Suggested feature for weather on GPSMAP 66st

[987]

GPSMAP 66st software 4.20, GPS 2.70.
Hi.
Using the GPSMAP 66st without connection with the Garmin express program/app, means that the first (leftmost) weather forecast tab cannot be used.
Actually it is not enough to use Garmin express on the computer and make some settings, but one has to register (which i havn't).
I would like to suggest a new feature that this page should work also for people that has not connected with the express app and did not register with Garmin.

On the general level; it is very similar in general with bluetooth set up to connect with a phone, it can only be done if one has registered.
Garmin should really consider to make the program work also for non-registered users. (in my opinion).

Both of the above have been reported and suggested to Garmin, but since this is a large forum for Garmin users, i post here too, hope it is ok.

[GPSrChive]

I am certain I have use the Weather forecast app without registering with Garmin Express on a computer first.

Why do you believe you have to first register to use this feature?

[987]

I am certain I have use the Weather forecast app without registering with Garmin Express on a computer first.

Why do you believe you have to first register to use this feature?

Because on the GPS it says: That this feature can only be used after WIFI setup has been made wia Garmin Express.
In Garmin Express, connecting the device, then clicking the "Tools and content" (translation may be incorrect but the picture shows a spanner and a screwdriver), then pressing the tools tab, under the WI-FI network section it says that: to be able configure the WI FI network for this unit it has to be linked to a Garmin Connect account.

[asprin624]

When I first setup my 66s I did not use Garmin Express to register it.
Add my WIFI to the unit.
Test some of the things you can do with the 66s and WIFI.
That included Weather function and Geocaching and all worked OK.
As I do not pair my 66s to my phone using this function for Weather it is not needed.
I have good Weather app on my Smartphone and can check it anytime with out having to use the 66s for that.
As this unit is used for hiking I check the Weather before I leave in the morning on the TV or smartphone.
But did not have to do anything with Garmin Express when I setup the 66s.
Later after I did all the tweaking of the 66s I then registered it with Garmin via Garmin Express.
But that was about a week later to make sure all is working OK.
But have only used Garmin Express 3 times with the 66s to update the firmware.
Other than that have had very little problems with the 66s in the field.

[987]

It's actually only one of the weather tabs that need the additional set up, some of the weather pages do work with WIFI which does not require any additional set up, nor registration. I agree completely that web-pages or apps on the phone often better to use for the weather forecast, and if i have internet coverage to get wifi to the GPS unit, i will have it to the phone too (in almost all cases). .
It is just a matter of thinking that if there is a weather page, then why not make it work for all the weather tabs, instead of all but one?!

[GPSrChive]

Because on the GPS it says: That this feature can only be used after WIFI setup has been made wia Garmin Express.

Yeah, well, do not believe everything you read!

Only when the Wi-Fi SSID or password contain characters not available with the device keyboard is 'Garmin Express' Wi-Fi setup necessary.

If you can configure the Wi-Fi successfully on the device, all weather tabs will function.

And there is always the Bluetooth internet connection option as well.

[987]

Because on the GPS it says: That this feature can only be used after WIFI setup has been made wia Garmin Express.

Yeah, well, do not believe everything you read!

Only when the Wi-Fi SSID or password contain characters not available with the device keyboard is 'Garmin Express' Wi-Fi setup necessary.

If you can configure the Wi-Fi successfully on the device, all weather tabs will function.

And there is always the Bluetooth internet connection option as well.

In that case something must be wrong on my device. I did set up and connect Wi-Fi from the unit only. the network name (SSID) and the password only contains standard letters a-z and standard numbers 0-9.
Still the first weather tab shows the message that i need to set up with Garmin express.

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If i instead select to connect via bluetooth, there is no option to connect to the internet (which i shared from an android phone via bluetooth).
i just get the following messages that again say i need some application. i can actually see the GPS on the phone, but any attempt to pair and connect fails.
That application cannot be used without registering.

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[GPSrChive]

Well, that is interesting.

I just performed a factory reset on one of our GPSMAP 66 and am experiencing the same issue with the Weather page Forecast tab...

I have sent an inquiry to Garmin as I do not remember ever encountering this before.

.........

Garmin have informed me that the 'Weather Forecast' service requires an authentication token to function, and this is provided when the device is either (A) registered with Garmin Express or (B) paired with Garmin Connect.

I always do (B), which explains why I had never seen that message before.

[987]

.........

Garmin have informed me that the 'Weather Forecast' service requires an authentication token to function, and this is provided when the device is either (A) registered with Garmin Express or (B) paired with Garmin Connect.

I always do (B), which explains why I had never seen that message before.

Would be great if Garmin could change this, but perhaps it has something to do with their licence to provide weather to devices and users.
The recent outage only shows how important it is to make units and services that can work stand alone to a much higher degree, to make sure that devices' business and safety criticality is maintained even in disasters (server outage, natural disasters, internet down, mobile network down, power out, etc.).
Also, users data is best protected if never (and not all) shared with some servers, unless the user specifically wants it.

Similar with Bluetooth, why should one need a specific software that require registration (Garmin Connect) to use the bluetooth to receive or send data?
Better would be if it could be paired with any standard Bluetooth compatible device to use internet, share data etc.

Just my thoughts, i will write the same to Garmin.