myotis

...any DeLorme handheld GPSr (they all have waypoint averaging),,,,, Correct me if I am wrong, but does not the DeLorme (like the older Garmins) simply average the readings? The newer Garmin's waypoint averaging is more accurate than the early models like the 60CSX (and I suspect the DeLorme) because they analyize the readings and conditions and take that into account instead of just averaging all the readings. For example, when you start averaging, the GPS will tell you how confident it is in the position-when you have a good fix, it will tell you much sooner it has a 100 confidence level than when you don't have a real good fix. That's the reason why I specified a newer Garmin. I suspect other than a survey grade GPS, the newer Garmin waypoint avergaing over about a month will get you the most accurate reading. When I did the reading in my back yard, after a couple of weeks of averaging, it would mostly not do any more adjusting and if it did, it was only a foot. It appeared to me I pretty well had the maxium accuracy after 2 weeks.

WOW! Quite a claim. Have any data or could you point to any reviews to validate your claim? Excluding the word most as I have no quanitative data for any competitive models with which to compare, I can relate that which I observe with my DeLorme PN-60: 1. Using the downloaded Hi-Res City aerial photo imagery available in an unlimited quantity for a $30 annual subscription fee, 2. I stand in the middle of my driveway of which I know the width and length and is clearly discernable on the PN-60's screen at ZL 16, 3. I can then estimate the position of the green, triangular position indicator with respect to the center of my driveway, 4. A resultant distance between the center of the indicator and my position of 4 to 6 feet is typical. Considering the possiblity of using my very recently aquired Samsung Skyrocket cellphone for geocaching, I performed the same test with a result of 8 feet of separation. Obvioulsy the claim that its the most accurate GPS out there is not true. There is no way it could compete with a survey grade GPS. Also remember a broken clock is accurate twice a day. You cannot judge accuracy with how close it shows to a cache or how accurate it shows in a sat photo. Both can have errors. To judge accuracy you have to compare disatnaces to a known correct location. So you need a point that has been surveyed or marked with a survey grade GPS. Your next best option is to do as I have done. Get a newer Garmin with waypoint averaging. Find a spot in your backyard. Garmin's waypoint averaging does more than simply average, it analyizes the data and you can get better accuracy the more times you take readings. So take readings (it tells you when you have enough data) over a month or so. Then you know you have really accurate cordinates for the spot. Once you have a known location like this, then you can see how accutate the GPS is.

This is straying way off topic. The OP contents the lifetime updates are a scam in the sense that Garmin takes your money and you are never able to download any updates. The OP is basing this "scam" claim on it not installing on his computer and telling him to call Garmin for assitiance. The OP's claim is obviously absurd and the problem is the OP accused Garmin of a scam instead of calling custemer service like the program directed him to do. So the topic is not how long you can download the maps from Garmin (there are other thtreads on that), the OP's issue was a contention Garmin takes your money but you are not able to download the maps.

When I had a 2d magnetic compass, I rarely used it since it had to be level and it was hard to keep calibrated. Now that I have a 3d compass I use it all the time.

Yea, when in doubt read what they tell you. I would call customer support and ask them before starting a thread accusing them of a scam. Sorry I don't think expecting people to have the intelligence to read the message and understanding it can be fairly classified as a scam. There are many things to fairly criticize Garmin for and I am all for criticizing them for these things. However, it seems to me you should follow the directions and call them before starting a thread like this and suggesting a scam. Or at least ask for help without suggesting a scam.

Why do you use the 100K Garmin topo maps? You can get much better maps at gpsfiledepot.com. Also as mentioned above, messsing with the maps that way can result in them not working in MapSource or on your GPS. I suspect if the map has DEM data, you will also lose the DEM data. A better option is to use gpsmapedit to create a transparent map to cover the road that does not exist. Trace it, create a polyline in gpsmapedit, and then use a typ file to make the polyline show as white and 3 pixiels thick. That is how I cover roads in CityNavigator that don't exist. You can tell the road has been covered, but you know its not there.

Sounds like your Automotive profile is corrupt. Delete it and recreate it.

freeware PText2shp will convert mp to a shapefile which you can easily convert to gpx.

Sometimes if you read the hint, it will help you find the cache Sorry, I know its not what you are asking but I could not resist.

I tried scratch removes on my CO screen and nothing worked-it was a waste of time as the Zagg screen removed the scratch.

Years ago I had a really bad scatch on my Coloado and I put a Zagg on it and it removed the scrach. Zaggs are self repairing if they get scratched.

Get the freeware geeosetter and add the cache's cordinates to the picture. Then save the picture anywhere on your GPS or Card. When you are at the cache use the picture viewer. If you sort by distance it will be the first one. See the hint in http://coord.info/GC2P7HR for more info on georefrencing a photo.

What are the icons on your desktop for? Are they mapsoure related icons or icons for something unnrelated to mapsource?

Back in the day when I had a CO, I dropped my CO on some rocks and it put a nasty scratch on my screen. I bought a Zagg screen protector and it actually removed the scratch. Those Zagg screen protectors have a lifetime warenty and you cannot scratch them and even if you do, they repair themselves. I've got a OR 550T and the tochscreen works great with the Zagg.

You should load your caches on a card, not internal memory. If they cause a problem with starting the GPS, the card can be removed. But more importantly sometimes they will not load right or the caches can stop showing on the GPS. If a problem with caches occur in the field and they are in internal memory you are SOL. If you have the caches on your card, you can remove card, start GPS, shut down GPS, replace card and restart the GPS. This will fix the problem. There is no speed difference in haivng them on the card. You just load your PQs or have GSAK load your gpx into \garmin\gpx\ on your card.

I think you may be getting some incorrect info above. First you are not clear on what you are asking. I beleive the latest version of CN you have on the GPS can stay with the GPS. However, a simple check of Garmin site states, "Your nüMaps Lifetime subscription may not be transferred to another person or another Garmin product." I also would not count on being able to transfer your maps to anther GPS unless it is a replacement for a defective unit. I tried and tried to get them to transfer CN to a new unit but they refused saying NaviTech does not allow them.

You cannot delete a cache on an Garmin with papeless geocaching. Reload the GPS with a fresh PQ. Or you can use GSAK. But you need to replace the PQs on your GPS. You must remove or replace the gpx on your GPS and GSAK is the best option to do this.

I agree on no need for a case. Get a good screen protector. I have a Zag (I believe) and its indestructable.

Are you sure that is the resolution of the DEM data? I was not aware anyone had figured out what resolution Garmin was using.

I would disagree. 24K maps are also more accurate on locations. A 100K paper map is not that detailed and drawn at a 100K scale. So the fact that the locations are not real accurate does not make any difference on a peper map. Unlike a paper map, you can zoom in on a 100K map on your GPS. Thus, on you GPS you can see the inaccuarcies of the 100K map. While on a paper map, the inaccuracies do not make a difference, but they make a difference on the GPS because you are using the map on a scale it was not intended to be used on. 24K maps are created on a different and more accure scale so they are more accurate on locations and when you zoom in, they are 4 times as accurate. Here is another way to look at it. When you zoom in and out on your GPS, features are drawn at different resolutions and some things only show when you zoom in. Different zoom levels have grids with different spacing. Lets say you have a 10 mile section of a road. At zoom level 10 it would be drawn with 4 points and at zoom level 0 it would be drawn with 16 points. Using a 24K map would be like seeing the road drawn at level 0 with 16 points. Using a 100K map is like using the level 10 map with its 4 points when you zoom in. Contour interval and the DEM resolution determines how accurate the contour lines are. I beleive the contour lines in Garmin 100K and 24K maps are the same as the USGS Maps. The maps you get from places like gpsfiledepot are normally more accurate than the USGS data. You can download elevation data (DEM) of various quality and resolution from USGS servers. We will normally use higher resolution DEM than the USGS maps so the free maps will generaly be more accurate than the USGS/Garmin maps. But its not that simple. For example, the DEM data I have used to create topo lines has 9 times the resolution of the USGS maps, but if I use the same contour interval, there is not that much difference in where the contour lines are. If I use a contour interval twice that of the USGS maps, it would still not be 9 times as accurate-it would only be about twice as accurate.

I get all my found caches on my GPS uisng GSAK and a macro. All I do is push a macro button. Not sure why anyone would think it takes extensive training to push a macro button. If you cannot figure out GSAK, you probably cannot figure out how to use your GPS either!

I don't think the GPS uses the files to determine what is found. I think it creates the file so you can upload field notes. I keep all my active found caches on my GPS as Custom POIs. I use a GSAK macro. A custom POI can have the description, hint, and logs. Custom POIs do not count against the number of caches you can load on the GPS.

time to upgrade!

Thanks for updating. I like to trace stuff in GoogleEarth and then add it to my Garmin trails maps. In GE, I save as a KML file and then I had a .bat file I would run to convert to MapSource (from Mapsource I would edit and then add to the trail map). With the new version, the .bat file did not work. Looks like the comands have changed. So I ran the GUI and converted to MapSource gdb. However, MapSource will not open the file saying it is not a valid MapSource file. If I change to MapSource mps it works. I've edited my batch file to the new comands and it works. But I thought you might want to know there appears to be a problem with the MapSource gdb. Also in GE its easier to save to KMZ than KML. I cannot find a setting for KMZ, is there one? Thanks.

I also loved my CO 400T for mapping trails and bike riding. When mine died, I got an OR 550T and I like it much better than the CO. It does a great job on mapping trails. I also like it because of the camera. When I am GPSing stuff for my trail maps http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/53 many times I use the camera to take a picture of something I want to add to the map. That is much easier than marking waypoints and either remembering what it is ar editing the waypoint with the GPS to describe what I am marking. The picture is georeferenced so I can open the picture in BaseCamp or MapSource (after exporting from BaseCamp), see what it is, and then add it to my maps.