Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 38

Thread: Garmin sounder tips

  1. #1

    Garmin sounder tips

    Dumb question.... Is it possible when using a Garmin sounder to have the route displayed as a narrow track on the chart without all the ugly squares and cluttering numbers?

    Are all the Garmins similar in menus etc? Mine is the Garmin 551S

    I like the split nav screen with two different scales.... But the chart is cluttered with a fat course line, and black squares and the name ( in this case a number) for each waypoint. The route was a track saved as a route.

    I have looked through the menus and searched google but my Garmin-and-Google Foo is very weak apparently.

  2. #2

  3. #3

    Re: Garmin sounder tips

    Walruslike i too have a 551s and think i remember something about turning the track off. It was driving me mad up the pumicestone passage last weekend. Going out tomorrow weather permitting. I will play with the 551s and post again tomorrow night.

  4. #4
    Thanks for that. I am a bit surprised that it seems so hard to clear the screen up. I can't imagine why anyone would want to see these square symbols at each waypoint. It seems a daft idea to have anything other than a thin line.

    At the moment the score is Garmin 10,000.... Fuddled old Walrus... nada.

  5. #5
    I've spent ages wearing out the buttons on the sounder but can't remedy the problem.

    Complicated google searches with various advanced parameters finds others asking the same question but no answers.

    One sort of answer I saw was use tracks instead of routes because they are less cluttered than routes. But that was on a handheld walking forum.

    I am a bit frustrated with this.... It seems reasonable that after creating a route you just want the route line displayed. And as for all the other unrelated route waypoints, why clutter the screen with them?

    One workaround therefore might be to only create waypoints manually at your destinations or at significant actual waypoints, so they are available for a 'route to' option. And then use tracks to provide the course lines.

    But I suspect that tracks are also creating waypoints and so will not solve anything. But I can't test that sitting here in my driveway.

    So this is me waiting for next weekend.

  6. #6

    Re: Garmin sounder tips

    BEst tip I can give you is buy a Furuno mate.

  7. #7

    Re: Garmin sounder tips

    Check in the settings and there is an option on how much info you can display, you can adjust it there, that will take care of the waypoints.

    That thick line you get in routes or navigate to, if you just use tracks that doesnt show.

  8. #8

    Re: Garmin sounder tips

    Your Garmin sounder is not showing track log, it is your GPS that is showing it.

    LP
    Kingfisher Painting Solutions:- Domestic and Commercial.

    For further information, contact details, quotes or advice - Click Here





  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by AnthonyL View Post
    Check in the settings and there is an option on how much info you can display, you can adjust it there, that will take care of the waypoints.
    Yeah I thought that too but all I can do is say no to displaying waypoint names. The large square dot (as big as the beacons) won't go away. Also it only hides the names of waypoints on the current route.... Others are still there and names displayed. I've searched every menu and online and user manual.

    thick line you get in routes or navigate to, if you just use tracks that doesnt show.
    That sounds good I will give it a try next weekend. Gee the week seems long all of a sudden. 😄

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Lucky_Phill View Post
    Your Garmin sounder is not showing track log, it is your GPS that is showing it.

    LP
    It's a Garmin 561S so its a sounder/plotter combo. Garmin have it listed under 'Sounders' on their website so I think that is the right name for it.

  11. #11

    Re: Garmin sounder tips

    No luck removing track when I played with it on the water. However mine seems to be a line not large cubes like yours. maybe mine was zoomed out a bit. Another issue that started yesterday was i kept losing the depth measurement even though the bottom trace was still showing (and changing). haven't moved the transducer that i know of, and only tended to happen when getting out of the hole. If you started slowly and gently increased speed then it was fine. do otherwise it would flash the last recorded depth. Didn't regain the depth even when stationary and only way was to reset the unit. Any ideas anyone?

  12. #12
    I had no depth reading at all the other day..... Straight from ramp. Pulled up and fiddled about looking at settings but no go.... Wiggled wires no go. Turned of then on and it was back.

    Don't know if it's connected to your issue. Also since I raised the motor the depth is lost sometimes while on plane... But it comes and goes without resetting. Works fine when back off the plane.

    Thanks for looking into the track thing. Let's advise this thread if we ever make an improvement.

  13. #13

    Re: Garmin sounder tips

    My Garmin uses the same square symbols as a stored way point but I don't use anywhere near the number of waypoints for navigation as you show on your screen. Do you really need so many or has the unit generated it's own.
    If you are going into a confined waterway and navigating in poor light you can't rely on the gps anyway when only talking about a few metres either way so I would only have perhaps one waypoint at the entrance and rely on other navigation aids after that. For everything else they are spread far enough apart to zoom out and lucky to have 2 or 3 on the screen at any one time.
    I also don't use the route function so much although nothing wrong with it IMO but I normally know which point on the chart I am heading to and just steer accordingly, at the most I might go to curser or select a single waypoint if it's off the screen.

  14. #14

    Re: Garmin sounder tips

    Quote Originally Posted by WalrusLike View Post
    I had no depth reading at all the other day..... Straight from ramp. Pulled up and fiddled about looking at settings but no go.... Wiggled wires no go. Turned of then on and it was back.

    Don't know if it's connected to your issue. Also since I raised the motor the depth is lost sometimes while on plane... But it comes and goes without resetting. Works fine when back off the plane.

    Thanks for looking into the track thing. Let's advise this thread if we ever make an improvement.
    You might have to adjust the transducer a little, I had the same problem and that worked for me.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by johncar View Post
    My Garmin uses the same square symbols as a stored way point but I don't use anywhere near the number of waypoints for navigation as you show on your screen. Do you really need so many or has the unit generated it's own...
    Yeah these were generated by the unit as a track which I saved as a route. I quite agree that it's too many. It's further cluttered by other waypoints created whenever I started the unit or moved the boat.

    I have since deleted those tracks but there are still too many waypoints.

    I am going to experiment with the track options.... Currently set to resolution but maybe it should be a time or distance. Maybe I should only make them manually.

    Anthony I will have look at the placement this week and see what can be done. Thanks for the advice.

    I now have a better handle on controlling the unit but 'hide waypoint symbols' is elusive or non-existant.

    Oh well, all part of the fun.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Join us