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| Thread: Improving track logs | |||
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| dlongmore Joined: 08/14/06 Posts: 3 |
Improving track logs 12/04/06 9:01 AM What are the determing factors for track logs being poor or high quality. My gps is a garmin etrex legend. I do not have any complaints about it. The real question more educational. In general are there things that make or break getting a good tracklog. I imagine cloud cover or even thick trees can prevent you from getting one sometimes. Also is there easy ways to cleanup a tracklog (take out anomalies)? Any ideas are helpful. If you know etrex legends and can suggest changing certain setting that would be great. |
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| TelegramSam Joined: 05/05/06 Posts: 12 |
RE: Improving track logs 12/05/06 8:32 PM Most obviously, signal strength will be the largest factor in getting a good tracklog. The best way to get a good signal (aside from hiking in the middle of nowhere) is to carry your GPS in an area where it can see the sky and will not be blocked by your body. If you can attach it to the top of a shoulder strap or to the top of your day pack, that is probably your best option. Aside from that, there are a few things you can do to help get a clean signal. The most annoying part of collecting a tracklog are the 'way off' points that are sometimes collected as part of a tracklog. This usually occurs when your GPS has lost the signal, and then regains it. When it first gets a lock, the accuracy is typically very poor, and the first point it stores can be several hundred feet off the trail. ActiveTrails has a 'skip point' feature that you can use on import to remove these bad points (as well as any side trips off the trail). There are a few practices and settings that can also help. The Garmin eTrex Legend has settings you can adjust to control how often track points are recorded. The options are Distance, Time, and Auto. If you select Auto (usually the default), you can set the point frequency: More Often, Normal, Less Often, Least Often. Normal is the default, and usually pretty good. If you have a bad signal, More Often can help you record more points when you do have a signal, and that can help clean your tracklog. The Auto mode works by only recording points when you change direction. If you are traveling in a very straight line, then few points will be recorded, and more points are recorded as you make turns and on curves. The tracklog settings for the eTrex Legend are on page 41 and 42 of the users manual: http://www.garmin.com/manuals/eTrexLegend_OwnersManual.pdf And finally, some tips. Make sure you get a good signal before you start hiking. Clear the tracklog just before you start up the trail, and save it as soon as you finish. If you leave the trail (for geocaching, for example), try to return to the trail near the same spot before continuing. Hope that helps. The only other way I know of getting a better signal is by using a GPS with a high sensitivity chipset, like the Garmin GPS Map 60csx. I've tested it several times, and it holds a satellite lock very, very, very well. Now, if I could only afford one.... :) |
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