Total Ascent Values Exaggerated by 50% [Bug 29]

[JungleJim]

Hi, just wondered if anyone had any further news on this? Has Garmin found a bug? Also how do I tell the v2 / v4 etc hardware version? I can access the 'About' menu but that only quotes the software version as 6.60.

You can see the hardware version by pressing the Enter key while powering on the unit. The device will display a diagnostics menu, from which you can choose the option Device Info to see version info. To exit the menu power off the unit.

I talked to Garmin support but the support rep was not really open to investigate whether there was a bug or not. The only usable instruction he gave was to reset the Trip data (by going to Trip Computer > Menu > Reset and select Reset Trip Data). Maybe the track statistics will match better with track point data when you reset the trip data before starting an activity. I'll need to test it out.

[Przekątny]

Based on my testing it seems that the total ascent value can also change when the unit is not recording an activity.

The barometric altimeter works regardless of whether track recording is turned on, and the ascent and descent data fields on the Travel Computer screen will change based on the altitude change.

Changes in the altitude above sea level and, consequently, there are changes in the ascent and descent values, even if the device remains in the same position, but in my opinion these values should not be taken into account in the track statistics.

[JungleJim]

Based on my testing it seems that the total ascent value can also change when the unit is not recording an activity.

The barometric altimeter works regardless of whether track recording is turned on, and the ascent and descent data fields on the Travel Computer screen will change based on the altitude change.

Changes in the altitude above sea level and, consequently, there are changes in the ascent and descent values, even if the device remains in the same position, but in my opinion these values should not be taken into account in the track statistics.

I'm familiar with how the device will determine the elevation and I understand the elevation can change due to temperature and/or barometric changes.

To me it does not really make sense that the ascent/descent value is updated when the device is not recording an activity. I mean the distance field is not updated when not recording an activity and moving about...

So if at the start of activity recording the total ascent value is not zero (due to the value being updated without activity recording being active), then the total ascent at the end of the activity will not match the total ascent that can be calculated from track points only. At least that's my theory...

[Przekątny]

To me it does not really make sense that the ascent/descent value is updated when the device is not recording an activity.

I disagree, users use the device in different ways,
some people record a track during their activity, others use the data preview on the screen, so for these users, the information about ascents and declines displayed on the screen makes sense.

[GPSrChive]

To me it does not really make sense that the ascent/descent value is updated when the device is not recording an activity.

I disagree, users use the device in different ways,
some people record a track during their activity, others use the data preview on the screen, so for these users, the information about ascents and declines displayed on the screen makes sense.

Correct.

I wonder which option everyone here has selected in Setup > Recording > Advanced Setup > Trip Recording?

• Trip Recording
  • Choose when Trip Computer recording is active
    • During Activity (Trip Computer accumulates new data only when track log recording is active)
    • Always (Trip Computer always accumulates new data regardless of track log recording status)

[JungleJim]

[...]
I wonder which option everyone here has selected in Setup > Recording > Advanced Setup > Trip Recording?

I have set this to During Activity. So based on that setting I would expect the Total Ascent value only to be updated during activity recording. The GPSMAP 67 manual also seems to indicate this:

Ascent - Total
The total elevation distance ascended during the activity or since the last reset.

To me it does not really make sense that the ascent/descent value is updated when the device is not recording an activity.

I disagree, users use the device in different ways,
some people record a track during their activity, others use the data preview on the screen, so for these users, the information about ascents and declines displayed on the screen makes sense.

I agree that users use the device in different ways. But I find the behaviour of the device inconsistent. When Trip Recording is set to During Activity, fields like Time and Activity Distance are not updated, but Total Ascent is. If I would have set Trip Recording to Always then it would make sense to me that those fields are updated even when not recording an activity.

But back to my original theory, it seems to be incorrect. I just did a test by first walking without activity recording on (after having reset trip computer before starting my walk). Halfway the Total Ascent displayed in Trip Computer was 11m. At the halfway point I started recording an activity. I walked the same way back. The summary data of the recorded activity showed 0m total ascent and 23m total descent. And those number match the ascent and descent based on the track points.

[Przekątny]

I mean the distance field is not updated when not recording an activity and moving about...

When it comes to distance, it depends on which field we are observing,
distance to the destination, distance to the next one will definitely not change, but there will be a change in the trip counter field.
Movement and stopping times should also change.

[JungleJim]

I mean the distance field is not updated when not recording an activity and moving about...

When it comes to distance, it depends on which field we are observing,
distance to the destination, distance to the next one will definitely not change, but there will be a change in the trip counter field.
Movement and stopping times should also change.

To be precise, with "distance field" I meant the Activity Distance field. So when the device is configured with having Trip Recording set to During Activity, this field (and others that are related to Trip or Activity like Trip Time, Trip Time - Moving, Trip Time - Stopped, Odometer, Trip Odometer, etc etc) should not update when moving about. And in fact they do not update as I have observed in my tests. Except for the Total Ascent field (and maybe others), that is...

But this is more for discussion in topic Total Ascent Data Field Incorrectly Updated [Bug 30]

[RickN55]

I talked to Garmin support but the support rep was not really open to investigate whether there was a bug or not. The only usable instruction he gave was to reset the Trip data (by going to Trip Computer > Menu > Reset and select Reset Trip Data). Maybe the track statistics will match better with track point data when you reset the trip data before starting an activity. I'll need to test it out.

Nope, I always do this before each walk I start, didn't make any difference for me. The inaccurate reading was worse with Auto Pause on I found..

[RickN55]

Just opened a support ticket with Garmin about this issue who have opened a "product support case" , hopefully the more of us that do it, the more likely/sooner they will sort it with an update. They will email me once they have an update, if they do I will post here.