Garmin 810 Navigation problems.

[r04DiE]

Hello all,

I recently treated myself to a Garmin 810, from the 'Bay and I used this service to install openstreetmaps to my 2GB Micro SD card. Since I had a 2GB card, I stuck the whole of the UK and Ireland on it. I'm hardly going to need all that mapping but I thought I'd chuck it on there since there was room for it. I generated the map as Routable Bicycle (Openfietsmap Lite), downloaded it, extracted the .iso and then popped that onto the SD. In the Garmin settings, I disabled the default map and enabled the one I had just downloaded.

Next, in Garmin Connect I created a very short round the block route that's local to me and sent that off to the 810. I took the bike out, it all worked.

The next day, I took a 25km ride to see my Mum, then set off to do about another 75km, since I usually do one large ride over the holiday period at this time of year. I had the routes preinstalled and the 25km one worked a treat, but I didn't take too much notice of it, since I know my way to my Mum's anyhow. The next route (the 75km one) didn't work so well. For a start, I think I set off differently from the route I had planned, so I was getting an "off course" warning. I tried recalculating and the device took so long to do anything that I gave up, when it did seem to have recalculated, I kept getting a 'tap to go back' message - it just didn't seem to be working.

I rode into London, via a route that I know and then got lost in St Johns Wood. I tried navigating via an address to get me back on track but it just seemed behave as it had earlier. It was dark and foggy, I didn't have my glasses and in the end I just rode straight until I found a main road, then followed the signs to Camden from there, where I knew my way back.

So, sorry for the long tale, but has anyone else experienced this type of thing, and do you think that installing less map (rather than all of the UK and Ireland, will help?)

Ta

 

[Biff600]

I had a similar thing on my 810 the other week, I had planned a route and like yourself uploaded it to the Garmin, then set off.

If I took the 'wrong' route I also would get the 'off-course' message, and this would remain until I either pressed the 'go back' icon or left it to it's own devices.

It seems that if you wish to use the route option that you follow it very closely, any deviation will result in the messages that we both experienced.

As far as resolving the issue, I ain't got a clue !

 

[dim]

I had a similar thing on my 810 the other week, I had planned a route and like yourself uploaded it to the Garmin, then set off.

If I took the 'wrong' route I also would get the 'off-course' message, and this would remain until I either pressed the 'go back' icon or left it to it's own devices.

It seems that if you wish to use the route option that you follow it very closely, any deviation will result in the messages that we both experienced.

As far as resolving the issue, I ain't got a clue !

can you not set it to re-calculate if you take a wrong turn? (like a car satnav)

 

[nickyboy]

can you not set it to re-calculate if you take a wrong turn? (like a car satnav)

Yes you can.

https://ridewithgps.com/help/edge-810

Sounds like "Recalculate" is set to "off". Another thing that 810 users need to be aware of is if you choose to follow a route and set off from somewhere not exactly at the start (and it really must be close) you get a "Navigate to Start" message. If you select "N" that's OK. But if you select "Y" and then just set off, the device will keep trying to route you to the start point of the ride, regardless of where you are

 

[Dan's Owd Man]

Yes you can.

https://ridewithgps.com/help/edge-810

Sounds like "Recalculate" is set to "off". Another thing that 810 users need to be aware of is if you choose to follow a route and set off from somewhere not exactly at the start (and it really must be close) you get a "Navigate to Start" message. If you select "N" that's OK. But if you select "Y" and then just set off, the device will keep trying to route you to the start point of the ride, regardless of where you are

Hello
I have a Garmin 705 and i had the same problem,if you were not spot on with the start and any other part of the trip it would go off and recalculate and send me back untill it was happy i was back on track,even cutting to the side of a round about would have it playing.
I Googled the problem and there is a Garmin forum with lots of help.
It needed the re-calculate function turning OFF!!
Works fine now.
Menu/Settings/Routings/Re-calculate=Off
This was on my 705 so could be similar for the 810
Hope this helps
Richard

 

[A1kc]

I have given up with navigation - and create a course, and set it to show as a trail. You do this by setting 'always on' in the map display.
This shows up as a moving map - when you get to a junction you can see which way to turn.
If you go off course (or if you inadvertently 'planned' to take the wrong way on a one-way road) you can still see the course you intended, and figure out how to get back to it.
So far it's never let me down. No 'recalculating' or 'U-turn' grief. Half the fun is playing with maps on my pic - checking gradients - and getting the route in my Garmin (and in my head!)

 

[Crackle]

As you know I got one this Xmas too. As mentioned don't tell it to navigate to the beginning of the course. One other curiosity is if you're using openstreetmaps, presumably from the openstreetmap download site, choose, Generic routable (new style), which is the 2nd option. If you don't it will ignore rdbts and one way streets. I also have the Garmin mobile maps from 2009 and in my opinion, Openstreetmap is better, just choose the right option.

 

[Markymark]

Use an iPhone with RWGPS. One of the best changes I've made cycling.

 

[graham bowers]

I'm also using an 810 with OSM that I think I got from the website indicated by the original poster.

The main purpose for it was to pre-plan courses in order to obtain turn by turn instructions, and I have used it to log data on club rides, when following a leader.

In short, I found it very flaky, sometimes switching off, sometimes freezing (requiring a switch-off). When using turn by turn instructions it would sometimes want to take me in to a field, and sometimes fail to announce required turns.

I've lived with it for over a year now and find it "90% good". What I mean by that I haven't had a freeze-up / switch off for a long time, but it still has erroneous turn annunciation issues on most multi hour rides. What I can say though is the route that is graphically displayed on the screen has never been wrong, so I am now in the habit of keeping an eye on where I am expecting to go, not just blindly respondingto turn instructions.

Things I did:

1) I altered the settings to those suggested by http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/foolproof-course-navigation-on-the-garmin-edge-800/ I realise the menu structure for the 810 is slightly different, but the same principles apply.

2) I always create my own navigation files in ridewithgps, I usually use .tcx files. Even if I plan a route in https://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/ I reinput into ridewithgps. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with cyclestreets files, I just wanted a one standard process for producing navigation files. (Well not really always, I've recently had the courage to use .gpx files from cycle.travel with success).

3) I avoid losing the gps signal by either hiding the garmin in my saddlebag when I go indoors at stops, or switch it off then switch it back on again when I'm ready to go. This does result in the recorded information being in several files, but there are online tools to glue them together in to one file.

4) As mentioned earlier, I keep an eye on the display, not just wait for the prompts.

Summarising, I've found navigating with the 810 to be acceptable after adopting the points listed above. I do sometimes go off route and it seems to cope - not throwing a wobbler, and picks the route up when I get back on course. But I wouldn't go anywhere I didn't know without an alternate mapping capability, be that paper maps or a smartphone with a mapping capability.

And a final word about recovering from being off course if you want turn by turn help from the Garmin to get back on course. I recently read an article / post on the internet that I can no longer find, but it stated that the temptation to use recalculating should be resisted. Instead, manually create a waymark (pushpin) on the onscreen map and do some button pressing to get the Garmin to take you to the waymark, at which point it will resume the course that is in the navigation file, but I don't know which buttons.............

Hope this helps

Graham

 

[graham bowers]

Use an iPhone with RWGPS. One of the best changes I've made cycling.

Do you need a mobile phone signal to do this please?? And if so, how much data does it consume?

 

[Markymark]

Do you need a mobile phone signal to do this please?? And if so, how much data does it consume?

None. You need the paid RWGPS account which is around £30-£40 a year. Plan your route, then before you go, you can download the map so it can be used offline. Then, switch your phone to airplane mode to save battery power. All you need is GPS and it will work perfectly plotting your route and giving yuo directions. If you are no following an offline map and just exploring, all it uses is google map amount of detail which is pretty low data. However, as you will be switching off airplane mode it will eat the battery quicker.

I can do around 3 hours without charge but carry one of those USB chargers for longer rides and just top it up when stopped. I use it with the map on full time but you can also save power by having the map off and it just giving you directions.

Using an iPhone screen for the map is massively easier to read that the little garmin crappy one - and it doesnt crash anywhere near as often and the rerouting works as it should do.

 

[graham bowers]

None. You need the paid RWGPS account which is around £30-£40 a year. Plan your route, then before you go, you can download the map so it can be used offline. Then, switch your phone to airplane mode to save battery power. All you need is GPS and it will work perfectly plotting your route and giving yuo directions. If you are no following an offline map and just exploring, all it uses is google map amount of detail which is pretty low data. However, as you will be switching off airplane mode it will eat the battery quicker.

I can do around 3 hours without charge but carry one of those USB chargers for longer rides and just top it up when stopped. I use it with the map on full time but you can also save power by having the map off and it just giving you directions.

Using an iPhone screen for the map is massively easier to read that the little garmin crappy one - and it doesnt crash anywhere near as often and the rerouting works as it should do.

Interesting. Presumably you have to use the ridewithgps app? I've only had an iPhone for 2 weeks so am still wet behind the ears. And what do you do about weatherproofing please?

 

[jonny jeez]

I had a similar thing on my 810 the other week, I had planned a route and like yourself uploaded it to the Garmin, then set off.

If I took the 'wrong' route I also would get the 'off-course' message, and this would remain until I either pressed the 'go back' icon or left it to it's own devices.

It seems that if you wish to use the route option that you follow it very closely, any deviation will result in the messages that we both experienced.

As far as resolving the issue, I ain't got a clue !

I don't understand why you wouldn't follow a route that you ask the Garmin to show?.

If you go off track it will...should...beep when you find the route again, so small transgressions can be allowed for.

I don't ever allow recalc route as I will miss points of interest that I have designed into the route and sometimes critical factors like river crossings that the recalc cannot cater for without sometimes adding miles and miles to the next 'official' crossing.

Sounds like your Garmin is doing what you asked it to do.

 

[Markymark]

Interesting. Presumably you have to use the ridewithgps app? I've only had an iPhone for 2 weeks so am still wet behind the ears. And what do you do about weatherproofing please?

Yep. Rwgps app which is free but doesn't give you navigation. You need to get an account which is around £30 a year then it unlocks quite a lot on the phone.

A quadlock to hold your phone is water proof (resistant?)

 

[r04DiE]

Hello all,

Many thanks for all of your replies and all of the information that you've given. I will be trying your methods out to see how they work. I think its really good to have a navigation resource on here so I am sure that you'll all help many more with your contributions. I will be sat-navving a journey on Thurs if I can and I will report back if I do, or if not, the next sat-navved journey that I take.

Thanks a lot!