Wikispaces : Garmin Dakota Wiki - all changes

Message: Garmin Dakota Software Update 2.4

GPSFix — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:45:36 GMT

Another quick release from Garmin today on all "state" GPSs. Run Webupdater to pick up the new software.

Added profile support for Garmin Custom Maps
Fixed lockup while using GB Discoverer maps

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4527

-Scott

Message: Garmin HowTo Videos

GPSFix — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:59:08 GMT

If you are new to the Dakota and are looking for some help to get started Garmin has posted a bunch of videos explaining how to use various features of the Dakota.

The videos can be found here:

http://www8.garmin.com/learningcenter/training/dakota/index.html

-Scott

Product Information (added links to Garmin HowTo videos)

GPSFix — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:57:26 GMT

G1.) What is the Garmin Dakota?

G2.) Where can I find Garmin's Dakota manual?

G3.) Does Garmin have a FAQ or HowTo videos for the Dakota?

G4.) When is the Garmin Dakota going to be available?

G5.) What are the differences between the Garmin Dakota 10 and 20?

G6.) What is the Garmin Dakota 10 Bike and Hike Bundle?

G7.) What should I buy, a Dakota 10 or 20?

G8.) What should I buy, a Dakota 20 or Oregon 300?

G9.) What is the current Software Version for the Garmin Dakota?

G10.) Can I upgrade my Dakota using the software for a different Dakota model?

~~----~~

G1.) What is the Garmin Dakota?

The Dakota is Garmin's low end outdoor touch screen handheld GPS. It is similar in form and function to the recently released Garmin Oregon . Links to Garmin's web page and MSRP are here:

Dakota 10 (010-00781-00): $299
Dakota 20 (010-00781-01): $349

Garmin's press release announcing the Dakota 10 and 20.

GPSFix posts on the Dakota 10 and 20.

Garmin Dakota minisite .

G2.) Where can I find Garmin's Dakota manual?

Available here .

G3.) Does Garmin have a FAQ or HowTo videos for the Dakota?

~~Not available yet, but it will be~~ Yes, Garmin's FAQ's for the Dakota are available here .

Garmin also has a good set of training videos on how to use your Dakota for different activities.

G4.) When is the Garmin Dakota going to be available?

Most major retailers are listing availability in the second or third week of July 2009.

Amazon has the Dakota 10 and Dakota 20 for shipping now.
Garmin Dakota 10 010-00781-00
Garmin Dakota 20 010-00781-01
Garmin Dakota 10 Bike and Hike 010-00781-10

G5.) What are the differences between the Garmin Dakota 10 and 20?

This is Garmin's comparison matrix .

The Dakota 10 is the lower end unit and does not include the following features found on the Dakota 20 :

Micro SD-card slot
3-axis tilt compensated compass
Wireless transfer of tracks, waypoints, routes and geocaches between other Garmin GPS’s
Barometric altimeter with Elevation Plot tool

G6.) What is the Garmin Dakota 10 Bike and Hike Bundle?

It is a $370 package which includes:

Garmin Dakota 10
Bike mount
City Navigator North America NT 2010 on DVD

G7.) What should I buy, a Dakota 10 or 20?

Coming soon!

G8.) What should I buy, a Dakota 20 or Oregon 300?

Coming soon!

G9.) What is the current Software Version for the Garmin Dakota?

The Software Versions page contains the current version, the history and details about the Dakota software versions.

G10.) Can I upgrade my Dakota using the software for a different Dakota model?

Yes. The Dakota 10 and 20 share the same image. Although Garmin provides separate images for each they are the same file and can be used interchangeably.

Message: Garmin Dakota Software Update 2.3

GPSFix — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:47:31 GMT

Garmin Custom Maps support shows up officially on the Dakota:

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4527

Changes made from version 2.20 to 2.30:

* Added support for Garmin Custom Maps
* Improved along road routing performance
* Increased data field font sizes

-Scott

Message: re: Basecamp

DakotaHansNL — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:26:28 GMT

Tanks Scott, the 3D view is switched off now.
The result : Basecamp work mow on a usable way (but slow) with the global basemap v2.
Before that I had cleaned up my vista computer. Removed was basecamp, mapsource en trainingcenter.
After cleaning the register from everything with the name garmin, basecamp, mapsource and trainingcenter.
I do anew install with basecamp but the results are the same.

After that action I make an basecamp install on my XP netbook EEEPC901 .
This computer has not so much computerpower but the result is it works also with 3D view.
So there is some hope that it wil work on my desktop vista computer.

After this work I have install a map from openstreet project.
This not working a the vista computer but it worked well on my XP netbook.
Also in 3D.

My conclusion is basecamp is not vista proof.

I have asked at garmin support (Andrew Davis ) but he knows no problems.
So I think from that partner you can expect no help.

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

MatSmith — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:46:27 GMT

Thanks for all the tips.
I'll go out next week and get another unit and see if I can get it to work with my new found knowledge!

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

edexter — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:52:19 GMT

I had the same issue of it "kicking out" at the third step of the calibration. I found that by turning off the unit and then calibrating as soon as I had a fix, the problem went away and the compass calibrated easily.
Ed

Message: re: Basecamp

GPSFix — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:24:01 GMT

Turn off some of the map views. I usually find that disabling the 3D view pane is the best way to speed things up.

-Scott

Message: re: Micro SD Card Capacity Limit?

GPSFix — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:57:17 GMT

Yes, the Dakota 20 does. The Dakota 10 does NOT.

-Scott

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

GPSFix — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:55:31 GMT

Several tips:

1) Like DatokaHanNL said, make sure all rotations are done slowly
2) _Before_ you hit the Start or Continue button anticipate the orientation you will need have the unit in to do the next calibration. When I hit Start the unit is lying flat on its back, screen up with the top of the unit pointing away from me. When I hit Continue the first time I have the unit lying flat on its back length-wise, screen up with the top facing to my left. The second time I hit Continue I have it oriented the same way I did for the first calibration.
3) Pay close attention to the green line in the graphics which show up during calibration. That is the axis you need to rotate the unit around. The first two are pretty easy. For the last rotation you have to take care to rotate the unit around an imaginary line through the middle of the unit. It is a little hard to explain but the best way to do this is like this:

- With the unit in the orientation described above take your right hand, palm up and grab the unit on the top with your thumb and bottom with your index finger
- Hit continue with your left hand once the unit is flat and held steady with your right hand.
- Orient your left hand the same way as your right hand but don't grab the unit yet.
- Using your right hand rotate the top of the unit slowly toward you 180 degrees until it is facing down. Remember - you are rotating around an imaginary line through the middle of the unit so as the top comes toward you the bottom must rotate away from you.
- Now transfer the unit to your left hand, thumb on the bottom of the unit and index finger on top and continue to rotate the unit slow the last 180 degrees until it is back to its original position.
- Sounds harder than it really is, practice a few times and try to keep the rotation smooth, slow and around the imaginary green line through the middle of the unit.

Message: Basecamp

DakotaHansNL — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:18:19 GMT

Basecamp is very very very slow on my computer with a q6600 proccesor.
also mapsource and trainingcenter is installed.
Training center is for the forerunner 305.
Has anyone idea for improve the performance.

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

DakotaHansNL — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:04:05 GMT

You have turn the unit very slow.

Message: re: Micro SD Card Capacity Limit?

DakotaHansNL — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:03:14 GMT

In My Dakota i used a 4gB SDHC card and it works

Message: re: Micro SD Card Capacity Limit?

MatSmith — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:23:19 GMT

Does any one know if the Dakota accept MicroSD-HC cards?

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

Jebcovet — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:35:46 GMT

I regularly recalibrate when I get ready to hit cache areas and occasionally have a failure at any of the 3 steps. Other times, it goes without a hitch. One thing I found out, but is rather obvious when you think about it, is don't try to do this anywhere near a metal object, like your car. I have even found that I can run into a snag if I forget to step away from my hiking pole! I have always been eventually able to run the full calibration though within just a few tries.

Message: Dakota compass calibration issue.

MatSmith — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:22:46 GMT

Yesterday I took the plunge and bought a Dakota 20, and took it out for a test run.
The unit was quickly loaded with the openstreetmaps for the UK and appeared to work well with them. I also loaded about a 1000 geocaches, in two .gpx files, and it seemed to load both sets without any complaints.

Accuracy was disappointing, reading ±17m, exactly the same as my very old Vista C - I was expecting greater accuracy, perhaps ±3m.

But even more disappointly was the 3D electronic compass, which didn't work at all. the first two steps of the calibration procedure went fine, but every time I got to step 3 it reported "Calibration failed - Try again". I must have tried about 25 times! It was like have a letter that says PTO on both sides.

I returned the unit to the shop, and they also failed to calibrate the compass. Then they got a new unit from the store room and tried that, again with no success.

Is there a problem with Dakota 20's?
It was suggested to me that a firmware upgrade might cure the problem, but the Garmin site says that I would do this at my own risk. and surely the unit should work when I buy it - with firmware upgrades to provide additional features - not to cure fatal errors.

Do any Dakota 20's work straight out of the box, or was I just unlucky? Is this problem a symptom of an underlying hardware fault?

My apologies for so many questions, but any information on this issue would be useful, as I'm now unsure of whether to buy a unit and risk the firmware upgrade, or to try waiting until the units are more reliable.

Message: re: Data management issues

MatSmith — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:56:15 GMT

This answer doesn't directly address your question, but have you considered using Open Street Maps (www.openstreetmaps.org).
You could upload the tracks of all your trails (you'll need to register), so that they become part of the open street map for your area, and then you could down load the the map in .img format (http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download),and transfer it to the garmin directory of your dakota and use it as a base map on your GPS - then you don't need to load any tracks.

Hope this helps,
MatSmith

Message: re: Transferring Info to Mapsource fr Dakota 20

bkkguy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:00:52 GMT

Thanks guys for the advice. Will use the workarounds you've suggested. Seems unbelievable to me that something that basic can't be done by the Garmin software. Net effect is to push customers away from their software to alternatives that actuall do what users need. Thanks again.

Message: re: Transferring Info to Mapsource fr Dakota 20

GPSFix — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:31:17 GMT

You can also use BaseCamp to transfer the data off your Dakota(it will gather all the data) and then export it into a gpx file that Mapsource can open.

This is a pain with Mapsource right now, hopefully Garmin will fix it soon.

-Scott

Message: re: Help! Profile Files

DakotaHansNL — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:09:47 GMT

How can I send You a profile file.

Wikispaces : Garmin Dakota Wiki - all changes

Message: Garmin Dakota Software Update 2.4

Message: Garmin HowTo Videos

Product Information (added links to Garmin HowTo videos)

Table of Contents

G1.) What is the Garmin Dakota?

G2.) Where can I find Garmin's Dakota manual?

G3.) Does Garmin have a FAQ or HowTo videos for the Dakota?

G4.) When is the Garmin Dakota going to be available?

G5.) What are the differences between the Garmin Dakota 10 and 20?

G6.) What is the Garmin Dakota 10 Bike and Hike Bundle?

G7.) What should I buy, a Dakota 10 or 20?

G8.) What should I buy, a Dakota 20 or Oregon 300?

G9.) What is the current Software Version for the Garmin Dakota?

G10.) Can I upgrade my Dakota using the software for a different Dakota model?

Message: Garmin Dakota Software Update 2.3

Message: re: Basecamp

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

Message: re: Basecamp

Message: re: Micro SD Card Capacity Limit?

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

Message: Basecamp

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

Message: re: Micro SD Card Capacity Limit?

Message: re: Micro SD Card Capacity Limit?

Message: re: Dakota compass calibration issue.

Message: Dakota compass calibration issue.

Message: re: Data management issues

Message: re: Transferring Info to Mapsource fr Dakota 20

Message: re: Transferring Info to Mapsource fr Dakota 20

Message: re: Help! Profile Files