Garmin GPS 60CSx questions

[Billy]

Just got a Garmin 60CSx. First step for using a new gadget is RTFM. Did it, but still have a few questions.

1- Took some waypoints on an Adams hike, then renamed them so they'd make more sense to me afterwards. They disappeared overnight. I took out the batteries to re-charge overnight, but I didn't delete the waypoints. Also, some previous waypoints from weeks ago are still there; they didn't get deleted. Any ideas? Did renaming them anger the GPS?
2- I know how to reset and start the trip odometer. How do I STOP the trip odometer? Is shutting off the unit the only way?
3- Are the track log and trip odometer synched? Or are they separate animals that don't "see" each other?
4- At the start of the Adams hike I set up the tracking log and set track log to "ON". When I got back to the trailhead I set track log to "OFF". Does that establish the Begin-End points of the track. The manual says "THE TRACK LOG STARTS RECORDING AS SOON AS THE UNIT GETS A LOCATION FIX." This question seems like Duh101, but afterwards I noticed my track log that I saved stretched from Appalachia trailhead to southern Mass. I know I didn't hike that far because I didn't have a car spot.
5- If the batteries run out, does an in-process track log get lost?

Thanks in advance.

 

[DougPaul]

Just got a Garmin 60CSx. First step for using a new gadget is RTFM. Did it, but still have a few questions.

1- Took some waypoints on an Adams hike, then renamed them so they'd make more sense to me afterwards. They disappeared overnight. I took out the batteries to re-charge overnight, but I didn't delete the waypoints. Also, some previous waypoints from weeks ago are still there; they didn't get deleted. Any ideas? Did renaming them anger the GPS?
They don't disappear. Hit the find button and click on waypoints. You should see them.

2- I know how to reset and start the trip odometer. How do I STOP the trip odometer? Is shutting off the unit the only way?
The only way I know to stop the trip odometer without turning the power off is is turn the GPS receiver off. (From the satellite page, press menu, press "use with GPS off".) Of course, the GPS can no longer track your movements.

3- Are the track log and trip odometer synched? Or are they separate animals that don't "see" each other?
The GPS produces one position estimate per second. The odometer runs directly off this data. The tracklog can be recorded at a wide range of (user settable) intervals. The odometer guesses whether you are moving or stationary and accumulates the info separately--the track log simply saves the data according to your set interval. (The tracklog contains 10K points so at 1/sec that is ~2.8 hrs of data. If you want to save more, then you will need a longer interval. (I generally use "auto" "norm" interval setting.) Or you can store track data on the microSD card until it fills up.) If you save a track (within the GPS), it gets shrunken down to 500 points.

4- At the start of the Adams hike I set up the tracking log and set track log to "ON". When I got back to the trailhead I set track log to "OFF". Does that establish the Begin-End points of the track. The manual says "THE TRACK LOG STARTS RECORDING AS SOON AS THE UNIT GETS A LOCATION FIX." This question seems like Duh101, but afterwards I noticed my track log that I saved stretched from Appalachia trailhead to southern Mass. I know I didn't hike that far because I didn't have a car spot.
It should have turned it off--make sure you were setting the tracklog recording (from the tracks menu), not the tracklog display. (I just leave it on all the time and if I am interested, I edit out the interesting part of the track at home on my computer.)

(Also was that track from Mass to Appalachia rather than the other way around?)

One can power-cycle the GPS at the beginning and ending of the interval of interest. The power-cycle will force a new track-segment track segment to be created. Then it will be easy to select the segement of interest.

One can also turn the GPS receiver off as mentioned earlier, but of course, the GPS will stop finding your location.

5- If the batteries run out, does an in-process track log get lost?
No--it is recorded on internal flash memory.

Thanks in advance.

You're welcome from the future.

Doug