kwcahart

I use geocaching PQ's, and I believe you may have nailed it. The 450 just worked perfect for a year, then one day it didn't, just like that! Of course after several weeks of frustration I did not remember if it started just after a PQ download, but I would almost bet a PQ corrupted some other software in the unit. Right now it looks good, but we shall see. Friday my geobuddy and I are going all day, so I will find out then. By the way, anyone familiar with Grand Canyon Grids? The replacement unit came with that on it. ???

I don't guess there is any chance of ground speak limiting the number of "quotes" in a post to say, "0", or at least no more than "1"? Do you people that put 15 quotes in your post not think that the rest of us can read them in the thread? VERY ANNOYING!, very much more than FTF hogs.

I just got the 450T back from Garmin, it is a totally different unit, and it seems like it is going to work. They loaded it with 5.80 and 6.0. One thing I noticed different is that it now has Grand Canyon Grid maps on it, which was not on the one I sent in. Anyone else have that experience? I just got it back tonight and got some caches loaded on it, hopefully I can go do some caching with it this weekend. Thanks again for all your good advice.

Well, I thought that is why they call it "FTF", that is whoever gets there first is the "FTF". Maybe they could make another catagory for "AFTF". Almost First to Find. I see nothing wrong with going for "FTF" on every cache if you have the time and inclination. I like to be "FTF" but it really means nothing to me, it just means I was there first. Big deal!!

I guess you just don't understand or just can't read very well. I said I have done all those things. And besides, it doesn't work anyway. It makes NO difference if the compass is turned off or not, it does the same things. Got it?? After several touchy emails with Garmin I decided to return it to them (on their advice) and we negotiated a very reasonable repair price. I am now waiting to get it back to see if it all works. Fingers crossed!!

The compass being turned on has never affected the unit before. And, it should work either way, on or off. I asked Garmin support to tell me how to revert back to 5.50 from 6.0. Here is their dumb a@@ answer: "Unfortunately we cannot recommend you revert to an older software version or instruct you on how to do this. I apologize for the inconvenience". I sent the guy a reply and told him I didn't think any of them knew how anyway if their other software was any example.

Well the navigation pointer still locks up. Anyone have some simple steps for me to go back to 5.50, I would appreciate it.

The bearing pointer is what is sticking. I couldn't care less about the compass, but the bearing pointer is sticking, it will not move, it locks up!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Atlas, I just noticed your response. Thanks for trying to help. The only thing I know is that I select a cache to navigate to, then click on compass. Today when I tried this, the compass would actually jump about 90 degrees a couple of times, then just lock up and not change at all. The sad thing about this is that this 450 has always worked so dang good, it was almost unreal. Then just a couple of weeks ago the 450 just stopped working, and I don't know of anything I changed. The only way I found any today was to go to the map page and use the map "pink line" to find the cache location. I was serious about the Garmin web site. I actually logged in and "found" my Garmin unit 10 times before I could get a question to their support group. Their web site SUCKS!! I realize I am not a "geek" or "IT" guy by any means but I usually can get a support question to a company without trying 10 times. I am going to look at Magellan units this week for sure. I'm just tired of the Garmin's not working. Thanks for your help, I do appreciate it.

This is an email I just sent to Garmin. They probably will not like me anymore, you think?? ha ha ha ha. I just really don't care, I am going to jump companys. First of all you web site sucks. It has asked me at least 10 times to connect my device. I did this before I started. It is connected and your web site has found me 10 times. Why can't you fix the compass problems with the Oregon 450?? The same people evidently wrote the software that did your web site. The compass hangs up while navigating to a cache and will not change. I have tried all your software releases, but none work. Do you just not care if these things work or not? Why don't you get someone that understands software to fix this crap? I am going to hammer this POS and get a Magellan that works. Why cant you fix this problem, this has been going on for a long time, just check the geocaching forums. FIX this thing Dammit!!!

I just uploaded my Oregon 450 to 6.0, same problems. Compass just absolutely hangs up while navigating to a cache. No matter which way I turn the pointer is always the same. NOT at the cache. Makes you wonder just what it is pointing to? When it hangs up no matter which way you turn it still points the same way, never changes. If it hangs at 90deg (to the unit), it stays that way no matter which way you turn or where you go. If it wasn't so danged expensive I would fix it with a hammer and get a 62S. I wonder why Garmin can't fix the basic stuff and stop worrying about the other BS that they say they fixed. I want to find geocaches, I couldn't care less about the other crap. Just point me to the coordinates that I ask the unit to navigate to.

I guess I missed something. Why would anyone care if they got GC40000? It's just another number. Huh?? Sell it? Someone would actually pay to get a certain number? You're kidding, right? ha ha ha, good one.

I would pay $10.00 extra to "exclude caches found by username _______________" on PQ's and also to exclude any cache by certain CO's. Maybe even $20 extra.

How about "On de Brug". On The Bridge??

Well I did it. I cleaned all the GPX files, extra maps, etc off the SD card and the 450 internal memory. I then loaded software 6.0 and did two boots. Looks like that went okay. Then I put some PQ's back in the internal memory and a Txtopo11 from gpsdepot back onto the SD card. So far so good, I will ride my bike to a couple of caches tomorrow to see how it goes. I prefer the maps on the card, and the GPX files on the unit because I use different map cards (garmin g2) and swap them back and forth. Anyway, thanks for your advice, I do appreciate it.

Okay, you all have convinced me. I'm going to delete everything on the SD card, load 6.0, then load all new PQ's to the SD card. Maps also. Thanks.

So, what do you use Andy to navigate to caches? Map?

Uh oh. 5.50 is what I'm running on my 450T. No where to go I guess. I'm on Windows 7 on my computer. One thing I have noticed is that when I try to eject the Garmin using the little "safely remove hardware, blah blah" button on the bottom right, I guess on the task bar, that the Garmin stays on and is still in mass storage mode. But when I go to "my computer" from the start button, and eject it from there it turns the Garmin off and it actually exits mass storage mode. I'm wondering if I might have some corrupted files?? Any guesses from you guys that know stuff like that??

Walts and Andy, thanks for the response. Yes, I did recalibrate the compass and I'm going to do it again just to make sure. Thanks. I may load up 5.50 to see how it works.

I know this topic was on the forum but I couldn't find it. I was just wondering what those of you that use an Oregon 450/450T are using? Just recently I started having problems with the pointer just freezing up when I was looking for a cache. I've never had any problems with this 450T until a couple of weeks ago and it started. I can be walking to a cache and all of a sudden no matter which way I turn the pointer arrow goes with me instead of pointing to the cache. Any help or suggestions?

Or, you could just use a simple program like www.mygeocachingprofile.com and upload your "my finds" PQ to it from GC.com. Very simple and easy.

No, you don't. Look at a program at www.mygeocachingprofile.com First you have to generate a "my finds" PQ from GC.com, and save it to your computer. Then use the mentioned program and upload this PQ to it, it will identify your multiple logs. Very easy.

I do PQs that overlap a lot, and I've never had a problem on the Oregon 450. No duplicates, no problems. Some of my PQs that overlap have a bunch of caches that I know will be in both PQs so the software evidently does overwrite the latest one of them. Or something like that. Anyway, no problems at all.

Garmin Sucks?? I don't think so. If they did there would not be millions of them out there in use. Maybe most of those people took the time to learn how to use them, and to figure out what they do. I have had four different models, currently own an Oregon and a 76CX, and I use them weekly to find caches. Do they forecast the weather, do they give you football scores? No, they are not supposed to. They do find geocaches, very well I might add, which is one of the things they are supposed to do.

I've had three Garmin's. No problems at all. If you don't like your Garmin, stop whining and go get something else. Get a life!! Stop taking up space on the site.