gps (garmin etrex) trackback on circular track

newbie_cyclist

Hi

Didnt get any answers in tour & expedition so thought I'd try this forum instead (hope thats ok):

I find trackback works great on a linear track but on a circular track the gps just points me to the start. I've tried stopping the track a mile before the end so that the end and start are distinct but from the start if i select trackback to end it still takes me on the shortest route (ie a mile behind me rather than 40miles in front).
any ideas how to sort this?
thanks!

woody-som

not sure if I understand correctly, but I use my etrex to follow an uploaded route, and if I leave home, it always says I've arrived. I just ignore it, ride for 5 min, then start the navigate route to the last waypoint, which is always a circular route.

newbie_cyclist

Is that a route though?
Mine is a track and it only seems to show on the screen what is left to do (ie. a few metres if you start and finish at the same place) so it is impossible to follow (just doesnt show on the screen)

woody-som

yes it's a route created on the PC and uploaded. I've never tried using tracks, as the manual always lead me to think this was for following in reverse what you had already done, created by the gps unit.

newbie_cyclist

You can also create and follow tracks just the same as routes (ie using mapping software on a pc & then download to unit) -the advantage is that they are less memory intensive so you can store far more tracks than you can store routes.

Dales1

Hi there,

It seems you have to Clear the main tracklog first, before following the saved Track.

Otherwise, even though you have told the machine to Trackback to End of the Saved track, it gets confused by what's in the main Tracklog.

Deleting the main Tracklog can be a shame, as the main Tracklog holds all the speed, date and time info of your trip (being data which is not held in the stored Tracks). This data will then have been lost, unless you've been home to download your data before undertaking your Trackback jaunt.

Dales.

newbie_cyclist

Hi Dales
your tracklog idea makes sense and would explain why I've not noticed this problem before (only recently turned on tracklogs..)
I'll clear tracklogs and see what happens.
thanks!

woody-som

just read the manual (strange idea I know) but you can save the track you've just created by riding. But then you should clear the memory, and then select a saved track to follow, and you pick to begining or end.

alexdr

I have been experimenting with this issue and there is a very simple solution that lets you run over crossing, parallel and adjacent tracks with an etrex. Go to Main Menu and select the track to follow, select the end to start at, either beginning or end or what ever you called the beginning and end points, Select the “Navigation" page and follow the bendy arrow to your destination. It "unwinds" the track or reels it in whichever way you want think about it very nicely. There is no confusion because it simple follows the line of breadcrumbs as they were laid out, upto 10,000 which is a lot of bread. (It would be ideal for getting out of a maze or some thing where you must retrace your steps exactly).