Author Topic: GPS acting weird... (Read 894 times)

daddywpb · « **on:** November 29, 2004, 02:52:02 PM »

I was in a WMA area on Sunday that I had never been to before. I reset the trip computer and tracks on my Legend before I started walking. I was moving real slow and quiet, or at least trying to, and pushing the click stick as I went to mark possible future waypoints where I saw hog sign, etc. When I got to the point where I decided to turn around and head back to the truck, I checked the map screen, and noticed that some of the things that I had marked weren't there. I had marked five waypoints and there were only three showing on the screen. Luckily, one of them was the truck, because I was 8/10ths of a mile away, and it was now pitch dark. I'm not sure what I did wrong, never had that problem with it before. It wasn't in "navigation" mode, I was just walking and retracing my steps. Any ideas?
Steve

Siskiyou · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2004, 05:56:03 PM »

daddywpb: I would like to try and duplicate what you were doing at the time. What Screen did you have up at the time? I am assuming it was the map screen, but I am not sure.

Always happy to play with my gps. I did a little experiment: Conducted with the map screen showing.

1. Pressed in on the Click Stick lightly. I immediately released it. No waypoint was created.

2. Pressed in on the Click Stick and held it in place. The Mark Waypoint Screen appeared. The OK option was highlighted. I pressed the Click Stick again which saved the Waypoint.

I believe that one must duplicate step two to create waypoints.

Another possibility is that the GPS was not in the "Ready to Navigate" mode. As an example I carry my GPS around my neck sometimes. When I do this the face (antenna) rotates into my chest. And the gps is no longer "Ready to Navigate" because it has lost contact with the Satellites. If I was to push in the Click Stick in this mode I would not create a waypoint.

When I carry the gps in the Ready to Navigate mode in a shirt pocket or pouch facing outward with the antenna up I have not had a problem. Then there is tree cover. There is a few hundred feet of the area I take the dog walking that is in a tunnel of oaks. My gps with not receive there. Other areas with lighter oak cover do not create a problem.

Graybeard · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2004, 07:58:00 PM »

You guys need to get a Garmin GPS12 or 12XL. Tree cover is of no concern with it. Works upside down, right side up, sitting on the front porch or riding down the road in a truck.

daddywpb · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2004, 11:07:41 PM »

After reading the responces and pondering over it a bit, I'm sure it was operator error. I usually carry it on my rifle sling, up by my shoulder, so if I twist my eyes sideways I can kind of see it without taking it off the sling. I've never had a problem with it losing the signals. It works in the truck and even in the house, but only to about 100 feet accuracy in the house. The only time I went to look at it and saw the flashing "?" was when I hooked it on my belt. I think my belly blocked the signal (damn Hooters chicken wings).

One thing I noticed the other day. I had walked to a spot and pushed the clickstick to mark it, then saw something behind me and walked back to mark that. I think I was up to the 004 waypoint by then. I guess I pressed the clickstick at 004, then backtracked and pressed it again to get 005. The 005 point click was the "OK" confirmation, so when I looked on the map, 004 was 'ahead' of me on the trail, and there was no 005. I'll get this thing figured out eventually. I really wasn't paying much attention to the GPS at that point. I was focused on the hog sign, and the woods around me.

On another note, I had my Omega with me on Sunday. I put a Nikon Prostaff 2.5x7x32 on it this last year. It was just about dark, and the image through the scope was much brighter than with my eyes. I could make out things through the scope that I couldn't see without it because it was too dark. I've never been disappointed with Nikon optics. I just put a 4x12x40 Monarch on my Ruger 77, and I use Nikon Travelmate 12x25 binoculars. They are all superb.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2004, 08:45:38 AM »

Graybread: I am glad your GPS12XL does all those things. I have found that my gps will work in the house, out on the deck, and in a vehicle setting in the cup holder. But when I drop down into that tunnel of trees which is in a stream bottom I lose contact with satellites for a short distance. I suspect that it is because I lose much of the horizon. A ridge running SE to NW is about a 1000 feet in elevation above my location. The ridge on the SE to N side is about 400 feet elevation above me.

I can be in heavy cover in the flats or on a ridge top and be operational.

I had lost track of the GPS12 series so I went to the Garmin website the other day. I guess there have been 3 or 4 sub models of the GPS12 series. The GPS12XL and GPS 12 being the last remaining models. I suspect the GPS12 was one of the first Garmin 12 channel gps units. Yesterday I went downhill to the flats shopping. I went into a Big Box sporting goods store. I went over to the gps counter and found three things that made think twice about shopping there. One was that they were selling Magellan and Garmin gps units at full price. Stores around them were discounting the same units more then fifty dollars. They were selling the GPS12 for $197. +. And they were selling another brand entry level gps at a discount. The problem is that entry brand gps appears to have a lot of dissatisfied customers.

The Garmin Legend did a great job mapping this past deer season. On different trips I created tracks on the unit which I was able to transfer to topo maps. Some of the old logging roads do not showup very good on store bought USGS Topo maps. But the new tracks show up very good on my computer generated topo maps, using the data downloaded from my Legend. The neat thing is there are no gaps in the data.

Sounds like you have some great glassware. For years my daughter-in-law has forbid me to train my grandson to shoot. She has had a change of heart. So the other day I took the boy out shooting. I grabbed an old Savage bolt action .22. My brother-in-law gave it to me years ago. His father had given it to him when they lived in Alaska. I had mounted an old Weaver K4 on it. It is not much of a scope anymore, but it is better then the iron sights. We had a good time.

daddywpb · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2004, 11:03:02 AM »

Siskiyou,
Congrats on having your grandson to teach. He will always remember the time he spends shooting with you. The Weaver K4 is a classic. Even if you put new glass on the rifle, I would hold on to the K4. I can only remember one time when I looked at the map page on my Legend and saw broken lines. It was on a day when it was very overcast and rainy. It still worked, but there were some breaks in the track. Is there a website that has topo maps that you can upload mapping info to and then print them. I haven't been able to find one.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2004, 01:04:39 PM »

The old K4 has optional Dual Cross hairs. As a kid I thought they had special magic in them.

Regarding the online mapping. This is not a good answer, but, I think so, but I am not sure. If I come across this information I will let you know. I do the same as you describe in your pig hunting. I now have a number of "Scouting," and hunt maps I have created with the gps. I think the real value is when I do not hunt an area for two or three years. Now I have a map and gps coordinates to help me find then again.

I do not recall, are you using Garmins Map Source Topo software?

daddywpb · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2004, 01:28:03 PM »

I'm using the MetroGuide. I don't have the topo mapping software.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #8 on:** December 04, 2004, 01:39:49 PM »

daddywpb: I suspect that Metro Guide is the best software for the area you live. I made a couple of trips to Jacksonville, and that is my exposer to Florida. Spent a couple of days in a swamp in a tin boat. Loved it but the lightning ran us off the water. Without a doubt that is great gps country for a guy like me. I have never been in such flat country.

I am use to gaining and losing a few thousand feet in elevation in an hour drive. And I can lookout and see a tall mountain peak. Thankfully I could still see the sun when out in that swamp.

Are you able to use your MapSource Metro Guide to download waypoints and routes to your computer? curiosity got to me and I looked at your part of the world using MapSource Topo and Topo USA. I am not sure if Topo software would be a benefit over what you are using.

daddywpb · « **Reply #9 on:** December 05, 2004, 12:10:50 AM »

Siskiyou
The maps on Metroguide for the areas where I hunt (no paved roads) are pretty much just a blank color. I upload tracks and waypoints from the GPS and save them on Metroguide so I have an outline of my hunting areas. For example, the Metroguide maps don't show any detail for the WMA's around here, so I upload the tracks and waypoints and add my own detail. If I find a new waypoint, it gives me an idea where it is in relation to everything else. I guess it would be of some help if I was hurt and needed someone to find me. I also ended up keeping the yellow Etrex that I was going to sell, so I download the same waypoints and tracks to it that are in my Legend from Metroguide. My wife knows enough about it to be able to follow it to me if she had to, with my daughter's help. My daughter has taken to carrying the yellow Etrex with her when we go hunting, and she's catching on to how to use it - plus it gives her something to play with when she gets fidgety in a stand.

I haven't gotten the chance to play with the Mapsource Topo, but I agree with your conclusion that it wouldn't do me much good. The land is so flat here, that it's all just going to look the same. I wish I could find airial photos that I could use. That might help, but at over $100, I don't think I'm going to get the Mapsource Topo.

There has been a LOT of construction around here lately. Seems like they've got every road torn up sometimes. I was watching the map on the Legend as we were driving yesterday, and there are a lot of new roads and developments that aren't on there, and a lot of roads that have changed. They have added another exit to I-95 here, and diverted two others to the airport, so the Mapsource info is sorely out of date. Do you know if Garmin supplies downloads to upgrade info, or do you have to fork out the money for a new CD when they release one?

Had a great day yesterday. My wife took the kids to the mall, and then to her Dad's house for dinner and to watch a Christmas boat parade. She knows I don't like the mall or her father, so she told me to "go shooting and try to relax for a while". Apparently, I've been a little bitchy lately. OK! I got up early, fed the dogs and went rabbit hunting. Only got one rabbit, but the temp was in the mid 50's, a real cold snap for us, and that crisp air always brings back a flood of hunting memories from when I was a kid with my brother. Came home, got the rabbit in the freezer, and took my new Ruger Red Label to the trap and skeet club for three rounds of trap. I had found an old gift card from the club, so that didn't cost me anything. From there I went to the Sheriff's rifle range with my also new Ruger M77 MK2 30/06 (I've done some judicious trading over the last month - total out of pocket for these two guns - $32.80). Got home from there just after dark, and just in time to feed the dogs again.

I think I'm more relaxed now. :grin:
Steve

Siskiyou · « **Reply #10 on:** December 05, 2004, 05:23:43 AM »

Steve: MapSource Topo is as out of date as the USGS maps are from the last update. Any building over the last ten or more years is not shown. Recently I was in a large flat area that was grazing land a few years ago. Now it is homes, and strip Malls. All of the new information does not show. A year ago I had to make a trip to the S.F. Bay Area. Because the area is old regarding roads and building the Map Source Topo was a handy tool. Most streets are not named, main highway numbers are present. Before leaving home I went to Microsofts Streets and Cities software and found the relatives address and street. I then looked at MapSource 'Topo and found a location that looked about right and created a waypoint which I loaded into my Legend.

While the wife was visiting with all of her relatives I was out in the street go, wow! I was off about 100 feet, not bad for bombs and rockets.

I looked at the topo maps in MapSource Topo USA and DeLorme USA Topo. Both show a lot of flat swamps without a lot detail. On occasion a stream draining out of the swamp will be shown. I looked at Metro Guide using Garmin's viewer on the internet. The area just shows up as big block of nothing. I only have the California Series in the USGS State Series Topo Series. I cannot comment on the detail it provides for your area.

I will have to visit Topozone.com and see what the maps there offer.

I need to get out in the woods but I have had a number of nice weather jobs I needed to get done. One job to get done, get more firewood up to the house storms are predicted.