Tracks

Lots of GPS units that are primarily intended for in-car use are very POI-centric and route-centric rather than track-centric. My TomTom is like that. These devices optimise in-car functionality at the expense of general GPS capabilities that your eTrex and my Dakota have. In other words the device (and the manual) were not well designed for this kind of purpose.

So what does the manual say? On Page 16 of the manual it talks about being able to load maps, routes and waypoints, but not tracks. On Page 13 of the manual it talks about TracBack and implies that you can save tracks to your "Favourites". So as an experiment why don't you try generating a track and then saving it (using the instructions on P13). Then connect to your computer and explore your device until you find the saved track. Then at least you will know where tracks have to be, what they are called etc.

Then you can try adding another track to your device at the same location (folder) and same type.

Don't forget I am just another user like you. I downloaded the manual and had a look to give you some self-help approaches since it appears as if you don't want to use the official Garmin support channel.

If you can't make progress with this then you can send me your Nuvi and I will figure it out :-)

Ok I turned on the Nuvi 500 then got in the car and went for a ride around the block when I got back I saved the trip by clicking on the Trackback then saving it as Test

I hooked the Nuvi 500 to the computer and looked in the drive named Garmin and in the directory namedGarmin/GPXand found a file named Current.gpx I double click on this file and EasyGPS opens the file (its the default program for that file type) it opens and looks like the trip I made around the block

I clicked on Tools then My Data thenImport Route From File a page loads and my file Test is their I selected Test then import then if I go into Custom Routes I see Test on the list of custom routes I can then load the custom route Test not sure exactly what that does, follows it as I drive? I guess I have to take the Nuvi 500 for another drive to see?

If I search the Nuvi 500 and the memory card for Test it returns nothing so it keeps the data in a file named Current.gpx ? I need to go for another ride and save another ride as Test1 and see if it starts another Current.gpx file?

Thanks agian

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Oh just software... Sorry

Is their a reason why their is not a help forum for hardware, you ask tech a question by email it takes 3 days to reply then you have another question send another email wait 3 days, call on the phone listen to the automated machine tell you its a 1/2 hr or longer wait we suggest you call back later or send a email for assistance....

I am about to the point of just boxing this thing up and taking it back for a refund let garmin sell it to someone else as a refurbished.

I think its time to try another brand.

Garmin has taught me a lesson and that is try to get tech help before you BUY the product, my next brand will be based on tech support.:mad:

OK... First the Nuvi 5xx series is not like other Nuvis.. It has/had the software from the Oregon, which includes a lot more features...

The downside is that Garmin seems to NOT be updating the 5xx Nuvis along side the Oregons. The Oregons received a comprehensive track manager and I do not believe this ever made it to the Nuvi 5xx.

I have not used a Nuvi 500. IF it exists, look under "where to" and look for "tracks". After waiting....there should be a list of saved tracks. Click on the one you want and pull up "options" and there should be a box to "show on map".

This is how Colorados and Oregons where when they first came out. Oregons now have much more advanced track management, but Garmin refuses to copy these changes to the Nuvi 5xx and Colorados...

Also, make sure the firmware is up to date. http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=1909

OK... First the Nuvi 5xx series is not like other Nuvis.. It has/had the software from the Oregon, which includes a lot more features...

Wow! News to me. Even rudimentary track management on a Nuvi would be a big plus compared to other devices in the family.

Wow! News to me. Even rudimentary track management on a Nuvi would be a big plus compared to other devices in the family.

Could it be that hard to update the Nuvi 500 too? I suppose if its software based it could turn into a nightmare, wish the software on these was open source think of the possibilities...

I got a reply back from Garmin on my question, first is my question to them and then their reply in bold.
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Is their any tutorials for working with files from a GPS? Here is what I want to do, a friend went riding some really cool trails on his ATV I want to ride the same trails in the future so he sent me the data from his GPS I can see the trails he rode in BaseCamp and I can see them in google earth how do I upload them to my Nuvi 500 and make the trails appear so when I get to the riding area I can turn on my GPS then follow his trails? Once they are uploaded to the Nuvi 500 how can I navigate to the trails and look at them to verify they are their. I have read the book and just dont get it, they tell me how to upload the files but I dont know where to upload them do I send them to the Nuvi 500 or to the removable media? Once they are uploaded then what? Thanks so much in advance.
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Thank you for contacting Garmin International.
I am more than happy to assist you with this question. Once you have the routes in your Basecamp you should be able to send them directly to your Nuvi 500. Once on your Nuvi 500 you would go to the following...

-From the Where to and View map screen

-Tools

-My Data

-Import Route from File

On this screen it will offer you to select what routes you want to import to the Garmin and select OK. After this process is complete, you go to Where to -> Custom Routes -> Select what Route you want and it will show you it on the map. If you have any further questions please let us know and thank you for using Garmin Email Support.


With Best Regards,


I will try this then ask them more questions if their is any, does anybody here have any questions they want me to ask them?

tracks / custom routes / overlaying ?'s

It looks like I am trying to do much of the same thing you have been working with.

I happen to be a snowmobiler and get to places that I want to keep tracks and be able to share with friends and relatives, but often I'm visiting these areas, (example, Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming) at different times than my fellow riders.

The Nuvi 500 seems to be pretty nice for what we want in that it has a bit bigger screen than some (i should say all) of the units -we've- used in the past, and also it's water proof. What concerns me is when I hear about the deleting of the topo portion of their maps when people try to update street maps etc etc. Soo..

What I would be interested is first of all, and perhaps I'm mis-understanding some of the discussion, but from what I'm hearing they are saying you need to "browse" etc and choose which trails you wish to "view", or is it possible to overlay custom tracks waypoints etc?

After using my Nuvi on a actual ride trip in the desert I have seen plenty of things the Nuvi needs.

What would be nice is if they updated the software used on the NUVI or at least made it open source so others could make addons.

At the very least include all the functions a basic hand held GPS has like the Garmin Legend H does.

Do to the lack of options the NUVI 500 has I ended up using my Garmin Etrex Legend H for my trip and brought the NUVI 500 along for a backup and glanced at its larger screen when driving to get reference points.

On a side note a major annoyance I found with the NUVI 500 was the touch screen attracts dust like a rare earth magnet picks up steel shavings, Garmin must have used the same material swiffer uses to pick up dust in your house, since its a touch screen you cant wipe the dust off the screen so you can see the screen unless you turn the unit off.

Another super huge annoyance is every time you add power to the unit it reboots, let me explain how I was using it so you understand, I am using this in a Polaris RZR ATV, dash mounted and plugged into the power socket on the dash.

I get into the ATV start the engine, the NUVI 500 boots up then a friend walks over and starts talking to me, I cant hear him so turn off the engine, we talk for about 30 seconds conversation over so I start the engine the NUVI reboots, during the boot up your forced to touch the screen 2 times, engine restarted I put it in reverse back up 15' put it in drive here comes another friend that has questions too, turn off the engine we talk restart the engine the NUVI 500 reboots again, now I have rebooted the NUVI 500 3 times in about 5 minutes.

It gets better driving down the trail hit a bump just right and because of the cheap power cord and the cheap power socket the NUVI loses power for a just a second then the NUVI 500 reboots again and the driver is forced to touch the screen 2 more times, after rebooting 3-4 more times I just unplugged it and run it until the battery goes dead which is about 2 hrs when its fully charged.

This went on all day every day of my 30+ day riding trip, 1700+ miles in the desert.

ALL that touching the screen after each reboot has left the dust covered screen all scratched up.

All I wanted was a Garmin Etrex Legend H with a display screen like the NUVI 500 so I could actually see the map.

Thanks