GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Discussion related to the Garmin GPSMAP 66s/st GPSr
asprin624
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2019 11:34 am
Location: Belgium

Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by asprin624 »

What ever improvements where made with 6.00 did not help the Garmin Explore app at all.

Reviews of the Garmin Explore app are not good for the November update.
See Google Store remarks on the app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... views=true

So until the app is corrected how is version 6.00 going to help Garmin Explore app ????
masaki
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2020 2:57 am

Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00 [Bug 101]

Unread post by masaki »

gpsrchive wrote: Sat Dec 05, 2020 4:48 am Masaki, what were your time stamps doing?
The track point date would jump to the future at one point and then corrects itself. Here's an example:
GPX
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>876.26</ele><time>2019-09-28T23:12:00Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>876.19</ele><time>2019-09-28T23:12:01Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>876.10</ele><time>2019-09-28T23:12:02Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>875.95</ele><time>2019-09-28T23:12:03Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>875.75</ele><time>2025-12-27T23:12:04Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>875.38</ele><time>2025-12-27T23:12:06Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>875.19</ele><time>2025-12-27T23:12:07Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>874.99</ele><time>2025-12-27T23:12:08Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>874.67</ele><time>2025-12-27T23:12:09Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="xxx" lon="xxx"><ele>874.51</ele><time>2019-09-28T23:12:10Z</time><extensions><gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension><gpxtpx:atemp>20.1</gpxtpx:atemp></gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension></extensions></trkpt>
When this happens, the incorrectly dated <trkpt> usually lasts for several seconds before correcting itself.

According to Garmin Product Support, this was something they had never heard of in the email reply on 2019-08-15.

Correction: This issue actually started on 2019-08-12.

I last provided more details (data and requested files on 66s) on 2020-01-31 and have not heard from Garmin since.
Last edited by masaki on Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GPSrChive
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Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by GPSrChive »

Thank you AndyJ and Masaki!

Bug 101 posted to GPSrChive > GPSMAP 66 > Common Issues.
Skinoku
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:12 pm

Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by Skinoku »

Hello,
I updated my gpsmap 66st from 4.2 to 6.0 and detected those following issues that were not present in the previous version:
1- when using navigation track recorder, even if the automatic baro altimeter calibration is enabled in continuous mode, no automatic calibration will happen after power up.
In case of forcing manual calibration, no automatic subsequent calibrations will happen either.
2- looking at the satellite page, SBAS / WAAS satellite's signal bar is NO longer displayed in the bottom right part of the screen.
Geo satellite is nevertheless correctly received and used for navigation as well as being represented in the sky map.
SBAS acquisitions seems a bit faster on new firmware.
Let's hope they fix it, especially the baro navigation thing, because it's really annoying when doing long hikes with significant height changes.
We'll see...
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GPSrChive
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Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by GPSrChive »

Skinoku,

1 - What are your Altimeter settings? How are you determining that no altimeter calibration is performed after power up?

2 - Unable to duplicate. I am seeing WAAS satellite 51 on my GPSMAP 66st v6.00 right now, both in the signal strength and skyview portions of the Satellite page.
987
Posts: 317
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:40 pm

Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by 987 »

Skinoku wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:25 pm 2- looking at the satellite page, SBAS / WAAS satellite's signal bar is NO longer displayed in the bottom right part of the screen.
Geo satellite is nevertheless correctly received and used for navigation as well as being represented in the sky map.
The screen only fits 12 GPS signals, could it be that those GEO has a number outside of the range that fits in at that moment?
Skinoku
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:12 pm

Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by Skinoku »

gpsrchive wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:13 pm Skinoku,

1 - What are your Altimeter settings? How are you determining that no altimeter calibration is performed after power up?

2 - Unable to duplicate. I am seeing WAAS satellite 51 on my GPSMAP 66st v6.00 right now, both in the signal strength and skyview portions of the Satellite page.
Hello and thanks for the prompt reply.
I say that no altimeter calibration happens in this fashion:
I have constant altimeter calibration set in the menu.
If I power up the unit and wait a few moments I see that the GPS altitude is quite different from baro one.
I go then to the menu and execute an altimeter calibration manually when I have a good fix.
Gps and baro altitude now matches.
I start the hike.
While hours elapse, gps and baro will vary accordingly but a difference between them may progressively increase.
I remember that in the past they will be mostly the same.
If I look an older track on basecamp, I could see occasional "spikes" in the altitude graphs, corresponding to where it calibrated.
Now those spikes are no longer there.

I see the whole bar full of satellites occupied with different PRNs.
I used it a few times after the update but i have never seen the geo sat signal bar.
It may be possible what you say, in the past it never occurred or at least I never noticed it.
Nevertheless, the SBAS features works good.
Many thanks
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GPSrChive
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Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by GPSrChive »

You did not answer my questions about your Altimeter settings, which I need to try and replicate the issue.

Also, the Satellite page only has room to display 12 signal bars, and the SBAS satellites always have lower priority, which means that when the GPSr is tracking more than 11 non-SBAS satellite signals for positioning, the SBAS signal bar will not be displayed.
Skinoku
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:12 pm

Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by Skinoku »

I do apologize for not answering your question completely.
At first, thank you for the information about the satellite page.
I will take a look at it and verify that when less satellites are being tracked the acquired SBAS is displayed.
My altimeter settings are: hPa, meters.
My menu is in Italian, but the order should be the same.

Calibrazione automatica:
continua
Modalità barometro:
quota variabile
Tendenza pressione:
salva quando acceso
Tipo grafico:
quota/distanza

Units:
Velocità/distanza:
metrico
Velocità verticale:
metri (m/min)
Quota:
---Quota:
---Metri
---Profondità:
---Metri
Temperatura:
Celsius
Pressione:
Millibar

I hope to answer your question this way.
If any further information is required, I am available.
Datum used is WGS-84
Thanks
Last edited by Skinoku on Sat Jan 02, 2021 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GPSrChive
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Re: GPSMAP 66 Firmware 6.00

Unread post by GPSrChive »

Skinoku wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:25 pm Hello,
I updated my gpsmap 66st from 4.2 to 6.0 and detected those following issues that were not present in the previous version:
1- when using navigation track recorder, even if the automatic baro altimeter calibration is enabled in continuous mode, no automatic calibration will happen after power up.
In case of forcing manual calibration, no automatic subsequent calibrations will happen either.
Unfortunately, Garmin does not publish any detailed information about how 'Auto Calibration' functions on their devices, and I suspect it likely does not operate in the exact same fashion from one device to the next. Essentially, when set to 'Continuous', the GPSr is deciding 'if' and ' when' to calibrate the altimeter based on unpublished variables.

The 'Automatic Calibration immediately after Power On' only occurs each time when Altimeter Calibration is configured for 'Once'.

Skinoku wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:57 pm If I look an older track on basecamp, I could see occasional "spikes" in the altitude graphs, corresponding to where it calibrated.
Now those spikes are no longer there.
I suspect most users would likely consider this an enhancement or bug fix, rather than a new bug.
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