Under this item, you should see the USB to serial device you bought and the com port asigned to it.

Use this com port. Make sure your baud rate (GPS and program) are the same.

That should do it.

Jouster


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## skate (Feb 19, 2004)

*has anyone tried*



71Fish said:


> What's a good GPS recommendation? I know nothing about them.
> Not sure if this is the right forum, but I am passionate about where I'm going and where I've been


I was just wondering if anyone has tried any of the magellan explorist 500 or 600 gps systems?

I like the SD card feature and being able to store a lot of information, but was wondering how good it would be on the trail or for mountain biking and things of that nature.

Or maybe what overall experiance they have had with either.


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

*under interface...*

under interface, on the GPS, what should I set the serial date format to?

does that have a effect on the comp finding it? i know its port 3, it just doesnt find it on in the national geographic software.


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## revrnd (Aug 13, 2004)

*Another GPS Question*

In the past week I've ridden the same trails thru the Durham Forest her in Ontario. The forest cover is mostly hardwoods. The 1st ride was on a sunny cloudless day. I had no problems w/ satellite reception (Etrex Legend). The next time I was out it was cloudy & lost satellite contact several times. Is this because of the cloud cover?

Any ideas?


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## BigLarry (Jul 30, 2004)

*Yeppa*



revrnd said:


> In the past week I've ridden the same trails thru the Durham Forest her in Ontario. The forest cover is mostly hardwoods. The 1st ride was on a sunny cloudless day. I had no problems w/ satellite reception (Etrex Legend). The next time I was out it was cloudy & lost satellite contact several times. Is this because of the cloud cover?
> 
> Any ideas?


I have an eTrex Vista, which should have the same reception as your Legend (seme eTrex line, same patch antennae)

Clouds OR light coverage usually OK. But not both...
In light forest AND cloudy conditions, the signal gets sketchy.

Also, in heavy forest, the signal gets sketchy, clouds or not.
On the side of a steep hill, I can get sketchy signal regardless of trees or clouds, but they don't help.

By sketchy, I mean momentary loss of a signal. The worst is a mile or two until I get out of the thick tree cover or up the hill a little ways.

Also, the same hillside with foilage and limited sky view can be great or poor from trip to trip, depending on where the satellites are that day and time.


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## carbnjunkie (Aug 21, 2003)

*yup*

ive noticed the same exact thing. Same trails, different results, but shiggy has a neat little antenna setup if he can chime in!

Back to my problem (the serial to usb converter) is very complicated. This is what garmin said.....so if you guys have the same problem....read (very long)

________( by garmin rep)

I would be happy to assist you. The application of a USB to serial
converter is a very delicate issue. The USB to Serial converter that Garmin
is currently offering has been tested on multiple brands of computers as
well as on multiple operating systems. The capability of any USB to serial
converter from any manufacturer to work on any given machine has about an
80% success rate. We do not recommend the Garmin cable over any other brand
as the success rate is the same.

My supervisor has personally done extensive testing on our USB to Serial
converter, as well as converters manufactured by KeySpan and Belkin. The
success rate is approx 80% across the board. The deciding factor seems to be
the configuration of the specific machine. He can take 5 identical
computers, same manufacturer, same operating system, utilized for the same
purposes, so the same software has been installed/removed. These are as
close to five identical machines as he can get. Then since each computer has
had a slightly different life, they have different configurations when it
comes to the Windows Operating systems. He can then take the three different
converters from the three different manufacturer's. In testing varying
levels of compatibility then occurs using each converter on each individual
machine.

The serial to USB converter is a delicate conversion to perform due to the
creation of the Virtual Com Port. The way that Windows then handles this
virtual com port including any other hardware conflicts is up to Windows.
Our customer's experience has paralleled our experience with USB to Serial
interfaces. Factors in the users PC seem to be the limiting factor for
compatibility with one or any of the USB to serial converters. For this
reason, we always recommend contacting your pc manufacturer to find which
one they might recommend for use with their particular systems.

If you have attempted one type of USB to serial converter, and it is not
working for your application. I would recommend returning it to the place of
purchase for a refund. Then I would recommend exploring the USB to Serial
converters produced by other vendors to see if one by another manufacturer
will be compatible with your application.

The PCMCIA option has a better success rate, however it is not a 100%
solution either. The only 100% solution is to have a direct serial
connection.
At this point in time Garmin is the only GPS manufacturer that I am aware of
to offer a USB to serial conversion. In the GPS industry serial
communication with the units is still the standard as a large portion of our
customer base depend on a NMEA protocol to interface with other devices.
NMEA data will not stream through a direct USB interface.

GARMIN now manufactures some units with BOTH a USB and a Serial option.
However, the unit you have does not offer that option and can not be adapted
to do so.

To see whether your unit is compatible with your 3rd party software program,
I would recommend contacting the manufacturer of your software. Garmin's
communication protocol is openly published so that software manufactures may
utilize it to interface with our units for route, waypoint, and track
transfer. If they choose to use our communications protocol, this
information can be transmitted BOTH from the gps to the pc and back again.

Garmin units with a serial connection support the NMEA protocol for
interfacing with software capable of utilizing the NMEA input from a GPS.
If this is the communication protocol required with your 3rd party software
provider, you will only be able to transmit data FROM the gps to the
computer, not back again.

However, only maps from one of Garmin's MapSource line of mapping products
can be downloaded INTO a capable Garmin unit.

If you need any additional assistance, please let me know.


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