Post by anon on Feb 17, 2007 16:47:56 GMT
From: B0ssies Sent: 3/9/2006
So I have gotten my grubby paws on a Garmin Etrex Vista gps.
Copied maps across from Mapsource and started it up and as I moved along I saw that I was not on the road but going cross country (according to the gadget)
Compared a fixed positon with MS MapPoint and found the GPS was 500m out.
What am I doing wrong? Anyone in the Poole area who has an idea about how these things work and can give me a basic intro?
From: adbru2 Sent: 3/10/2006
Hi B0ssies,
I had a similar problem when i first got my etrex yellow.
The problem was in the setup, use of datums and units (OS v degree's/minutes/seconds)
Confused the hell out of me to start with, I found the best way to get it working was to borrow one from a neighbour (he is in mountain rescue) and copy the settings.
I also found a difference between the settings for using it on its own and connecting it to my ipaq.
If you want i'll get mine out of the car and post my settings (cant remember if they are set for the ipaq or not at the mo........
hth
Adbru
From: B0ssies Sent: 3/10/2006
Could it be something to do with "unlocking" the map.
How does the unlocking work. Say a map is not unlocked, what happens? How can you tell whether a map is unlocked? Can't you use the map at all or does it for example misalign the co-ordinates of the map by say 500m. I'm grasping at straws here.
Note that the disks I got with the unit are copies (without any unlock codes). I also have copies of the City Select package but unfortunately the "Setup.exe" file is corrupted so wont install
But I do really like the Vista...more than ample for my needs.
From: gordy Sent: 3/10/2006
Interesting problem. I had a yeller one too and it was ok, I noew have a Legend (ex Tigger) and it seems ok, never put me in any fields. Why not try setting it to default settings? If you want my settings give me an eamil on gen@gkbuk1.f2s.com
Gordy
From: B0ssies Sent: 3/14/2006
Scamming bloody Garmin so'n'so's
Bought myself Metroguide Europe and the positioning is now perfect.
Clearly Garmin makes sure that their basic map is not accurate (500m out) which then forces you to buy more of their software.
Anyway I am now very happy with my GPS. Mainly for it's function locating nearest Points Of Interest eg Hotels, Service Station etc which has been my biggest battle on my trips so far.
Nothing beats a good old tatty Michelin Map and good reckoning though