[aprssig] Garmin and APRS

[Scott Miller]

For those models that create duplicates, you can tell them that the 
problem is that sending two waypoints of the same name using the A100 
waypoint transfer protocol through the FMI port results in creation of a 
duplicate, rather than moving the original waypoint like we want for APRS.

For the models that don't create waypoints at all, the problem is that 
they don't support waypoint creation through the A100 protocol (or any 
other mechanism).  There's no way to put *anything* on the map through 
the FMI port.

Garmin added a POI transfer mechanism in FMIv2, but it's useless for 
APRS.  You have to upload a .gpi file, which they won't provide specs 
for, you have to send ALL of the POIs at the same time, and replace the 
file (at 9600 baud!) if you want to move one of them, they don't show up 
on the map at all unless you dig down about 5 menus and save each one 
individually to 'favorites', and the symbol and comment information is 
ignored.  The mechanism is there so that fleet operators can push out a 
list of POIs prepared on a PC to show their preferred gas stations and 
such.  It's NOT anything close to a real-time waypoint mechanism.

You don't need to include that last paragraph, but if they say "FMIv2 
does it", you've got an answer.

Scott
N1VG

Alan P. Biddle wrote:
> Scott,
> 
> Could you give us, in one or two sentences, some verbiage which clearly
> explains the problem in a manner which tech support would understand well
> enough to escalate the problem without a lot of back and forth?  It would be
> VERY helpful to both Garmin and us.
> 
> I can tell them that my 650 FM does not handle APRS position updates like
> the 350, and please fix it."  That will most likely result in a request for
> more info, an explanation, etc, much of which I don't have.  You can
> probably trust us enough to add enough other text to keep it from looking
> like a spam effort.
> 
> I would like to help, but I need some input from you to do it effectively.
> I asked about this before, and may have missed your reply.
> 
> Alan
> WA4SCA
> 
> 
> 
> 
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