Garmin eTrex30X First Impressions

I'm preparing to go to the Adirondack High Peaks on Sunday and although it's not a must have, I do like to have a GPS for a little added security and lower frustration in some situations especially since I will be solo. I pulled out my old Garmin 62s and found out the micro USB connector had crapped out and I couldn't connect at all to my computer.  If I had a bunch of time, I'd probably send it in to Garmin to get it fixed, but I don't have time.  I figured I'd pick up a new one instead.  After doing some research I think I'd like an eTrex 30X.  Besides Garmin there really isn't much competition other than Delorme.
I can't stand touch screens for backcountry.  I don't know who would.  Your hands are dusty, wet, covered in gloves, etc.  But some people must since Garmin keeps pumping out new models. The eTrex and the 64s aren't touch screen.  The eTrex is the only thing you can even remotely call light weight in Garmin's lineup.  Somewhere along the line it seems noone gave Garmin's product managers the memo that people like super light weight things in the backcountry.  My old 62s is a beast and the newer 64s hasn't changed at all since that.  Honestly I think the only thing different is the processor is faster and maybe more memory.  The eTrex blows the others away in terms of weight, as well as an impressive-on-paper 25 hours operating time on batteries, compared to 16 for most others Garmin offers. On top of that, the resolution of 240x320 is twice that of the 64s ridiculously low resolution of  160x240 (what is this, 1992?).
Opening the box and taking it out, the 30X IS small, with a smaller screen compared to my 62s.  That's OK.  I transfered my old SD card with some maps on it to the 30X, fired it up and put some maps on the 30X via MapSource (screw Basecamp, it still sucks), then threw some batteries in it and turned it on.  The rear cover has a quarter turn lock on it, similar to the 62S but not with the overdesigned investment cast aluminum dovetail the 62S has - this time it's plastic for the eTrex, and I'm OK with that.  I managed to set my preferences easily enough as the controls and still confusing-as-hell to find the option you want OS is very similar to the 62s.
Putting it on my kitchen scale, the 30X is 99 grams sans betteries.  The 62S is 167 grams.  That means the 30X is only 60% the weight of the 62s..  sweet!
Well, I guess I'll see how this works practically in the next week, but so far, I think it's an improvement over my old 62s in terms of size, weight, resolution and battery life.  I'm sure Garmin could take another 1/3 of the weight out of this thing if they put their minds to it, and make the screen larger at the same time...  those two items would be on my wishlist for improvements.

Sony Action Cam HDR-AS30V - Changing the GPS Overlay Units

       I have finally figured out how to changed the units displayed on my videos while inserting an overlay on them from the GPS on the Sony Action Cam HDR-AS30V.  Up until now, the units have always been in mph, where I prefer km/h.  I thought originally that it was in internal stting somewhere, since i purchased mine from the US.  But that isn'ty the case.  I looked all over in the Playmemories home editing software to look for a setting for which units you would like to select - there is none either.  I even emailed Sony about it.  They told me to call customer service.  Nothing pisses me off more than having to call customer service and sit through 10 minutes worth of answering questions regarding which product you want to talk about, then waiting another 10 minutes on hold for someone to answer so I didn't do that.

      I did start messing with the region and language format settings on my computer.  Apparently it was set to US language and region (I live in Canada), so Sony's ultra brilliant software just assumed I wanted my units in mph, instead of having a simple intuitive selector built into Playmemories software to do that.  I have been playing with it for about half an hour to figure out if it is the language setting itself, the region setting or both.  It seems like it might be both, since I have tried just to change one of them and it didn't change to what I thought it should be.  In any case, this is a good tip for someone wondering how to change the speed units on the GPS overlay for the Sony Action Cam..  it only took me about three weeks to figure it out.

Sony HDR-AS30V GPS Kinda Sucks Part 2

     My second video clip of a longer movie shows the poor GPS performance of the Sony HDR-AS30V Action Cam with me walking and jogging around my neighborhood.  The calculated speed from the GPS is all over the map, bouncing from 0 to 8 mph, even though I am traveling at relatively constant speed.  The track again also shows lack of accuracy, part of the track being 10m/30ft off of where I was actually traveling.  I did not walk through people’s back yards as the track shows.

 

 

      Again, what’s the point of having a GPS attached to your video if both the track location itself and the speed are inaccurate and worthless?  I would have rather paid a bit more for one with an accurate GPS, than have one with useless GPS data.

 

Sony HDR-AS30V Action Cam GPS Kinda Sucks Part I

I took a ride last Sunday with my new HDR-AS30V last Sunday to test the camera and mount itelf out.  The shakiness from the mount and also from the camera rattling around inside the case itself aside, the GPS’s accuracy doesn’t seem to be all that great.  It appears to lose it’s position sometimes, makes assumptions and then draws the wrong track.  This video clearly shows that the GPS isn’t following where I am riding.  By looking at the track, you would think I was looping back, doing tight 180 turns and crossing back on the path I had already ridden where that isn’t the case at all. 

What’s the point of having a GPS enabled action camera and recording the track if the track it generates isn’t accurate at all?  My suspicion is that the GPS receiver and antenna are low cost to keep the cost of the camera down, and probably low accuracy as well making it kind of pointless.  I’d recommend not paying the extra $100 for the GPS enabled HDR-AS30 and stick with the lower cost HDR-AS15 if you are looking to pick up a Sony Action Cam.

 

Um, no, this isn't anything close to accurate, we didn't cross the road at any point.

Garmin Gpsmap 62S Screen Cover Replacement

     So I broke my screencover on My Garmin 62S last fall when I fell while hiking.  It was cracked but still remained waterproof.  I talked to Garmin’s terrible customer service to see if I could just get the screen cover – a small $2 piece of plastic to repair my cracked screen myself.  They told me I would have to send the whole unit in for the flat fee repair/replacement for $120 + tax + I would have to ship my unit back to them.  That would end up around $150 just to repair it.  No thanks.

     Luckily I looked around and found some dude from Russia on eBay selling a kit specifically for the Garmin 62 series to replace the screen cover.  Apparently other people have experienced this issue and the same frustration from Garmin’s customer service.  Go figure.  So I bought one.  Although for what you get it still is a bit expensive – around $30 shipped, you get a waterjet cut piece of Lexan or similar, cut to the exact profile of the 62 screen, some adhesive strips, and a screen protector.  Not too bad. 

     I didn’t really like the idea of using 4 separate strips for the adhesive, as I don’t think it would be as watertight as a one piece adhesive.  I use my GPS frequently around water and wanted maximum protection.  So I ordered for $1(including shipping!) a sheet of 3M 300LSE double sided adhesive for IPhone screens off of eBay from China as well.  It is a good OEM spec adhesive good for adhering to plastics.

     So I replaced the screen in all of about 7 minutes.  I opened the case, removing the 8 torx screws and sliding the electronics out. I used a heat gun to soften the adhesive on the cracked screen cover and took the screen cover and all the remaining bits of adhesive off.  I used the replacement screen cover to tracer and cut the300LSE adhesive sheet to the same outer profile, then placed it in the shell to trace the inside of the screen window and cut out the inside. 
   I put the adhesive on the replacement screen cover and installed it, pressing firmly in place to get maximum contact and adhesion.  Over time, and in the heat, the adhesive will adhere even better.  Then I reinstalled the electronics, reassembled the case, and lastly I cleaned the outer surface of the screen cover with rubbing alcohol and installed the screen protector using soapy water to eliminate the bubbles (this is a good trick for installing any screen protector!).  Done.  New screen and saved myself about $120, over what Garmin wanted, just to fix my cracked screen cover.  The only thing iis, it doesn't have the pretty black bezel with garmin lettering on the bottom, but I am OK with that, it is just as functional as when it was new.
 Really, Garmin and their lame repair policy can suck it... and I would encourage you to find your own replacement parts and fix your own unit, since Garmin would prefer just to replace your entire GPS instead of bothering to sell customers repair parts.

   

Kayak GPS Mount

      Kayak manufacturers seem to be pretty slow to evolve to changes.  I’m sure there’s some people diggin’ the built-in bow compasses and map to navigate because its oldschool, but I personally find a GPS indispensible and well worth the slight detraction from being one with nature while using an electronic GPS.  Especially in areas nearby like Georgian Bay where there’s literally thousands of islands and is quite simple to get lost – even with good map and compass skills.  I also like it for finding my put in and take out points and even use it for finding local pubs, places to eat or LCBOs in areas I am not familiar with.   

      That said, fixing your GPS to your kayak can be a challenging task.  Many kayaks have a built in recess to accommodate a bow compass but virtually none, even today have a mounting system for a GPS even though many people that kayak use one.

      When I first got my kayak I just used the carabiner clip to attach my GPS to the deck rigging, but it’s not accessible or visible hands-free and flops around rubbing on things on the deck.  So just a few weeks after getting my kayak I looked around for a kayak mount for my GPS.  At the time I had a Garmin Colorado.  I could not find any aftermarket mounts at all at the time, not even the suction ones.  Nowadays there are a handful of aftermarket GPS mounts but all of them are the suction cup type.   I don’t find the suction cup ‘ram mount’ type of mount ideal or acceptable – they are all way too heavy and I don’t want to rely on a suction cup to hold my GPS on my kayak either – especially on a rotomolded kayak. 

        I did find an OEM Garmin ‘marine mount’ for my Colorado GPS, which is also compatible mount with my newer Garmin GPSMAP 62s, but it seemed to have a three screw mounting pattern, which I assume is a common type of mount in the boating industry, the marine mount .  I bought one online and figured I would attempt to mount it to my kayak instead somehow when it arrived.  It turned out to be quite a simple and awesome solution for a kayak mount.

      When the marine mount arrived, I saw what it actually was – it has a round circular base plate that is intended to be fixed to a surface with three countersunk holes, and the upper part attaches to the base by a single thumb screw.  It has adjustments for yaw and pitch so it can be positioned just right for perfect accessibility and view.  So the trick was to figure out how to mount the base disc onto the kayak top surface in front of the cockpit.  I could have simply drilled three holes and mounted it with screws but I didn’t like that idea, since I didn’t want to add more screws and nuts to the underside of the cockpit to scrape my knees on, and I didn’t want to drill holes in the boat in the first place.  So I figured I would attach it with an adhesive.  After all, the disc is quite large (about 4” diameter), so even if an adhesive had moderate adhesion it should be OK.  But the top surface of my kayak is curved slightly not flat and didn’t match the disc quite well.  I ended up contouring the bottom surface of the mounting disc a little with the nose of a belt sander so the contours matched well.  I mounted the mounting disc to the top surface of the kayak with silicone caulking, after lightly sanding the kayak surface to roughen it and cleaning both surfaces with rubbing alcohol to maximize adhesion.  

      Just a note – the type of caulking that adheres best is actually the cheap kind, the one that smells like vinegar.  It also sets up the fastest.  The more expensive types I have used need 24 hours to set up and I have found they actually don’t adhere as well (but might make up for that with mold resistance).  After installing the baseplate several inches in front of the cockpit, leaving a bit of space for my skirt pull handle and using the mount, it was perfect for what I wanted.  I could even remove the mount easily, for transport or when I don’t want to use my GPS – leaving only the low profile mounting base on the kayak.

      Really, I find this a pretty awesome lightweight solution for a kayak mount for a GPS, even better than any other aftermarket ones that exist.

      I did have an  incident where the GPS popped off along with the upper mount from the lower base when I whacked it with my paddle shaft while frantically flailing around trying to paddle upstream.  I managed to find my GPS on the bottom of the icy cold fast moving stream after wading around the stream for an hour and a half.  Another time I lost my Garmin Colorado GPS, when I got caught in a strainer on Bronte Creek.  I had the upper mount tethered, but not the GPS itself since the Colorado didn't have any holes in it to be able to tether it itself and it popped out, still resting to this day at the bottom of Bronte Creek under a train bridge.  This only happened twice, but since I got my Garmin 62s have tethered the actual GPS to the rigging with a piece of paracord and a carabiner in case that ever happens again, if you are wondering what the cord is all about.
      Fortunately most Garmin GPSs have marine mounts available for them, and this can be the solution for you if you are looking for a GPS mount.  I have been using this for about 3 years now and it is perfect for what I want out of a GPS mount for my kayak.

A couple related links to kayak GPS mounts:

http://www.atlantiskayaks.com/gps.htm

http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045049051056045071065051049/Default.aspx

http://race.fit2paddle.com/C1159474119/E20061217173753/index.html

Maha MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer Review

Powerex Maha MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer Review

So many devices use AA and AAA batteries nowadays.  If you are using rechargeables for your home remote control, thermostat, or whatever, you can throw in any old ones and when the batteries are low, just recharge them.  But, when camping or roaming the backcountry, I want to know that I have good batteries.  I'm sure most people have put a set of freshly charged batteries in a device, only to have it crap out in an hour or so of use...  one of the batteries are bad and can't hold much of a charge anymore, and usually you can't tell which one is bad and which one is good.

There's quite a few things that would decrease a battery's capacity - overheating, quick charging, too many charges, getting damp, natural variation, age, among them.   Well then, how do you tell good batteries that have lots of capacity from bad ones?  I probably have 50+ batteries for all my random devices, and want to use the best ones that I know are good for my GPS and other devices, especially when a charger isn't exactly close at hand.  For the last couple years, I have been using the Powerex Maha MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer..  whew, that's a long name.  But this thing is the best charger period for AA and AAA.  It holds and charges up to 4 AA or 4AAA at a time on independent circuits and is larger than most 4AA chargers due to the LCD screen readout below the slots and is much more than your run of the mill charger with the light goes on when charging and off when it's finished charging.  It can analyze the power capacity of each battery, and the charging rate is variable.  It has five mode choice selections when you pop a new battery in - CHARGE, REFRESH/ANALYZE, BREAK IN, DISCHARGEand CYCLE.  

By default it's CHARGE, if you don't select a different one within a couple seconds, it starts charging automatically at a default charge rate of 1000ma.  If you select charge before the couple seconds are up, you can then change the charging current.  The lower the charge current, the longer it takes, but it is gentler on the battery, and will also charge to a higher capacity.  1000ma charge is the default and that is a standard charge rate, able to charge high capacity NiMH AAs in 2.5 hours from fully drained.  It keeps track of each battery slot and will tell you the amount (in maH) it charged the battery when you popped in has finished charging.  This is good info. but it won't tell you if a battery is bad, since the battery is likely to have had a partial charge when you popped it in so you won't know the full capacity...  REFRESH/ANALYZE is what you want for telling the capacity of the battery.

REFRESH/ANALYZE charges the battery from whatever state it was in until it is full, drains it completely, then charges it until full.  This way you can tell after the battery has completed cylcling,  the exact capacity of each battery.  It takes a while for this cycle to complete, but it's worth it to find out the exact capacity of the battery sometimes. You can also alter the default charge and drain rates from the default as well, to customize it for each battery.  I do this with my batteries a couple times a year and sort them by capacities.  I mainly use Duracell high capacity 2650maH AA batteries at the moment, so I sort them in three piles - anything over 2400 is great and I use them in my GPS and other backwoods and high drain devices(such as a camera flash).  2000-2400 are OK batteries and I save them for around the house use.  Lower capacities than that I usually recycle them.  I mark the batteries with different sharpie pen colors so I can tell which battery is which capacity, last I analyzed them.

BREAK IN mode is for brand new batteries.  Gives them a few full cycles to 'season' the battery and get it charged to it's maximum capacity before first use.  This one takes quite a while to complete.

DISCHARGE mode drains the battery - I don't use this one much.

CYCLE I use someties to try to revive batteries that are borderline.  I'll cycle them 5 times or so to see if the capacity increases.

Anyways, this is a great charger and a good tool to have, one of only a few that can tell you the exact capacity of each battery and will break new ones in to get the most out of your battery.  If you are going to have a charger, might as well have one that can tell you how good your batteries are, right?

Maha also offers other chargers - some will do up to 8 batteries, and some simpler car adapter travel chargers  don't have an LCD screen in addition.

Oh, and by the way, some more battery info - standard NiMH batteries such as the Duracell ones I am using self drain pretty quickly after charging so you have to charge them right before using them, which isn't always easy or quick to do.  There are new ones out recently that have low self-discharging rates, these will hold a 75% of their charge after a year.  I just ordered a pack of Sanyo Eneloop XX batteries.  These just came out a year ago and are the first high capacity low self-discharge batteries.  Quite expensive right now (about $20 for 4AA), but if I like them, I may start switching over to them...  I'll do a review on those when I use them a bit .  Another FYI - there's three different types of Eneloops - Eneloop lite (low capacity), regular Eneloops (medium capacity), and Eneloop XX (high capacity).