Garmin Montana GPS help for a first timer. Died in less than 2 hours.

[ThirtyOne]

Hello all - I'm brand new to using a dedicated GPS. I have played around with profiles a little last fall and yesterday I tried to use Tracks to create a track from my apartment, through the city, to a national park. The drive took about 2 hours and the GPS died before I got to the destination. I started the track with 88% battery.

The Garmin Montana 680t is less than a year old. I bought it last September. Used the rechargeable battery included with the unit.

I had the Tracks set to "Distance", "Interval 0.05," Auto Pause Off, Auto Start Off.

In this case I had backlight off to 15 seconds, but "Power Save" was turned off.

The track I was making had (before it shut off):

1:05:54 total time
439 track points

Can anyone tell what I am doing wrong? Is this normal? This was the first time I've ever used Tracks. Any ideas?

Any help appreciated!

[Warin]

What options do you have for 'Track'?

At the moment you have set to create a point every 5 metres (I think). That is a little bit fine- too much detail.

I set my Map60 to track 'Auto' 'Fine'. Meaning it decides when to take a point based on changes in speed and direction. If you have an 'Auto' setting use it. It saves a bit of memory use and battery power. The 'Auto' function has settings of 'Fine', 'Medium' and 'Coarse' ... what you chose is up to you but I use my tracks to make maps so I like a lot of detail. If the track is used for showing where you have been on a map of the country then 'Coarse' will be ok.


---------------------- Power
I run my Map60fromthe bikes power so it never runs out. You need to do the same for your larger screen.

[Temporaryescapee]

Definitely something going on. I use my montana 610 for routing on overnight trials so am riding for say 12 hours with the screen set to only come for 30 seconds when i need a direction. The battery lasts for the trial. Pretty sure i have told it to not automatically track, but i suspect if it is not lasting 2 hours you are doing sometime that is pretty battery intensive.

[ThirtyOne]

Originally Posted by Warin

What options do you have for 'Track'?

At the moment you have set to create a point every 5 metres (I think). That is a little bit fine- too much detail.

I set my Map60 to track 'Auto' 'Fine'. Meaning it decides when to take a point based on changes in speed and direction. If you have an 'Auto' setting use it. It saves a bit of memory use and battery power. The 'Auto' function has settings of 'Fine', 'Medium' and 'Coarse' ... what you chose is up to you but I use my tracks to make maps so I like a lot of detail. If the track is used for showing where you have been on a map of the country then 'Coarse' will be ok.


---------------------- Power
I run my Map60fromthe bikes power so it never runs out. You need to do the same for your larger screen.

I haven't seen the options for "fine" "medium" or "coarse" The Track function on this can record by Distance, Time or Auto.

I can set Interval, Auto Pause, Auto Start, Output Format, Advanced settings can toggle: Auto Archive, Trip Recording, and Recorded Data Reset.

I have it to .05 miles for the track points, so that's every 80 meters.

Originally Posted by Temporaryescapee

Definitely something going on. I use my montana 610 for routing on overnight trials so am riding for say 12 hours with the screen set to only come for 30 seconds when i need a direction. The battery lasts for the trial. Pretty sure i have told it to not automatically track, but i suspect if it is not lasting 2 hours you are doing sometime that is pretty battery intensive.

Yeah, something is strange. I just looked at it. It was on the shelf, on, for the past 5 hours and it lost 20% battery while sitting in power saver mode unused on my counter.

Following a YouTube tutorial last year, I made two profiles, on road and off road. I just realized when I switch between these profiles, the Track automatically turns on also...I have "Auto Start" turned off on the settings for Tracks..

I am usually pretty good with technology, but this thing is another level of complicated.

[Warin]

Originally Posted by ThirtyOne

I haven't seen the options for "fine" "medium" or "coarse" The Track function on this can record by Distance, Time or Auto.

When you set the track function to Auto ... then the interval may change to 'fine' etc ..? It does on my old Map60.

Originally Posted by ThirtyOne

I am usually pretty good with technology, but this thing is another level of complicated.

Hence I have hung on to my old Map60 ... I'd like to up date to the Map66 but I'll need to read through what Garmin calls a 'manual' (other wise call confused disjointed information ). It will take some time for me to build the courage to even start reading it... And the reviews are not encouraging.

[Toyark]

31

check your 2 pms'

[ThirtyOne]

Originally Posted by Warin

When you set the track function to Auto ... then the interval may change to 'fine' etc ..? It does on my old Map60.




Hence I have hung on to my old Map60 ... I'd like to up date to the Map66 but I'll need to read through what Garmin calls a 'manual' (other wise call confused disjointed information ). It will take some time for me to build the courage to even start reading it... And the reviews are not encouraging.

I'll give it a try. Thanks!

[ThirtyOne]

Originally Posted by Bertrand

31

check your 2 pms'

Received! I won't have any time to play with it until the weekend, but will keep you posted. Thanks again.

[Toyark]

The week end came and...went! no worries -
it helps to make a list to focus the question/s

[ThirtyOne]

Originally Posted by Bertrand

The week end came and...went! no worries -
it helps to make a list to focus the question/s

It did! I got sidetracked by a no-start issue with the bike, so that ate up half my day Saturday. I reached out to GPS City regarding the issue and they gave me a phone number for Garmin. I'm going to try to get them on the phone this week if I have time.