Magellan Meridium Platinum, Sportrak and RD-grid.
Some more remarks
by Prof. Y. Lupardi
This story contains some remarks, tips and tricks about this machine and the use of the Dutch coordinatesystem.
First this GPS has a Primary and a Secondary position screen. You can switch between these using the "arrow" button.
- The first level gives the primary local position, secundary local position, two division on the screen and these two screenparts can be filled with things like: Peiling, Afstand, Snelheid, COG, VMG, STS, ETA, XTE, Afslaan, Elevatie, Tijd, datum en EPE. And also the odometer is here (That one you can view also on the velocity measurement screen).
- The second level shows: the primary local position, altitude and local time (choice between the AM/PM, 24 hr and the UTC time), status of satellites and EPE. Also you can see all the time the secundary local position.
The use of the technical names 'primairy and secondary' indicates a hierarchical behaviour between them. This is indeed the case.
The thing is (on a Sportrak Pro at least, do not know yet about the Meridium) that the user parameters will have to be put into the primary and saved there. Then they are available also for the secundary. Very remarkable is the fact that you can put the user grid in the secundary and then it is available in the primary but the user datum is not. That datum has to be set in the primary mode. So my advice is: set everything while in the primary mode. Then you can have later on screen the WGS84 (in primary) and the RD positions (with projection possibilities between them)in secondary.
With de 'menu' button you can set position datum and coordinate representation (for both screens). At the moment I count 12 possibilities for the grid. The one we need for our Dutch Grid is 'User Grid'. And there is also a choice for 'User datum'. One you have programmed in the right numbers (see my book of recipes ) you must take care not to change later on by accident any parameter. So you have twins: User Datum and User Grid.
When using the GPS with a map the choice 'projection' in the menu is very handy. The coordinates of the projection you make (or choose from the internal database) will be given in primary and secondary coordinates: WGS94 and RD Dutch. And remember: all projectionpoints can be saved as PRJxxx waypoints.
When you want to use the GOTO you have a choice of max. 500 waypoints in memory. And with de cursor on the MAP screen you can position your point to GOTO. The waypoint you create can be placed in a route of choice. There is no reason why you could not make a route this way with many waypoints. But the number of buttons to push is awfull! You are better off making routes at home with the homecomputer.
Further: waypoints are viewed sorted alphabetically or you can ask for the list of nearby waypoints. And remember: the GOTO works as a crow will fly. Straigth on! So do not look to much on your screen when moving; be aware of your surroundings.
When you are in a boat or something floating on water you can use the Road Screen for the GOTO; then you have compass, distance to go, course etc.
My thanks for this story go to Mr. Theo Baars who has a Platinum and Mr. Jos van Dijk who has a Sportrak in use and told me about the ins and outs.
