Reviews > Navigation and Map Gear > GPS > Magellan SporTrak Color 2003 > Todd Martin > Initial Report

Initial Report - Magellan SporTrak Color
Color Handheld Global Positioning System (GPS)

Other GPS units owned: Garmin Etrex Venture

GPS Introduction:
For those unfamiliar with Global Positioning Systems (GPS), this section is intended to provide a high level overview about what a GPS does and doesn't do. Those familiar with GPS operation can skip this section, those looking for detailed GPS information should find it from other sources on the web.

What a GPS does:
A GPS is a combination of a receiver and a computer. It is designed to receive radio signals from satellites in Earth's orbit which it then uses to compute your location on the Earth's surface. To do this, it needs to receive signals from at least three satellites. The primary output from a GPS is a number which references a coordinate system - laid out like a grid over the globe. Once the unit knows your location, if you are moving, it can also tell you additional information such as how fast you are traveling and the direction in which you are moving. If you enter another coordinate position, the GPS can tell you how far away from that location you are and the direction you need to travel in order to get there. Most units will allow you to save multiple coordinates which enables you to mark a spot you've visited or track the path you are traveling. Are these coordinates useful in and of themselves? Not really. If you are lost in the wilderness the numeric value displayed by the GPS will not tell you where you are and how to get back home. The real utility of a GPS comes into play when it is used in conjunction with a map which has a coordinate system displayed along its margins (USGS Topographical Maps for example). A GPS used in conjunction with these maps provides a powerful tool for navigating complex routes.

Having owned a GPS for several years now, I am a big fan of these devices. I have used mine on many occasions to simplify route finding over large stretches of wilderness. One word of advice - individuals should never trust their lives to any electronic device. A GPS unit should only be used as a navigational aid, not as your sole means of route finding or survival. Batteries can fail, units can be dropped and broken, and satellite signals can be faint to non-existent. A GPS does not replace basic map and compass skills, or common sense.

Description:
The Magellan SporTrak Color arrived complete and in good condition. The shipment included: the SporTrak Color GPS, wrist strap, 2 AA batteries, computer cable, instructional manual, quick start guide, advertising and registration material (all written material was provided in both French and English). The GPS unit measures approximately 5.5 x 2.3 inches (14 x 5.8 cm) with tapered ends and about 1.1 inches (2.8 cm) thick. The color screen measures 2.1 x 1.4 inches (5.4 x 3.6 cm) and has a 240 x 160 pixel backlit display. The SporTrak Color comes preprogrammed with a 10MB mapping database for North America (or 11MB for the European model). The database contains high level highway and points of interest information. According to the manufacturer's information, the SporTrak Color has an additional 22MB of storage capacity (21MB for the European model) to allow for upload of maps from the Magellan MapSend® software product line (which may be purchased separately). The unit will also store up to 20 routes, 500 waypoints and 2,000 track-points for use in navigation. In addition to normal GPS functionality, the SporTrak also features a built in barometer, thermometer and 3-axis compass. If that's not enough, the manufacturer claims the unit is accurate to within 3 meters (9.8 feet) and that it is even waterproof. A complete list of features may be found on the Magellan SporTrak Color web site.

Using the SporTrak Color:
When you first turn on the unit, it goes through a series of initialization screens, then comes up with a warning screen with the text "Warning: All data is provided for reference only. You assume full responsibility and risk when using this device. Press enter to agree.". You must then press the enter button within 10 seconds or the unit powers down. I recognize we live in a society plagued with frivolous tort lawsuits, but find this step bothersome since it comes up each and every time you turn the power on. I'm not sure making the user acknowledge the warning with a click provides the manufacturer with any added legal protection above that provided by the warning screen itself (ladders have similar warnings, and the label alone is sufficient). Upon first use of the SporTrak Color (or after traveling over 500 miles (805 km) from the destination you last used it) the unit must be re-initialized. Initialization is a quick and easy process in which you enter basic location, time and date information and results in speedier satellite acquisition. Once the power is on, operation of the GPS is performed using the buttons located on the lower third of the unit. Buttons are lit from behind when the backlight is on by an orange light. The central buttons include left, right, up and down scroll arrows around a central 'enter' button. Below that are the Mark and Goto keys. Mark allows you to save your current location as a waypoint (on day hikes, I'll often Mark the location of my car so I can use the GPS to help locate it on my return). Goto tells the unit to show you which direction a particular waypoint lies and how far away it is (this information is provided as a straight line reference, which obviously does not necessarily reflect actual walking distance or direction). Around the outside of the control panel are the following:

• Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons - which change the detail of the Map Screen display (described below)
• Nav button - which scrolls through the various display screens of the unit
• Menu button - accesses the many features and configuration screens
• Power button - turns the unit on and off and changes the settings of the back light display
• Cancel button - cancels your last operation and also functions as a back button on the menu screens

Satellite Acquisition:
In order for a GPS to be useful, it must acquire at least 3 satellite signals. Satellite signal strength can be affected by several factors including the satellites' current position in earth's orbit and whether there are any obstacles that impede signal strength. Buildings, walls, mountains, rocks, and tree cover can all affect the ability of the GPS to pick up the signal. Weak signals may cause the GPS to either take a long time to determine your position, or make it unable to determine your position at all.

Backlight:
The various screens of the SporTrak Color are illuminated by an internal backlight. When the unit is first turned on, the unit defaults to a backlight of full strength. You can dim the backlight, by pressing and holding the Power button for 2 seconds. Pressing and holding the button for another two seconds turns the backlight off completely. The manufacturer warns that the backlight consumes a lot of power and speeds drainage of the batteries. Unfortunately there is no setting on the GPS that allows you to set the default setting for the backlight to 'off'. If you want the light off you must go through the process of holding the power button twice, each and every time you turn the unit on. The unit does have a setting which automatically shuts the backlight off after a predetermined time if no buttons have been pushed (30 seconds is the minimum). However, the next time you push a button the light will come on for another 30 seconds, before it is again shut off. From a power management perspective, my initial impression is that this arrangement is highly inefficient, particularly since I tend to use a GPS intermittently and will turn it off and on multiple times throughout a trip.

Display Screens:
With the power on, the SporTrak Color features 8 display screens which the user can scroll through using the Nav button (pressing the Cancel button performs the same function, only in reverse order). Much of the data displayed on the screens is highly configurable by the user to best suit their needs. There are 13 different data fields that the user can choose the unit to display in the configurable fields. Data fields include time, date, speed, distance, elevation, coordinates, and heading among others. In addition, the user can choose which screens they want the unit to display and turn off those they do not need. Below is a brief summary of the 8 display screens (note: some fields have been intentionally blurred, so that the exact location of my house isn't displayed!). The map screen comes pre-programmed with major highway maps in North America. You can change the resolution of the map by using the zoom in/out buttons. The maps only show major highways, if you need detailed road maps you'll need to buy the MapSend® software sold separately. The compass screen also doubles as pointer if you are using the device to go to a selected waypoint. The compass will point directly towards the object to which you are trying to navigate.

Map screen	Compass screen	Large data screen	Position screen
Road screen	Data screen	Speedometer screen	Satellite status screen

The screens are fairly easy to read, however, because the screen is curved, I find it causes a bit of distortion around the edges (you can see this distortion in a few of the photos above). As part of my testing of the unit I will evaluate screen visibility in more depth.

Computer Cable:
The SporTrak Color comes with a computer cable which allows it to be connected to a Personal Computer. The cable features a standard 9-pin adapter on one end and a unique 4 point connector on the other. The cable attaches to the back of the GPS via a small screw. When in place, the 4 points of the connector are in contact with 4 round metal points on the back of the GPS (see photo at left).

Instructions:
The SporTrak Color comes with both a one sheet quick start guide and an 86 page instruction booklet. The quick start guide provides instructions for 6 easy steps to initialize the GPS for first time use. The quick start guide is simple to follow and easy to understand and is written in both English and French. The instruction booklet is roughly divided into two sections; a 10 page chapter on basic operation which covers just about everything you need to know to begin using the GPS (it took me about 30 minutes to read) and a reference section which goes into detail about each of the data screens and the full functionality of the unit (requires several hours to read thoroughly). The instructions are clear and easy to understand. Although I am already familiar with GPS use, I felt like I was ready to begin using the SporTrak Color in the field after reading the chapter on basic operation.

I eventually did read the entire instruction manual working back and forth with the GPS to practice the various operations described in the manual. Going through this process, I found a few errors in the manual which I will describe below:

Error 1: On page 23 of the manual there is an illustration which shows how to select the data fields. The illustration indicates that the procedure involves the following selections:
    Map Screen > Menu button > Highlight 'Select Map Info' > Use U/D arrows to select desired info
Correction 1: The process should read:
    Map Screen > Menu button > Highlight 'Customize' > Highlight 'Customize Fields' > Use U/D arrows to select desired info

Error 2:
On page 40 of the manual there is a description of how to select waypoints nearest to the cursor on the map screen. The instructions read "If you are in the cursor mode you may want to know what waypoints are near your cursor rather than the ones nearest to your present position. You can do this by selecting the "Find By" option of Near Cursor."
Correction 2:
In fact there is no Near Cursor option in the  "Find By" section, the options displayed are Nearest To and Alphabetical. To find the waypoints nearest your cursor you must go to the map screen then press the menu button and choose 'Database', ignore the 'Find By' section and choose the type of waypoint you are looking for (City, Highway, Airport, etc.). On the next screen that appears make sure 'Position' is highlighted and click on it. Select 'Cursor' from the menu list that appears below. The list that is returned will be the type of waypoint selected earlier (City, Highway, Airport, etc.) which appear nearest your cursor on the map screen.

The following section from the instruction manual on page 35 is not an error, but I believe it implies a manner of using the GPS that is unwise. This is from the text describing the Road Screen:
"As you move left or right of your intended track, the road will move on the display indicating which way you need to steer to get back on track. Also, you will see upcoming turns in advance allowing you to make necessary preparations."
If you are looking at the little screen of your GPS looking for clues on which way to steer while driving instead of the road, those "necessary preparations" will likely involve bracing yourself for the upcoming crash. Give the GPS to your passenger if you are using it to navigate roadways.

Initial Impression:
The Magellan SporTrak Color appears to be a well designed and attractive unit. My expectation regarding the unit very closely matches the information displayed about the product on the manufacturers web. The web site indicates that the device is intuitive and easy to use and my experience so far confirms that this is the case.

Likes:

• Data screens are highly configurable, allowing the user to customize the information being displayed to best suit their needs.
• I will also say (though this will be examined in more detail in my field report) that this GPS is able to quickly pick up and hold a signal from within my house (something my current GPS is unable to do).

Areas for Improvement:
Most of my initial areas for improvements could be solved with a change to the software programming of the unit.

• Backlight defaults to 'on' and requires the user to press the power button twice to turn it off. If you have sufficient light to view the screen the backlight only reduces battery life.
• On many screens (creating a waypoint name for example) the cursor does not wrap around menu screen consistently.
• Acknowledging the 'Warning' every time the unit is turned on is bothersome.

Test Plan:
I will evaluate the following features of the SporTrak Color as part of my test plan.

Accuracy and Performance:
Key items for evaluation include ability to obtain and maintain satellite signals in varying terrain (including inside a vehicle), screen size, image contrast and general view-ability in varied conditions (full sun, the dark of night, and the twilight hours in between). My current GPS sometimes struggles to locate satellites, even when there is sparse tree cover and no large objects nearby. I'd be interested in evaluating the Magellan SporTrak's capability and speed in obtaining and maintaining location data. Both models utilize a backlit display - other backlit devices I have used do not provide clear contrast in bright sunlight conditions, and sometimes work better with the backlight off. I will determine if this is the case with the SporTrak (as well as if the backlight can even be turned off - either for better viewing or for battery maximizing options). In terms of evaluating accuracy, I will utilize my experience with my other GPS unit to determine positional accuracy in combination with my map and compass skills. I would also like to determine whether the sun/moon position feature is useful. While I usually have a reasonable idea of what time the sun is rising and setting, it is nice to have a confirmation while on (or off) the trail or during planning stages to know how much daylight remains or whether the moon will be conducive to night hiking.

Ease of Use:
Second most important thing with any tool is its ease of use. I plan to see how intuitive it is to navigate and use the SporTrak including storing and retrieving waypoints and routes, and using it in a "go to" function (these are the main ways I currently use my GPS). If I can't figure something out, I'll refer back to the instructions or to the included Help Database. I will also evaluate the completeness and clarity of the instruction manual.

Software Compatibility:
I currently use National Geographic Topo! for my mapping software. I hope to find that the Magellan software provided works hand in hand with my existing Topo! software. I also hope to find that I can transfer my saved data on my computer to the SporTrak easily and quickly. (While not officially supported by Topo!, the Topo! technical support team assures me that the SporTrak family performs very well Topo! under the Magellan 315 setting.)

Durability:
While I am not hard on my electronics, the desert environment can be very tough. My current GPS has a button that requires much manipulation to enter data - I'm not certain if sand has gotten in, or if the button is just plain wearing out, but it's no longer functioning reliably. While I won't drop the unit on purpose, I will expect it to be robust and resistant to sand and water entrance (it is, after all, supposed to be waterproof). I hope to find that the buttons are easier to use and less "temperamental" than that of my current GPS model. I will check to see that the unit does indeed float. If it passes that test, then I won't have to fear for the unit when taken into wet canyoning situations.

Battery Life:
The longer the better. I plan to evaluate the unit on both alkaline and rechargeable NiMH batteries.

Screenview:
I plan to evaluate the screen presentation of the topo maps on the GPS. I'll be looking for resolution on the screen as well as readability, particularly in the harsh glare of a desert sun.

Barometer/Weather Station:
Definitely a nice feature, especially when planning on heading into a flash-flood risk area. I plan to evaluate the Barometer/weather forecasting capability locally in town and then out in the field.

Compass:
Many digital compasses require you to hold the unit completely level in order to obtain an accurate reading. This is sometimes difficult to do, as it generally means I have to stop to get a bearing. I plan to compare the compass in this unit to other digital compasses (other GPS and my wife's Axis watch) as well as to an analog compass for accuracy. I will also determine whether the declination adjustment is built in or if it may be programmed in.
 

I'd like to thank BackpackGearTest & Magellan for allowing me to participate in this test.

Reviews > Navigation and Map Gear > GPS > Magellan SporTrak Color 2003 > Todd Martin > Initial Report