First Long Trip

I've just completed a 2,000+ mile trip from Rockport, TX, to Cedar Rapids, IA. Yes, I know it is not 2,000 miles between those two points, but we took the scenic route!

The highlight: a visit to Big Bend National Park! The peaks called "Mule Ears" is pictured here.

I became a bit more proficient at operating the device. I also discovered that some "features" were a bit cumbersome ---so cumbersome that I didn't/couldn't use them. And some functions just didn't seem to work correctly.

Some details:

* Cumbersome: Routes

I just couldn't seem to get a decent route put together at the beginning. Sort of like squeezing a balloon: squeeze it in here, and it bulges out there. Later, I did get an 800 mile route to work, with only a few problems and surprises.

I'll post some comments on route building which may help you. But not now.

* Faulty(?): Computations

When going to a destination or waypoint (Lowrance calls them "vias") 300 miles away and travelling at a constant speed of 60 mph, it seems almost obvious that it would take 5 hours, if you maintained the speed, etc., etc. Chances are that it will take longer than 5 hours in the real world. And there is almost zero chance that you'll do it in less than 5 hours, such as 4+20 or even 4+40!

Yet my iWay500c consitently reported the required time enroute as less than the distance divided by the rate!!!

Certainly yours must do this, too. Can you offer any explanation?

* Usefulness: Great

In spite of these things requiring explanation, I really do like the machine! Even though we were not in any really tricky situations, the iWay500c is without question a great helper to have along!

If I were a trucker, I would have one without fail.

Order of Overlay Data, or What's Where???

As you probably know, you can display several items of information along the right side of the screen on your iWay 500C. But do you know where each item will display?

I believe* the answer is this:
Items will be displayed in the order they were selected. That is, if the first item selected is Speed, that item will be on the bottom.
If the last item selected was Track, which is the direction the vehicle is moving, it will be the top item displayed.

Track, by the way, displays as one of the eight points of the compass: N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, or NW.

Bearing may also be displayed. Bearing is the bearing, or direction, from the present position to the waypoint to which you are currently navigating ---not to the final destination (unless, of course, they happen to be the same point). Bearing is displayed using the same eight symbols as Track.

* This is based on a small sample. It will be confirmed or modified later.

Top-level Menus

There are three top-level menu pages. Each can be selected by pushing the Menu button on the unit the appropriate number of times.

In addition, the second and third menus can be selected by touching the upper-left on-screen "button" on the first or second menu, respectively.

First push of Menu button takes you to:

Main Menu

• Main Menu (Selecting this will take you to the next Main Menu)
• Route Via Destinations
• Route Options
• Overlay Data Setup
• My Trails
• Cancel Navigation
• Directions List
• Trip Calculator
  
  

Second push of Menu button takes you to:

Main Menu

• System Setup (Selecting this will take you to the System Setup menu)
  
• GPS Status
• Pictures
• Transfer Data
• Safety Mode (On -- Off)
• Device Information
• Navigation Mode
• Categories Drawn
  
  

Third push of Menu button takes you to:

System Setup

• Screen Setup
• GPS Simulator (On -- Off)
• Reset Options
• Shuffle (On -- Off)
• Sound & Voice Setup
• Units of Measure
• Language
• Repeat (On -- Off)

Fourth push and subsequent pushes of Menu button will change nothing if you are already in the System Setup menu.

Note: This information is based on a unit with software version 1.8. Units with other versions may not be exactly like this.

Why iWay myWay?

A few weeks ago, I received a new gps unit: a Lowrance iWay 500c.

The unit is great. The Operating Instructions are not.

My goal is to create Operating Instructions for the Lowrance iWay500c which I wish would have come with the unit. Hopefully, you'll find them useful, too.

Maybe I can sell the results to Lowrance. Then they can come with the unit and every new owner will be more happy than confused.

Or perhaps I can just print up a copy for myself, one for my friend Gary, and a few dozen for the members of nuwaowners.org/forum who have been helpful to me with regard to not only gps but also our Hitchhiker RVs. (In addition, several of them have purchased RV Awning Travel Locks from me for their RVs, and I really appreciate that! And they'll appreciate the piece of mind that simple, effective, device brings.)

But certainly I can publish the information on this blog so that all who find it can benefit from the information. And anyone may comment; this could make the final version even better!

The plan is incomplete, but one of the first things to be published here will be a "menu tree." Every try to find the menu items in the book? Not there, are they! Should be, shouldn't they!

They'll be in iWay myWay, that's for certain.

Even though this is written about an iWay 500c, I suspect it will be equally useful to iWay 250c and iWay 350c owners.

All constructive comments are most welcome!