Garmin users,, Big Brother is watching you.

[jimboalee]

Listen to this.
I bought an Edge 605. I phoned just now for the unlock codes.

I spoke to Garmin UK and the chap said "you've used it twice". "How'd ya know that", I asked.

Long and short - Garmin know when their devices are in comms with the satelites, and can see their position.

He even said.. "You were at home, you registered it last night".

 

[jay clock]

OK, so the CIA will now be able to track my lunchtime run on my 305!

"Hey Chuck, this guy must be injured, there is no way anyone could run that slow!"

 

[zimzum42]

eeeeee, nowt wrong with a good old map lad

 

[jimboalee]

When someone starts a sentence with "Apparently," it may not be true.

Apparently, if you get completely lost and have your Garmin switched on and receiving, you can moby Garmin UK and they'll tell you where you are.

 

[PrettyboyTim]

Your GPS system is only 'in communication' with the GPS satellites in the same way that you are 'in communication' with road signs. It's a one-way thing.

 

[yello]

Unlock codes? Is this is a feature on the 605 that doesn't exist on the 305?

Apparently, some people like to pull the leg of others.

 

[jimboalee]

Unlock codes are necessary if you wish to use TOPO Mapsource packs.
Garmin have a licence with Ordnance Survey, and ( legally ) only fully paid up users ( no bootleg copies ) can download and see TOPO maps.
The codes are 25 digits long, so guesswork is pointless.

 

[ACS]

The same as mobile telephone companies can locate you by which transmitters your mobile is registering with. Nothing new here

 

[jimboalee]

Best not use a Sat Nav on my next bank job...

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

...it'll lose signal in the vault anyway, so no real point.

 

[Sittingduck]

You burn time in the Vault

 

[ACS]

What’s the point of robbing a bank anyway the thieving bandits are claiming they are all skint.

 

[byegad]

Surely the unit is only a receiver. There is no way it has enough power to communcate with the satellite system some 600 miles away on two AA batteries.

 

[jimboalee]

Well it really was spooky. The guy told me how many times I'd got a position fix, where I was and for how long,,,,,

 

[byegad]

Is this a handheld GPS or a Satt' nav'?