Just received a Dakota 20 from Handtec... next problem, how to fix it to the bike ? Upto now I've found these two: http://www.activegps.co.uk/garmin-dakot ... -mount.htm ----- http://www.handtec.co.uk/garmin-outdoor ... 53-00.html... what do other people use ?

It should be the same mounting for the oregon.
Active GPS version does that.

Just make sure you tie the gps unit to something secure with the supplied lanyard (bars, frame, etc) ... it's not uncommon for them to self-eject from the mounts.

they are £4 on ebay. Just bought and fitted one myself (inc a lanyard to deal with any unexpected eject)

I have a very old Etrek unit but its a pain to use. Looking to upgrade, dakota sounds good just checking that the new units are seen as a drive by a PC so you can access the files easily?

just checking that the new units are seen as a drive by a PC so you can access the files easily?

Yes, you can. That's pretty much how I upload stuff to Strava, though note that the Etrex 10/20/30 isn't supported there, so I assume its the same for the others. You have to browse manually for the current.gpx file on the device.

Ian's right, the Dakota isn't recognised by strata you do the manual upload of the current.gpx wriggle he mentions.

While I'm here, how are people adding their .gpx files as tracks? All mine go in as routes which is fine until I hit the waypoint limit......

I draw my tracks in Tracklogs or Route Buddy and upload as a track. As you've found, the Route option is limited by the number of waypoints the device can store, 500 or so, and as such long routes can't be stored. The track point limit is significantly higher, so converting a route to a track and uploading as such gets around the problem.

I use Garmin Basecamp for my Dakota and just create tracks instead of routes. If the Dakota is plugged in to your PC while running Basecamp,it'll be able to use the maps on the unit too.

Cheers fellas, I'be been using osgetamap and just dropping the gpx file into the gpx folder, do I need base camp to put it somewhere else? I'll have a look tonight nonetheless. :)

johnnystorm wrote:Cheers fellas, I'be been using osgetamap and just dropping the gpx file into the gpx folder, do I need base camp to put it somewhere else? I'll have a look tonight nonetheless. :)

No that should be fine. Once you put the gpx file into the gpx folder on the dakota then it should be there on your unit to use. I dont bother with basecamp at all.
I find if I download a route to the unit from just go ride it names it too. If I save to comp from the same site and move the file over to the dakota I need to name it manually.

Lughnasadh wrote:

johnnystorm wrote:Cheers fellas, I'be been using osgetamap and just dropping the gpx file into the gpx folder, do I need base camp to put it somewhere else? I'll have a look tonight nonetheless. :)

No that should be fine. Once you put the gpx file into the gpx folder on the dakota then it should be there on your unit to use. I dont bother with basecamp at all.
I find if I download a route to the unit from just go ride it names it too. If I save to comp from the same site and move the file over to the dakota I need to name it manually.

oh, its there alright and works but its a route so limited to approx. 500 waypoints or about 40 miles offroad.

Quick 'n' easy ... go to bikehike.co.uk and load your file. Then save the file as a track and load it back onto the gps.

Just trying base camp now. It's taking an age to actually open.... Off to bikehike!

Defo go for the lanyard idea, just spent 30 flipping minutes looking for my dakota as it disappeared somewhere in the 1500 m or so of steep pine forest!

Typically found it ( gave myself a little cheer! :D ) at the furthest point away from when I realised it had gone!

But yeah, it now has a lanyard...

Drew

Dakota 20... user manual= crap ! I'm used to using an Edge 800, you start a ride, and when finished you stop it. I assumed that with a Dakota 20 as soon as it is switched on, it records your distance and time, so when you have finished you switch it off (to end recording). But this does not seem to be the case. And how do you start a new lap ? Have just scrutinised the manual again... can't find anything... Is it me ?

The Dakota is designed around the hillwalking community and therefore works on a completely different set of principles to an Edge.

It has no concept of "laps".

The tracklog is active all the time, so you have no need of Start and Stop. Just make sure you clear the active tracklog before each ride and save it at the end of the ride.

Thanks for that Scotroutes..."The tracklog is active all the time, so you have no need of Start and Stop. Just make sure you clear the active tracklog before each ride and save it at the end of the ride." Clear the active tracklog is the same as reset ? And save it before doing that ? But how do you save ? Again I have read the manual and nothing in it...

Have you just read the quick start manual? I think there's some fairly extensive stuff on the CD or web in terms of instructions. I'm not 100% sure as I haven't fiddled with mine much and a lot of it seemed (not being a tw8t ) fairly intuitive. Then again, I haven't used many other GPS so I'm not tuned to thinking the way another system works :?

Cheeky Monkey wrote:I think there's some fairly extensive stuff on the CD :?

Cheeky, you are correct.

I only got mine about 4 weeks ago so recent enough to remember all you need to know about saving and resetting the tracklog is on the CD.
Unfortunately, as Cheeky said it is fairly intuitive once you know, to the point that I cannot remember how to do it without the unit being in front of me.

Ericrobo, if you are still struggling PM me and I will happily reply with a step-by-step.

Thanks all.... I think where the manual is adrift is that it has a list of separate topics + an index BUT it doesn't actually say what you do when you have switched the unit on and start riding... for example do you "Create a route" or go for "Managing Tracks...A track is a recording of the path you have traveled"... from what I've seen previously on here I assume most people are using tracks...

Starting a ride:
Switch on unit
Wait until your GPS signal is strong (5 green bars at the bottom of the display)
Go to Track Manager
Select "Current Track"
Scroll down
Select "Clear Current Track"

That gets rid of the tracklog in memory and starts a new one. This new tracklog will be recorded until you decide to save it.

You might want to choose "Setup....Reset...Reset Trip Data" at this point too, but remember that the trip computer and tracklog are not the same thing.

Ending a ride:
Go to Track Manager
Select "Current Track"
Select "Save Track"
Select the big green Tick to save the track with the default date/time filename.

FWIW, if you are doing very long (e.g. multi-day) rides then you might want to do a save/clear at the end of each day as it'll eventually start over-writing itself.

Thanks for that Scotroutes. I had just about sussed to do something like that, but it's good to see it from someone who uses it often... (it's quite different from the Edge 800.. in fact the BIG downside to the Edge 800 or Edge series is that they do not work on batteries, so doing a multi-day becomes a bit complicated...) setting off tomorrow to Aviemore to do pleasant riding Saturday around Rothiemurcus Forest then planning to do the Cairngorms Inner Loop Sunday... hopefully in one day, but will carry a tent just in case I'm knackered)