Edge 520 and Turn by Turn directions

The 520 should process "Course points" (these are the custom cues in the tcx file that you mentioned).

You may need to check that the feature is turned on for the course you are using.

Go to "Training" -> Courses -> Course Name -> Settings -> Course Points.

10747

I know the 520 can not do on the fly navigation, but I would have thought it could do what the 500 could do.

The 520 doesn't do on the fly navigation but it does do on the fly turn by turn. It doesn't use a routable map but just the shape of the course. That is where the "Head Northwest" prompt is coming from. The problem is it doesn't work so it is better to just disable it. Go to Training -> Courses -> Course Options and select Turn Guidance to be off.

The use of Course Points that Alan referenced should be on by default. So, unless that had been turned off, you should have been getting those prompts the same as the 500. The "Crs Pt Dist" data field shows the distance to the next course point along with the turn icon associated with it.

Navigation

But it's not the the same as with E500. Yes, there is possibility called Turn guidance. But it works only with original garmin's base map (as DCR mensioned 10streets in Paris area, so no map in fact) no on OSM. If you use courses with coursepoints, you have got data field "Crs Pt Distance with very little arrow but with no name (Elm str. in example). You got coursepoint list, but it's some pages away from map. So, imho it really is step back from that angle of view.

So, I checked and I had "Course Points" turned on. I experimented and found if I turn "Turn Guidance" off, then I loose every thing (or so it seems, the turn by turn no longer even shows up in the menu choices). Perhaps I messed things up by installing the OpenStreet Maps per DCR. I have now gone back to the near useless Garmin base map. It may be until the weekend before I can really test it out, but it looks to me like I don't get the intelligent "Course Points" cues at all. As was pointed out, even if I did get them it is not as confident as the 500. The E500 would show the breadcrumb trail and have my next turn showing and you could choose a few things like distance to next turn etc. Then the next page would actually show you a cue sheet with say the next three turns on it. Even if the E520 turns showed correct information, it is not in a page display. You have to go to the maps page, then dive into the menus. Not at all useful. There are a few nice features to the E520, but in this whole department it sure seems to be a big step backwards. This is really frustrating since the ability to show a map would make you think it could be more intelligent.

I'm actually very interested in the Vision HUD, I took at look at it at CES, and directions is a big part for me. But it all I am going to see are the stupid "Turn Right", "Head Northwest" things then that is actually worse than useless because so far my experience is it is often wrong.

Can you post the tcx file that you used?

TCX File

Alan,

I'm kind of a newbie on this forum. I tried to upload the tcx and I'm getting an "Invalid File Type" error.

Here is what the "Course Points" part of the file looks like: (it looks like the forum software is killing the indents and formatting)

<CoursePoint>
<Name>Start of r</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:08:24Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.358850000000004</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.65665000000001</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Generic</PointType>
<Notes>Start of route</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>Debok Rd</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:16:35Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.35750200186475</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.66089797948779</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Left</PointType>
<Notes>Turn left onto Debok Rd</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>Blankenshi</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:20:35Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.352248138418545</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.65856762768371</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Left</PointType>
<Notes>Turn left onto Blankenship Rd</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>10th St</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:24:35Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.349377907898294</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.65257064145479</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Right</PointType>
<Notes>Turn right onto 10th St</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>Willamette</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:27:45Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.34548367344963</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.651824367345</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Left</PointType>
<Notes>Turn left onto Willamette Falls Dr</Notes>
</CoursePoint>

So, I checked and I had "Course Points" turned on. I experimented and found if I turn "Turn Guidance" off, then I loose every thing (or so it seems, the turn by turn no longer even shows up in the menu choices). Perhaps I messed things up by installing the OpenStreet Maps per DCR. I have now gone back to the near useless Garmin base map. It may be until the weekend before I can really test it out, but it looks to me like I don't get the intelligent "Course Points" cues at all. As was pointed out, even if I did get them it is not as confident as the 500. The E500 would show the breadcrumb trail and have my next turn showing and you could choose a few things like distance to next turn etc. Then the next page would actually show you a cue sheet with say the next three turns on it. Even if the E520 turns showed correct information, it is not in a page display. You have to go to the maps page, then dive into the menus. Not at all useful. There are a few nice features to the E520, but in this whole department it sure seems to be a big step backwards. This is really frustrating since the ability to show a map would make you think it could be more intelligent.

I'm actually very interested in the Vision HUD, I took at look at it at CES, and directions is a big part for me. But it all I am going to see are the stupid "Turn Right", "Head Northwest" things then that is actually worse than useless because so far my experience is it is often wrong.

For some reason it is not working correctly for you and it should be possible to get it sorted. The 520 does have a cue sheet page that shows the next 4 turns with the distance and time to each. The "Crs Pt Dist" data field shows distance to the next course point. We all have OSM installed so that is not the problem. Do you have the latest firmware installed? There shouldn't be any problem with the TCX file from RWGPS but posting it so someone can try it would be a starting point to figuring out what the problem is.

TCX File

I tried to post but it said "Invalid File Type". I actually entered a post with some of the "Course Points" text, but it seems that has not posted. This may be a duplicate, but here is the text. I am on version 3.1 of the software. I think the posting process will mess with the XML formatting, but here is the text from the "Course Points" part of the file.

<CoursePoint>
<Name>Start of r</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:08:24Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.358850000000004</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.65665000000001</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Generic</PointType>
<Notes>Start of route</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>Debok Rd</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:16:35Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.35750200186475</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.66089797948779</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Left</PointType>
<Notes>Turn left onto Debok Rd</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>Blankenshi</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:20:35Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.352248138418545</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.65856762768371</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Left</PointType>
<Notes>Turn left onto Blankenship Rd</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>10th St</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:24:35Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.349377907898294</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.65257064145479</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Right</PointType>
<Notes>Turn right onto 10th St</Notes>
</CoursePoint>
<CoursePoint>
<Name>Willamette</Name>
<Time>2016-01-11T13:27:45Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.34548367344963</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.651824367345</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<PointType>Left</PointType>
<Notes>Turn left onto Willamette Falls Dr</Notes>
</CoursePoint>

Light at the end of the tunnel

Ok, finally got this working (tested it on a drive into work). But I have to say, this is WAY more complicated than it seems it should be. Part of the problem is understanding terminology and how the "navigation" works on the E520.

So, here it is, it you want to use GPS cue sheets like what RideWithGPS produces this is what you need to do.

1. Turn "Turn Guidance" off. I guess this is the E520's attempt at live navigation, for what we want to do here TURN IT OFF.

Training=>Courses=>Course Options=>Turn Guidance=>Off

2. Turn "Course Points" on - these are the cues that are embedded in the TCX file, you want them! (I wish you could set the default to "No")

Training=>Courses=>Course Name=>Settings=>Course Points=>On

3. Decline the option to "Navigate to the beginning of the course?" - this was deadly, if somehow you missed the exact start point the E520 would keep trying to get you back there. So even with "Turn Guidance" off, this is where the "Go Northwest" type instructions were coming from.

So now on the Map view, I have 2 fields turned on. "Crs. Pt. Dist." this gives me the distance to the next turn and "Dist. to Dest." - this gives me distance until I'm done. Now, my one remaining gripe on this issue. The "Guide Text" in maps is pretty useless to me. What I would like is the option to show the next course point in that same place at the top of maps. Now you would have something REALLY nice. As is, I guess it does actually give pretty much what the E500 did for following courses (but the E500 is far more foolproof). Again, if you gave me the option of displaying the next course point (in my case the next turn) at the top of the maps display I would be REALLY, REALLY happy.

Now, my next challenge is to get Strava Segments working. I guess I will search for tips on that.

TO Garmin - you have a wonderful product, but it is very complex and hard to set up. In this case it is hard to understand the interaction of the competing navigation modes. At the least, the documentation could be better. You might give some typical uses and what settings are needed to achieve that.

A good post and very clear walk through i'm sure many will find helpful. Now you've sorted this Strava segments will be easy, until you realise how irritating it is to have the unit start beeping at you every time you get within 100 yrs of a segment start!