fuel stations not showing up unless zooming in very close

[987]

GPSMAP 66st software 4.80, gps firmare 2.80.
Hi.
Here is an observation which may not be very much to write about but it is a bit annoying, perhaps it can be added to the requested features list.

On the GPSMAP 66st the fuel stations never show up earlier than if zooming in to 80 m or closer which is rather inconvenient when driving and looking at the map to locate a fuel station.
It does not help to set the device to show more or most details under the map setup, nor to change the resolution or level if one compiles maps from OSM data with mkgmap.
Actually the pre-loaded (OSM based) maps have the same issue, so it rather seems to be a device issue than a map issue.

On some other devices (etrex vista hcx) it works just well to have the fuel stations to show earlier.
I have reported to Garmin as well.

The feature request would be that the GPSMAP 66s/st shall make it possible to show fuel stations when zooming out more than to 80 m. For example already at 300 m or even up to 800 m. depending on how the map was made and depending on the map setup -> advanced -> details.

[GPSrChive]

I think there are several things working against you here.

1. Garmin has no control over how POI are incorporated into maps they do not produce (OSM, for example) - so even if they could improve this functionality, it may only be possible with Garmin maps are used.

2. Most maps with POI data commonly have so many POI destinations that displaying them all on the map page at higher zoom settings would result in an incredibly cluttered, and quite possibly useless map display.

3. Sure, Fuel Stations only could be shown at lower zoom levels, but then someone else will want some other category also shown at lower zoom levels, and then someone else another, etc. etc.

4. Just playing around with my GPSMAP 66s/st I can use Find > Fuel Stations and see a list of all the closest POI, select each to view the map around their location, and begin navigation to any of them at will.

Likely, Garmin will suggest this feature works as good as it can for the hardware in use, and I might be inclined to agree.

[987]

Hi.
It seems that in this case Garmin does have control over how certain types of data is displayed, and i do understand that the needs of one user may be different from another, while one wants to see fuelstations but no shops, the other want something else.
This is were map makers make different maps for different purpose, which i also tested to see if i could change the behaviour.
The main issue here is that even if i make a map specifying that fuel stations should be visible earlier, they do not show up earlier on the GPSMAP 66, but they do on an old etrex Vista HCx. Therefor i do guess that Garmin has "hard coded" that the type of point which represents a fuel station will not show up earlier on GPSMAP 66 because it is a outdoor GPS, not a car GPS.
I think this is very unfortunate and sad because the openness and flexibility the Garmin devices normally offer is really one of the key selling points. No other brand can offer this flexibility.

The FIND -> Fuel station is good (especially in towns) but not as good in rural areas where the distance to the next fuel station is long.
Say i travel some country side and there is no fuel station in the next 30 km. Even if i use the FIND function, plus try to select a station in my direction of travel, it is really hard to judge from the direction indicator if the station is really in the travelled direction, or a bit off, which may lead to an unnecessary detour.
In such cases it is easer to zoom out to 1-3 km and pan along the route and see on the map if there are any station near the road i am following.
If i have to zoom in to 80 m, i will quickly loose the orientation and will need to pan very much.

[987]

I shall add this behaviour occurs when map setup -> advanced -> zoom levels is auto.

[asprin624]

Why not plan a route in Mapsource or Basecamp and mark gas stations along your route?
Even if you download a track from one of the many site you can still edit it and add gas stations where you might need to stop.
That way you would not have to do any unnecessary detouring to get to a gas station if you need to stop for whatever reason you might need. That way you would not have to worry about the icon size knowing you will come across a gas station you might need along the route you have planned out.
As I do not use the 66 for driving but only for Hiking I always add items of interest to my tracks that I might want to stop and see.