Troubles synchronizing tracks with web portal

I cannot get the locally stored track on the 66i to synchronize with the web portal. With the inRech SE, inReach Explorer and inReach Mini it was easy: Simply synchronize it via "inReach Sync" at any time and the rough track from LiveTrack (Iridium) with 10 minute intervals would become very detailed as the track stored locally on the device would be transferred to the web portal and merges with the LiveTrack data. Done!

Now I do a tour with the 66i and back at home...

a) I have WiFi connectivity and assumed it would send the track from the device to the web portal automatically. Nope...
b) I connect the device to my phone via bluetooth and successfully synchronize it via Garmin Connect. So I assume this will send the track from the device to the web portal. Nope...
c) I connect the device to my computer via USB and synchronize it with Garmin Express. Again... assuming this will send the track from the device to the web portal. Nope...

What am I doing wrong?

The only way getting the track from the 66i to the webportal is manually importing the .gpx file. This creates a second track (not merging with the LiveTrack data). The only track information it contains is the distance (99.97 km). Zero other information (time stamps, elevation, duration, speed, ...).

By the way, the manual import only worked once. Now the exact same file is - accoring to the web portal - "Unsupported Media Type". So I can't even do further testing.

I'd be thankful for any support!

Simon

  • Here's a note from the Garmin website:

    "You must use the Explore App to sync InReach data to the GPSMAP 66i/86i/86csi. The InReach Sync application is not compatible."

    Have you tried using the Explore App to sync your tracks? I'm assuming that you can then use the Explore app to sync those track back to the web portal(?)

    NOTE - full disclosure - I don't have a 66i but have been doing a lot of research so I thought this might help.

  • Yes. It works fine. It's complicated by the whole "collections" abstraction, but it does work in a very straightforward and transparent manner once the collections are set up properly.

  • Thanks a lot for your answers Tylojuky and twolpert! I used the fourth way of synchronization - the Explore App - now (may the fourth be with you...) and the Explore App actually shows on screen that it is synchronizing thousands of trackpoints of the active track. Not there's two questions:

    1. Still nothing shows up in the online portal, although the app tells me that the synchronization was successful. There is no (separate) additional track(s). No additional points in the existing track(s) - still only the LiveTrack points visible. I refreshed the page. I used inreach.garmin.com as well as share.garmin.com. I used two different browsers. I have not set any filters and I am sure that I am in the right collection - what else could be the problem?

    2. The app tells me that it is only synchronizing the "current track" (maybe a bit different, as my smartphone is not set to english language). Does that mean that all the tracks I saved before (still stored on the device but not in the active track) will not be synchronized? So I wouldn't be able to store several different activities and then synchronize them whenever I have network access again?

  • I don't know a lot about this but I'll share what I do know - maybe you can combine that with your knowledge and piece a solution together.

    The 66i can sync with the Explore APP (iphone, ipad, etc.) - I think that's what you did described in your most recent post above.

    The Explore APP syncs with the Explore PORTAL (explore.garmin.com) - in the app, select the account tab at the bottom and click the circle-arrow to sync (app <-> portal)

    Both the Explore app and portal allow you to create tracks/waypoints/routes on the fly and organize these into "Collections".

    The Explore PORTAL lets you import/export waypoints, tracks, and routes. On an iPhone/iPad, it exports to your iCloud/Downloads folder but with the Files app you can later move this to a different folder or an SD card connected to the iPhone/iPad. Imports can come from any folder visible in the Files app. FYI when going to explore.garmin.com in Safari on an iPhone I frequently get errors importing or exporting but I just try again and it seems to eventually work.

    What's new with the Explore "infrastructure" is the ability to create routes and such on the fly with an iPhone/iPad and sync those to your (new) Garmin device - all without internet. You just have to wait until you're back to internet in order to sync to the (Explore) portal. What's missing is the ability to easily cross over into the "old" infrastructure.

    I have not read this from Garmin but the perception I have is that Garmin is trying to move things to the Explore "infrastructure" (mobile apps that sync with explore.garmin.com). However, this "move" appears to be device-specific. New devices can use the Explore "infrastructure" but older devices cannot (they don't have bluetooth or they do but they're DeLorme devices in inside). So, the "portal" that your older InReach device syncs with is not the same "portal" that your 66i syncs with using the Explore "infrastructure". However, there's probably a work flow that lets you export from the older devices, import to explore.garmin.com, sync that with the Explore app, then sync to your 66i.

    I can say that exporting/importing gpx files to/from explore.garmin.com works, but it's a little wonky - or I haven't figured out how to control it yet. For me, it doesn't seem to matter what filters I apply, all tracks/routes/waypoints always get exported in a single gpx file (might be what someone wants / might not). I don't want to take this thread on a tangent so I'll keep trying to figure that out or post in a different thread.

    That's what I know - there's a whole lot more I don't know. Hope something can help you out.

  • First off, there is some confusion over the terminology in the eco-system. When you start a LiveTrack on the 66i, two things happen.

    First, the unit begins to send points out via the Iridium network. These show up on the web site (and everywhere else) more or less in real time. No sync is required.

    Second, the unit begins to record a detailed track. This is the same function that you could invoke independently under the Recording Controls function from the main menu. This track does not appear anywhere except on the device until a sync is performed. But read on...

    While the recording is running, this is what is known as the current track. I believe that the current track is special with regard to Explore app synchronization. It is sync'd to the app as you go. The intention here is that it should show up on the map in the app as you go along. However, it is not sync'd to the web site until you save the activity from the recording controls screen.

    Stopping Live Track does not save the activity. It pauses it. Offhand, I don't recall if it automatically resumes the paused activity if you restart Live Track. Regardless, nobody automatically saves anything. So the "current track" never makes it to the web site. 

    If you save the recording, then it should sync to the web site on the next sync. 

    Offhand, I can't explain why previously saved activities do not sync. Might have something to do with the active collection (or lack thereof) at the time they were recorded?

  • Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer in such detail. I am logged in correctly on the Explore app and the Syncing is also confirmed by the app. I am also definitely using the correct portal. I also know about import/export. What I cannot get to work is syncing the track with the portal (inreach.garmin.com) automatically without manually exporting it from the device and importing it in the portal again.

  • Thanks for the detailed explanation. In my opinion it would make most sense to simply upload all information when syncing it (saved tracks as well as the active track). Why differentiate? But that's just my opinion and uploading only saved tracks would be fine. However, it doesn't do it. After syncing, neither the saved nor the active track is at all visible on inreach.garmin.com. I will do some further testing.

  • If this does not work with a recent saved track (one which was saved to the active collection at the time), then you should call tech support. I have seen a number of posts reporting sporadic issues with sync, but have not seen an instance myself.

  • The way it’s supposed to work is 1st sync Expore app with the 66i (devices tab in the app) that should get your tracks in the app.

    2nd sync Explore app with the explore.garmin.com (account tab in the app).

    Is neither step working?

    In the portal, make sure you clear all filters.

  • There is only one sync-function in the explore app. This should be the synchronization with the account. Actively synchronizing the current track with the app should not be necessary as it is transferred in real time.