GPS Training Podcast – number 35

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Welcome to this second GPS Training podcast for this, it’s our 35th episode.

With the current lockdown in the UK we are creating two Podcasts a month, rather than our usual one to hopefully keep you entertained.

1. In this month’s we again have Ian and me Jon, both from GPS Training and we have two guests, but more about that later.
2. Have you been up to much Ian over the past month?

So, without further ado let’s get on with today’s podcast ……

This month’s Podcast we have an interview with –

· Lindley Chambers, from Challenge Running. He is also the safety co-coordinator for the Spine races, both summer and winter events.

· We have an interview with Carol Payne, you may know this lady Ian? This is Ian’s wife and we are going to talk to her about the way she is using her Garmin Fenix, especially with the couch to 5 k initiative to get people running 5k

· We then have Ian’s FAQ’s, the frequently asked questions Ian has answered whilst supporting our customers or on some of the GPS Training courses he has been leading.

1. To start this month’s Podcast, we have a chat with Lindley Chambers

• Lindley, welcome to the GPS Training Podcast
• I met Lindley through a Facebook page (Outdoor Gear UK), when I was reaching out to some people with expertise for an article I was writing.

Frankly, Lindley went well beyond anything I was expecting from everybody and after reading the help he gave me, I thought, we need this guy on the podcast.

• I know it is an impossible question this, as I know you have many feathers to your bow but what are the key things you do.

• ML leader
• Personal business
• Consulting on events/ safety
• Safety coordinator for both spine races (summer and winter), which includes writing the kit list and managing kit checks before and during the race.

Our listeners will know the spine race as we interviewed Paul Freeman on the 31st podcast after he had completed the Montane Spine MRT Challenge race, if you have not listened to this please do, it’s a great listen.

• I first contacted you Lindley as I personally was trying to understand when it was acceptable to use an app on a mobile phone rather than a standalone GPS unit, if it ever was. You came back with a great explanation of what your personal thoughts on this which are? He categorized your walking into three key categories didn’t you?

• Local routes or familiar areas of low risk and shorter duration.

I am unlikely to take a map as I either have a rough idea or I have my phone as a backup GPS with Viewranger on it. I will primarily use my watch (Suunto 9 Baro) for navigation and GPS location in an emergency. I have a phone that I know will last for 3-4 days with GPS on that is fully waterproof and drop tested.

• Longer routes or unfamiliar areas with medium risk

I will take My watch still probably as a primary source and use my phone as an occasional check or overview, My watch can load routes I have planned onto it.
I will probably take my Handheld Garmin (Oregon 450) as an emergency back up with a fresh set of batteries.

• Very long or high-risk routes including multi-day stuff

All of the above plus a map and compass and most likely my spot tracker too. I would still usually use my watch on a planned route and my handheld or phone on a route I have not planned or maybe be practicing with my map and compass.

When is a phone acceptable?

It’s one of those “It depends” scenarios.

If you can’t read a map but can use your phone with an app like viewranger or OS locate/maps then that’s better than not having anything.

If you are on a tourist path with lots of other people in good weather on an easy to find route then no big deal, after all we see people all the time on paths with a phone and no map and they are usually ok.

If you are competent with an app and your phone or your watch and know how long the battery lasts and how to use them then great as long as you know your limits and the kits limits. But many don’t.

If you are going somewhere in bad or changeable weather with higher risk and more remote then a phone really should not be your only means of navigation.

Always think “what if”, if you drop your phone or it gets wet or runs out of power then what’s the plan?

• One of the key things I learnt from my correspondence with you is –
• Crossover of safety roles, can you tell us a little more about this?

If you use your watch to record the run or route then also relying on it to be your emergency location device to get you a grid or navigate with is putting all your eggs in one basket which has risks. If you use your phone as navigation and your emergency call facility again too many eggs in one basket. If your phone or watch goes down you loose everything.

If, however rare your GPS handheld breaks or you lose it down a hill your smart watch or phone can be a useful back up tool.

And also, when we are looking at a navigational device the other thing you flagged up was the durability and reliability of handheld GPS units.

These are generally built for the job and are reliable and waterproof and tough and depending on models they are easier to use in bad weather and can be used with gloves on etc.

• Just as a side point Lindley you have to give us a quick insight to what the safety team do for the Spine Race.

If people don’t know the Spine race is a 268 mile race that takes part twice a year

• So how many people are in the safety team?
• Do you cover the full length of the course?
• Working alongside Mountain Rescue Teams?
• What are the roles of the safety team?
• And what GPS units (which is a compulsory piece of kit on the winter event) are you seeing on this event?
• If you have learnt one thing from this role (safety team on the Spine race) what is it?

Many thanks for joining me Lindley on the GPS Training Podcast, if people want to find out more about what you do,
where can they go?

2. The next thing we have this month’s GPS Training Podcast is a look at a beginners experience of using a Garmin Fenix GPS watch and for that we have a special guest – Carol Payne.

Welcome Carol to the GPS training podcast

That surname may be familiar to the regular listeners of the GPS training Podcast

• The first question we all want to know is did Ian buy you your Garmin Fenix 5 plus or did you have to buy it for yourself?
• I know you have had it over a year now, is that about right, what have you been using it for?
• Wearing all day every day/ walking/ exercise (indoors and outdoors)
• Couch to 5k
• Key things you like about the watch – music (download via Garmin Express)/ wireless headphones
• Intuitive?
• Navigating with it or just recording?
• Using as a smart watch?
• Final thoughts of the Garmin Fenix experience.

To find out more about the Garmin Fenix GPS watches please go to our website – gpstraining.co.uk – click on gps store on the top menu bar – and right down at the bottom, on the left hand side you will see Garmin GPS Watch

3. The next thing on this months Podcast is Ian’s FAQ’s., the questions he has been asked whilst both delivering courses or in his support role which we offer at no extra cost to people who buy GPS units from GPS Training.

In this part of the Podcast we talk over some of his FAQ’s, the frequently asked questions he has been asked whilst supporting our customers and also on the courses he has led over the past month.

Garmin – I can’t search for addresses when I press the ‘Find’ button or use ‘Where to’ on my GPS

In order to search for a ‘POI’ or Address on your Garmin GPS you need to have a map card installed in the GPS eg an Ordnance Survey map card. Topo Active maps or Birdseye maps will NOT search for an address.
Topo Active Europe mapping is still searchable for ‘Cities’.

POI’s

1. ‘Find’ button on the 60 series GPS or ‘Where To’ on a Touch screen GPS
2. ‘All POI’s’ rather than try and guess the category
3. ‘Menu’>’Spell Search’ or ‘Select Map’
4. Type in the name you wish to search for>’Done’ and press ‘Enter’ and wait for the results

Addresses:

1. ‘Find’ button on the 60 Series GPS or ‘Where To’ on a Touch screen GPS
2. ‘Addresses’
3. ‘Search Area’ eg England, Scotland, Wales
4. Enter the address>’Done’ and ‘Enter’

Jon, do you have any idea why on the etrex22x/32x they have pre installed searchable countries of Belgium, Germany, Luxemburg, Poland, The Netherlands?

Satmap – My battery is discharging quickly or not charging
I have been contacted by a few customers over the last few weeks with a battery charging/discharging problems and I have found that if they haven’t updated their Active 20 for a bit of time. The update generally resolves the problem.

The latest software updates are:

1. Platform version: Platform 43
2. GPS software: Beta Version 3.13.066

It is best to download the software via SatSync but you can do it over WiFi. There is a short video in the On Line Resource for SatSync in how to download the software if you’re not sure how to do it.

The Beta version is what we recommend people download as the software offers more fixes and some extra features. If there is a problem, you can always ‘roll it back’ to an earlier version.

You could also try hard resetting the Active 20 by holding the power button for 20 seconds to power it off and then turning it on by holding the power button for 3 seconds before charging it. This can also resolve any power/charging issues.

The Lithium batteries need a good few hours to fully charge. If I’m not using the GPST Active 20 for a few weeks, I disconnect the battery.

Don’t forget we have lots of tips and solutions to your questions in the GPS Training online resource – go to – gpstraining – click on – online resource – on the top menu bar – and then log in – select your unit and you will see the top tips for that unit down at the bottom of the menu of units.

4. And Finally

• Many thanks for listening and let us know anything you would like to be covered in the Podcast please do let us know and if you know of anybody interesting that you would like to hear interviewed in future podcasts please do let us know.
• Give us a call especially if you are thinking of a new GPS unit
• Please do look a look at both our physical GPS courses and also our webinars, just go to GPSTaining.co.uk and click on – GPS Training courses
• Please do tell your friends about the podcast and GPS Training and encourage them to subscribe to it on whichever Podcast app they are using.
• AND don’t forget to give us 5 star rating on iTunes and Google Podcasts, for Android users, just look in the Playstore and download this app, search for the GPS Training Podcast and subscribe to it.
• If you can also snazzy review on whatever platform you listen to us on it would be appreciated.
• Many thanks for Ian for joining me on this podcast and please do take full opportunity of some of the online training and webinars we have coming up over the next few weeks.