Related

Tracks and Inreach

8180595
over 1 year ago

I just purchased a Montana700i and signed up for InReach service.  On my previous handheld Garmin I could create a track of my adventure.  I would like to do this and be able to download the GPX file from the Montana unit (as I could with the other handheld).  i have searched the internet and can't find an answer to my question which is, Can I set the Montana to create a track  without occurring any additional charges?  I don't want to send any tracking to MapShare, just to save the track locally on the Montana.  All I find mentions using MapShare.  I like having Inreach for those times I need emergency help and when out of cell service range to be able to message family, but I use live track for sending my location to family so don't need use MapShare.

Hope this makes sense to someone that will reply.  Thanks in advance for you help.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    There are two separates types of "tracking". The device will record an Activity on the device, which ends up on Garmin Connect (if sync is configured) or can be downloaded from the device in FIT format or GPX if configured.

    If you have an active inReach subscription, you can also start Tracking, which will send track points to Garmin Explore and MapShare. If you start inReach tracking, the device will also start an Activity. The other way around is not the case.

    See the relevant sections in the manual: inReach Features > Tracking and Navigation > Recordings.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    There are two requirements to get what you want.

    1) Configure activity logging to record BOTH .fit and .gpx. The default is .fit only. 

    2) Be sure that when you start tracking (generating track points to be sent via the Iridium network), you ALSO start Activity recording. There is a setting which links these two things together. There have been problems with this in the past. Personally, when I start/stop one side (activity or tracking), I check the other side (tracking or activity) to be sure that it did what I wanted it to do.

    You may also want to look at the activity recording point frequency, particularly if you want a very detailed .gpx file.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Thanks for your replies,  So if I turn on tracking I will not be charged for the in reach messages? From al I can see from my searchs it appears that if you turn on tracks you get charged by in reach.  Just need to confirm.  Thanks

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 8180595

    SENT track points (those sent in more or less real time via the Iridium satellite network) are charged against your plan. LOGGED track points (the one associated with the activity) are not sent via satellite. They remain on the device until you sync (or grab the .fit or .gpx file directly from the device). Logged points are not chargeable.

    In 7x0i terms, Tracking corresponds to sent points. (Activity) Recording corresponds to logged points.

    If you want to JUST log, be sure that you decouple the two things. Setup > Tracking > Link with Recording OFF. DO NOT start tracking. DO start recording.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 8180595

    If you use inReach Tracking, what you pay depends on your plan. For example if you have a safety plan you pay $0.10 for each track point. This is separate from inReach Messages BTW.

    The Activity recording is free (so to speak) since it has nothing to do with inReach functionality and is just the Montana recording the track you have been following on the device.