Confusion about Track Logging and Activities

Hi there,

I’m a proud new owner of the Gpsmap 66. I used to have a 60csx and I think I'm missing something regarding the track logging.

What I’d want:

I’d like to get GPX files for tagging photos after hiking and driving around with my motorcycle or my car. On the 60csx there was just a "track logging" function in the setup menu that worked exactly that way.

Now on the 66 it seems that the creation of logs is somehow always tied to the creation of activities. Is that right?

The problem:

The 66 always syncs the recorded tracks to my Garmin Connect account which I don’t want: Because it calculates like 5000 calories for my motorcycle trips, and I don’t want any of those activities messing with my Garmin Connect fitness account.

I already tried changing the recorded activity type to "other" but it still counts as a sports activity and calorie usage is calculated.

Now I have to delete every single activity from my account, every day I use the GPS.

The question:

Is there a way to only log tracks on the device without creating any "activities"? I do want to use the Garmin Explore app though, to plan hiking routes and things like that, and because of that I cannot just turn off the bluetooth connection to my phone.

Please help me, as I cannot wrap my head around it...

Thanks!

Kind regards

Sebastian

0 Like2Hike 4 months ago

Hello Sebastian: The 66i has replaced track logging with activity logging. When you save the file, it is a FIT file (from fitness watch world), saved in the Recorded Activities folder. You can open the saved file and using Menu, save the file as a Track. It will be placed in the Saved Tracks folder as a GPX file.

Within the Setup Menu, under Recording, you can select the activity type. It should be set to Hiking when hiking and Cycling or Other when recording while motorcycling.

In the Connect app, if you select More, then Garmin Devices, then the 66i, then Device Settings, you will see an Auto Upload "switch". Turn to off to prevent auto uploads.

0 twolpert 4 months ago

It is also possible to configure the device to record activities in BOTH .fit and .gpx formats. Setup > Recording > Advanced Setup > Output Format. Options are FIT or FIT and GPX. Because who would want a format supported by everybody instead of a proprietary Garmin format like .fit /rant

0 8558540 4 months ago in reply to Like2Hike

Thank you! I will try changing that option, it sounds promising.

0 Garmin-Leslie 4 months ago

Hello, The following article speaks to the different tracking options on the 66i Track Settings Explained on the GPSMAP 66i/67i/86i/86sci. You can also see more regarding tracking in this article Starting and Stopping Tracking on the GPSMAP 66i/67i/86i/86sci. Lastly regarding the activities loading to connect it is doing that becuase you have the device paired to your connect mobile app. If you do not want them to go to your connect account you would need to remove the 66i from your connect mobile app. Remove and Add a Device From the Garmin Connect App.

0 8558540 4 months ago in reply to Garmin-Leslie

Hi Leslie, thanks!

I still need help. I disabled „automatically upload to connect“, but still the tracks are being uploaded.

I also use Garmin Explore.

Is there a way to use Explore for managing my waypoints and tracks, also Komoot (Connect IQ) and not having recorded tracks (or activities) upload automatically?

Kind regards

Sebastian

0 Garmin-Leslie 4 months ago in reply to 8558540

Do you have the device paired to the connect mobile app on your phone as well? If you are using explore for these things what is the reason you are also wanting to pair to connect?

0 8558540 4 months ago in reply to Garmin-Leslie

Hi Leslie,

I feel dumb. I assumed, that Connect IQ (on (?) which Komoot runs) somehow needs pairing to the Connect App on my phone to make it work. I just assumed that because of their names. Is that not the case? Will a pairing to the Explore app suffice? It’s really not self explanatory and there are no accessible diagrams of these interactions. Could you explain it to me?

Although this thread is not much contributed to by other Garmin users, I can imagine that this type of confusion does not lie in my personal scope only.

Thank you

0 Garmin-Leslie 4 months ago in reply to 8558540

Thank you for that information that is what I was needing to know. It is helpful to know what it is you are trying to do and then point you in the right direction. If you are using connect IQ you would need the connect app to install the data to your 66i. Installing and Viewing Connect IQ Content on the GPSMAP 66, 67, and 86 Series. In this case there is not a way to keep the activities/courses data from syncing over to your connect account as that is what the connect app does.

0 8558540 4 months ago in reply to Garmin-Leslie

Hmm that’s bad news.

I tried turning off the switch "automatically upload activities to garmin connect" for the GPSMAP in the Connect App on my phone. But it did not change anything.

Could that be a bug? Someone must’ve been anticipating this, because of the existence of that switch .

You’ve been really helpful all the way, but I would still prefer to be able to use IQ/Komoot apps and not having my activities synced. Could you investigate if the switch in the Connect App’s settings is supposed to work the way I expect it but somehow does not?

Thank you Leslie

0 Garmin-Leslie 4 months ago in reply to 8558540

I would recommend that you would reach out directly to Product Support for assistance as I do not work with the connect app. It is possible that that team is already of aware of this but it would be worth reaching out and having them give you more information regarding it.