# Garmin Etrex vista track question



## mtbdan (Mar 23, 2007)

I have a track downloaded on the unit. When i ride it tomorrow, how do i playback the track so I follow it? I'm assuming I got to "Tracks", then click on the correct saved track, then hit "Map". I want to make sure that the elevation profile also follows my progress so I can toggle between the map and elevation profile...Thanks!


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## Krein (Jul 3, 2004)

mtbdan said:


> I have a track downloaded on the unit. When i ride it tomorrow, how do i playback the track so I follow it? I'm assuming I got to "Tracks", then click on the correct saved track, then hit "Map". I want to make sure that the elevation profile also follows my progress so I can toggle between the map and elevation profile...Thanks!


As long as the "show on map" box is checked for your saved tack, it will show up on the main map.

If you want to navigate the track (have it give you directions and such) that you need to choose the "Trackback" option. I personally don't find it all that useful, so I just upload the track and compare my position relative to it on the map (and I change the active log to a different color than the default red that saved tracks come in at).

I don't think there's anyway to even display the profile of a saved tracks (or follow it as you are riding). I could be wrong - anyone?


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## mtbdan (Mar 23, 2007)

I don't think there's anyway to even display the profile of a saved tracks (or follow it as you are riding). I could be wrong - anyone?[/QUOTE]

You can view the elevation profile. you click on the track, then click menu, then profile. It will show the elevation profile.

I am trying to have it show the elevation profile as I am riding the trail. ie: it will show the arrow moving on the elevation profile to see how much climbing is left on a hill...


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## BigLarry (Jul 30, 2004)

*A warning*



mtbdan said:


> I have a track downloaded on the unit. When i ride it tomorrow, how do i playback the track so I follow it? I'm assuming I got to "Tracks", then click on the correct saved track, then hit "Map". I want to make sure that the elevation profile also follows my progress so I can toggle between the map and elevation profile...Thanks!


Whenever you download someone else's tracks to your GPS, make sure you filter the points to whatever the saved track limit might be, such as 500 points on many units, before you load it to the GPS. Otherwise you'll only have the first part (first 500 points) of the track on your GPS. You can filter the track under the Track Properties menu of Garmin's MapSource software.

Even knowing this, I forget sometimes and go to the trail and find a critical section of the track missing. :madman:


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

BigLarry said:


> Whenever you download someone else's tracks to your GPS, make sure you filter the points to whatever the saved track limit might be, such as 500 points on many units, before you load it to the GPS. Otherwise you'll only have the first part (first 500 points) of the track on your GPS. You can filter the track under the Track Properties menu of Garmin's MapSource software.
> 
> Even knowing this, I forget sometimes and go to the trail and find a critical section of the track missing. :madman:


Absolutely...

I spent a bunch of time today getting ready for a two week trip. I saved the files to the Micro SD but could not retrieve them.

After a little book reading and trying to remember previous methods, I realized every time previous I had downloaded from Mapsource.

So sure enough, every trail I wanted to take had to be loaded into Mapsource, adjusted to 500 points max, or you get a trail truncated message and only a portion of the trail. So I loaded them in and we'll see how it turns out on the trails.

It does seem stupid that you cannot retrieve a .GPX file, have the unit convert and display it.

What happens if you save your tracks to Micro SD, then the originals become over written while on a trip, then you can't retrieve the back ups.

All in time I guess, and more money.

Another thing that surprised me was my old unit is a 500 point Vista Cx, and the new one is a 1000 Point Vista HCx, but the HCx did not like a value of more than 500 points for the upload...very strange.

PK


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## jmilliron (Aug 24, 2007)

Actually, if you use the Download "GPS Device" link on an activity page on Motionbased, you can get around the 500 point limit. You need the Motionbased Agent installed.

http://www.motionbased.com/support/download/view.mb?tile=support.download.agent

-jason m


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