Garmin have released their group track feature on the Edge 1000 (via software update). Previously only available on the 820. It will allow you to see the position of your riding partners on your Edge 1000/820 MAP screen as long as they have enabled group track. The radius is 10 miles so if within 10 miles of you each rider will show up on the Edge map screen as a blue dot with their initial. It also works on the 810 but one way only (people can see you on their map with an 820/1000 but you can not see them on your map on the 810, as the feature is not fully supported).
If a rider becomes stationary (let's assume mechanical) their icon changes from blue dot to a red hexagon. Pressing the red hexagon will bring up some stats such as rider name and distance away. E.g "Dave is 0.4 miles away". It does need the use of a mobile as it uses Garmin Connect app to communicate with the Edge to broadcast GPS positions.
So what are the potential uses within the club?
a) When the group size is over twelve. This would allow a secondary group to keep track of the leading group when out of sight and therefore determine the turn that was taken. Perhaps they were unsure of the route the front group leader might be taking, will they go straight here or do the left at next junction?
b) A way to establish if somebody:-
i) has a mechanical/accident and is stationary (red hexagon)
ii) they are dropping off the back
iii) or just completely lost (have taken a wrong turn)
c) Determine where the riding group is in relation to you. E.g climbing large mountain when in Mallorca sometimes with the hairpin turns you just do not know the distance between you and the position of the lead rider, are they just ahead or already at the top having a coffee?
d) last year G3 had a small flutter to determine if Keith C was faster than Kelvin B up Box hill. We all waiting at the National Trust cafe and in the last few seconds we could see them both come around the courner into the final 25m stretch. If we had group track we could have seen the whole race progress, admit it be at a 30 second refresh interval, but would give some clue as to who was in front and the way the race panned out at the various stages up box hill.
e) Mallorca - with some of the large climbs (Sa Calobra) it's a good way to gauge how long your be freezing your nuts off at the top of the climb in the cold wind waiting for me to ascend to the top E.g if you know I am 15 mins away, forget it and ride straight to Tolos, which your do anyway so was a stupid example LOL :)
Garmin group track is great in theory but the reality is anyone going to look at a 2cm Garmin screen while cycling along? What is the impact to battery life? Is mobile coverage good enough where we ride (really need 3G) and given the reliability of software from Garmin, it probably not work correctly for a few months.
But I always say never, say never, so when Keith (tech guru II) returns from his bad back, I mention it to him and perhaps give it a try out in G3?
Example screen shot on Edge 820
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AgpDESatf5KegfdSQHzUfdjec_m8Eg