Related
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Explore App does not show and sync tracks

B51s
over 3 years ago

Dear Garmin developers,

I own Garmin devices since GPS II 30 years ago and I updated them every two years. I had many Maps, MapSource, BaseCamp, ... and I'd rate me an experienced Garmin user.

Today, my new GPSMap 52s arrived. I updated the firmware, map and satellite data. And I was very keen on the new Bluetooth Sync option between my Android Samsung S20 with Explore and my 52s. Pairing worked fine.

Connect and Explore Mobile got installed. Both connect to my device.

But, afrer importing tracks into Explore, the app shows the number of items correctly in the collection but no track shows up under tracks. I did it again in explore.garmin.com. Tracks show up correctly. Waypoints  appear correctly in my collections. So, I recorded a new track on the GPS, synced it back to Explore Mobile and it does not show up as well although the number of items in the collections is correct. Tracks remains empty.

I assinged a collection to sync down to the device and it does not sync the tracks.

So, I reinstalled on an iPad. The tracks show up correctly. And I can sync the tracks up and down. Very slow, you can count each and every track point but it syncs. The number of items in the collection reflects the total number of waypoints and tracks.

All in all, the whole software suite is very confusing:

  • Connect with thousand options in the app and in the portal ... complete overload
  • Explore with very basic and non-intuitive UI and inacceptable track rendering
  • Why two apps on my phone when I just want to exchange waypoints, routes and tracks?

The history was always tricky with Garmin software (Map licensing, MapSource end of life, BaseCamp end of life, ...). But I really hoped a new try will do it better. Instead, many features, but a incosistent UI and what's must annoying again with bugs and not robust.

Are these known issues and are there plans for a better?

Thanks in advance,   f r e d

Top Replies

All Replies

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    I know, it's like they just started over and all our previous knowledge actually just gets in the way. Would be nice to know just how it is all supposed to work, and to me the issue is although there are three good manuals (device, Explore app, Explore web) there isn't anything to document how to use them TOGETHER. This probably does work, we just have to click around until we find it.

       You know how on the Explore website there are filters to control which collections show up on the map? The Explore app has the same thing . Click into the Map icon, it looks like a partially folded map, the lower left icon. Now you should see a map on the phone display. In the upper left of the map is what looks like maybe a stack of 3 sheets of paper, above the + plus sign. Click the layers In the list of collections toggle on the ones you want to show on the map.

       The reference material, such as it is, is located on http://support.garmin.com. They have manual material for Explore web and Explore app. Some of the app documents are model number specific. I did look up the model you cited and I couldn't find the model number (GPSMap 52s?) can you double check the model number? 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to 2931072

    Google led me to this discussion.  I have a 700i and recorded my first InReach Track yesterday.  I did not enable the Map Share feature for the track.  I can see this track on the Explore web site, but even after a manual 'sync' the Explore Android app does not list any tracks under Library->Tracks and says "No Tracks Use your Garmin device to create tracks.

    The Garmin documentation says that the Explore app will sync tracks.

    I do see my walk recorded in the Activities section but this was acquired via Bluetooth and not from the InReach tracking.

    Is this a bug or am I missing something.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to Bob Friesenhahn

    I found this info on Garmin's site: Update to Track Syncing on the Garmin Explore Website

    While I never saw the described pop-up, I used the described procedure to convert the track to a track (with a diamond indication rather than a circle) and then the track did sync with the Garmin Explore app.  However the track then renders differently and is clearly in a vector form.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Useful. Define waypoints and routes - group them in collections. Syncs with my Gpsmap 66ST (my main use case). One can also import gpx at the garmin connect homepage, then import the resulting course at the garmin explore page and sync to the gps unit. (complicated but works, only needs a browser and mobile phone - as I use linux on desktops)