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Altitude WAY Off During Activity and RARELY Accurate

I've seen various discussions regarding altitude corrections and inaccuracies across multiple Garmin devices. However, I don't know if I've seen people complain about several hundred feet of difference like I am experiencing below, though I am certain I am not alone.

Here is a hike I did a week ago today. Without elevation corrections enabled, my Expedition was showing wild differences in my elevation:

  

Here is another, different, trek I just completed. I want to highlight specific spots where I actually paused the activity and recalibrated the altitude on the watch with GPS, getting an accurate reading. Very quickly, however, the problems persist.

  

Here is an overlay:

What the heck is going on here? This isn't even close!

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  •  Congrats on Longs and that backpacking trip looks fantastic. I might save it for future ideas. I did Chicago basin and a couple of the 14'ers there last summer and really enjoyed it. I stuck closer to home in the Pecos Wilderness this weekend. No 14'ers in NM, but we went to the top of Truchas at 13,102 which offers really incredible views of that area. It is a bit more of a scramble than North Eolus was, but not quite up to the level of going over to Mt. Eolus via the catwalk. 

    On the topic of your elevation correction issue, can you take a look at the map files on your watch and see if you have a gmapdem.img file? Do you also have a gmapdem1.img file? If so can you give me the size and dates on those files? 

  •   They were great hikes, I highly recommend Brown's Creek! Perfect loop, few people, well-maintained trails, and easy to access. Was just in Santa Fe and Taos but did little hiking - will be going back soon.

    Do you have instructions for getting a file off the Marq? has been trying to help me get my watch recognized by a computer. My Marq has never been found by a Mac or PC since I got the thing. (One of the several items I need to call customer support in regards to.)

  • Are you trying to use a MAC or Win10 PC right now? On a Win10 PC the watch should just mount as a media device. For a mac you'll need something like android file transfer and you'll need to close garmin express before you attempt to connect. 

  • Can't explain why you won't see it on a Windows computer but on a Mac you need Android File transfer

  • Thanks, guys. I'll check into that Android File Transfer today.

    My wife has two PCs and I have two Macs. No success with any using Garmin Express.

  • You don't use Garmin Express to move files around. In Windows the watch should mount directly as a drive - look in the File Explorer. You'll then see the folders and files. All the maps are in the Garmin folder.

  • to that point, on a PC it looks like this 

  • Hey guys, thanks for the help! (+ Garmin-Nate and Garmin-Heath) I was FINALLY able to get my Expedition found on one of my macs for the first time ever, I used this technique:
    MENU > SETTINGS > SYSTEM > USB Mode > Garmin

    It didn't take on one of my macs but worked on the other on the second attempt.

    Oddly, it still cannot be found by Garmin Express... but alas:

    and philipshambrok, here is what i am finally seeing:

    Any idea where to look at map files? I've also done a search for gmapdem.img and gmapdem1.img files and am not seeing anything:

    Thanks for the support!

  • Not familiar with Android file transfer on a Mac, but the .IMG files should be in the root of the Garmin folder. If they are not there, you can reinstall then via express by clicking on map options. The one I was having you look for is where elevation corrections are supposed to come from.

  • and anyone, if you are experencing this issue, please reinstall TopoActive using Garmin Express on a computer.