New Garmin Montana

[Jon_PDX]

Interesting......thanks.

Jon...

[DRTBYK]

Originally Posted by Rocky TFS

So if you have one of these biggies it should be the ONLY GPX file loaded onto the unit or the card? I'm confused by the terminology: in memory or as a file. If I understand how it works, the Montana reads all GPX files on the unit and the card upon startup and they then reside in memory until shutdown. Correct?

Well not quite. First, let's talk about "memory" in the unit. There is "user memory" which I call "storage". On the Montana this is the 3GB and µSD Card. There is also the memory that is not accessible by the user which I call "active-memory". This is where the Montana code runs.

Now, when the Montana boots it "indexes" the GPX (and other) data that resides in the \GPX (and other) directory(s). This index is used to build the data lists in the Waypoint Manager, Route Planner, Track Manager, POI Extras, Geocaches App, etc. It also tells the Montana where to find the data when you select it in one of the data "Managers".

When you select a data object, a route for example, that route data gets loaded into "active-memory". If you have that route in a file with a bunch of other routes (etc.) the entire contents of that file get read into "active-memory".


And if they are in separate files, the bad data will only affect that particular route and not the other routes?

We can only hope but bad data seems to effect all data. I have a couple of Routes that seem to work fine in BaseCamp but cause the Montana to not index (show) any data.

OK, so here's where we're at....I would love to be able to name each route and waypoint file so that it means something to me 3 weeks later as I look at the filename when I'm cleaning up old trips off the unit or the card using Explorer. If I use the Send To function, it seems I will have to do them one by one and rename them one by one.....since I'm old and get confused easily. Of course I can view the contents of a dozen or so in notepad and then rename them according to the internal name, but these two methods require nearly the same amount of time.

If I do so,will I have the fastest performance and the least likelyhood that one bad data point will screw up the whole lot and maybe crash the unit?

If you are going to continue to use the file system (Windows Explorer) and Notepad to manage your data, you will not find it easy to get the most out of your Montana. All of Garmin's newer units are being designed to take advantage of BaseCamp and BaseCamp is being developed to manage the data for you.

And lastly, do I understand you to say that with 4.20, sending additional waypoint files to the SD card will now NOT overwrite the file that is there but append to it? I've gotten pretty used to using the SD card ONLY for map files, maybe I'll just keep that protocol.

If you use BaseCamp to send your waypoints to the Montana, you will not overwrite any data. If you continue to use Windows Explorer to manage you will at some point overwrite your data.

When you use BaseCamp to manage your data, naming data objects (waypoints, routes, tracks, geocaches) so that they have "event/trip" relevance replaces naming the GPX files on the Montana - let BaseCamp deal with that.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

[Rocky TFS]

Originally Posted by DRTBYK

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

YES! It helps tremendously! Thanks so much.

Typically, I only use the Windoze file system to delete a bunch of files when I know I want a "clean slate" in the GPX directory, or to archive Routes, Waypoints, or Map images. I always add routes and waypoints from BaseCamp.



(Another vote for Dan's free Montana.......when will Garmin EVER acknowledge your contribution to their bottom line!)

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by DRTBYK

So far, all of those that have had this type of issue that I know of either had bad hardware and it happened all of the time or was the result of bad Route's and or Waypoint data created by the user. But, one question; are you still using a µSD Card in the unit? If so, you might want to try another card or move your data to internal storage and don't use a µSD card.

Cheers,

Hmm, yes I still use the SD card

I will take it out and try it without

I don't mind eating humble pie as long as the frustration level is removed

Thanks for the tip


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Cheers
TravellingStrom

[DRTBYK]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

Hmm, yes I still use the SD card

I will take it out and try it without

I don't mind eating humble pie as long as the frustration level is removed

Thanks for the tip


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Cheers
TravellingStrom

TS, no guaranty that it will help but reducing the number of variables might help reduce some stress.

Cheers,

[TravellingStrom]

I think I may have a lot of " variables" in there anyway

When they swapped units in England they copied over all the old data so maybe when I get to Almaty in a few days I might do a purge of everything, after a backup of course and start afresh

As I will be with new maps of Kyrgystan and china, both OSM, it may make a difference

Cheers anyway Dirtbike. As much as I hate it now, I can see its potential, I just did not expect to have to pay to be a test pilot


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Cheers
TravellingStrom

[gots_a_sol]

Dodged a bullet today. I had passed under small downed tree and one of its branches managed to hit the release for the rugged mount (there was bark/bits of leaf stuck around it)

Fortunately it landed in my lap. I'll be making up a tether tomorrow.

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

Hmm, yes I still use the SD card

I will take it out and try it without

I don't mind eating humble pie as long as the frustration level is removed

Thanks for the tip


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Cheers
TravellingStrom

Well that failed spectacularly

I made a route and moved it to the unit then when I started to ride it said there were no routable roads.

I only had the Kaz maps on SD card LOL, so I will try again after I install the Kaz map to the main unit


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Cheers
TravellingStrom

[DRTBYK]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

Well that failed spectacularly

I made a route and moved it to the unit then when I started to ride it said there were no routable roads.

I only had the Kaz maps on SD card LOL, so I will try again after I install the Kaz map to the main unit


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Cheers
TravellingStrom

One additional question - are you using a custom Profile?

Cheers,

[gots_a_sol]

Originally Posted by Splatman

When single track riding often don't re-look at my gps until the end of the trail.. My heavy duty tether in case it wants to go walkabout..

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f8...111astrap3.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f8...111astrap2.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f8...111astrap1.jpg

Here is what I rigged up. Some paracord and a metal wire clip thingie (technical term, I know)

[dvwalker]

Thought I'd share a positive experience, just returned from a long multi-day trip and my Montana ran flawlessly . This is my first long dirty bike outing with firmware v4.20; no reboots, no white screens, no SD problems, no issues at all, none....Used most of the deep feature set while on this trip; planned/adhoc routes, tracks, wireless transfer, multiple profiles, multiple maps, where to, etc.

Garmin, how about that long enhancement list if your reading?

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by gots_a_sol

Here is what I rigged up. Some paracord and a metal wire clip thingie (technical term, I know)

I'd be concerned about that wire thingie damaging the screen sometime. When I look for a clip, I make sure it's one with no sharp edges. Currently using this as my lanyard clip.

[gots_a_sol]

Well if the clip is clipped to something, there should be no issue with it coming into contact with the screen.

I have some 3/4" buckles like this somewhere, but I can't find the damn things

[TowPro]

Originally Posted by gots_a_sol

I have some 3/4" buckles like this somewhere, but I can't find the damn things

I found them in a local Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS).
I use them to hold on my tank bag.

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by gots_a_sol

Well if the clip is clipped to something, there should be no issue with it coming into contact with the screen. ]

The thing that happens with a larger clip or one with sharp edges is that you forget and shove the gps into a pocket, brief case, tank bag etc and that clip, tied to the gps, just might find a way to get pushed into the screen and scratch or break it.

Back when I had my first GPSMap 60C, I had it in a pocket with a pair of reading glasses and sharp edges on the glasses left some real annoying scratches on the screen, so I've been paranoid ever since. For the Montana, I have a soft camera bag which fits it well, and I never put the lanyard/carabiner into the bag with the gps.