manufactures photo of Garmin Forerunner 920XT

Garmin Forerunner 920XT

General

Loading Courses to follow

One reason for my choosing this device is that you can follow a breadcrumb trail on it: useful for new routes, esp. on holidays un unknown areas. But Garmin seem to have made it hard: you can use the Garmin Connect website but I found this limiting, so use QMapShack:

QMapShack on PC: plan route

Install QMapShack (not the easiest tool to use, but *very* powerful once you have worked it out !)
  1. plan route (e.g. load Vector map, right-click, Add Track, Ctrl-v (snap-to-vector), l-click to add next point, r-click to finish)
  2. to extend existing route: save GPX from Strava or Connect, then load and edit in QMapShack (more reliable than loading FIT directly (Apr20))
  3. planned route out, now to add same return: R-click on track, Reverse Track, save to same Project, select orig + rev track and Combine Tracks (probably need to fix timestamps for return section)
  4. (Nov19: not needed) add some fake timestamps (Edit, Change timestamp..., set a fake start time and speed (use Obscure Timestamps, with a value)
  5. save as GPX: select the *Project* (not the route), R-click and save as GPX 1.1
  6. Check GPX file only has 1 trkseg tag, otherwise remove intermediate end/starts as 920XT will only use first one !
  7. (if Connect Import fails may need to edit to 1 segment and/or fix timestamps: gpsbabel -i gpx -f in.gpx -x track,faketime=20100506060000+5 -o gpx -F out.gpx)

Garmin Connect website: create Course

(details may vary if Garmin update their website !)

(new method, Nov19 (maybe the "Import" option was there before but I did not spot it !?))

  1. Garmin Connect / Training / Courses
  2. "Import" (below Blue "Create Course" button)
  3. Get Started
  4. Use OpenStreetMap
  5. Edit title (not too long: 15 chars shown on watch) and Save

(old method, pre-Nov19)

  1. Garmin Connect
  2. manually import your saved GPX file
  3. rename the new Activity to something short (this will appear on the GPS device screen)
  4. Save as Course (option on "gear wheel") / else send-to-device on "gear wheel"
  5. Delete this fake Activity (option on "gear wheel")

Garmin Connect website: prepare to transfer Course to GPS device

(details may vary if Garmin update their website !)
  1. Garmin Connect / Training / Courses
  2. select your course
  3. "View Details", "Send to Device" ->

GPS device: Download Course (from website) (sync)

e.g. for Forerunner 920XT:
  1. unlock device
  2. (ignore any sync messages: this step is still needed (July18)) hold down Menu button, "Connect to Wi-Fi"
  3. hopefully your course will transfer with no further action (may be slow)
  4. Menu / Navigation / Courses - hopefully you will see your course !

Loading Courses to follow (tablet/bluetooth)

TO DO: started experimenting with planning a course in Nexus 7 using OsmAND and then using Bluetooth transfer direct to 920XT (IIRC it is best to pair from within Garmin Connect app).

Garmin Connect Android App / BT to watch (2020)

  1. Open GPX file in Garmin Connect app (eg using a File Browser) and Save
  2. BT connect with watch
  3. Training / Courses / (select course)
  4. ?text Send to Watch / sync

QMapShack - other tips

Maps

TBW

DEM

(Au20) DEM only works correctly if QMapShack set to Metric (QMapShack seems to assume that DEM units are metric, even if set to imperial (ie no conversion applied) !)
  1. Browser: ViewFinderPanoramas.org - DEM- download area needed, eg N30
  2. cmdline: unzip to N30
  3. gdalbuildvrt N30.vrt N30/*hgt
  4. gdaladdo N30.vrt 2 4 8 16
  5. QMapShack: ensure path is set to DEM
  6. reload map and DEM and activate new DEM
  7. DEM/N30 - activate hill shading etc

manufactures photo of Garmin Edge 800

Garmin Edge 800

General

Following a Route

MORE TO DO
manufactures photo of Garmin GPSMAP64s

Garmin GPSMAP64s

Super rugged, rubber grip, waterproof, removable batteries AA (so replacements easily carried) (I use rechargables), can load OSM maps on microSD card, best GPS reception (find ref, but has never failed me !), carabiner clipon

TO DO incl Waypoints, other maps

Other programs



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