Need Help with inReach Explorer

[Steph_and_Blake]

Hello.

We have an inReach Explorer (not the Plus version). I have been on the phone with DeLorme/Garmin for hours recently and cannot figure out the following. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

(1) We cannot clear a track log. While in the track menu, we hit the Clear button and both "reset trip" and "reset odometer" and the device still shows 22% full. I don't know if this is a big deal or not, but I'm concerned that we'll use up all the memory on a multi-day trip.

(2) I cannot figure out how to rename a track that we just hike. I can rename waypoints and routes, but not tracks.

(3) I cannot figure out how to download only selected routes or waypoints from our computer to the device. I was told that every route and waypoint on our computer will be downloaded to the inReach every time we sync. Again, maybe this is no big deal, but I can imagine that we will eventually use up all the memory on the device. I was told that there is not a way to archive routes or waypoints on the computer.

(4) Similarly, I cannot be selective about the tracks that I export (to get them onto HAZ). When I hit export, it exports every single track/hike and then there'll all uploaded to HAZ. Then, I have to delete the irrelevant tracks one by one. Very frustrating.

Hopefully someone else out there is more knowledgeable than me or the Garmin folks about the above issues.

Thank you!!

Steph

[Tough_Boots]

For 3 & 4:

Do you continually save all your tracks into one file or new files for each trip?

[Steph_and_Blake]

When we come home from a hike(s) we sync the device with our computer and each new hike(s) is automatically entered as a unique track.

[Tough_Boots]

But is it just adding tracks to an existing file or creating a completely new file? It sounds like to me that you just have one gpx (or whatever file type the Delorme uses-- gpl?). Copy and paste the tracks you want to sync into a new file and sync to that new file.

When you sync, you aren't syncing tracks-- you're syncing one file that can't be broken up on the fly like that. It may be a default setting in your Delorme software.

[Steph_and_Blake]

Surprise! Garmin actually sent me an email explaining how I can solve the fourth problem....(4) Similarly, I cannot be selective about the tracks that I export (to get them onto HAZ). When I hit export, it exports every single track/hike and then there'll all uploaded to HAZ. Then, I have to delete the irrelevant tracks one by one. Very frustrating.....I tried it and it worked! One down, three to go.

To answer your question above, each track/hike is it's own gpx file.

[Hansenaz]

Optimal handling of GPS files is always a bit mysterious to me but the method I use to go from Garmin to HAZ is to go through Basecamp. With Basecamp (free from Garmin) you can select which files you want to pull off your GPS and then also which files you want to export as .gpx to upload to HAZ.

[Steph_and_Blake]

Optimal handling of GPS files is always a bit mysterious to me but the method I use to go from Garmin to HAZ is to go through Basecamp. With Basecamp (free from Garmin) you can select which files you want to pull off your GPS and then also which files you want to export as .gpx to upload to HAZ.

Basecamp was suggested to me by the Garmin support guy that I spoke with yesterday, but I didn't pursue it because I didn't want to have to learn yet another system. Garmin subsequently came back with the following email excerpt. I limited the date to the date on which we took the hike I was wanting to upload to HAZ and it worked really well. I guess the only issue would be if you had multiple hikes in one day that you want to upload. But, then it would only be one or two hikes that you'd have to delete within the HAZ system.

From Garmin:

The Map Page within your inReach Account can be a powerful tool to export data, so you can utilize it with third party mapping software. This article is to provide information on how to isolate information within the Map Tab, and to export the needed data you require.

There are a few things you should know ahead of time when you want to export data from the explore site:

If there are no map filters applied, all waypoints and routes are visible. The export function will export all tracks.
The eye symbol icon, besides the Waypoints and Routes within the Map Tab, is a way to filter or not include that data within the GPX/KML File.

Another important thing to know ahead of time, is how to effectively use Map Filters, please see the image and legend below:

1. Bookmarks – This is how you add a bookmark when you filter a set of tracks. This is handy if you have a lot of track summaries and would like to organize them into bookmarks so you can easily isolate tracks pertaining to a particular trip. You want to set your filters first, by applying date ranges and what message types to display. Once completed, hit the + symbol to create and name your book mark.

2. Message Types – This is where you can hide certain map objects (not waypoints or routes) from the map. The following items within that drop down are described below:

a. Locate – Any locate request done by Mapshare or the Map, these points look like a circle with an asterisk within.

b. Messages – The message bubbles of sent messages from the device

c. Trackpoints – Your track points for your summaries

d. Navigation – If you are actively navigating to a route or a waypoint, an orange straight line will appear showing that you are navigating

e. Reference Points – When you create a reference point and share within the Earthmate App.

f. Mapshare – Any messages sent using the Mapshare Contact, these are commonly part of a track summary.

3. Date and Time Range – This is used to set a time range for Tracks you want to filter. You can choose Currently Tracking, Most Recent Track, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, and Custom Date range.

Below, you will find some common case scenarios, to export data from the website:

Exporting a set of tracks over a custom date range:

In this scenario, user wants to export only his tracks between the dates of April 9th to May 14th

1. Use the Map filter to Set a Custom Date Range to isolate the tracks between the times you wish to show.

2. After you hit done, you can go ahead and verify that the tracks you wish to export are isolated and shown

3. If you have Routes and Waypoints within the map, you will need to hide them, so they do not end up in your exported file. If you look at the screen shot below, you will see the eye tool beside each listed waypoint. When clicking the selected eye as seen below, this will hide all of the waypoints below and turn all the eye icons to a faded gray.

4. If you have routes, you want to do the same as above, but within the Routes tab for all applicable routes.

5. Once completed, press on the export button, to select whether you want to download the data as a GPX or KML File

[Steph_and_Blake]

Sadly, it seems like the two Garmin support people that I spoke with didn't really know how their software works. I did (finally) receive an email from Garmin answering some of my questions that I'll share with HAZers below.

(1) We cannot clear a track log. While in the track menu, we hit the Clear button and both "reset trip" and "reset odometer" and the device still shows 22% full. I don't know if this is a big deal or not, but I'm concerned that we'll use up all the memory on a multi-day trip.

From Garmin : The waypoints and routes share the same space as your logged tracks.

This didn't exactly explain why the use of the Clear button or the Reset buttons didn't clear out the memory on the inReach. However, it explained why 22% of our available memory was used. We had 66 routes and and 166 waypoints on the device. My guess is that the Clear and Reset buttons on the inReach only pertain to tracking and not to the deletion or of waypoints or routes.

(2) I cannot figure out how to rename a track that we just hiked. I can rename waypoints and routes, but not tracks.

From Garmin : Unfortunately, we do not have a way to re-name the tracks at this time. You can use Filter Book Marks, to filter out tracks using a custom date and time range and name those book mark filters based off trips, or whatever you want to identify it with.

(3) I cannot figure out how to download only selected routes or waypoints from our computer to the device. I was told that every route and waypoint on our computer will be downloaded to the inReach every time we sync. Again, maybe this is no big deal, but I can imagine that we will eventually use up all the memory on the device. I was told that there is not a way to archive routes or waypoints on the computer.

From Garmin : All of your routes and waypoints can be saved on the Map Portal. Each listed waypoints and route will have a sync Icon to the right of each listed item. (two arrows spinning). If you turn those to a faded gray, those will not be synced on the device. Therefore, you can specifiy which ones you want to sync but maintain what you have on the site without deleting them.

(4) Similarly, I cannot be selective about the tracks that I export (to get them onto HAZ). When I hit export, it exports every single track/hike and then there'll all uploaded to HAZ. Then, I have to delete the irrelevant tracks one by one. Very frustrating.

From Garmin : The Map Page within your inReach Account can be a powerful tool to export data, so you can utilize it with third party mapping software. This article is to provide information on how to isolate information within the Map Tab, and to export the needed data you require.

There are a few things you should know ahead of time when you want to export data from the explore site:

If there are no map filters applied, all waypoints and routes are visible. The export function will export all tracks.
The eye symbol icon, besides the Waypoints and Routes within the Map Tab, is a way to filter or not include that data within the GPX/KML File.

Another important thing to know ahead of time, is how to effectively use Map Filters, please see the image and legend below:

1. Bookmarks – This is how you add a bookmark when you filter a set of tracks. This is handy if you have a lot of track summaries and would like to organize them into bookmarks so you can easily isolate tracks pertaining to a particular trip. You want to set your filters first, by applying date ranges and what message types to display. Once completed, hit the + symbol to create and name your book mark.

2. Message Types – This is where you can hide certain map objects (not waypoints or routes) from the map. The following items within that drop down are described below:

a. Locate – Any locate request done by Mapshare or the Map, these points look like a circle with an asterisk within.

b. Messages – The message bubbles of sent messages from the device

c. Trackpoints – Your track points for your summaries

d. Navigation – If you are actively navigating to a route or a waypoint, an orange straight line will appear showing that you are navigating

e. Reference Points – When you create a reference point and share within the Earthmate App.

f. Mapshare – Any messages sent using the Mapshare Contact, these are commonly part of a track summary.

3. Date and Time Range – This is used to set a time range for Tracks you want to filter. You can choose Currently Tracking, Most Recent Track, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, and Custom Date range.

Below, you will find some common case scenarios, to export data from the website:

Exporting a set of tracks over a custom date range:

In this scenario, user wants to export only his tracks between the dates of April 9th to May 14th

1. Use the Map filter to Set a Custom Date Range to isolate the tracks between the times you wish to show.

2. After you hit done, you can go ahead and verify that the tracks you wish to export are isolated and shown

3. If you have Routes and Waypoints within the map, you will need to hide them, so they do not end up in your exported file. If you look at the screen shot below, you will see the eye tool beside each listed waypoint. When clicking the selected eye as seen below, this will hide all of the waypoints below and turn all the eye icons to a faded gray.

4. If you have routes, you want to do the same as above, but within the Routes tab for all applicable routes.

5. Once completed, press on the export button, to select whether you want to download the data as a GPX or KML File

[Hansenaz]

Sorry, I can't start to understand all that goobledygook. I'll just say that with my old file-oriented MS-DOS brain I like the fact that Basecamp 1) allows me to view tracks (files) on my gps, 2) transfer a selection to my harddrive (latest one just called Current), 3) rename it, view it, edit it, 4) output it as a gpx file which I can easily upload to HAZ.

You can do much more but the procedure above describes 50% of what I do. The other half is importing tracks/waypoints into my Garmin GPS.

[joebartels]

I can't help with any of the above. For anyone that may stumble across this thread since Basecamp is a keyword...
BaseCamp to HAZ Tutorial

[Hansenaz]

I can't help with any of the above. For anyone that may stumble across this thread since Basecamp is a keyword...
BaseCamp to HAZ Tutorial

Joe, I watched your tutorial and just wanted to clarify one thing. I don't use Basecamp as a substitute for HAZ Route Manager, I use it as an intermediary to get files to or from Route Manager. As I mentioned I've always been a little confused about best practice in going back-and-forth between HAZ and my Garmin GPS. The file structure in my GPS memory is difficult to understand whereas Basecamp allows me to read in those files, give them names, and save to harddrive (and BTW also view and manipulate them in a much less powerful way than Route Manager).

I've always wondered if there is a direct route, GPS to HAZ. Maybe I can just grab the file called "Current" (or whatever it is) in my GPS' memory and load that directly to HAZ and do all my editing there...haven't tried it. But I find this linear method: GPS to Basecamp (with local storage) then to HAZ (or vice versa) works OK though slightly clunky.

[chumley]

I haven't used my Garmin in a couple of years, but isn't there a folder/directory that the GPX files are stored in?

When you plug the GPS into your computer it mounts as a USB drive and you can navigate to the directory where the GPX files are stored on it.

You can then either upload or download directly to that directory right from HAZ.

At least that's how it used to work. Any current users can tell me if it doesn't work that way anymore?

PS- One of the greatest features of Route Scout is the exceedingly simple transfer of files from HAZ to your device and visa versa.

[joebartels]

@Hansenaz
direct from unit to HAZ is how I do it with my Oregon & Fenix, should work on 2010 or newer eTrex too

GPS Unit to HAZ - Windows
1) Plug gps receiver into USB
2) In GPS Upload click "Upload" then select "my device"
3) now you should see your file system of folders
4) open a folder called Garmin ( in Windows you may need to click on "Computer" to see attached USB drives )
4) open a folder called GPX
5) you should see your tracks, click one to upload
6) click "Post" in the upper right and follow through...

GPS Unit to HAZ - MAC
1) Plug gps receiver into USB & MAC
2) Wait until you see Garmin show up on desktop ( minimize all programs to see desktop )
3) In GPS Upload click "Upload" then select "my device"
4) now you should see your file system of folders
5) in the left column under DEVICES select GARMIN
6) open a folder called Garmin then a folder called GPX
7) you should see your tracks, click one to upload ( if you did not save it, it will be in a folder called Current )

I do select current sometimes

[rcorfman]

@Hansenaz
I question whether Basecamp would even work with the InReach. Yes, InReach is now Garmin, but it was developed by DeLorme and then bought by Garmin.

[Grasshopper]

I question whether Basecamp would even work with the InReach. Yes, InReach is now Garmin, but..

Steph_and_Blake earlier stated that the Garmin support person recommended to them, to use BaseCamp.

[Hansenaz]

Well I'm inspired by all this to try the direct transfer. What's bothered me in the past is that the file names on the Garmin are just generic things like "track121", etc. whereas Basecamp sees them with descriptive names (assigned after import) and plots them. I do like to have local storage: if upload to HAZ followed by download works well enough I can skip Basecamp...

[LindaAnn]

@chumley Yep, I just connect my Garmin to the computer, and each track is in the GPX folder on the Garmin. I upload the individual track directly to HAZ. I’ve done that with a few different Garmins, including a brand new one recently, never had an issues.

[Hansenaz]

@chumley Yep, I just connect my Garmin to the computer, and each track is in the GPX folder on the Garmin. I upload the individual track directly to HAZ. I’ve done that with a few different Garmins, including a brand new one recently, never had an issues.

LInda, how do you know which track is which?

[LindaAnn]

@Hansenaz The file name has the date in it. I upload mine the same day or the next day that I did the hike so it’s easy to remember. If I’m on vacation and will have several tracks to upload once I get to a computer, I keep a running list of the hikes and dates as a ‘note’ on my phone so I can refer to the list as I upload. I rarely rename tracks on the Garmin, since it takes forever to type on there.

[CannondaleKid]

What's bothered me in the past is that the file names on the Garmin are just generic things like "track121", etc.

Huh?
While the 'default' may be something like that, or the date & time (as on my Garmin 62ST), you can change the name when you save it.

Every Garmin GPS I've owned has allowed changing names when saving. So when I hit 'Save Track' and it pops up something like this: 2017-09-21 14:38:49, I immediately change it to '17-09-21Hike Name' so I not only know when I saved the track but also which hike it was.

RE: BaseCamp... Meh...
I use it because I HAVE to, not because I WANT to. (MapSource isn't available for a Mac.)
The #1 reason I hate BaseCamp is that it saves everything in ONE LARGE FILE, which means if it gets corrupted (which happens way more than it should!), at best you lose a few tracks, at worst you LOSE EVERYTHING.

As a result I 'Backup' EVERY time I use BaseCamp, but even then a few times I've had to go back 2 or 3 backups before I could load a valid backup. Typical of VERY poorly-written software from Garmin.

I liked MapSource for the fact I could save every hike as one file, saving them into folders by year, or whatever I wished. So for instance:
1. From Route Editor I select 'Load'
2. Open the '2004' folder on my computer
3. Select the GPS track from 2004 and it loads immediately.
Easy as 1, 2, 3!

But with BaseCamp I must:
1. Open BaseCamp
2. Locate the track and select it
3. Select 'File'
4. Select "Export Selected User Data'
5. Give it a gpx filename (or leave it as 'Exported User Data.GPX')
6. Exit BaseCamp,
7. NOW go to Route Editor and Load the created file.