GPS How-to page

How to record, store and navigate track files


Introduction

1)   To record and store a track, the stages are.....

  • Remove any previous data from the GPS memory
  • Re-set the odometer (Optional)
  • Walk around the chosen path
  • Store the data on the GPS

2)   To navigate a stored track, the stages are.....

  • Clear the GPS memory (Optional)
  • Load the stored track
  • Follow the track using arrow or diagram methods

 

This demo uses a Garmin Geko

To start your Geko, first hold down the Top-Right button for a few seconds, then wait patiently until it says you have got a location. Typically this takes 30sec but if the unit has been transported some distance since its last use then the time may be 2-3min.


 

Next have a go at cycling your Geko through its menus by pressing the Lower-Right button repeatedly.


 

 

1)   Recording and storing a track

Remove previous data before use

Now you are ready to set up your Geko. First go to the menu which shows a list of data. Press the OK button to get a screen that allows you to re-set the data. Navigate to the RESET TRIP DATA using the up/down buttons which you will find on the Left. Then press OK to clear the data.


 

Now you are ready to clear all the track points it may have stored. Press the Bottom-Right button until you are in the screen which contains the word TRACKS in the middle of a list. Select it with the up/down buttons and press OK to get the actions you need.

Select CLEAR using the up/down buttons and press OK to clear the unit’s memory. You are now ready to go for a walk carrying it. Any old information is gone:  it will record your movements from now onwards.

Record the walk

So, off you go! Walk round the path you wish to record. There is nothing to do until you get to the end, when you store the track.

Store the track

You will probably store your track using the date as a default name for it. You can enter a different label but it is tedious to do so on most GPS units.

To store the data, go to the TRACK screen again and this time choose SAVE. You will be asked to confirm the BEGIN and END points.  Just press OK in each case – most GPS units will helpfully jump to the extremities of the route for you. The default name will be the current date. Just accept that – it is a lot easier than typing in a new name.


 

 

 

2)   Navigating a stored track

Remove previous data before use

As in recording the track you should first set up your Geko. Go to the menu which shows a list of data. Press the OK button to get a screen that allows you to re-set the data. Navigate to the RESET TRIP DATA using the up/down buttons which you will find on the Left. Then press OK to clear the data.


 

Now you are ready to clear all the track points it may have stored. Press the Bottom-Right button until you are in the screen which contains the word TRACKS in the middle of a list. Select it with the up/down buttons and press OK to get the actions you need.

Select CLEAR using the up/down buttons and press OK to clear the unit’s memory. You are now ready to go for a walk carrying it. Any old information is gone:  it will record your movements from now onwards, even as it shows you the way round the stored track. But first you need to load the stored track.....

Loading the track and starting navigation of the walk

Now go to the TRACK screen and scroll down to the track you want to follow and OK it. Now scroll to NAVIGATE and OK that. Finally scroll to TO END and OK that.

Now you are ready to let the GPS take you back over the route. If your route is a loop, just walk 30m or more along the start path; otherwise the software will assume you have already got to your destination!


 

At this point a large arrow should appear on the screen. Start walking and the arrow should begin to point in the direction you should be heading. Just follow its guidance and it should take you around the route you recorded earlier. Try the menu and zoom keys now. The three images above are “Follow arrow” and “Follow track” at two zoom levels.

As you walk you may like to try a few presses of the menu key. One of the screens will be a data screen like the one you saw earlier, showing things like the distance covered and the elapsed time. (The contents of this screen can be chosen by the user and may have different content to that shown here.)