This week I dusted off my GPS device, a Garmin eTrex Legend, to get ready for hiking and biking season. Being the conscientious computer guy that I am, I decided I should check for updates for my device’s bios and the MapSource software which I have also moved to my Vista laptop. There were plenty of updates available to perform, so several wizards later, I’m all patched up. The very first thing I wanted to do after I completed the task was test real time tracking with my new maps and laptop, but I find that the tab for that function has disappeared. I thought I had broken my software somehow with all the updating I did, but no, it turns out that Garmin has removed the feature from MapSource. I would have to reinstall the older version from my disk if I wanted to use it in the way I was used to using it. The document I found this mentioned in said to use nRoute for real time tracking, which I figured to be a new purchase I would have to make. After further investigation, I found that it’s free if you have a MapSource product, and it has breathed new life into my four year old unit that now has access to features that higher end models have when it is connected to a PC.

Thanks Garmin.