Garmin GPS Help available here!!
Submitted: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 at 22:22
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Niko
If you need questiones answered, I should be able to help. I have worked for GME (Australian Garmin distributor) until just recently and pretty much know the ins and outs of the products. If not, I have insiders who can help me to answer your question :)
Reply By: Milehigh - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 15:13
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 15:13
Niko,
Hope you can help me on this one.
I have recently bought a Garmin GPSmap196 (Primarily an Aviation GPS and works fine in that arena).
It does however have LAND and MARINE operating modes but has very little detail apart from some main roads.
Recently on a trip back up the Hume Hwy around
Goulburn the GPS kept saying to head west to meet the Hume, when I had asked it to take me to
Sydney (when in fact we were already on the Hume)
Therefore, how can I go about getting the most out of this GPS to get me in and out of some remote
places....ie what software can I add if any to get this GPS to operate something like an Emap or another Land based GPS.
Some other Garmin suppliers (ie 4WD stores and Communication outlets) havent been able to help out at all on this one and suggest that I must have the wrong model number or an inferior GPS. (Rather quite offending considering it cost nearlly $2000).
Anything you can pass on would be greatly appreciated.
Chris.
AnswerID:
21290
Follow Up By: Niko - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 16:54
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 16:54
The GPS196 is based on the land version, the StreetPilot3. The STP3 can accept two maps, metroguide and city navigator. These two maps work slightly differently and are priced accordingly. The metroguide will give you all the streets around Australia. However when you input house number, street name and suburb it will show you how to get there as the crow flys. City Navigator, on the otherhand, is designed specifically to work with the STP3 and will show you graphically street by street how to get to your destination as
well as a voice will tell you to make turns in so many metres. The level of street info is far better on the metroguide even though it has the above limitations. City Navigator really only has cities whilst metroguide includes country towns. This is not to say City Navigator won't get you to a country town, just that it only has the highway to the country town and maybe one or two streets. metroguide will have all the streets that were current approx 18 months ago. If you have a datacard with your GPS196 it is recommended you purchase another to use for street guidance otherwise if you install the street mapping software it may over write the original. If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to ask.
FollowupID:
13870
Reply By: Milehigh - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 18:17
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 18:17
Niko,
Thanks very much for that info. You have helped a lot.
Do you think that by purchasing the Metroguide this will take out the inaccuraces mentioned earlier (How I was on the Hume but the GPS didnt recognise it).
Is that due to the fact that the main roads only were programmed in the US and possibly slighty out???
One more thing. Do you know how to get various fire
trails and 4WD tracks loaded onto the GPS?
Chris.
AnswerID:
21302
Follow Up By: Niko - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:26
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:26
The map that comes with the E-map is not accurate because it is apparently a very old map (maybe several decades old). However I suspect it was placed in the E-map as a map that had no real reference to any datum. This is thought to be the reason due to the consistant error no matter where you are in Australia using the map supplied. consistent offsets are 99% due to incorrect datums. I haven't had the chance to change datums to see if any comes close. Apart from that metroguide will place you exactly (within 5 metres or so) of your true position. There is very little information in the supplied map and if you cannot see a road within 500 metres of your current position then the map doesn't have that road in its data base
FollowupID:
13885
Follow Up By: Niko - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:56
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:56
The fire
trails and 4WD tracks are something you have to create. I am lead to believe Magellan are working on this at the moment (the 4WD tracks) ahead of Garmin and may produce something much sooner. Fire tracks,
well nothing as yet available. Often these fire tracks are used by people with GPS and as the GPS automatically generates a snail train that can be used by another GPS it may be worthwhile asking around for anyone who has such
trails. I am looking at supporting this web site further and have a free database of tracks that everyone can email to me to store on a web site for that purpose. In the meantime any waypoints or tracks that anyone has that want to make it available for all please email me the track/waypoints to surveyshop@iprimus.com.au
FollowupID:
13888
Reply By: BurnieM - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:43
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:43
The GPSmap195 a colour aviation GPSr similar to the SPIII
The GPSmap 196 is a similar format to the GPSmap 176 and is primarily an aviation GPSr. It also supports auto-routing so you can use street maps like Mapsource City Navigator with street by street routing. As noted before the rural detail on CNA is limited to main roads.
I have a Garmin GPS V which supports auto-routing but I am using Mapsource Metroguide Australia (maps do not support auto-routing) because of its much better rural mapping.
AnswerID:
21321
Reply By: BurnieM - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:43
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:43
The GPSmap195 a colour aviation GPSr similar to the SPIII
The GPSmap 196 is a similar format to the GPSmap 176 and is primarily an aviation GPSr. It also supports auto-routing so you can use street maps like Mapsource City Navigator with street by street routing. As noted before the rural detail on CNA is limited to main roads.
I have a Garmin GPS V which supports auto-routing but I am using Mapsource Metroguide Australia (maps do not support auto-routing) because of its much better rural mapping.
AnswerID:
21322
Reply By: Niko - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:56
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 20:56
The fire
trails and 4WD tracks are something you have to create. I am lead to believe Magellan are working on this at the moment (the 4WD tracks) ahead of Garmin and may produce something much sooner. Fire tracks,
well nothing as yet available. Often these fire tracks are used by people with GPS and as the GPS automatically generates a snail train that can be used by another GPS it may be worthwhile asking around for anyone who has such
trails. I am looking at supporting this web site further and have a free database of tracks that everyone can email to me to store on a web site for that purpose. In the meantime any waypoints or tracks that anyone has that want to make it available for all please email me the track/waypoints to surveyshop@iprimus.com.au
AnswerID:
21326
Reply By: BurnieM - Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 21:11
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 21:11
Garmins Mapsource Metroguide Australia ($269 from Johnny Appleseed,
Brisbane) has reasonable rural mapping. Around
Sydney in the Watagans area it had 80% of the minor roads and dirt tracks, around
Lithgow it had approx 50%.
Magellans Mapsend maps have slightly better rural mapping but are approx $140 per state. Magellan will shortly be releasing a full Australian Mapsend product for approx $300.
Bear in mind that both of these products are street maps and nobody currently produces topographical maps for Australia that can be loaded into your GPSr.
AnswerID:
21328