Still in Garmin hel...
 

[Closed] Still in Garmin hell - can anyone use these? help please

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I bought an Edge 605 last week, have had nothing but pain getting the thing up and running. Nothing about it is user friendly.

Have got as far as creating rides on mapmyride and bikeroutetoaster but cant get them onto the GPS. I can get half a .gcx loaded (but then truncated) and cant get it to recognise .tcx files at all.

Can anyone walk me through this? Am not enjoying this at all.


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 8:46 am
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download mapsource (it's free)

this will open gpx files and transfer them onto the gps.

to transfer more than one track you have to put them all into a single mapsource gdb file (you can copy and paste tracks)

so for my scotland tour this summer i had a single gdb file containing 14 different tracks and 14 waypoints (places we stayed overnight)


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 9:01 am
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I cant get on with Mapsource at all.....it keeps wanting to take me down motorways, cant edit routes.


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 9:16 am
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build your routes on something else and import them as gpx. i use tracklogs to design routes then import them


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 9:18 am
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there is no integrated solution really, trust me i've tried everything! The new beta version of tracklogs is as close as you can get really


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 9:24 am
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I'm going to uninstall and then reload my topo map, see if that makes a difference. I'm getting a route part of the way when I load as a gpx but it truncates the route after a while, just draws a straight line to the destination.

I've used Garmin car satnavs in the past and they have been very user friendly. This thing is horrible to use, I dont understand why I have to go through so much trial and error just to get it to do the most basic function. ie build a map on a pc then transfer it to the GPS, then go for a ride. Crap, really crap.


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 9:47 am
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Try using 'tracks' rather than 'routes'.

In memory map i can just create a track, right click 'send to GPS' then its in the saved rides folder on the 705. Can either use it for navigation or overlay it on the map. Tracks can use much greater number of points (1000?). Routes are restricted to 200 ish, which maybe the problem you're facing?

You can also just drop a GPX file into the GPX folder on the GPS using File Explorer or whatever.

Try creating a simple one with www.bikehike.co.uk, does that work?


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 10:17 am
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build your routes on something else and import them as gpx. i use tracklogs to design routes then import them

Tracklogs will send them direct to GPS without the need for any other software.

I've tried all sorts of free mapping technology, but Memory Map/Tracklogs beat them all. Unfortunately you have to pay for them. Depends if you want an accurate track/route that you can reliably follow, or if you just want something more general.


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 10:35 am
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I use a 705 and have no problem getting it from BikeRouteToaster into the Garmin. I'll remind myself how I do it this evening, and post the details here later. I'm pretty sure it needs to be a TCX file, and it then appears in training/courses


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 10:40 am
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I use a 705 and have no problem getting it from BikeRouteToaster into the Garmin. I'll remind myself how I do it this evening, and post the details here later. I'm pretty sure it needs to be a TCX file, and it then appears in training/courses


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 10:40 am
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thanks, appreciate it


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 10:52 am
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i've had the truncated routes thing as well, linked to complete mapping failure and all sorts of random stuff happening. Garmin replaced my unit as i don't think they had a clue what was wrong with it! new one seems to be working fine but there are a lot of frustrating foibles


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 10:53 am
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I don't have any problems with it. I use BRT for making the routes.

Frank Kinlan's site has loads of info on the Edge's.

[url= http://frank.kinlan.co.uk/?page_id=1111 ]Frank Kinlan - Course's, Routes How To[/url]

MCBOO - How many points do you have in your Route, there is a 100 waypoint limit for routes. Look at Frank's site, he explains it all.. The manual for the Edge's is useless!


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 11:09 am
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there is a 100 waypoint limit for routes.

If you use Memory Map you can override that limit, and set a limit of your choice. I have set 250 per route.


 
Posted : 09/09/2009 11:44 am
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So, after much pain I've got the hang of the Edge. Hats off to Garmin on the actual device, it is a great bit of kit once you actually get it onto the bike and ride. Just done road rides so far, it works very well.

Mine doesnt want to read tcx files, gpx work fine. Garmin Connect is very nice but begs the question, why can't the rest of the software associated with the Edge be up to scratch? I've spent hours and hours pulling my hair out and trawling blogs like Frank's just to get the basics working.

All very odd but I will complain no more, it really is a good device.


 
Posted : 13/09/2009 7:06 pm