Garmin inreach mini- GPS datum and position format questions

[ozyclint]

i'm considering getting a mini inreach and have done a little research but i can't seem to find much info about the GPS datum or position format that the GPS uses.

i don't intend on using the mini as a navigation device but i just want to know if the mini has user selectable GPS datums (example-WGS84 or AUSGEOD84 plus many others) and selectable position formats (decimal degrees, degrees minutes seconds, degrees decimal minutes, UTM/UPS etc) like you can on a standalone GPS?

i use a Garmin eTrex 10 GPS and i'd just like to be able to set the inreach mini to the same datum and position format as the eTrex 10, which can change depending on the datum of the map i'm using for a given area.

my buddy and i use UTM frequently when hunting together so it would be good to have our respective inreach devices setup the same as each of our GPS devices so that we could send each other a message with the inreach which would give the coordinates in UTM (or whatever datum and position format arranged beforehand) so that we could then use the GPS to navigate using those coords.
basically want to avoid having to convert coords given by the inreach message to the format we want to use on our GPS for navigation.

 

[orbowhunt]

This might help.
https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=CuRXNp4JBU25QHE8cwRI26
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=d5lsJLmZaR5a66cKaf02P7

I know you can change the position formats (decimal degrees, degrees minutes seconds, degrees decimal minutes, UTM/UPS etc) as I was able to on mine.

 

[ArrowForester]

ozyclint,
I understand what you are saying and that makes perfect sense. Communicating with partners is best done when operating on the same datum, etc. I don't know the answer regarding the Garmin mini so must apologize for being of no help. But I wanted to throw something else out there that you probably already thought of - if you can change the datum settings be sure to also look at the map/projection/transformation changes. If for some reason you need to change the settings on the Etrex to match the mini then figure out if the display on the Etrex transforms to project the new settings. You guys may be communicating and navigating perfectly but the dot location on the screen may not match the topography of the displayed map.
Did I make that clear as mud?

 

[ozyclint]

my mate says his inreach only has 3 datums and 5 position formats to choose from, but i just remembered that he has a DeLorme unit. maybe they are different.

my etrex 10 has all the datums and positions formats listed in the links you put up. if the inreach mini has all that it will be golden!

 

[ozyclint]

ozyclint,
I understand what you are saying and that makes perfect sense. Communicating with partners is best done when operating on the same datum, etc. I don't know the answer regarding the Garmin mini so must apologize for being of no help. But I wanted to throw something else out there that you probably already thought of - if you can change the datum settings be sure to also look at the map/projection/transformation changes. If for some reason you need to change the settings on the Etrex to match the mini then figure out if the display on the Etrex transforms to project the new settings. You guys may be communicating and navigating perfectly but the dot location on the screen may not match the topography of the displayed map.
Did I make that clear as mud?

kind of. was hoping the mini has all the available datums and formats that the etrex does. if not i would have to change my etrex datum etc to the same as the mini, then input a coord from the mini into the etrex then change the etrex to the datum etc that it needs to be in to be able to use those coords with the paper map for on the ground navigation. PITA!

example- when in new zealand the NZtopo50 paper maps use WGS84 and NZTM grid.

if the inreach didn't have that datum and grid, to send a coord to of my position in a NZTM format to my mates inreach i would have to convert it to a NZTM position on my etrex then manually type that in the inreach to give my mate a coord that is useful for navigating with the map. that would be a real PITA! where as if the inreach was in WGS84 and NZTM the inreach could just ping him the coords that are correct for use with the map.

 

[orbowhunt]

kind of. was hoping the mini has all the available datums and formats that the etrex does. if not i would have to change my etrex datum etc to the same as the mini, then input a coord from the mini into the etrex then change the etrex to the datum etc that it needs to be in to be able to use those coords with the paper map for on the ground navigation. PITA!

example- when in new zealand the NZtopo50 paper maps use WGS84 and NZTM grid.

if the inreach didn't have that datum and grid, to send a coord to of my position in a NZTM format to my mates inreach i would have to convert it to a NZTM position on my etrex then manually type that in the inreach to give my mate a coord that is useful for navigating with the map. that would be a real PITA! where as if the inreach was in WGS84 and NZTM the inreach could just ping him the coords that are correct for use with the map.

I know that in-reaches do NOT have NZTM built in. It was an absolute pain in the ass while I was down there. Had to convert NZTM coordinates from DOCs website into WGS84 via online converter before I went out.

 

[ArrowForester]

I hear you on the details. I recently spent two weeks in NZ and didn't even take my Delorme In-Reach unit. No worries as we weren't in any back country but decided not to even play with it due to the issues you mention.

 

[ozyclint]

???? the NZ topo paper maps use WGS84 as the datum and NZTM as the postion format on the map grip.
do you mean you had to convert the NZTM coord into UTM/UPS coord for use on the inreach?

this raises another issue for me. in an SOS situation the authorities will be given a coord in, for example, WGS85/UTM/UPS (because that would be the closest to NZTM that the inreach apparently has) yet on the ground rescue teams will be working from maps where NZTM is used. someone has to have the presence of mind to do a conversion in an emergency.

 

[orbowhunt]

???? the NZ topo paper maps use WGS84 as the datum and NZTM as the postion format on the map grip.
do you mean you had to convert the NZTM coord into UTM/UPS coord for use on the inreach?

this raises another issue for me. in an SOS situation the authorities will be given a coord in, for example, WGS85/UTM/UPS (because that would be the closest to NZTM that the inreach apparently has) yet on the ground rescue teams will be working from maps where NZTM is used. someone has to have the presence of mind to do a conversion in an emergency.

Yeah sorry, mixed those two up. I had to convert NZTM to UTM. I think your best bet would be to get ahold of Garmin and ask them about it.

 

[ozyclint]

yeah i'll contact garmin. if the inreach doesn't have all the datums and formats that say the ultra basic etrex 10 gps does then i see that as a major shortfall in design. it renders the inreach next to useless for finding or communicating a position to someone else that is using a map that uses different datum or format like NZTM.

 

[ozyclint]

after watching various videos on the mini, is it absolutely necessary to pair it with a phone to send custom messages? i don't want to pair it or sync it or earthmate it, i just want to use the device itself for sending messages, be it preset or custom and receive weather forecasts. can you set up the preset messages on the device itself or must that be done through your garmin account?