Author Topic: Garmin Oregon Tracks  (Read 1735 times)

Deolman

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Garmin Oregon Tracks
« on: 09:47:34, 07/01/19 »
Around three years ago I purchased a Garmin Oregon 600 GPS. Within the first twelve months I found that the track would at times go haywire - almost as if a child in a frenzy had taken to scribbling with a crayon! I did get in touch with GPS training who supplied the unit and they offered plenty of support and advice including contacting Garmin and after a while it did settle down and I just got used to cleaning up the track once I returned home as I assumed that this was just 'one of those things' that happen with a GPS unit. Since then I have just persevered with it until a few months ago when, after a Garmin update, the track was behaving so badly as to render the unit useless. If you stood still you could see the location pointer moving around the map on its own.  After contacting Garmin support and sending them some of the tracks they declared the unit faulty and offered to replace it with a reconditioned unit.  (At cost as my unit was now out of warranty) With the replacement unit the track from my first two walks was fine but on my last walk the same thing has happened again whilst I was sat having my lunch. After restarting the unit the track then behaved itself to the end of the walk.  I am going to check it over the next couple of walks to see if it happens again before contacting Garmin but wonder if anyone else has had this experience with a Garmin GPS and, if so, did you manage to find the cause?


The track is set to 'Auto pause' which, as far as I am aware' means it should stop tracking when stationary.  I would also emphasise that I am not talking about a simple 'spike' which sometimes occurs after the unit has temporarily lost the GPS signal.


I do have an image of the track but unsure how or if I am able to attach it to this post. Any help to shed light on this problem would be appreciated.































ninthace

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #1 on: 10:06:14, 07/01/19 »
Never seen such a phenomenon with my Etrex.
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Owen

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #2 on: 10:57:36, 07/01/19 »
Have you tried clearing the track before you set of on a new walk?

Deolman

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #3 on: 11:49:38, 07/01/19 »
Hi Owen


Tracks are saved after each walk. Prior to a walk I also clear the tracks etc and calibrate the compass to try and ensure I get a decent recorded mileage.  Often the track problem will cause a walk as being a few miles longer than it should be.  Walking the C2C a few years ago the track indicated that I was enjoying myself criss crossing the M6 motorway!  All very weird.  I also have a sheet from GPS training which gives all the information you need to ensure the settings are correct so no problem there either.




Deolman

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #4 on: 11:52:17, 07/01/19 »
I should also mention that I am using a Garmin Tether attached to the strap of my rucksack so it has a clear view of the sky at all times whilst walking.

ninthace

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #5 on: 11:55:13, 07/01/19 »
You just answered the post I was drafting.  It sounds like a duff unit, I would go back to Garmin again.
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Deolman

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #6 on: 11:59:13, 07/01/19 »
I will be trying it out on another couple of walks but if the problem is still there then I will go back to Garmin but it is strange that a second, factory reconditioned unit, should behave in the same manner as my previous one.  I posted on here as it may be possible that someone else has had the same problem and might even have an answer to it.

sussamb

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #7 on: 12:03:51, 07/01/19 »
If you're concerned about the track dithering around when you're stopped that is pretty normal.  If I stop for any length of time I switch off my GPS.  If on the other hand it simply isn't tracking your position correctly when you're walking something is wrong.  Would really help if you could post a screenshot so we can see the issue.
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Deolman

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #8 on: 12:10:51, 07/01/19 »
Hi Sussamb


I do have a jpg image which I could post but have no idea how to post an image or a screen shot.  Any help would be appreciated but I think you have to attain a certain number of posts before you become privileged to upload images.

ninthace

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #9 on: 12:15:46, 07/01/19 »
As Sussamb says, you will get a knot in your track when you are stationary for a length of time but it should be very small, no more than 20 to 30m across at the worst.
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ninthace

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #10 on: 12:23:03, 07/01/19 »
What is triggering your Oregon to plot a track point? Is it distance from last track point or is it time based?
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Deolman

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #11 on: 12:31:47, 07/01/19 »
Hi Ninthace


Sorry - I don't fully understand your question.  The track is drawn automatically as you walk and should give a fairly accurate display of the route you have taken. The problem is not just a 'bit of dithering' but have just done a check on the last track where it has gone has gone haywire scribbling back and forth across the route and over a distance of 0.5 miles it is actually recording 3.63 miles. It is not just when you are sat still but can do it even when your walking.  You can stop to check your position and find that though you have stopped the GPS hasn't.  As said previously after my break I began walking again but the track continued to do its own thing and I had to restart the unit.

sussamb

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #12 on: 12:47:58, 07/01/19 »
Hi Sussamb


I do have a jpg image which I could post but have no idea how to post an image or a screen shot.  Any help would be appreciated but I think you have to attain a certain number of posts before you become privileged to upload images.


To post an image you need to host it somewhere like Flickr and then post the link
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ninthace

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #13 on: 12:53:43, 07/01/19 »
It was a stab in the dark but basically a gps unit does not plot continuously, it fixes at predetermined intervals and then plots a track point and joins it to the last track point with a straight line.  My unit fixes at time intervals and plots the track point irrespective of its relationship to the last track point.  I believe, but don't know for sure because I have never tried, that a gps unit can be set up to only plot a track point if it is a pre determined distance from the previous track point.  This would save on data points but could make for a spikier trace.
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ninthace

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Re: Garmin Oregon Tracks
« Reply #14 on: 12:55:08, 07/01/19 »

To post an image you need to host it somewhere like Flickr and then post the link
  I use tinypics for occasional image posting- it does not require an account
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