Track setup questions: Auto vs time and distance

[IDmtBiker]

It seems that on Garmin units (60csx, Colorado, and Oregon) the default settings for a point to be taken for your track is:  for Time is 30 sec, and distance is .06 miles.   I assume that the "auto" option does a combo of time and distance, recording the point at what ever comes first?  However, that does not explain the options for Auto to take points from less to most?   

So, my #1 question is: if I reset the Time to 10 secs (from default of 30 secs)  and dist to .01 miles (from the default of .06 miles) and then change back to Auto, will the unit record points more often on Auto setting than the default Auto setting?   What are the variables for recording track points using Auto setting? 

My #2 question is: what is the best setting to use if you want very accurate track data for a hike:  time, distance or Auto?   Same question for bike use.

thanks..g

[Boyd]

I think auto is just auto myself, but have never done any tests.

Set the recording to time-based once per second for the maximum quality data. The GPS chip sends data once per second, so you should get as much as possible this way. But that will limit you to 10,000 seconds, or a little under 3 hours.

[Seldom]

I prefer a distance setting for accurate hiking distances.  A typical GPSr error is about 10 meters.  If you set your unit on a rock with record by time setting, and leave it there for an hour, you'll see a spider web, with a tracklog that says you unit has moved a distance that will be proportional to the number of samples taken.  If you limit the samples to more than 10 meters distant from the previous sample, the spiderweb disappears.

[jbensman]

Whenever I GPS something for My Trails or tell someone how to GPS something for me to add to My Trails, I tell them to use Auto and Most Often.  I think that obtains the best results. 

[IDmtBiker]

thanks for all the feedback.   I have to admit that I am a detail geek, and will play with this more, for my own amusement!  I still am not clear on what exactly "auto" settings does for recording tracks, and why would anyone want anything less than "most often" setting for the auto record option!!  haha.   greg

[IDmtBiker]

Below is Garmin tech support's answer to my question on how AUTO track setting works to add a track point

"The auto setting for the track recording method is to drop a track point
whenever there is a change in speed, direction , or elevation."

So, my guess is incorrect, that it would be the first (either time or dist default settings) of time or dist settings to occur, as my tests on this confirms that is not the case.  Track points are not recorded at the min of the time (30sec) or dist settings (.06 mi) when using AUTO setting.   So, based on above, if you were riding at a set speed on a straight north bike path, and it was flat elevation, you would have very few track points recorded!   Note they do not mention distance or time as a variable for the Auto setting.   g

[IDmtBiker]

This is another more detailed response from Garmin Tech support about how Auto track works:

"The Auto feature uses a "smart" recording method that does not use time or distance. Instead the Auto recording uses changes to trigger track points. These changes can be things like direction, speed, elevation, and so on. Having the interval set to more often or most often, has the unit lay points at slight changes that it would have typically ignored. A normal track will lay an adequate track but a higher interval gets the finer details of the track making it more accurate.
Time and Distance recording methods are the only time that the unit would rely on one of them to lay points."

g