Getting back on course with Garmin

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
MockCyclist
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Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 7:18pm

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by MockCyclist »

My old Garmin does this sometimes. I always fix it by turning Navigation - Off for 5 seconds, then re-enable it, and it picks up the route.
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RickH
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Location: Horwich, Lancs.

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by RickH »

I think part of the problem can be when your route has a set "waypoint"* (which you may not be aware of - it may get created automatically in the background depending on how you plan your route). The Garmin then gets it into its (little) brain that it has to go through that point but you don't for whatever reason - a diversion, the point is accidentally down a side road or just beyond a turn.

I mostly used courses on my old 605 so never had any turn-by-turn navigation on that so I would just follow the purple line and ignore anything else it tried to tell me.

My 1000 works OK most of the time but have had it resort to not giving turn-by-turn for a while on one 91 mile ride, so it was in follow the line mode for maybe 20-30 miles. It did start working again - I'm not sure if it was because of anything I did (it did have a sleep at the 60 mile coffee stop) or whether I passed another "waypoint"* & it sorted itself out because of that.

(*May not be the correct term.)
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
bobzeller
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Joined: 20 Aug 2013, 8:37pm

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by bobzeller »

I would be happy if the Garmin recognised my return to my plotted course after going ofof it for a few kilometres. When I get back to my course, usually at a different point from where I left it, I sometimes get a line on the screen which is my course, but there are no 'turn-by-turn' instructions or beeps. I did try turning the unit off and reloading the course but it didn't solve the problem.

On my last tour in France, I had every day's ride plotted from the B&B I had just stayed at to the front door of the next one and never deviated from the route more than 100 metres. It worked a charm. But had I wanted to go off course to see something much further away that I didn't know about when doing the original plotting, I would have been really concerned about getting back on course and probably not done it.

All of this surprises me because at other times, when I am starting miles from my programmed start, the option of getting directions to the start, has worked well even when to distance to the start is 10km or even more. Perhaps I am too easily surprised!

Cheers
bobzeller
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Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by bobzeller »

I'm really grateful for all the advice. I'm having a go at all of the remedies suggested. As well, I hope to meet up shortly with the son of my LBS owner. They sell Garmin and apparently he's an tech expert. I'll let you know what he says after I get together with him.

Cheers
Vitara
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Joined: 12 Feb 2014, 11:18pm

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by Vitara »

Getting back on course is relatively easy with an Etrex 20, provided you use Tracks rather than Routes.

With Tracks you're just following a purple line on the map, so if you detour its just a matter of either a) taking the next practical opportunity to head left or right until the road you're on intersects with your track or b) zooming the map out so you can see your track and choose a route on the map to get you there.

If your new to using a Garmin it's worth trying this out on roads you know, taking a deliberate detour from your track then getting back to it. You will then be familiar with the Garmins capabilities when you take it on tour.

I know that Track rather than Route is the preferred option for most Etrex users, not so sure whether the Edge Touring has a Track option.
bobzeller
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Joined: 20 Aug 2013, 8:37pm

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by bobzeller »

Yes. Following the track will help me get back on-course. But I don't get turn-by-turn instructions nor beeps. No does it seem to be able to differentiate which direction I should be travelling in to get to the end of my course. Some posters have suggested turning the Garmin off and then starting it up again and ignoring the question of getting me to the start of the course. But that doesn't seem to work for me either. I wonder if someone who finds restarting to work could explain in detail the procedure.

Many thanks

Bob
PM999
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Joined: 6 Sep 2016, 11:56am

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by PM999 »

Hi Bob

I have the Edge Touring (not “plus”), but I assume that it is the same as your unit in respect of the GPS/navigation “engine”, and is only different regarding connectivity for peripherals.

Almost all my rides are created using cycle.travel and I usually download as a TCX Course with tick box for “announce turns 30m in advance” ticked. Defaults on the Garmin are set per RidewithGPS (especially the Recalculation option as “off”). Rides are normally loaded up to the SD card in the Garmin.

Starting off:
1. Where To?
2. Saved
3. Courses
4. [Select loaded TCX by name]
5. Ride
6. Navigate to Beginning? Yes (the tick).

After route calculation, off we go, with purple line to follow and turn by turn notifications working.

Detour off course. (Usually, there’s a pub involved …...)

Return to course – back on the purple line. Sometimes turn by turn notifications simply restart, sometimes they don’t. I don’t really have any firm theories why the Garmin behaves differently on occasion, but it may be to do with how far/how long (in time) off course.

If turn by turn has failed, these are the steps I take to bring it back.

1. Press red “Stop Navigation” button (and confirm stop by selecting the tick at the subsequent prompt).
2. Switch off then back on. (I’m not sure this step is necessary, but it’s belt and braces).
3. Go back to the same steps as “Starting off”, above, with the only difference being step 6. which is now: Navigate to Beginning? No (the cross).

As long as I am on the purple line, this seems to bring back turn by turn notifications for me (as well as all the other useful stuff when navigating, such as ETA, distance to destination etc which all go awry when off course).

I hope you get it working.

Paul
PH
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Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by PH »

I’m great full to PM999 for the comprehensive reply, it saves me typing it. I have nothing to add, except that it usually works for me, but there have been a couple of times where the arrows disappeared without going off course and nothing would bring them back.
I don’t want to sound like an apologist for Garmin but just following the pink line has been fine for me. It’s how I used the Etrex for tens of thousands of miles before I got the Touring.
bobzeller
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Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by bobzeller »

Many thanks again. So many folk helping out. Typical of cyclists. I got started cycling in the seventies and have learned so much from others. This weekend's project will be to get off-course and then rectify things with the advice from PM999 and PH. I'll get back afterwards.

Cheers

Bob
bobzeller
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Joined: 20 Aug 2013, 8:37pm

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by bobzeller »

Well, I had a go using PM999's instructions after deliberately cycling a few kilometres of course. By manipulating the map for better views, as suggested by others, I was able to work my way back on course and then get to the finish. But the turn-by-turn instructions never resumed. I'll try it a couple of more times in case I didn't do something as instructed in PM999's instructions and get back with the results.

Cheers
PH
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Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by PH »

bobzeller wrote:Well, I had a go using PM999's instructions after deliberately cycling a few kilometres of course. By manipulating the map for better views, as suggested by others, I was able to work my way back on course and then get to the finish. But the turn-by-turn instructions never resumed. I'll try it a couple of more times in case I didn't do something as instructed in PM999's instructions and get back with the results.

Cheers

Are you loading it as a TCX course?
Here's an idea, I'll probably try it myself - Load the track in two formats, TCX Course and GPX Route (Both of which have worked fine for me) if I'm having issues with the one, follow PM999's instructions but upload the other.
bobzeller
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Joined: 20 Aug 2013, 8:37pm

Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by bobzeller »

To answer the question, I have been loading routes as TCX because that is what people, and RWGPS, have recommended. But interestingly, I called Garmin's help line again last night and asked if indeed the units are designed to provide turn-by-turn instructions after one has returned to the course. The person I spoke with initially told me I had to reset the unit to recalculate my course. I told him I didn't want a new course to get to my destination but to simply restart using my programmed course once again. He thought this a strange request and checked with someone else who said that getting turn-by-turn instructions on the original course was not possible.

If that is the case, people at Garmin don't have any idea about what it is to be a touring cyclist. Often on tour we go from A to B without deviating. But equally as often, when we are on a route from A to B, we see or hear about something interesting down another road and would like to have a look. If we do so, then we seem to lose the turn-by-turn when resuming our route.

Does anyone know whether other units, either those made by Garmin or other companies can pick up the turn-by-turn. I have been reading about some of the latest GPS devices that use not only the usual GPS signals by some Russian ones as well. Would that make a difference?

Cheers
bobzeller
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Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by bobzeller »

Another question if I might especially as I have just seen Richard Fairhurst is on line. Would using another plotting service like cycle.tour make a difference?

Cheers again

Bob
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squeaker
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Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by squeaker »

bobzeller wrote:If that is the case, people at Garmin don't have any idea about what it is to be a touring cyclist.
Glad it's not just me then :roll:
"42"
PH
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Re: Getting back on course with Garmin

Post by PH »

bobzeller wrote:Does anyone know whether other units, either those made by Garmin or other companies can pick up the turn-by-turn. I have been reading about some of the latest GPS devices that use not only the usual GPS signals by some Russian ones as well. Would that make a difference?

Cheers


I understand all the Garmin units navigate in the same way, that's the experience of the three I've used, Etrex, 800 and Touring Plus.
Where it gets the signal from will make no difference, I think the Touring is already using the Russian GLONASS and GPS satellites, but locating your position isn't an issue is it?
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