XT and LiveTrack

[Cruiseman]

I cannot find any information on LiveTrack and the Zumo XT. Is this feature not available with the XT?

[V-Tom]

Until you mentioned it I hadn't heard of Livetrack having anything to do with a GPS. Have you seen it somewhere?

..Tom

[Oop North John]

Zumo XT Not showing as an compatible device here:

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/125677#devices

[Cruiseman]

I think I solved my problem. Apparently, you can accomplish the same thing as LiveTrack using Garmin Explorer and sharing tracks.

[jfheath]

I think I solved my problem. Apparently, you can accomplish the same thing as LiveTrack using Garmin Explorer and sharing tracks.

I have found out how it is possible to share a track with the XT, and send it to Garmin Explore, but I have had no success in getting a track from the XT to appear on my Explore account screen on the PC. So I must be doing something wrong.
It managed to show my current position, but that didnt change so I am not sure how it obtained that.

Even if I could do this, I cannot see how it would update without me stopping and sharing it every so often.

Am I missing something here ?

[Hati]

It managed to show my current position, but that didnt change so I am not sure how it obtained that.

I just read it on Garmin's site that the position in Explorer updates every 10 minutes if data connection to the XT via your phone is available. Never tested it though, I'm not using live track.

[jfheath]

Until you mentioned it I hadn't heard of Livetrack having anything to do with a GPS. Have you seen it somewhere?

Hi Tom - Live Track was something introduced on Zumos like the 595. It requires the free Garmin Smartphone Link software. You can set up e-mail recipients and once set up to BT your Zumo and smartphone together, it is all under control of the Zumo. Sit on the bike, click the Live Track button and Start, and your list of recipients get an email with a link to a website address that shows where you are on a map.

Its really very handy and well thought out.

But it isn't on the XT - although I will check out this - I had spotted that it had plotted my position, but was unsure how it had managed to do that.

I just read it on Garmin's site that the position in Explorer updates every 10 minutes if data connection to the XT via your phone is available. Never tested it though, I'm not using live track.

So thanks for that Hati.

I did discover that if you record a track while riding with the XT - whn you stop the recording you can synchronise it wiht you Explore account and that plots the entire track. I suppose then, you can start up a new track. I don't know if you can link that to the same web page link you gave people to access the Explore web page. I didn't understand the need to record a track before - it keeps a log of all of your riding anyway - unless you turn it off.

It all seemed a very odd way of doing stuff compared to what they had with Live Track. There is a sort of logic there somewhere. They design a unit which is intended for off road as wella s on road. Phone signals are not guaranteed on remote tracks, so a smartphone solution isn't necessarily a good idea, so they link it in with a satellite system - the Inreach kit. But that is £400-£500. No thanks.

So I decided to ditch the idea of linking the satnav with the smartphone, and instead looked for a smartphone only solution.

Bubbler GPS An app that sits on an android phone (Iphone users have a built in system for tracking an iphone). Set it up, give people a hyperlink and the phone uploads data to a private SpotWalla web page. The free version synchronises every 15 minutes. The paid version can do it at 5 minute intervals. Turn it on and forget about it. Saves having to link phones to Zumos.

But I still want to know the answer to how frequently the Zumo will talk to the Explore account without being prompted. I am guessing that this just reports the position and not the track. But I won't know until I have done some more testing.

[JS_racer]

Please update when you get a chance.
I am interested in this feature as well. I have used bubbler for many years, more so on trips, for my wife too see if I'm still moving. Helps her piece of mind, but she knows it's not super reliable in the mountains.

The built in feature might be of intrest, but I have no idea how to get started with it. My XT is my first garmin, and enjoying it so far.
Thanks

[jfheath]

Sure I'll update when I find out.

The XT won't perform any better than Bubbler in the mountains - as it uses the phone signal to talk over the internet to the Explore website.

I guess that is why they have linked it to the inreach satellite communication devices.
But I won't be buying one of those in the near future.

[JS_racer]

unfortunately i have an old bubbler version, and am unable to upgrade to the pro. so i only save 5 points. the new versions remove the sms messaging.
not sure how the garmin performs, or how many points it stores... on spotwalla, some days it has a few points, then i teleport 100 miles away...

i have been in contact with bubbler developer, but no way to purchase the app and load the older version.

what information is shared ?? and does a track, route, or something have to be selected to update ??
are there any settings for how often it updates ??

thanks again