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Garmin Data Fields

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Gary

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May 12, 2012, 6:36:21 AM5/12/12
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Good day,

I recently bought a Garmin etrex Vista HCx. The manual is woefully
inadequate.

I'm slowly learning what the various data fields mean. Some of the more
obvious data fields are easy to understand: "Speed - Maximum", "Sunrise",
and "Time to Next", etc. However, other are more... difficult: "To Course",
"Turn", or "Velocity Made Good".

Is there any site that lists the various data fields, what they mean, and
examples of how they are used?

Thanks,
Gary


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Craig Wallace

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May 12, 2012, 10:23:14 AM5/12/12
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On 12/05/2012 11:36, Gary wrote:
> Good day,
>
> I recently bought a Garmin etrex Vista HCx. The manual is woefully
> inadequate.
>
> I'm slowly learning what the various data fields mean. Some of the more
> obvious data fields are easy to understand: "Speed - Maximum", "Sunrise",
> and "Time to Next", etc. However, other are more... difficult: "To Course",
> "Turn", or "Velocity Made Good".
>
> Is there any site that lists the various data fields, what they mean, and
> examples of how they are used?

Some Garmin manuals list the details of the data fields. It seems this
is included in the manual for the Vista Cx, but not the Vista HCx
manual. I presume the data fields are much the same on these models.

You can download the Vista Cx manual here:
http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/eTrexVistaCx_OwnersManual.pdf
See page 90 for the data fields.


--
Craig Wallace
http://craig.neogeo.org.uk
http://www.neogeo.org.uk

Frank

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May 12, 2012, 6:58:01 PM5/12/12
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The HCx manual is here:

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/eTrexLegendHCx_OwnersManual.pdf

Appears same as comes with unit and may not offer any help.

I've got one and am not familiar with these fields either nor have tried
to use them.

Woefully inadequate is the base map that comes with it. I bought a US
map and also found free topo site:

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/

Gary

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May 13, 2012, 1:23:58 AM5/13/12
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Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for.


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Frank

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May 13, 2012, 12:27:02 PM5/13/12
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Wonder why they left it out of our HCx manual.

Jack Erbes

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May 15, 2012, 9:20:07 PM5/15/12
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On 5/12/2012 06:36, Gary wrote:
> Good day,
>
> I recently bought a Garmin etrex Vista HCx. The manual is woefully
> inadequate.
>
> I'm slowly learning what the various data fields mean. Some of the more
> obvious data fields are easy to understand: "Speed - Maximum", "Sunrise",
> and "Time to Next", etc. However, other are more... difficult: "To Course",
> "Turn", or "Velocity Made Good".
>
> Is there any site that lists the various data fields, what they mean, and
> examples of how they are used?
>
> Thanks,
> Gary

The manual for the GPSMAP 78 has a list of the data fields on the 78
series models and a brief explanation of the meaning of each one. That
is in a section called "Customizing your device". That manual can be
downloaded here:

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/GPSMAP_78_OM_EN.pdf

Rant mode on...

I have not bought a Garmin since the GPSMAP 76Cx and the manual for that
was just OK. It had nice illustrations but not very good explanations
of things like the data fields. Now the 78 has covered that gap and
left all of the nice illustrations out of the manual.

Garmin always got an F from me for talking to or listening to owners and
an F- are the depth of their understanding as to how people actually use
or wanted to use their GPS devices. The software and manuals always
appear to be developed in a vacuum a crew of software and documentation
technicians that never use GPS devices and never have any interactions
with people that do.

As a Coast Guard licensed master with a good knowledge of navigation I
don't have any trouble using my 76Cx or any of the Garmin devices. But
Garmin gets no credit at all for my knowledge about navigation. And I
don't expect Garmin to teach basic navigation skills in a owner's
manual. But I do think they should tell you the meanings of things like
the data fields names.

Rant mode off...

I still consider the 76 Series handhelds to be the best all-around GPS
device of that size and portability that I have ever used. I own two
now and will probably never have occasion or desire to buy a newer model
because every one I looked at was inferior at and for marine navigation.

There are a lot of online courses and military and civilian and courses
and info on piloting and navigation. Some of those will help with those
terms too but they are not always applied the same way in every venue
where they are used. I don't know of a good basic self study course.

Good luck with it!

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA (jacker at midmaine dot com)
(also receiving email at jackerbes at roadrunner dot com)

Gary

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May 15, 2012, 10:05:21 PM5/15/12
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An update...

Apparently the data fields on my etrex Vista HCx aren't the same as the
Vista Cx.

My etrex Vista HCx has these additional fields:
Sunrise at Point
Sunset at Point
Time to Point
Distance to Point
ETA at Point
Leg Course
Leg Distance
Leg Time

(I'm just guessing, but "at Point" could be the same as "at Next". What do
ya'll think?)

Also, all data fields aren't available on every screen. Apparently, only
data fields that relate to the screen being shown are offered as a choice.

Have a good day!

Gary


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Jack Erbes

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May 16, 2012, 4:47:24 PM5/16/12
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On 5/15/2012 22:05, Gary wrote:
> An update...
>
> Apparently the data fields on my etrex Vista HCx aren't the same as the
> Vista Cx.
>

A "point" is either the goto destination (a route with only one point)
or the next point in a route with multiple waypoints. The following all
refer to the times of those events at the point you are going to.

> My etrex Vista HCx has these additional fields:
> Sunrise at Point
> Sunset at Point
> Time to Point
> Distance to Point
> ETA at Point

ETA means estimated time of arrival if that was not clear

A leg is the distance between two points in a route. A goto only has one
leg, a route has a start (your present GPS position) one or more
waypoints, and the last waypoint is also the destination. A route with
one waypoint has two legs, one to the waypoint, the second to the
destination...

> Leg Course

The course you need to steer to get from one point in a route to the
next point in a route, if seen in a list of waypoints in a route the Leg
Course is the course from the highlighted or selected waypoint to the
next waypoint

> Leg Distance

Distance from the last point to the next point

> Leg Time

Estimated time to travel a leg, it will vary as your speed does.

> (I'm just guessing, but "at Point" could be the same as "at Next". What do
> ya'll think?)

Yep, and Destination and next are the same place if it is the only point
in a route or if you are on the last leg of a route.

> Also, all data fields aren't available on every screen. Apparently, only
> data fields that relate to the screen being shown are offered as a choice.
>

That is true also, some appear on every page others don't

Gilbert Smith

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May 17, 2012, 11:31:52 AM5/17/12
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As opposed to the aviation units, both handheld and panel mounted,
which are designed by someone who knows exactly what a pilot requires.
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