GPS troubles... I need help!

[K'Tesh]

When I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, I asked for a GPS unit. I had visions of doing webpages, or entries to the forums like the one I found for riding up Haleakala (http://www.chainreaction.com/haleakala.htm) or the one I found for a circle island trip around Oahu (http://www.flacyclist.com/gmap/classics/hawaii_oahu/hawaii_oahu_112mi_2007.php) (you know, like Cycle Oregon, or riding around Crater Lake). I was stunned when I actually got (as a gift) a Garmin Edge 205, but after having a chance to "play" with it, I'm honestly very dissappointed...

I've found that the maps on it cannot be updated, and only shows "major highways, interstates and some major roads"*, not streets or trails (what good is that?). Sure I now can find north, and Washington State (presuming I'm still in Oregon), and by turning left I can get to the Pacific Ocean... I've seen similar quality maps in my elementary school textbooks (circa 1975).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/3152799989_8e580b67c8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/sets/72157611947452946/)
Downtown Portland .5 Mile resolution

Garmin's Mapsource Metroguide has been discontinued (http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/MetroGuideNT.jsp) (was $116.65 USD), as has Google's Earth Plus (http://earth.google.com/enterprise/earth_plus.html) (was $20.00/year), so I can't upload my trips to share with others (namely you folks). Oh, I can upload my info on Google Earth Pro... I only have to shell out $400.00 for that.

The GPS doesn't auto start/stop or go into a "sleep" mode, and I can't find how to edit out the info from where I failed to turn it off, or when I turned it on again... Today I have four hours of it checking it's location, and I can't eliminate that from the stats, nor the fact that the bike was transported (by car) and zero distance should be recorded when it was turned back on, but it does.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3152792643_8008daba6d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/sets/72157611947452946/)
Four hours at work, and this is what I have to show for it...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/3152796187_30cdf7351f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/sets/72157611947452946/)
Made a beeline home... That's not how I remember getting home...

Am I overlooking something? I'm seriously dissappointed with my apparent limited capabilities with this and am seriously concidering taking it back to where it was purchased, which is causing me a lot of grief...

"You might find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true" Spock, Amok Time, Star Trek TOS

HELP!
K'Tesh

* found on their support page.

[K'Tesh]

After describing the limitations that I'm finding with the Garmin Edge 205, we both agreed that it's not worth it, and to take it back.

Nutz...
K'Tesh

[lefty175]

The Garmin Edge 205 is a trumped up cycling computer. Really doesn't do anything more than your typical cycling computer with some, very limited, mapping functions. The one you want is either the Edge 605 or 705. They are definitely more expensive. Welcome to my first GPS experience though, I've still got it somewhere, but I've never used it in the woods. Got one that mapped waypoints, but didn't have actual maps and the battery life sucked.

[Simple Nature]

Do you want a turn by turn guide... or a tracker?

I use the lader. It is the MotionLingo Adeo, which is a personal trainer used for cycling or jogging. It can be used with your favorite music player if you so choose [I choose not to]. The idea is that this unit will update stats for you with audio prompts while you are en-route... average, current, and top speed... distance total and between prompts, eleveation, etc. I just turn it on and forget it until the trip is done.

When the trip is done, you load the route you just completed into a database on your computer. It maintains the stats and the data. You have the option of uploading the data to the motionlingo website and from there you can get a Google Earth compatable map.

The unit is super simple and quite accurate. Here is the capture of the Bridge Pedal:
http://bikeportland.org/forum/showpost.php?p=13961&postcount=9

Sometimes a full scale GPS unit would be nice... but that takes out all the fun of exploring and getting lost in the wilderness :)

[drosen]

I have a Garmin 305, which I really like. I haven't seen the 705, but imagine it's great.

A site that you can upload your trips to, for free, is www.motionbased.com. You download their "agent" and then you sync your gps to their site. You first have to have an account, but that's pretty easy to get established. I find that their maps, which are really google maps, are far superior to the junk that Garmin gives you. Plus, with Motionbased (a garmin site, I believe) you can also look at other's trips as well.

DR

[K'Tesh]

I have a Garmin 305, which I really like. I haven't seen the 705, but imagine it's great.

A site that you can upload your trips to, for free, is www.motionbased.com. You download their "agent" and then you sync your gps to their site. You first have to have an account, but that's pretty easy to get established. I find that their maps, which are really google maps, are far superior to the junk that Garmin gives you. Plus, with Motionbased (a garmin site, I believe) you can also look at other's trips as well.

DR

I followed the link, and there's a little presentation that shows some of the features, and in doing so, some of the stuff that I was wanting.

Drosen, did you (or do you), have to pay for any Google Earth product (such as Google Earth Plus? I realize that some of the analysis features of the MotionBased require a subscription ($11.00/month or about $100.00 year).

Now, I need to go back to Performance, and see if I can pick the unit back up, reinstall the software, then see if I have the features that I was looking for, or not.

In my defense, I spent a lot of time on Garmin's website, and I did call Garmin's tech support, and the guy I spoke to failed to ask if I had tried the motionbased website.

Wish me luck!
K'Tesh

[drosen]

Nope, I pay nothing to Motionbased. I've also never paid for any Google Earth stuff. I haven't ever used Google Earth Plus, so I'm ignorant on their features, sorry.

I've been really happy with the free Motionbased site. I don't see a reason to pay, but maybe there are features you'd use that I wouldn't.

I hope I answered your question. If not, let me know.

DR

I followed the link, and there's a little presentation that shows some of the features, and in doing so, some of the stuff that I was wanting.

Drosen, did you (or do you), have to pay for any Google Earth product (such as Google Earth Plus? I realize that some of the analysis features of the MotionBased require a subscription ($11.00/month or about $100.00 year).

Now, I need to go back to Performance, and see if I can pick the unit back up, reinstall the software, then see if I have the features that I was looking for, or not.

In my defense, I spent a lot of time on Garmin's website, and I did call Garmin's tech support, and the guy I spoke to failed to ask if I had tried the motionbased website.

Wish me luck!
K'Tesh

[lacorota]

I've been using a Forerunner 405 for six months. It has its quirky moments, but I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars, overall. Indeed,the embedded mapping software is dinosaur vintage stuff, however, I've had good luck downloading to either Google Earth, or Nat. Geo. Topo.

I'm not one that enjoys endless hours at the pc (I prefer using it, as opposed to figuring it out), but I did take one suggestion and get a downloadable product called "TopoFusion." TF is awesome software developed by some brilliant biker / software engineers from N. California. What TF allows is file conversions, imports and exports, to and from every imaginable format to another within the mapping / GPS world of devices.

For instance, I wanted to seamlessly import my Garmin .gpx files to TOPO maps, but could not. Topo Fusion has a simple menu selection that converted them. As well, they have all manner of graphing functions that permit juxtaposing the independent and dependent variables of everything collected on the device. If I want to look at heart rate as a function of distance, elevation, time, or topography (gradient), I can within a few menu pull-downs. I'm not a salesman for them, but I can't say enough good about their free product.

[lacorota]

Ooops! I stated the file extensions from my Forerunner as .gpx, whereas they are .tcx (training center files). The strength of that TopoFusion software was it could convert those seemingly unique files into many other formats recognized by Google Earth, National Geo. Topo, et. al. I really hope something works out for you, as I've come to enjoy my little gadget quite a bit. I enjoy comparing weekly workouts (Hollywood up to Pittock, and back) and see how I may, or may not be progressing with fitness throughout the biking season.