[aprssig] Smart vs Dumb - FMI

[Tom Mandera]

On Tue, June 24, 2014 11:00 am, aprssig-request at tapr.org wrote:
> Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 18:29:58 -0400
> From: "Stephen H. Smith" <wa8lmf2 at aol.com>
> To: TAPR APRS Mailing List <aprssig at tapr.org>
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] "Smart" vs. "dumb" trackers
> Message-ID: <53A8AA66.4040606 at aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> The unique capability of the Opentracker is that it can activate the
> Garmin's
> built-in "FMI" (Fleet Management Interface) firmware to do two-way text
> messaging on the Garmin's touch screen.   (It uses the same virtual
> on-screen
> keyboard you normally use to look up addresses for navigation).   It also
> will
> plot incoming posits on the Garmin's map display.
>
>
> Unfortunately, all this "coolness" only works with the now-discontinued
> Nuvi
> 350.  (Garmin screwed up the waypoint handling, used to plot the posits,
> in
> later versions of the Nuvi.)

I don't suppose Scott has made any updates after this post:
http://www.tapr.org/pipermail/aprssig/2011-February/035235.html

>From 2/8 2/9/2011?

> With FMI 2.5 and above, waypoint creation is officially supported, and
so is
> waypoint deletion, so the T2 and GTRANS can delete old waypoints.  The
> trouble is that the spec did NOT include anything about the user interface
> behavior, and (at least on the nuvi 1300 and 1490) received waypoints
show up
> at inconsistent zoom levels, with a narrow range - maybe 2 or 3 zoom
levels,
> it seems to be variable - and they don't show labels unless you touch them.
>
> If Garmin gets this fixed, we'll be in good shape.  FMI 2.5 added not only
> deletion capability, but also categories, so everything the T2 or GTRANS
> creates is marked 'APRS' (again, the UI isn't working right on the nuvi
side
> and this might not show up) and can be deleted separately.

http://www8.garmin.com/solutions/mobile-resource-management/supported-devices/

Suggests there is an FMI 2.6, 2.7, and even 3.x series out now.

But looking around at http://www.argentdata.com I don't see where Scott
suggests further support for the newer specs yet, or if they've achieved
what he was hoping for.

-Tom Mandera
two OT+s, 4 D710s, two with GTRANS and Nuvi350s