Mike Mason wrote:

I have a garmin vista. I have just compared two tracks taken from the vista
(via Oziexplorer) of the same walk but the information I see is confusing
me.

The first walk took 1 hour 38 minutes and there were 667 points.

The second walk took 2 hours 26 minutes and there were 514 points.

Both walks started at the same point, finished at the same point and took
the same route.

My expectancy was that the longer timed walk would have more points but the
converse appears to be true.

Has anyone an explanation.

Mike Mason


How is your vista set? If it is set for automatic mode then this can
account for the difference. Read my online manual to understand how this
actually works. The explanation is in the user interface chapter where
the functions of the menus are described.

Dale
--
_ _ Dale DePriest
/`) _ // http://users.cwnet.com/dalede
o/_/ (_(_X_(` For GPS and GPS/PDAs

Dales manual is the best online description of some of the internal Vodo
performed by Garmin receivers I've found. I recommend reading it for
understanding your unit in general, not just the track logs.

One of the things I've learned with my Legend is that the eTrex's in Auto
track mode drop a cookie crumb at significant speed changes. I've found that
if you're trying to record accurate logs of hiking trails, this can be used
to your advantage on switchbacks etc. If the receiver isn't logging some of
the little details, simply stopping for a few seconds where you'd like to
leave a crumb does the trick almost every time. Of course it also means that
if I'm hiking tougher terrain where My speed varies by a lot, I leave a lot
more track points per mile than I would had I kept my speed more steady. How
much of a change is required to leave a data point varies. Now that I have
10,000 trackpoints available to me however, I just leave my unit set to the
most detailed auto setting. If I ever manage to fill it up on a single hike,
I'm going to consider myself "Dah Man". Unless of course it's a long
backpacking trip.

For what it's worth

Jeff