Take Me To GPS School

[DougPaul]

I took a quick look at the online manual for the 64s (http://static.garmin.com/pumac/GPSMAP64_OM_EN.pdf). Looks rather sparse...

You may find more useful general info in the 62s and 60CSx maunuals:
http://static.garmin.com/pumac/GPSMAP62_OM_EN.pdf
http://static.garmin.com/pumac/GPSMAP60Cx_OwnersManual.pdf

The details of the features, menus, and controls will be different, but if you ignore such details then you may find them helpful.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

This GPS will be cool to use for trailwork if I can figure it out. When I'm in the middle of evaluating drainage on featureless trails like the Davis Path, one waterbar looks like the next. I'm thinking it will be awesome to know how far it is to get back to my car or a dunk in the Saco on a hot day.

You can waypoint the features/locations of interest...

And you can photograph them too... Just set the camera clock to match the GPS time to make it easy to associate the photos with the corresponding waypoint. (Some cameras have a built-in GPS and can put the location in the photo meta-data.) (There is also software that can associate photos with locations from a GPS track by looking at the time stamps.)

When you get home, you can load the waypoints (and your recorded track for the day) into MapSource/BaseCamp and look at them on a big screen. The track will show you where you have been--particularly interesting if you have been bushwacking.

Doug

 

[wardsgirl]

Thanks DougPaul. I just grabbed those manuals you posted links to.

The insertion of the disk thing was more complicated than I thought. There is a tiny silver 'door' that I opened with my fingernail- heeding the cautions against using something like a pick mattock to open it.

There is a little rubberized button beneath the slot, but I have no idea what it does. I thought it was a lock/unlock feature. Not so.

It turns out that the little disk thing is actually only one component of a much larger piece of plastic with gold computer connecty things on it. I removed that tiny parasitic black disk thing from its host and it pretty much fell into place in the slot. However, very disconcertingly, the words on the disk thing are upside down when holding the GPS upright.

I couldn't get the 'door' to close while employing the little rubberized button. Then, I read the MAP 62 manual that you just posted and determined that the rubberized button was not meant as a locking device. Back to the drawing board, I followed the directions and slid the silver door to the right, using my fingernail. That seemed to lock the disk thingy in place.

I installed batteries, turned it on, and I can see my neighborhood!

I think I can be promoted to GPS 102 now!

Thanks to everyone who helped!

Hmmm... it's a steep learning curve for this one

​

 

[iAmKrzys]

I took a quick look at the online manual for the 64s (http://static.garmin.com/pumac/GPSMAP64_OM_EN.pdf). Looks rather sparse...

I actually have been wondering in the past why Garmin is not making any effort to make it easy for its customers, especially beginning ones, to figure out how to use its devices? A good tutorial with a bunch of examples explaining what folks can do with their GPSes would go a long way to turn them into happy and loyal customers.

Similarly, I wonder why Sony does not publish a good tutorial on how to take great wildlife shots with its cameras...

 

[richard]

I was reffering to something like this. https://jet.com/product/detail/40f9...d_catch_all:na:na:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15&ds_c=[*Campaign*]&ds_cid=[*CampaignID*]&ds_ag=[*Adgroup*]&product_id={product_id}&product_partition_id={product_partition_id} It worked well for me. Most of these videos can be bought at a much lower price if you can buy them used on ebay. That's how I got mine. It`s very informative. I can watch all or just parts of the video whenever I need to.

 

[BISCUT]

I was hoping to get to Owl's Head yesterday but a failed septic pipe put an end to that endeavor! The weather wasn't exactly good but It still would have been better than replacing septic pipe! I was planning on using the GPS with a map Jim emailed me (thanks Jim!!).

Now I'm stuck until the first week of May! The horror of it all!

 

[CaptCaper]

Things work out for the best.... It snowed here yesterday with wet snow and rain.. so it wouldn't of been a great day. Better weather is coming..Proably when you get here in May... enjoy the gps track. If you need anymore I have many of the 4K' and most other ones I've saved. And now I'm using the Glonass/gps with a combo antenna. Real nice tight tracks... I've compared them to http://www.nhmountainhiking.com tracks you can download and they and many of my old ones are much more accurate. Theirs tend to bounce out off the trails and around and not a lot of track points so data etc is off some from mine. Especially ones with the Glonass amplified antenna setup I use.

 

[BISCUT]

I don't want to go too off topic but is Glonass a recommended setting??

 

[CaptCaper]

I don't want to go too off topic but is Glonass a recommended setting??

Yes this is recommened by me for sure...and from what I've read many articles and tests it's the best. Glonass/GPS with Waas
This stall in your hike timing will give time to practice.
Don't worry your Montana 680 can do glonass/gps/waas.. I have a 610T which is the glonass/gps basic one without camera etc. go to setup/system/satelite. set it for gps +glonass waas/egnos ON. this will give you excellent results.. The Glonass now does such a super job over non I've been seeing since last fall. Compared with previous tracks of the same hikes.
I'd warm it up at least a half hour before starting the hike so the unit can get current gps data and settle in good. It comes in a few stages from the satellites...first few only take a few minutes and the last takes depending on how long you haven't used the gps for up to 3/4 of an hour. If you shut it down during the day and turn it back on you don't need to wait 3/4 hr.. it should be fine within a minute or so.
If you have any issues..or jam's screwing around with the software on the hike.. just take the battery out and reinstall then restart. before hiking hit the play arrow to start your track in the track menu. Clear the old track and trip data first as well to start fresh.

 

[Dharma Bum]

I just got the Oregon 680. I have been using the Garmin etrex 30 for almost 2 years. I use it for bushwhacking, measuring distance and time on my adventures, and just for the fun of seeing where I've been. The Oregon 680 appealed to me because it is touchscreen, has a larger screen, and the capabilities to take photos. I am now two weeks into using it. There is definitely a learning curve with it even with my knowledge and experience of the etrex. The 680 is a sophisticated software package and like any other software it takes time to feel comfortable with it. I recommend starting with trips around the neighborhood to get the feel for it. One issue that I am very concerned with this device so far is the battery time. I was stunned by how short it was on my first couple of trips. I'm trying some different things to get better results. What's the use of any GPS if the batteries are dead in a few hours? What have others experienced?

 

[CaptCaper]

I've used mine all day 10 hrs at times and never had it drain down low. They claim 16 hrs . Alkaline batteries loose power faster outside in lower temps if your using them.
I turn the display brightness down to zero when hiking. It's set to always on but I manually turn it down. As I hate when the timer is on too low or too short. Turning it down manually it won't light up every time it touches the pouch or my hands. I use the daylight/sunlight to light the screen up when hiking mostly. I've found with screen on full brightness will take it down faster which is obvious. I used to lock the screen as well but don't find it needed now. I also leave it set on Trip Computer screen thinking it doesn't have to update the map screen every second. Not sure if that helps.
Montana has a Garmin Lithium Ion rechargeable that I use mostly as it never runs down but it can take 3 AA's that will give it longer battery life. I carry 3 AA Lithium's in the winter for back up. But even in the temps to 5 deg F I've used the Garmin one it hasn't run down. I do keep the Montana in a Garmin soft carry pouch and that must help keep it warmer.
680 must have a camera? maybe that's on and drawing down power..etc. There You should get more then a few hours. Also if your needs are for high power try the rechargeable Eneloop Pro's..

 

[hikerbrian]

What's the use of any GPS if the batteries are dead in a few hours? What have others experienced?

My Garmin GPSMAP 64S will typically last at least 2 full (10 hr) days in the winter using Li AA batteries. I keep it on all day recording my track. I haven't done anything special with the settings, but I think the screen is not at full backlight the entire time.

 

[DougPaul]

As others have noted, the backlight consumes power, so keep it off unless needed. Auxiliary functions such as a camera also consume power. You may be able to save power by using only GPS. (Don't know if you can run GLONASS only and if so, if it will save power.) In some models, the magnetic compass consumes a significant amount of power too. (I don't have a 64-series GPS, so I can't make measurements on one.)

The 62 series has a bug that consumes excessive power if using a compass rose display which can halve the battery life. I don't know if this bug has been carried over into the 64 series. (The 60CSx does not have this problem.)

Garmin hiking GPSes have a power-saving mode which cycles the GPS receiver on and off. It does save power, but it is less accurate (which will show up in a less accurate recorded track). Take your choice.

The power draw of a feature can be different in different models, so it may be hard to tell unless one can measure the power draw on the model in question.

For the ultimate in power saving, keep the GPS off and only turn it on occasionally for a few minutes each time (using other navigational techniques between fixes). You can get weeks out of a set of batteries this way, but of course, you cannot record a track.

The 64-series seems to have a shorter rated battery life than the older ones (starting with the 62CSx). Presumably some of the new features are consuming more power.

The recent eTrex models have longer rated battery lifetimes (25 hrs) than the 60CSx (18 hrs)--62 series (62s: 20 hrs)--64 series (64s: 16hrs), Oregon 650 16hrs. (These are all from the Garmin website--check it for any other models.)

Doug

 

[Dharma Bum]

This is all very very helpful. Thanks for the comments on battery life and how to maximize.

 

[DayTrip]

My Garmin GPSMAP 64S will typically last at least 2 full (10 hr) days in the winter using Li AA batteries. I keep it on all day recording my track. I haven't done anything special with the settings, but I think the screen is not at full backlight the entire time.

I have a Garmin GPSmap 62s and I regularly get 10-12 hours out of rechargeable batteries (closer to 8 hours in extreme cold if I leave clipped to pack versus putting in a pocket). I also believe my settings are more or less "out of the box". I've been using my rechargeable batteries now for 2 full years and there seems to have been minimal loss of capacity. My headlamp uses the same AA size (which I did on purpose) so I carry a back up set of batteries that can be used with either or depending on what is in needed. Unless you are going on extremely long or multi-day hikes you should get a day out of most GPS devices.

Edit: Replied to wrong person in error. My bad.

 

[CaptCaper]

This is all very very helpful. Thanks for the comments on battery life and how to maximize.

Also some of the Garmin models like the Montana have settings in the menu for which battery type your using. So make sure that jives with what your using.
Eveloop Pros are again the Cat's Meow.

 

[DougPaul]

Also some of the Garmin models like the Montana have settings in the menu for which battery type your using. So make sure that jives with what your using.
Eveloop Pros are again the Cat's Meow.

Actually the battery setting only affects the battery meter--it has no effect on the operation of the GPS.

The GPSes have a regulator that accepts a range of voltages and when the input voltage drops down to 2V (for a two cell GPS) it turns the GPS off. At this point, essentially all of the energy in the batteries has been consumed.

Doug

 

[CaptCaper]

I know about the meter. And the wrong setting could be giving him false readings on battery life.. I am trying to narrow down why he said only "a few hours"..so far he hasn't said much on what batteries he uses etc. His head is probably spinning from the new gps. Ha.
If I can get all day running my Montana's with Glonass/Waas, in the winter and an amplified external antenna (draws more current as well) he should be about to do the same.

 

[hikerbrian]

I have a Garmin GPSmap 62s and I regularly get 10-12 hours out of rechargeable batteries (closer to 8 hours in extreme cold if I leave clipped to pack versus putting in a pocket). I also believe my settings are more or less "out of the box". I've been using my rechargeable batteries now for 2 full years and there seems to have been minimal loss of capacity. My headlamp uses the same AA size (which I did on purpose) so I carry a back up set of batteries that can be used with either or depending on what is in needed. Unless you are going on extremely long or multi-day hikes you should get a day out of most GPS devices.

Thanks DayTrip. That's useful info. I rarely do anything other than at least an overnight (2-day), so for now I've stuck with disposable cells. My understanding is you get more life out of the disposable cells, though I haven't done the direct experiment. Still, I'm sure others will find this info useful.

 

[DougPaul]

I know about the meter. And the wrong setting could be giving him false readings on battery life.. I am trying to narrow down why he said only "a few hours"..so far he hasn't said much on what batteries he uses etc.

Hopefully he means until the GPS turns itself off. (This is certainly what I mean.) However it is important to know that the battery setting will have no effect on the actual lifetime.

His head is probably spinning from the new gps. Ha.

Certainly possible. I suspect that many have such a reaction from their first GPS. They are wonderful but complicated little beasts...

If I can get all day running my Montana's with Glonass/Waas, in the winter and an amplified external antenna (draws more current as well) he should be about to do the same.

I have had to change my NiMH batteries in my 60CSx on some 18+ hour BC ski trips but a fully charged set of NiMHs lasts for a "normal" day. (I generally use fully charged NiMH batts.)

I measured the additional current draw of an external antenna at 15mA on a 60CS but 0mA on a 60CSx. (Zero additional draw is possible if using an external antenna shuts off an amplifier for the internal antenna.)

I published some battery lifetime measurements for 2 (different) 60CSxes: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?38355-60CSx-battery-lifetimes

Doug