Anyone have an eTrex 20 on here that can help me? I’m really struggling to get to be able to load a GPX rote onto it of 2000 points every time i try, it only seems to log the first 20km of 205km. I’m at my wits end!

You need to load it as a Track, not a Route.

Cheers, is it realy as simple as that?

C

Could be!

How are you trying to “load” it? (I’ve had more reliable results using Windows explorer to drag and drop gpx files, rather than using Basecamp but YMMV.)

I’ve also run into problems when there are too many tracks loaded.

Etrex 20 has a max of 250 points per route.

If you want to keep as a route then you need to split it into smaller routes.

A route is a series of points, e.g. junctions, and is a series of straight lines between the points. If you keep the number of points below the etrex threshold then you can use on-screen turn instructions. I think that your route is plotting every twist and turn as a point, try deselecting “Follow Road” (or similar) when plotting your route

A track is a more accurate “drawing” of the journey without turn instructions, which means that you’ll have to keep an eye on the Garmin screen

As above ^^
If you want to try a track, upload the .gpx route to bikehike or similar and then save as .gpx track
You can make several shorter routes or a single route with fewer points here too

That 250 limit could be it, but I thought the limit is 10,000? People load on the tour divide route and stuff which is 8,000+ points so surely 250 isn’t the limit?

C

250 points to a Route. As the post above says, it needs to be loaded as a Track for longer trips.

Also, folk will split multi-day stuff into smaller segments.

I think the 10,000 limit refers to track points, rather than route points.

Routes are a PITA. Only useful if you are riding / driving on the road. Definitely convert any routes you have to tracks, as these are easier to work with for off-road cycling and walking.

OK got that sussed now I think.

Next problem is how do I store all my tracks/routes that i will be following (on my bikepacking trip) on the SD card and transfer them to the ‘running’ memory in the GPS unit soo i can carry a backup SDcard in case things go pear shaped or memory is lost?

C

The Etrex can use them from the SD card – you don’t need to transfer them.

Copy the gpx files to the \Garmin\GPX directory on the SD card(s) (or drag and drop to the card from Basecamp, etc.).

The track names should all be visible in the ‘Track Manager’ on the Etrex (press menu button twice and click on track manager then scroll down to the track you want). You need to go into each one and click ‘Show on Map’ (which turns the button to ‘Hide on Map’).

Bear in mind that the “Tracks” are just overlays on the map to highlight your route (as distinct from a Garmin “Route”) so that whenever a relevant part of the map is in view, the Tracks should show up, provided they are set to show as above.

(FWIW: I would go for a backup that didn’t involve the Etrex. The subset of problems that could be fixed with a spare SD card is probably very small /FWIW.)

You can fit a micro SD card under the batteries in the etrex. Get one with a micro SD card adapter so that you can plug it direct into a PC
Using the PC, put a new folder on the micro SD called Garmin, and one inside that called GPX
Copy your .gpx files to the new GPX folder, fit the micro SD and the etrex will read direct from there

You can either use the Garmin cable and transfer copies of your .gpx files from PC to the etrex internal memory via usb (also located at Garmin/GXP) and keep the micro SD separately for back up, or use a second micro SD for back up and read direct from the first

EDIT: Slower typist than tillydog

Thank you. Just got back from a quick ride round home ( https://www.strava.com/activities/814790807 )I’ll try all that tonight.

To be honest, this GPS lark looks like a lot of pi$$ing about for someone that’s used to paper maps but unfortunately it’s the only option fro what i have planned in 2018.

C

Been there.

I wrote this a few weeks back.

http://owtbutwork.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/garmin-etrex-routes-with-more-than-50_98.html?m=1