Use Fresh Batteries

[ash]

My Garmin GPS 12 was dumped in a cupboard at the end of the season. Nothing unusual in that, though in other winters it might have been used for non boaty directions.

The killer was the fact that it was loaded with 4 old rechargeable batteries rather than disposables. The AAs had gone flat - the internal memory battery had gone flat so now all my waypoints are gone!

Many of the waypoints were purely of sentimental value - Greece - Windermere - hotels in the centre of Paris.

Points which would have safely led me up the length of Loch Lomond in the dark / mist will be easily replaced.

Other points which located prominent landmarks around our favourite anchorages will take a lot more work to replicate - they were very useful during the frequent crew/skipper 'discussions' as to whether we were to close in/too far off when dumping the hook for the night.

I've still to find out if the internal battery can be recharged - opinion on the web seems to vary.

I'm not very good at tidying things up so I suppose that it's forced the issue.

Ash

[aquaplane]

It's like losing a friend isn't it?

My GPS 12 did the same thing a couple of years ago, the only waypoint left was Garmin. If it'll help I'll send you my "mooring" waypoint to get you on your way, I can't help with the foreign ones though.

[Silkie]

I've got some Ionian waypoints on my GPS72. Would they be of any use?

[ash]

My GPS 12 did the same thing a couple of years ago, the only waypoint left was Garmin.

Me too - so did your internal battery recover? Do you lose your info when you replace batteries?

All donations of your favourite waypoints will be very welcome - you'll need to state your Datum though - I use British National Grid.

I have the data cable but no RS232 port on the lappy so have never used it.

The biggest bugbear with the Garmin 12 is having to roll through the alphabet and click to form names.

Ash

[aquaplane]

I think the internal battery must have recharged from the fresh set of batteries, but it could be that I haven't changed them again since. I'm fairly sure that we have nicked AA batteries out of the HHGPS for the radio so I think it's back to "as new" functionality. I could easily be wrong though.

Does the Datum matter? I always use wotsits 84? but a Lat and Long is fixed, I thought the GPS knew the difference and converted the OS grid to a lat/long on the relevant datum.

The GPS 12 and 128 on Chiron could both do with a qwerty keyboard to input names, but they are cheap so I put up with how they work.

[lady_stormrider]

I wrote down our mooring in the back of my Secret Diary of a Galley Slave book.

Here's N 54deg 25.228'
W 2deg 57.863'

Which is our mooring on Windermere. I was going to use the picture as a fiendish entry to 'Where am I?' but never mind.

[sahona]

I don't think the 12 has an internal battery. (probably a uF or two to hold the info for a day or so)
Mine lost it's marbles every time the batteries were left out for any length of time from new.
Now I don't bother with them and just plug it into the boat supply - if and when I can be bothered, or I feel the need for a third positional opinion in the wheelhouse!
Usually the holiday is over by the time it's established where it is anyway.
We had the waypoints for the sandbank-ridden Portugese inlets all stored nicely so we could find our way out again... All gone. The newer machines seem to be an improvement, and we all save to computer regularly nowadays, don't we?

[Booby Trapper]

The Garmin GPS12 does have an internal battery. It's the type that got plastered all over my kitchen ceiling when I tried to solder the wires onto the new one. It's a 2032 type they cost pennies on Ebay.
If you do decide to replace it get a battery holder with wires attached from somewhere like maplins.
The lithium memory battery doesn't last for ever but may hold a bit of charge as long as you don't let the batteries go completely flat.
I can't quite remember now how I got it open but I think it was just a case of prizing open the two halves with a flat bladed screwdriver. Change the battery and glue back together

[sahona]

Sorry guys! went to the boat today - turns out I was talking about a GPS45. Age thing I guess.

[lady_stormrider]

The GPS on Chiron still has it's old co-rdinates from its previous owner. We are trying to find where the old mooring co-ordinates are but they seem to be quite a distance from Windermere.

[ash]

The GPS on Chiron still has it's old co-rdinates from its previous owner. We are trying to find where the old mooring co-ordinates are but they seem to be quite a distance from Windermere.

I can't do the degree symbol so I have the options in Google Earth set to decimal degrees. If I take the co-ordinates that you gave above, and convert the minutes to decimal degrees, then I get the attached result.

You might try something similar with Chiron's old co-ordinates.



Ash

[ash]

you'll need to state your Datum though - I use British National Grid.

I was trying to be funny with an off the cuff remark, but of course that would only work if I’d been accurate.

British National Grid is purely the format used for the positional data – the datum that I use is Ord Srvy GB because I’m using inland OS maps.

Does the Datum matter? I always use wotsits 84? but a Lat and Long is fixed, I thought the GPS knew the difference and converted the OS grid to a lat/long on the relevant datum.

If you using waypoints created by using the ‘mark’ button then the datum doesn’t really matter, but if you use someone else’s positional info – either read from a chart or as given above then the GPS would need to set at the correct datum.

You’re right that the GPS will happily change between OS Grid and Lat/Long. It will also change between lots of different world wide datums with varying amounts of accuracy.

I would need to change it to WGS84 to input Lady S’s figures then change it back.

I’ve just had a look at the old charts of the Clyde which I inherited with Mistral and I see that they are also based on OSGB36 – I had it my head that old marine charts were something else.

The Garmin GPS12 does have an internal battery.
The lithium memory battery doesn't last for ever but may hold a bit of charge as long as you don't let the batteries go completely flat.

I’ve just tried removing the AA batts for 10 minutes or so, and the unit doesn’t lose the waypoints so the internal battery must have recharged to some extent.

I can't quite remember now how I got it open but I think it was just a case of prizing open the two halves with a flat bladed screwdriver. Change the battery and glue back together

That seems to be the consensus on the web – some talk that the unit might have been nitrogen filled.


Ash