GPS HELP!!!!

[tomatocity]

I use a G.P.S but prefer a M.A.P.

A GPS is a MAP. I prefer to use both, GPS and map, but it is very difficult to read a map while riding. A GPS is also a good way to collect travel tracks. A GPS is also nice to have when you are searching for gas, food, medical, motel, campground, yada yada yada. A GPS also plays music when needed. Jump in anytime with what else a map does.

 

[jajpko]

A GPS is a MAP. I prefer to use both, GPS and map, but it is very difficult to read a map while riding. A GPS is also a good way to collect travel tracks. A GPS is also nice to have when you are searching for gas, food, medical, motel, campground, yada yada yada. A GPS also plays music when needed. Jump in anytime with what else a map does.

I like my GPS, but I carry state maps for where I am traveling. They are nice to get a big picture of the area, then pick a route, and put it on my gps.

Also if the gps goes south, I still have the map to fall back on. ::025::

 

[Dallara]

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Interesting thread...

My Super Tenere is the first bike I have used a GPS mounted on it to any great extent. I fooled around a bit with a little Magellan handheld on my BMW R1150R back in 2004 & '05, but never really liked using it, and stuck to maps. I bought a Garmin 2630 to mount on my 2006 Yamaha FJR1300, but never mounted it and used it in my Suburban and truck instead. Ended up giving my 2630 to my son, but later got a Garmin 765T Nuvi to replace it.

And that's what I decided to experiment with on the Super Tenere...

I have it mounted with a simple RAM ball replacing one of the handlebar pinch bolts and a RAM Nuvi bracket. It's wired up so I can plug and unplug it easily, and it's a snap to take it on and off. It's great to use when you're tired and just want the shortest, quickest route home and don't want to think about it too much, but it is hard to see in certain light.

But I *ALWAYS* carry maps. Much like a few others, I think it's just I grew up using regular maps, and it's what I'm used to. That said, the GPS and the maps do compliment each other well.

One thing I haven't heard anyone mention though is old-fashioned route sheets...

I did a fair amount of enduro riding in between MX seasons "back in the day", and one thing we used was "roll charts". For those of you that are not familiar with 'em a roll chart is a pretty simple set-up. Off-road the chart would tell you how many miles from one checkpoint to another, mileages to the next turn in the trail, some hazards, etc., and you used these to navigate with. Decades ago we started using something similar on street bike rides, and called them "route sheets"...

Again, the concept is pretty simple. Sit down the night before your ride with maybe a good map, a state road atlas, a computer... Whatever. All or one of the above... And you take a look at your route. Take a small legal pad, and start jotting down something simple like:

- I-37 to Edroy
- Exit #22 - TX-234/FM-796
- FM-796 to Tynan
- Continue on FM-796 to Olmos
- FM-796 to FM-797 - RIGHT
- FM-797 to FM-888 - LEFT

And so on. You write the instructions large enough they are easily legible at near arm's length, and you continue writing up pages - each marked clearly with a "1", "2", etc. at the top of each page - until you've got your route for that day. Tear the pages off the little legal pad, and staple them together in order (numbering the pages is in case they get torn apart), and then fold the pages in half. You'll find that folded like this they easily fit in most jacket pockets, and if you use the right ink they won't run or smudge if they don't get *too* wet. If you use a jacket pocket you can access with your left hand you can easily pull the sheets out and look at one side of the fold or the other for your next turn, etc., or you can simply stop at some of the intersections and note your next course deviation, stop, etc. These sheets are also easy to use in a tank bag map holder, etc., and if the route is short or simple enough you can even just tape it to the top of your tank. I did that for years.

Even if you have to deviate from a route sheet you only need a pen or pencil to make a quick alteration, so they are pretty flexible, too.

If you've got a longer route you can do four or five pages for the trip out, and then do the route back home on the back of the pages, simply flipping your little "booklet" over and folding the other way.

And if you're riding off-road, and you have an odometer you're used to and trust, then you can simply plan mileages to turns, etc.

These days I travel on most trips with all three - the GPS, my maps, and route sheets packed away for each day. And one of the great things about the route sheets is that once you've made one you have it forever. I store 'em away and use 'em for reference for future trips, and even years later I have pulled out a really great one and used it again and again. I keep all my old ones filed away with all my maps, atlases, and ride guide books, and some weekends, when I don't know where I want to go riding, I simply pull my route sheets out and one will remind me of a great ride or a cool place to go.

Anyway, sorry for the semi-hi-jack of a GPS, but I thought some of you might find the idea of route sheets useful.

Dallara



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[RidingUpandDown]

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Interesting thread...

But I *ALWAYS* carry maps. Much like a few others, I think it's just I grew up using regular maps, and it's what I'm used to. That said, the GPS and the maps do compliment each other well.

One thing I haven't heard anyone mention though is old-fashioned route sheets...

::026::

With Scouts they are always interested in the soa/gadgets/gps... as am I, But, we Always start them w/ how to use Maps and Compass ! Basic survival and orienteering skill. In case the batteries fail. ::025::

old skool is kewl.

d ::001::

 

[stevepsd]

I'm with Dallara on this. I use maps as primary. In fact one of my pet peeves is finding a smaller tank bag that will let me have two panels of a fold-up displayed at once. Most map pockets are to small nowaways. The ST is the first bike that I have GPS on (except my enduros). I use the GPS for more than just a GPS....XM, 'phone, music and finding gas, restaurants, etc....I am also using the GPS as a replacement for route sheets. I am finding it very, very handy. But I grew up with maps and I still think they give the best macro view of a trip.

On my enduro, I use roll-charts for pre-planned rides with a small Garmin as a backup. Along with topo maps of the area(s) I'm riding in.

I find they are all complimentary. And would just want to go back to maps only, but I could if necessary.

 

[Tremor38]

As with many others here, I travel with GPS and an atlas, and like to look at both for trip planning. I find the GPS especially handy on tarmac here in Japan because many of the streets have no name and freeways make no reference to N, S, W, E. Also, navigating the elevated expressway in Tokyo with its multiple, closely-spaced interchanges is made much easier if you just crank-up the voice prompt.

 

[bloodline]

Well, more problems with technology...

My garmin Nuvi 750 (route capable) can only store very small routes before it does crazy things like locking up.

And the iphone...

Well, Motion X drive works VERY well, BUT, the phone overheats in about 45 minutes on the charger when navigating with the screen at 100% (and it's still hard to see).

And, unless you have preloaded maps, the phone is useless without cell service if, say, you have a change in plans and need to reroute or find a motel.

so, again, no replacement for a good paper map.

I like motionx for route planning when I have cell service or wifi.

 

[markjenn]

My garmin Nuvi 750 (route capable) can only store very small routes before it does crazy things like locking up.

Not familiar with this model, but with all Garmins, my experience is that you 1) want to keep the number of via points reasonable (under 50 or so which is usually plenty to get the route you want for a single day's ride); 2) "dumb down" all the preferences and avoids to basically nothing - just have it do "fastest time", no avoids, car profile, etc.; 3) turn OFF automatic route recalcs; and 4) make sure the firmware is up to date.

- Mark

 

[Dallara]

Not familiar with this model, but with all Garmins, my experience is that you 1) want to keep the number of via points reasonable (under 50 or so which is usually plenty to get the route you want for a single day's ride); 2) "dumb down" all the preferences and avoids to basically nothing - just have it do "fastest time", no avoids, car profile, etc.; 3) turn OFF automatic route recalcs; and 4) make sure the firmware is up to date.

- Mark

Don't know about any Garmin 750 models, but if you do much riding in Texas you best *NOT* turn off automatic route recalculations if you like using a GPS, that is unless you want to be re-programming it via its input screen on the road... All too often the routes you may have planned are not available due to road construction, recent chip-sealing or tarring, and/or water crossings, bridge-outs, etc. during particular times in the Hill Country (though those last things haven't been much of an issue with our recent droughts).

But then if you have the re-calculations turned on then you best select "Avoid Toll Roads" unless you want to be stopping and starting at toll booths constantly. Those who live in toll road areas may have an EZ-Pass, but if you don't have one you spend a lot of time waiting in line.

Just my two centavos...

Dallara



p.s. - and just as an aside, I have never had my Garmin Nuvi 765T lock-up, but then I have never programmed any complex routes into it, either.

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[RidingUpandDown]

Well, more problems with technology...

My garmin Nuvi 750 (route capable) can only store very small routes before it does crazy things like locking up.

Many GPS's have limits on # of Waypoints/Favorites/Locations and/or Routes that they can maintain active at any given time(limits on internal RAM). I find that 500 total/overall Waypoints and 10-50 Routes tend to be max for many Garmin devices.

In any given Route I create I keep the # Waypoints to a minimum say 2-3(e.g.START, END) and use Via-Points as an alternate instead.

I also load Routes to the External RAM/Memory/SD-card, and so I can Delete and then Load other Routes from (additional storage on microSD™ card) as I ride along and find the need.

hth, d ::001::

 

[markjenn]

Don't know about any Garmin 750 models, but if you do much riding in Texas you best *NOT* turn off automatic route recalculations if you like using a GPS, that is unless you want to be re-programming it via its input screen on the road...

Most Garmin models allow for for auto, manual, or promoted on recalcs. Turning auto route recalc off does not prevent you from doing it manually which involves a couple keystrokes on most model, no "re-programming" required. If you have it set to auto, it will false-trigger a recalc when you deviate a few feet from the route and the more recalcs on the fly are sometimes a cause for system lockups.

- Mark

 

[Dallara]

Most Garmin models allow for for auto, manual, or promoted on recalcs. Turning auto route recalc off does not prevent you from doing it manually which involves a couple keystrokes on most model, no "re-programming" required. If you have it set to auto, it will false-trigger a recalc when you deviate a few feet from the route and the more recalcs on the fly are sometimes a cause for system lockups.

- Mark

Never had the problem of either of my Garmin devices - the 2630 or the 765T - doing anything like "false-trigger a recalc when you deviate a few feet from the route". Of course, as I previously said, I can't ever really remember having one "lock-up" for any reason. Then again, I tend to rely on maps and route sheets for primary navigation on rides, and often only use the GPS for the quickest, fastest, easiest route home when we've stretched a ride day too long or too far.

Honestly, I've never seen either of the Garmin's I've owned be so position critical they were ever measuring *anything* as accurately as a "few feet"... And even if, for instance, the state has changed the position of an on-ramp, access road, etc. due to construction, etc., and since any sort of map update, the unit only re-calculates for a few seconds before you're back close enough to the roadway or route for it to find its way.

And let's face it... The U.S. Government doesn't even guarantee anything more than "the GPS signal in space will provide a "worst case" pseudorange accuracy of 7.8 meters at a 95% confidence level." (http://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/) And for the most part it never gets much better than 3 meters... That means at best the GPS is only showing you within about 10 feet of where you think you should be, and you could be as far as 25 feet or more off. No doubt the GPS manufacturers know this error range, and have their devices set up accordingly.

Gotta' say, if I was 25 feet off the roadway at, say 85 MPH, I'd have a lot worse things to worry about, and looking at, than whether my GPS was re-calculating or not, or locking up...

Dallara




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[markjenn]

Then again, I tend to rely on maps and route sheets for primary navigation on rides, and often only use the GPS for the quickest, fastest, easiest route home when we've stretched a ride day too long or too far.

Then I'm not surprised that you're not experiencing problems.

Let's close this tangential discussion of auto-recalc to say that some have issues with it, even if you don't. And be clear that leaving it off does not in any way prevent you from doing a recalc if you feel one is necessary as Garmin provides a reasonably easy way to force a recalc anytime you see you're off-course and want a new routing.

- Mark