Waypoints, Tracks, Routes

LARichardson73 · Post by **LARichardson73** » Jan 16 2010 2:38 pm

Hey everyone. I just purchased a Garmin 60CSx, and am trying to learn the ins and outs. I was wondering what people here find most useful for navigating during a hike. Do you use a straight track? Do you create a route from a track? Waypoints? I think I finally understand what all of these different things are, and their differing functionality. What I'm wondering is: What does your "workflow" look like when planning a hike? From finding a GPS route on the HAZ website, to laying things out on the computer, to downloading the route to your GPS receiver, to actually navigating the trail? And what combination of waypoints, tracks, and/or routes do you find most useful?

Also, I'm having trouble opening GPX waypoints, downloaded from HAZ, in Mapsource. Does anyone know why this might be?

Thanks Joe for this incredible resource. HAZ is always my first stop when looking for my next adventure.

joebartels · Post by **joebartels** » Jan 17 2010 7:50 pm

You're right, the waypoint option makes no sense. I dropped it and added a link to the FAQs with unit instructions.

I for one believe the Unit to HAZ instructions are very important. Without data, there is no HAZ. I tried to give you props Shawn by leaving your name in

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Jan 17 2010 8:01 pm

Grasshopper wrote:but can you download this one and then open it ok using the .gpx waypoint option? I can't.

I'm not sure what you mean. EDIT: Oh, I see you said "waypoint" instead of track. I don't think that track has any waypoints.

BobP · Post by **BobP** » Jan 18 2010 8:38 am

One thing I'll add... after I download a track from HAZ to my computer, I always change the file name. If you don't and download files in the same area...for instance Superstition Ridgeline and then Superstition XXXX. Then when you transfer them to your GPS..the second track would override the first track because of the name.

PLC92084 · Post by **PLC92084** » Jan 18 2010 12:49 pm

Great information, folks!! I'll be using an older model Garmin for my upcoming trip (eTrex Legend). Does anyone know if maps and track uploads work the same as the newer models (taking into account lower memory capacity, etc...)? I'll only need a couple of megs for the maps so I'm thinking there should be ample room for the remaining data. Now if I can just create something of value to upload, I'd like to give something back...

Grasshopper · Post by **Grasshopper** » Jan 18 2010 1:24 pm

In response to PLC92084:

Grasshopper wrote:(I do believe the eTrex Vista & maybe Legend can be safely added to this Garmin 60/76 flow steps, but nonot or someone else can confirm or further comment).

Hopefully someone else who owns a Garmin Legend like yours will comment.

nonot · Post by **nonot** » Jan 18 2010 8:16 pm

I think you're limited to something like 15-20 tracks with the etrex. Each track can have no more than 500 points. You can get around this by downloading and installing the trail map listed in my signature. (Check the map to make sure your hike is listed, it's fairly old and doesn't have all the most recent GPS tracks on it.)

PLC92084 · Post by **PLC92084** » Jan 19 2010 7:50 am

Thanks, nonot... If there isn't a track listed for Blue Tank Canyon or Skeleton Cave (don't have my software loaded yet so can't check), I'm pretty sure I can generate one with the Mapsource application then upload, if necessary. I'll only need one or two tracks and 500 waypoints per will be quite sufficient (at least, I'm thinking it will...)!

tahosa · Post by **tahosa** » Jan 19 2010 7:26 pm

This must be my lucky day. I have also been confused as to how to upload the GPS tracks. Well I just tried a few things and voila it uploaded to Mapsource, which went smothly to the GPS, then onto TOPO. Now that calls for a Fat Tire

This site really is an awesome tool I can not express my sincere thanks to all of those that make this work. :thanx:

BobP · Post by **BobP** » Jan 20 2010 7:09 am

Tahosa wrote:Now that calls for a Fat Tire

Good choice...

Tahosa wrote:my sincere thanks to all of those that make this work

I'm sure the HAZ council appreciates that.

cherylwerstler · Post by **cherylwerstler** » Oct 26 2010 2:53 pm

Hello,

When I save a GPX Track ID/Name file and use Import Wizard on TOPO! to open it, the track opens in TOPO!, but in a totally wrong position on the map. Does anyone know how to correct this?

Cheryl

The_Eagle · Post by **The_Eagle** » Oct 26 2010 3:15 pm

@cherylwerstler
To pull up a *.gpx into TOPO! I do the following:
{Select}Handhelds
{Select}Import (from GPS or txt) Wizard
{Select} In a .gps file which has waypoints, routes, and/or tracks in it
{Select}Track as freehand route
{Select}Finish

If this is the first track I've opened in TOPO!, it places the track in the center of the TOPO! map. I double click the map in the location of the Track to make it full size.

If this is a subsequent track that I've pulled in, the map stays centered over the area that it was last on (previous track).

If you want to see the new track on the map, click waypoints on the lower left side legend. There should be one for each track you have on your current TOPO! screen.
Double clicking the different waypoints will center the map for the selected track.

Hope this helps.

joebartels · Post by **joebartels** » Oct 26 2010 3:18 pm

What version of TOPO! are you guys running? I have 4.2.3 and can not import GPX. It says GPX does not contain waypoints or routes. It doesn't seem to care about tracks only waypoints and route points which are basically waypoints. Seems I have to go with .mwp in which case I end up with waypoints too.

Sounds like Cheryl is getting the track in the wrong location, not the orientation of the map afterwards

imike · Post by **imike** » Oct 26 2010 3:24 pm

yep, ya'll are convincing me I'm a long way from logging any GPS routes. Even though I load my unit with my proposed hiking route before any new hike... then track the real hike on the GPS unit, I have no idea how to download to any site. I'm sure it will get easier, someday?

The_Eagle · Post by **The_Eagle** » Oct 26 2010 3:25 pm

I'm at version 4.5.0.... *.gpx is one of the options to load from.

I made tha assumption that she could not see the track on the TOPO! map after she loaded it. I had the same confusion at first when loading multiple tracks and didn't see them on the map. Clicking the different tracks under waypoints in TOPO solved it for me.

The_Eagle · Post by **The_Eagle** » Oct 26 2010 3:37 pm

@imike
Don't get discouraged... I was totaly lost when I got my first GPS this year. Stick with it.

If I remember right you just bought a Garmin 60csx at a great price.
I'm sure you have already seen this info on site, but just in case, here it is again.
Your GPS is covered here

[ FAQ: Add Pre 2010 Directi ]

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Oct 26 2010 6:48 pm

joe bartels wrote:What version of TOPO! are you guys running? I have 4.2.3 and can not import GPX. It says GPX does not contain waypoints or routes. It doesn't seem to care about tracks only waypoints and route points which are basically waypoints.

I'm using 4.6.0. Under "Handhelds", the "Import (from GPS or txt) Wizard" will give you the option I always wanted: to import the track as what NatGeo calls a "freehand route." Now if only it would export a "freehand route" as a .gpx track.

imike · Post by **imike** » Oct 27 2010 4:30 am

coanbru wrote:@imike
Don't get discouraged... I was totaly lost when I got my first GPS this year. Stick with it.

Your GPS is covered here

[ FAQ: Add Pre 2010 Directi ]

Thanks... I'll give it a try. Looks reasonable...

Waypoints, Tracks, Routes

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