Garmin 196 land mode problem

[[email protected]]

I have a Garmin 196 that I use primarily for flying, but also bought
the "automobile option" package that included the bean bag mount and
CDROM with road maps. When used in LAND mode, it works OK most of the
time, but sometimes gives crazy routing. Usually, it's right after I
deviate from the route it wants me to take (when I know a better route
than it does). It keeps trying to take me back to its original route,
long after that is less efficient than figuring a new route. The extra
time for its rerouting can get to 15 minutes before it realizes that
there's a better route (mine), when the ETA finally drops back to where
it should be.

Last week I had a much more serious problem, also in LAND mode, and
also after deviating from its initial route. I was going from
Morristown, NJ to Yorktown Hts, NY and, since I knew the route pretty
well by heart, had the unit on only to tell me distances to next exits
etc.. Its initial route was different from mine, but I figured that it
would eventually give up on tryng to get me back to its plan. But it
never did. When I was 15 minutes from my goal, it was telling me the
ETA was 45 minutes away! Even when I got to my goal, it was telling me
it was about half an hour away. I didn't have time to check the details
of its route that was going to waste a half hour getting me to where I
already was (within a tenth of a mile), but did check to make sure that
the goal's coordinates weren't somehow in error. I did this by saying
"direct to" and hitting ENTER. That directs you to the same goal as
last time. When I did this, it told me my ETA was 1 minute later or
thereabouts, not half an hour. So the goal's coordinates were not in
error.

Has anyone else seen similar behavior and, even better, does anyone
have a fix?

The LAND mode is also poor in that it seems to assume you will travel
at the speed limit, with no regard for traffic lights and stop signs.
This came in while I was in Manhattan, travelling from Riverside Drive
and 115 St going north toward the George Washington Bridge. I knew
Riverside Drive was a better way to go than Broadway (which the 196
told me to take) since Riverside Drive has few lights, whereas Broadway
has many. I doubt there's a fix for this other than for Garmin or the
map provider to get smart.

[Jeremy Lew]

I had the same problem once, never figured it out. My eventual solution
was to buy a car with a panel-mount GPS ;)


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have a Garmin 196 that I use primarily for flying, but also bought
> the "automobile option" package that included the bean bag mount and
> CDROM with road maps. When used in LAND mode, it works OK most of the
> time, but sometimes gives crazy routing. Usually, it's right after I
> deviate from the route it wants me to take (when I know a better route
> than it does). It keeps trying to take me back to its original route,
> long after that is less efficient than figuring a new route. The extra
> time for its rerouting can get to 15 minutes before it realizes that
> there's a better route (mine), when the ETA finally drops back to where
> it should be.
>
> Last week I had a much more serious problem, also in LAND mode, and
> also after deviating from its initial route. I was going from
> Morristown, NJ to Yorktown Hts, NY and, since I knew the route pretty
> well by heart, had the unit on only to tell me distances to next exits
> etc.. Its initial route was different from mine, but I figured that it
> would eventually give up on tryng to get me back to its plan. But it
> never did. When I was 15 minutes from my goal, it was telling me the
> ETA was 45 minutes away! Even when I got to my goal, it was telling me
> it was about half an hour away. I didn't have time to check the details
> of its route that was going to waste a half hour getting me to where I
> already was (within a tenth of a mile), but did check to make sure that
> the goal's coordinates weren't somehow in error. I did this by saying
> "direct to" and hitting ENTER. That directs you to the same goal as
> last time. When I did this, it told me my ETA was 1 minute later or
> thereabouts, not half an hour. So the goal's coordinates were not in
> error.
>
> Has anyone else seen similar behavior and, even better, does anyone
> have a fix?
>
> The LAND mode is also poor in that it seems to assume you will travel
> at the speed limit, with no regard for traffic lights and stop signs.
> This came in while I was in Manhattan, travelling from Riverside Drive
> and 115 St going north toward the George Washington Bridge. I knew
> Riverside Drive was a better way to go than Broadway (which the 196
> told me to take) since Riverside Drive has few lights, whereas Broadway
> has many. I doubt there's a fix for this other than for Garmin or the
> map provider to get smart.
>

[Sully]

Check your settings on the GPS. You may have the settings off on the
re-routing section. I don't remember exactly which ones I changed
but I do remember there was something you could change for when it
would refigure the routing. Also it does like the route it comes up
with based on shrotest, fatest, routes, etc. Another thing you can
do is set up waypoints along your route and use those in the routing.
If you don't have the details loaded in for that area it will stick
with the "major roads" it has in it too.

While it may not be impossible it would be hard to account for traffic
lights. What you can do though is lower the speed that it uses for
calculating time, routes, etc.


On 21 Feb 2005 15:02:46 -0800, wrote:

>I have a Garmin 196 that I use primarily for flying, but also bought
>the "automobile option" package that included the bean bag mount and
>CDROM with road maps. When used in LAND mode, it works OK most of the
>time, but sometimes gives crazy routing. Usually, it's right after I
>deviate from the route it wants me to take (when I know a better route
>than it does). It keeps trying to take me back to its original route,
>long after that is less efficient than figuring a new route. The extra
>time for its rerouting can get to 15 minutes before it realizes that
>there's a better route (mine), when the ETA finally drops back to where
>it should be.
>
>Last week I had a much more serious problem, also in LAND mode, and
>also after deviating from its initial route. I was going from
>Morristown, NJ to Yorktown Hts, NY and, since I knew the route pretty
>well by heart, had the unit on only to tell me distances to next exits
>etc.. Its initial route was different from mine, but I figured that it
>would eventually give up on tryng to get me back to its plan. But it
>never did. When I was 15 minutes from my goal, it was telling me the
>ETA was 45 minutes away! Even when I got to my goal, it was telling me
>it was about half an hour away. I didn't have time to check the details
>of its route that was going to waste a half hour getting me to where I
>already was (within a tenth of a mile), but did check to make sure that
>the goal's coordinates weren't somehow in error. I did this by saying
>"direct to" and hitting ENTER. That directs you to the same goal as
>last time. When I did this, it told me my ETA was 1 minute later or
>thereabouts, not half an hour. So the goal's coordinates were not in
>error.
>
>Has anyone else seen similar behavior and, even better, does anyone
>have a fix?
>
>The LAND mode is also poor in that it seems to assume you will travel
>at the speed limit, with no regard for traffic lights and stop signs.
>This came in while I was in Manhattan, travelling from Riverside Drive
>and 115 St going north toward the George Washington Bridge. I knew
>Riverside Drive was a better way to go than Broadway (which the 196
>told me to take) since Riverside Drive has few lights, whereas Broadway
>has many. I doubt there's a fix for this other than for Garmin or the
>map provider to get smart.

[Ted Lindgreen]

In article . com>,
> wrote:
>I have a Garmin 196 that I use primarily for flying, but also bought
>the "automobile option" package that included the bean bag mount and
>CDROM with road maps. When used in LAND mode, it works OK most of the
>time, but sometimes gives crazy routing. Usually, it's right after I
>deviate from the route it wants me to take (when I know a better route
>than it does). It keeps trying to take me back to its original route,
>long after that is less efficient than figuring a new route. The extra
>time for its rerouting can get to 15 minutes before it realizes that
>there's a better route (mine), when the ETA finally drops back to where
>it should be.

This problem was introduced some firmware updates back. Before,
when off-route it just calculated the best route from the new
position. After the change it keeps trying to reroute you back onto
the old route. Indeed, this leads to crazy routing and a bogus ETA :-(

>Has anyone else seen similar behavior and, even better, does anyone
>have a fix?

No fix, the only workaround I found sofar is to stop the routing,
and let it calculatie a new route from the present position.

I strongly preferred the old way, but Garmin is non-responsive
to complaints about it.
It looks like Garmin lost interest in supporting the 196,
as we are stuck with beta-firmware since October 27, 2004 (and
the latest non-beta-firmare dates back to May 24, 2004).

Regards,
-- ted

[David CL Francis]

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 at 14:37:18 in message >, Ted
Lindgreen > wrote:
>In article . com>,
> > wrote:
>>I have a Garmin 196 that I use primarily for flying, but also bought
>>the "automobile option" package that included the bean bag mount and
>>CDROM with road maps. When used in LAND mode, it works OK most of the
>>time, but sometimes gives crazy routing. Usually, it's right after I
>>deviate from the route it wants me to take (when I know a better route
>>than it does). It keeps trying to take me back to its original route,
>>long after that is less efficient than figuring a new route. The extra
>>time for its rerouting can get to 15 minutes before it realizes that
>>there's a better route (mine), when the ETA finally drops back to where
>>it should be.
>
>This problem was introduced some firmware updates back. Before,
>when off-route it just calculated the best route from the new
>position. After the change it keeps trying to reroute you back onto
>the old route. Indeed, this leads to crazy routing and a bogus ETA :-(

Interesting. I have a Toyota Avensis with built in Sat/Nav and it has
the same problem. Who supplied it to Toyota have no idea.

It is all labelled Toyota. It does the same. You divert from the route
along a section where I know my way and it keeps trying to send me back
long after it makes any sense. "U turn at the next roundabout - take
third exit", "turn right" down a narrow road in an attempt to reverse
direction.

Once it was worse. Coming down the A1M(not a part I knew well) it said
"Take the next exit".

I did as it said and it took me two miles along a dual carriage took me
round a roundabout and back and returned me back to the same junction
and put me back on the A1(M)!
--
David CL Francis

[Montblack]

("David CL Francis" wrote)
<wrote>
> Once it was worse. Coming down the A1M(not a part I knew well) it said
> "Take the next exit".
>
> I did as it said and it took me two miles along a dual carriage took me
> round a roundabout and back and returned me back to the same junction and
> put me back on the A1(M)!


HAL, put me back on the A1M.
I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you
ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill and think things over.

Daisy, Daisy ...

http://www.sciflicks.com/2001/sounds.html


Montblack

[Cub Driver]

I have a 296, and I used it a couple times on the dashboard of my car.
I thought the map base had a very poor grasp of secondary roads (on my
way to the airport, I was driving cross-country most of the time as
far as the Garmin was concerned). And it had some odd names. NH Route
108, for example, is identified as New Hampshire College Turnpike. I
have lived here for more than fifty years and never heard it referred
to as that. (And New Hampshire College became the University of New
Hampshire in 1928.)


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net

[[email protected]]

Thanks to all who responded. It looks like my problem is really
Garmin's problem and maybe even a GPS nav problem (given the Toyota
built-in system with the same problem).

One other crazy thing: When I was on a freeway, it once told me to make
a right on Main St (or some other road). But there was no exit there!
I'd have to go off road to do that!

Hopefully these things will get better.

Martin

[David CL Francis]

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 at 13:47:12 in message
>, Montblack
> wrote:
>("David CL Francis" wrote)
><wrote>
>> Once it was worse. Coming down the A1M(not a part I knew well) it said
>> "Take the next exit".
>>
>> I did as it said and it took me two miles along a dual carriage took me
>> round a roundabout and back and returned me back to the same junction and
>> put me back on the A1(M)!
>
>
>HAL, put me back on the A1M.
>I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.
>
>Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you
>ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill and think things over.
>
>Daisy, Daisy ...
>
Nice one! I saw the film too but my GPS system in the car has not tried
to kill me yet as far as I know. The female voice it uses remains calm
at all times. If it does try I shall disconnect her. No matter how rude
I am to her when she misdirects me she takes no notice and does not get
offended.

The problem is slightly tiresome and unpredictable but I am perfectly
calm about it.
--
David CL Francis

[David CL Francis]

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 at 21:35:54 in message
. com>,
wrote:
>Thanks to all who responded. It looks like my problem is really
>Garmin's problem and maybe even a GPS nav problem (given the Toyota
>built-in system with the same problem).
>
>One other crazy thing: When I was on a freeway, it once told me to make
>a right on Main St (or some other road). But there was no exit there!
>I'd have to go off road to do that!
>
I have a feeling that some of these problems are mapping errors. A
misplaced road or a road with a break in it could cause all sorts of
problem. I even had one case where a return over the same route worked
fine but travelling back the other way had some real funny quirks. Are
some roads in the database as one way roads? One error that always hits
me on the way back is an attempt to route me through a housing area
where there is a permanently blocked off exit. The database obviously
does not know about this.

<The guy with the Toyota Avensis with a built in system.>
--
David CL Francis

[Ted Lindgreen]

In article >,
David CL Francis > wrote:
....
>I have a feeling that some of these problems are mapping errors.

No, the previous firmware versions, using _the same_ map software
did not have this problem.

-- ted