InReach Tracking—Straight Lines Only?

2169924Hello, I would like to help with this issue. However, when tracking all points are going to be connected by a line that is how the tracking or activity settings work. Getting Started With Tracking on an inReach Mini 2. If you would like to send me some photos/screenshots of what you are seeing on your end from the app or from the explore website I would be happy to look at them. I also would like to know what you have your Send Interval set to and your Activity Recording set to. Ok Button > Settings > Tracking. I have sent you a private message so you can send me your details. 

I am using 10 min interval in the settings. 

Roads curve. Roads turn. As I said, the app/web site connect the points with straight lines instead of snapping to the roads. NO ONE EVER TRAVELS IN STRAIGHT LINES. If I were creating a route in the app or on the site, the lines would snap to the roads between the points. 

Im trying to find a way to either make the lines follow the roads between the points, or to disable the lines. Connecting the points with straight lines is worse than useless. 

2169924 Are you trying to navigate something or just following a track as you are making it? The 10 minute interval setting is for mapshare only sending intervals out to mapshare this will not offer a very detailed track. If you are wanting to follow a more detailed track yourself I would look at the activity recording and set it to high detail. 

However, if you are navigating a route that is different as it is not based on the interval settings. 

As I said in the OP, I am using the tracking function with Map Share. It drops a point every 10 minutes, which is shared. The map connects these points with straight lines, regardless of roads. That’s stupid and useless. 

There should be an option either for the lines to follow roads/trails, or to turn the lines off. I’m trying to find it. 

For a company specializing in geo-data and cartography, one would think someone would realize drawing straight lines on a map is pointless. 

2169924 Unfortunately with mapshare its purpose is for others to follow along with where you are at or have been. The intention behind it was not to follow as a way to navigate somewhere. With mapshare if on the safety or recreation plan the lowest interval allowed is 10 minutes which does not give a really detailed track. If you are wanting a higher detail track on mapshare you could consider going to the expedition plan that offers a 2 mintute tracking option. These are the only options for the live interval tracking for mapshare. WIth mapshare the tracks will follow trails/roads more closely and give a better detailed track with lower intervals. 

For instance if you are tracking at 1 hour the device places a point on the map every hour so you can imagine that the track would not be very detailed at all. If you had the tracking set to 1 second (not an option for mapshare send intervals) but if it was logging your steps every 1 second the track would be extremely detailed catching essentially every move you make.

Perhaps if you could give me a better idea of what it is you are needing or wanting to do I could help offer a better solution besides mapshare. 

Are you deliberately misreading me?

Map Share is, indeed, so other people can follow along from a distance. No detailed track is required. 

THATS WHY IT’S STUPID TO CONNECT THE POINTS WITH STRAIGHT LINES. 

Why does someone at Garmin think it’s useful to connect these points? The best way to show others where I’ve been is a series of points, not a series of straight lines that correspond to nothing. 

If there’s no option other than straight lines, please submit a ticket requesting users be given the option to turn the lines off. 

2169924 No I can assure you I am not. However, I do not think its being understood that mapshare will not function the way you are wanting to. In order to have a more detailed track for others to know exactly where you are is to choose the expedition plan that offers a 2 minute send interval. I think you are misunderstanding that its still a track being sent to by points to a page for others to see but that the only reason its giving straight lines is due to the interval you have it set to... Again please read my example of the detailed tracks based on intervals listed above. 

If you are not seeing the points at 10 minute intervals connected by lines then maybe a photo of what you are seeing would be helpful as it may be that something is not right on your page. Or you can send me a private message with your mapshare url and I can take a look at it to see if its functioning as it should or not. 

I know exactly what I’m saying. And I understand how map share works.

How map share works IS THE PROBLEM. 

What is the value of connecting points 10 min apart with a straight line? What are those lines supposed to represent? (Hint: there is no value and those lines represent nothing.) The points represent where I have been. The lines do not. The lines represent nothing, and are therefore misleading at best  

Further, the system—in both the Explore app and the web site—already has the ability to snap to roads and trails when connecting point. Some genius decided not to enable that for the tracking function. 

If it’s not possible for technical reasons to have the lines snap to roads, then there should not be lines connecting the points. A better solution would be to have no lines, and have the points displayed on the map as teardrop waypoint symbols. Bonus points if each session is numbered consecutively.

IIRC, when you create a route, it will snap to the roads. 

TBH, the Explore map is so bad I don’t use it except to let people follow the tracking points for safety. It’s disappointing Garmin couldn’t even get basic features right.