GPS Tips

New Routable road made from uploaded tracks in Topo4 and or Delorme Street
Atlas 2003.
For roads and trails not on the map, you can draw them in free hand. Using track from a ride on the road and trails is better. However, the tracks for the new roads should be the only tracks in the GPS. This may mean that you only have the track feature on while on the new road or trail. The emap tracks are always on, so you must only record on the new road or trail.
My replies to GPS newsgroup sic.geo.satellite-nav
This the way that I do it. http://www.billcotton.com/xcski.htm
Pictures are
in second frame of this page. Cell phone case fit the eMap. The belt clip
hooks on the ski pole strap and the lanyard strap is on my wrist. On my
down hill strapless poles, I made a loop for the belt clip from a few wraps
of duct tape, to slide the belt clip under.
My current tracks are from a 18 mile ride in another county
and a 75 mile
ride from home and back last Saturday. The track log is 90 percent full. I
was able to upload this track as a track/draw file. I instructed the menu to
create a route and this was done.
I have used SA 4 through 9 and was comfortable with the
program. I have Topo
2, 3, and 4, I would use the topo to upload tracks to report elevation gain
and print profile for my web page of comparing organized bicycle rides.
The add a road feature, is so important to me. Now when I developed a
bicycle route and the road didn't connect or is a rail-to-trail, I draw the
new road and the ride is done as one route.
The panning feature is great. In making a route in high zoom, I can now move
to the edge of the map until the hand appears, click and drag the map a full
screen is the direction I want.
I also like the fact that more than one route can be on the same map file
and when I close and reopen a map file the route is there as if I never
closed the map.
Draw overlay of street names, new roads or lines drawn for whatever reason
can be added to a new mapfile. There a some features that I miss, so I use
SA9 also.
I download eMap 2.73 and I am in demo heaven. Previously
when I try to
update, the eMap would shutdown. This time I used my 12 volt power source
and was able to update. I am now tracking in SA9 standard, following a route
that was created in SA9 and uploaded to eMap. Get a beep at each turn and
watching a medium green arrow moving at 20 miles per hours. I plan to go
through my entire arsenal of Gamin's MapSource and TopoUSA versions.
"billcotton" <billcotton@comcast.net>
wrote in message
news:%vKh8.70123$pN4.5978763@bin8.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com...
> "JF Mezei" <jfmezei.spamnot@videotron.ca>
wrote in message
> news:3C85A20B.EF73CF80@videotron.ca...
> > Lawrence Glickman wrote:
> > > One time, I was in simulator mode and entered the mode you are
> > > referring to. Then when I increased the speed, my location
icon began
> > > missing turns, as if it had -inertia-.
> >
> > My old Garmin II+ has such a feature in simulator mode. I have eMap
with
> version 2.61. It doesn't seem to have this feature. > . I have given
several demonstrations at bicycle clubs and a Junior High
> School. I usually take the Garmin II+ along to use it in simulator mode
with
> a large screen computer, the demonstration really makes an impression.
> I have used moving map on my bicycle since 1997 and on this page of my
> website, is an article where I was quoted in Bicycle Magazine on my use of
a
> GPS and a Libretto notebook computer. http://www.billcotton.com/bike.htm
> I plan to download version 2.71 and I can leave the older Garmin at home.
> --
I edit the post, it is the same message posted earlier.
I make routes for my bicycle club. We want to use roads that have the least
motorize traffic. This necessitate many more waypoints that a route for
driving by car. Today I created a 21 mile route that uses for the most part,
suburban street.
When I uploaded the route to my eMap I got the "Route Truncated"
message. I
brought up the route menu on the eMap and saw that waypoint 50 was about 6
waypoints short of the waypoint list in SA 2003. In the past I would place
the new start at that point and delete all previous waypoints, not as easy
in SA2003 as in SA9.
Today, I loaded the original route in SA2003, reverse the route, then
loaded that as a new
route to the eMap. When route 1 ends, I activate route 2, reverse it and
continued.
First you click on the route tab, then the advance button, then the route
list will appear.
To the right of the Route list are four icons, The top icon delete the
selected item, next two icons are to move the selected item forward or
backward in the route. The fourth icon is to reverse the route. Start and
Finish cannot be deleted or moved.
The route list only show 18 waypoint for the 29 miles on my current route,
the ones I entered to guide the travel in the direction that I desired. 58
route lines are created however, to see these: Click the Print tab, then the
Route button. Then check the direction box. Then Save to File or Print
button. Give it a name or use the assigned name and the route file is save
to Delorme Docs Navigation or printer out as hard copy.
If saved, open the file in Excel and every turn is a line and can be
formatted as you like as a cue sheet.
Sure this will work, however, with the waypoint limit of
you GPS. In the
eMap this is 50 waypoints. You will have to limit your routes to less than
50 waypoints to upload the route.
The waypoints in the list of 2003 cannot be copied, only deleted, but with
the same finish point.
I have two work around; one is to make a complete route in Topo4 and have
2003 import the route file, from Delorme docs/Navigation. The second work
around is to upload the route that was created in 2003 to eMap. If it is
more than 50 waypoint, the route is truncated. Open the route file in eMap
and page down to the last way point. Tab on "route" and
"Direction" in 2003.
Locate the same name and mileage, highlight by clicking on it. Then click
"Goto. Use this point to place the next start. answer that this is a new
route, then click finish. Upload this route to the eMap and repeat if
needed.
Track usually has about 100 miles before they overlap. Save tracks will
download to 2003 with extra lines. I prefer to load unsaved tracks. Once
tracks are download to 2003 they are save as drawn object. Note the drawn
object name and number, or name it. The Drawn object can be imported to
Topo4.
First I like to say that one problem has been solved. That
is of exchanging
tracks directly with T4 and not have it crash. The track has to be uploaded
as a draw file. when selected "Received from Device", and track is
selected.
The default is "Draw File" I was selecting "User Map Data
Track" I would get
a crash and a page "default" message. Also, I had downloaded a fix
from the
Delorme web site as suggested here recently.
But to answer the point made above. I am using the route making capabilities
for making road bicycle routes, and Delorme mapping program are the best
ever and getting even better with the draw a road feature.
I set the road type to Roads and all but local roads to "Avoid" I set
"Start
and "Finish" and then "calculate". I then print travel
directions (The main
reason for using 2003, a cue sheet like printout is printed from it, turn
directions and distance to the next turn are given.) If I like what I see I
send the to my eMap. If it has less than 50 waypoint, I am ready for a
bicycle ride.
There are times that higher level of roads has to be used, then I change the
level of that road. Many times a few "Via" on a road that I prefers
will
give me the route that I want. In others I set the road Preference higher or
lower and the speed higher or lower on different roads. These are usually
ride for my bicycle club. and the extra time results is better rides where
no one get lost 25 miles from home.
I had a similar problem with my eMap Saturday. I was riding
my bicycle in a
light rain. I placed a plastic bag over the unit. However, I could see that
sweat formed inside the bag. After an hour the rain stopped and I removed
the bag. Later when I tried to turn the eMap off it wouldn't go off. I had
to remove the batteries to get it off. After two days of using a hair drier
to no avail, I set my electronic control kitchen oven to 140 degree
Fahrenheit. I turned the burner off and place the eMap on a cookie sheet. I
remove it an hour later and the on off button worked.
--
// Bill Cotton: Latitude N40° 02.867', W75° 09.105'
// bcotton@billcotton.com
bcotton@msn.com
// bcotton@juno.com
bcotton@compuserve.com
// www.billcotton.com
// http://ourworld.Compuserve.com/homepages/bcotton/homepage.htm
// http://membersdelphi.con/billcotton
// www.homestead.com/billcotton/
"Martin W" <NOTmartin@heapey.u-net.com>
wrote in message
news:t4Jx6.78$jR4.19691@newsr1.u-net.net...
> I have been using my E-Trex today and on returning home I found it wouldnt
> turn on.
> I have put new batteries in and tested across the two round contacts
inside
> the battery compartment and get 3.0 volts there. Has anyone else had a
> similar problem. I have e-mailed Garmin support as well.
>
> Martin W
My eMap bicycle mount broke yesterday as I was descending a
bumpy hill. The
EMap flew into my arm, held by the wrist strap to my mount base, and dropped
into my hand.
No problem I hear to get a replacement from Garmin, BUT I am leaving
Thursday morning to celebrate my birthday by doing a Randonneurs type ride
from Philly to Ocean City Maryland and back. I am planning for 36 hours of
riding. http://www.billcotton.com/
Today, With the help of my home machine shop.
http://www.billcotton.com/homeshop.htm
I repaired the broken parts. I
suggest that the screw modification may act as preventive measure, if done
before needed. http://www.billcotton.com/Emap.htm
You have posted to the right group. There are a few
limitation that makes
the task harder than need be.
1 each map system has a different route format.
2 the number of waypoints (can be translated to turns) that GPS units
accepts to one route varies. The Garmin eMap GPS that I now uses accepts 50
waypoints, for most bicycle route that I plots for my bicycle club rides,
this amounts to 30 to 50 miles. Garmin GPS V accepts 500 waypoints but
with
only 19 meg of map memory, only 1 to 2 states of Metroguide maps can be
loaded.
There are a few third party programs that GPS route can be loaded to and
saved as text files. One that I have used is g7towin. However the map
program that I find to be the best for making bicycle routes, it's latest
version, DeLrome Street Atlas 2003 USA, isn't supported by g7towin. ( SA
2003 lets you draw in routable roads that are missing from the map)
Metroguide stores it route files in text format, but it create many more
waypoints for a route.
There are previous threads in this group that is seeking a program that a
route can be edited to the size needed by the GPS.
I have plans of bicycling from Philadelphia PA to the West coast in the next
few years. I plan to store my routes of what ever size I need for the GPS,
developed in a DeLorme map, along with the segment maps from Metroguide on
my Libretto 50ct notebook computer and upload the segment as needed. I carry
the computer for email anyway.
"JMilyko" <jhmilyko@adventurecycling.org>
wrote in message
news:apru9i01k3l@enews1.newsguy.com...
> Hello Bill,
>
> billcotton wrote:
> > I have the Atlantic coast version of your maps and used them on my
trip
to
> > Virginia a few years ago I did make route files of the section I used
from
> > Baltimore to Fredericksburg but didn't not save them.
> Do you recall how long it took you to do this process?
I was new to the programs at the time. I would estimate that it took about
an hour.
>Were you using a Delorme product?
Yes, SA 5. The newer program, SA 2003 allows better control of road
prefernce to be factored in and some route that I create, the first route
created with their routing tools is usable by me. To go back an put in the
variation, as necessary to follow a route like yours, may mean about a
minutes for each change,
>
> > I plan to have the TranAmerica maps with me when I make the trip
as an
> > addend for my trip. I would purchase route files also if you have
those
at
> > the time.
> Another angle we need to consider is, will we charge for this
> information? And if so, how much? What would you be willing to pay?
Pennsylvania has 8 signed bicycle route across the state.
http://www.billcotton.com/bicyclepaL.htm
There are no cue sheets available
for the "S" and "L" route that passes near Philadelphia,
because of a
necessity to reroute around three townships.
I have bicycle about a third of both route from south and east. I posted the
cue sheet of the sections that I have rode and planned to offer route files
after I find a better way to edit the route files.
I think that the route file should be an enhancement to the maps. The way
that Delorme map make cuesheets, the route files are a by product. However
I would be willing to pay about the cost of the maps, If I could upload the
routes to my map system.
>
> ...Jennifer...
>
> --
> Jennifer H. Milyko
> Cartographer
>
> Adventure Cycling Association
> Inspiring people of all ages to travel by bicycle.
> 800/755-2453, 406/721-1776 x205, 406/721-8754 fax
> www.adventurecycling.org
Have you tried this freeware program?
http://www.gpsinformation.org/ronh/
I have a Garmin II+ and a Garmin Emap. There are two ways
that I get
elevation gain from either.
1) I upload the tracks to Delorme TopoUSA and have topo to create a profile.
The program also gives Elevation gain
2) I upload the tracks to MapSource and save the tracks as a text file.
I open the text file in Excel, and use find and replace to delete "ft"
from
the elevations column. I then create formula that take only positive values.
I sum these numbers to get elevation gain.
> Are you sure you can use method #2 with your II+?
AFAIK, neither the
> II+ nor the original poster's III+ record altitudes in the tracklog
I stand corrected, #2 only works with the eMap, however #1 works with both.
At my XC webpage I have track from one of the state parks that I skis. Since
we don't have snow now I collected tracks from a bicycle race course near me
with the Garmin II+, uploaded to TopoUSA v4. and posted on the same page.
http://www.billcotton.com/xcski.htm
I have notice that deleting a route don't delete its
waypoints. You may have
zero route in the route list but 500 waypoints loaded, so you cannot upload
a route. To remove waypoints, you have to: press the "Find" key, then
enter
on "Waypoints" Press Menu and "Delete All" or delete by
symbol
I find that by changing the "Road Preference"
using Avoid, Standard and
Preferred. You will auto route different route. By placing a via or stop,
say at the top or bottom of a hill or Valley, will force the route in that
direction.
For a loop route as most bicycle rides are; place the Start and Finish at
the same place and Add Via or Stops in the direction that the route will go,
the return may need Insert Via or Stop. Check that the Via or Stop numbers
are sequence going away from the Start.
Most building block GPS signal. You should try the unit
outside away from
tree cover.
I have posted my solution previously. The number of turns
are the key,
however, Route that uses Midwest type of interstate can go longer distances.
I watch the loading graph and if the truncate beep occurs at 50 percent or
more, you can reverse the route in the map software and load it to the GPS
with a different name.
For my seventy first birthday bicycle ride in June, I have load a 400 miles
route that I will do in 40 continues hours. The G7towin file, and a Topo4
file is just under 500 way points
The files are at http://www.billcotton.com/MY_rides.htm
Return To Bill Cotton Home page