NAV VI and British National Grid.

Having problems with the BMW Navigator V VI or the TFT display?
Post Reply
User avatar
septikangel
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:55 pm

NAV VI and British National Grid.

Post by septikangel »

Anyone else use British National Grid on their Nav VI?
Any BNG ref. input, appears to be out by quite a bit to the east when used.
Puts me in a different  street / location entirely than the one I need.
Post codes appear to be working correctly, but the associated BNG ref. for any post code is otherwise shown to the West in a different location.
Have spoken with Garmin who accept there is a software issue and that BNG needs updating on the VI.
When??? 
Can't tell me  :-X
How often do they update these things?
Can't tell me  :-X
So my VI is currently useless to me and was bought brand new with the bike in early July.
Wonder how far it will skim/skip across a pond.
Dealer is trying to be helpful and offering a Nav V in exchange  :-X
Does BNG work okay on Nav V's?
1976 Norton Commando 850MkIII, 1994 Yamaha FZR1000RU, 2019 Honda Goldwing GL1800
Steve F
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 2:56 pm
Bike Model and Year: R1250RT 2022
Great Britain

Re: NAV VI and British National Grid.

Post by Steve F »

Other than OS maps using the National Grid as their map reference tool, I’ve never heard of BNG for route planning purposes!🤔 Mind you, I’m using a Nav 5!
User avatar
septikangel
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:55 pm

Re: NAV VI and British National Grid.

Post by septikangel »

Steve F wrote: Other than OS maps using the National Grid as their map reference tool, I’ve never heard of BNG for route planning purposes!🤔 Mind you, I’m using a Nav 5!
Not so much route planning Steve, more a tool to find Landmarks for such as participating in the Round Britain rally.  Landmarks may be a small milestone at the side of the road on the Yorkshire moors, in the Brecon Beacons or the Cairngorms in Scotland where Postcodes are not much use.
Using OS maps? You know how accurate they can be?
If you've got a Nav 5, try your own house number postcode and it should show your own home. Yes?
Guessing the Nav5 will also show you the Grid reference for that post code too.
It may be in Northings and Eastings which I don't use or understand yet, but if you change your preference to the British National Grid, the Grid reference should equate to exactly your house.
But it doesn't on my nav6 and I believe ALL Nav sixes, are wrong.
My dealer experienced exactly the same issue when we tried in the shop.

My guess is that Nav 5s, like my trusty but old garmin Zumo550 are correct.
Gridreferencefinder.com also helps me confirm my suspicions.
BMW Nav6 equipment needs to update British National grid references because they are simply wrong.
1976 Norton Commando 850MkIII, 1994 Yamaha FZR1000RU, 2019 Honda Goldwing GL1800
User avatar
Sprintgull
Posts: 493
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2016 12:41 pm

Re: NAV VI and British National Grid.

Post by Sprintgull »

Garmin's software can be a bit crap sometimes.  I use a slightly different method of spotting a point on Google maps, then right clicking on it and copying the 'whats here' co-ordinates into Basecamp to create a waypoint for the landmark.  Then when the route is uploaded to my Nav5 they all appear where they should be.  Just been charging around the borders and dales doing RBR.  Good riding up there, seemed very crowded back down on the south coast.
User avatar
septikangel
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:55 pm

Re: NAV VI and British National Grid.

Post by septikangel »

Sprintgull wrote: co-ordinates into Basecamp to create a waypoint for the landmark.  Then when the route is uploaded to my Nav5 they all appear where they should be.
Hardly used Basecamp myself, usually just input direct into sat nav unit, but just reloaded /updated basecamp on PC, then input coordinates there, which show up correct on basecamp as you say. 
Transferred that 'list' to Nav VI unit.....et voila .... they're in the right place on the unit map, so that's helped me a great deal, many thanks.
May be a long wait for Garmin to update the software on the unit itself where at present, directly input British National Grid coordinates are way off mark. 
Hope this helps anyone else trying to use BNG on Nav V or VI.
Will update further if (IF) I hear about software upgrade from garmin :)
Not grim up North either eh?  Some great roads for riding, hope you had a great time, cheers! :beer:

Last edited by septikangel on Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1976 Norton Commando 850MkIII, 1994 Yamaha FZR1000RU, 2019 Honda Goldwing GL1800
slparry
Posts: 96
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 10:36 pm
Location: Wrexham
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT LE Dynamic 2015
Wales

Re: NAV VI and British National Grid.

Post by slparry »

another thing to try is you can "send" locations from the smartphone app. Maybe easier than going through Basecamp?
Steve Parry BMW Motorrad (now KTM) sales executive current toys '15 R1200RT LE Dynamic. '14 F800GS ,'03 R1100S Boxercup, '85 R80RS Mono, 1990 K1
User avatar
septikangel
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:55 pm

Re: NAV VI and British National Grid. UPDATE

Post by septikangel »

PRODUCT SUPPORT FROM GARMIN
have just informed me....
........due to the low amount of occurrences of this issue we will not be looking into a resolution for this.....
So, if like me, you're a British national grid user with the BMW Nav 6, Gamin appear to be admitting it doesn't work, but won't do anything about it.
1976 Norton Commando 850MkIII, 1994 Yamaha FZR1000RU, 2019 Honda Goldwing GL1800
Post Reply