Garmin Nuvi Tracks

[MaKSiNG]

Hi All,

I have a Garmin Nuvi 310D and I am interested in how the Tracks feature works.

As far as I understand from the limited documentation that I can find on the feature, it seems you have to set up a track, for instance from Point A to Point B before you make the journey. Then after the journey you can download the data from the journey of that track and see various information along the route. Is that correct? Anybody used it successfully?

[Cider Andy]

I don't have a Nuvi, but I have a couple of other Garmin units. The 'track' feature on both of those is a recording of your movements, one point every second or so. It records your position, the current time and the altitude. When the track is uploaded to your PC, the MapSource software can generate an image on the map of that track, plus it gives time, speed, heading and altitude information at and between each point.

In short, not only does it show you where you're going, it shows you where you've been!

[Lambochick]

Haven't found anything like that on my 360. Would be interested to know if such a feature exists.

[MaKSiNG]

Cider Andy said:

I don't have a Nuvi, but I have a couple of other Garmin units. The 'track' feature on both of those is a recording of your movements, one point every second or so. It records your position, the current time and the altitude. When the track is uploaded to your PC, the MapSource software can generate an image on the map of that track, plus it gives time, speed, heading and altitude information at and between each point.

In short, not only does it show you where you're going, it shows you where you've been!

Brilliant Andy.
That is what I thought it did.
But do you have to draw out the track before you set off and upload it to your device?

I cannot see exactly how it works.

It doesn't seem to be a case of just making points A and B and the driving the route between the 2 points. It seems to just draw a straight line (as the crow flies) between the 2 points. Of course I cannot drive that route, so I am wondering if I need to plot the route exactly, street for street. Something which would be nigh on impossible if driving from, for instance London to Edinburgh.

[Cider Andy]

MaKSiNG said:

But do you have to draw out the track before you set off and upload it to your device?

I cannot see exactly how it works.

The 'route' function is used to create your list of turn-by-turn directions. Not knowing the Nuvi, I don't know exactly how the route function works, but in the StreetPilot III and StreetPilot 2610, the older units I have, routes can either be created on the PC (and downloaded to the sat nav unit) or on the sat nav unit itself. And while you follow a route it gives turn by turn directions (in this case both on the screen and via a voice prompt). On each unit, if you take a wrong turning it will recalculate the route.

The 'track' function simply records your actual journey: the track is not something that you can create yourself. Tracks can uploaded to the PC and examined by the MapSource software. So, for example, at any point in your journey you can see exactly where you were, the time you were there, the speed youe were travelling at and your altitude.

[Lambochick]

MaKSiNG said:

It doesn't seem to be a case of just making points A and B and the driving the route between the 2 points. It seems to just draw a straight line (as the crow flies) between the 2 points.

If yours is drawing a straight line between two points of a route that you want to drive, your settings may need changing. Sounds like you currently have it in 'off road' mode (whereby it may be possible to drive between two points in a straight line). To get your Nuvi to generate a driveable route between two points on normal roads, go into settings/navigation/route preference. In there you can choose between faster time/shorter route/off road. Either of the first two is what you should normally be using.