SamSpade47

You know I did this one today with my GPX file and GE... http://markwell.us/ge_gpx.jpg There no comparison to dropping a *.gpx file into GE vs. using the GC KML method. The *.gpx file is just to limited. With GE you can tour the world stopping at random spots and check out the caches. You can't do that with *.gpx files and the joke of the PQ system. The two images that I posted http://s632.photobucket.com/albums/uu48/sa...leandWashin.jpg as examples of the GE KML experience, one was of Downtown Seattle, the other was of up in the North Cascades ~ 100 miles to the NE. To jump from one view to the other using the GE KML took 10 seconds (if that). The alternative would be to setup two GC PQ, wait for them to arrive in the email, unzip them, save the files, then drop them in GE. That could take an hour. Lame. Just the whole dynamics having the caches pop up as you float above. It was a beautiful thing. I remember seeing programmers offering their assistance to optimize the database hits. What happened with that? GC response: Thanks, but no thanks, we're just going to pull the plug. Weird. I hope they are able to bring it back somehow. Whatever.

It used to be possible to view cache details and approximate location in Google Earth. That facility was fantastic but poorly implemented by Groundspeak, so rather than sort the problem that was draining their resources, they pulled the plug. As you might guess by the length of this thread, it was a rather unpopular decision. You can see an image of what used to be possible here (not my image or Flickr page)... That image doesn't do the GE with GC kml justice. Take a look at: http://s632.photobucket.com/albums/uu48/sa...leandWashin.jpg

The trail up there to Rainy Lake is mapped in NW Trails. Don't be surprised if someone "finds" it before the 25th. Not me, but just saying...

Given the description I'm not surprised it has not been found yet. I was just thinking that about the description for another unfound cache in the North Cascades: Chancellor Trail "Ironworks" Cache. And here's a 5/5 up there also waiting for FTF: Tensegrity on Liberty Tensegrity is the one I was talking about. Here's a link to a description of the climb: http://www.pbase.com/bb/libertybell Doesn't seem like it would be that big of a deal. It sure would be a cool place to have lunch. The King Lake Geocache is only a 2.5 hours hike (I should say bushwack) up... Amazing that it hasn't been found. As for Delta Mist, can you say out in the middle of nowhere. Re: Chancellor Trail "Ironworks" Cache, anyone know anyone with a helicopter?

I notice there is a cache in Washington that hasn't been found since it was place on September 11th, 2008.

Message sent.

Hey Jon, Just an idea here... Is there any way to break it up (Northwest Topos) into chunks and have multiple people/machines working on it at the same time. I'd be willing to do some of the work... I'm using Washington Topos that I downloaded from www.gpsfiledepot.com. It works fine, and I appreciate that those guys (whoever they are) put it together, but it's not that polished. You could do much better, and with people helping with some of the more mundane stuff... you get the idea... Sam

Mapsource doesn't support viewing multiple maps (which I think is kind of lame). It's a "Duh" kind of thing to me. You can look at your topo's with out your trails, or you can look at your trails without you topo's. What would be even cooler, is if you could put the NWTrails in to Google Earth. But you can't do that either. If there's a particular trail that you want to see in Mapsource, check www.redtrails.com, to see if they have a *.gpx for that trail available. Download, then drop that into Mapsource. It works pretty good... Sam

Hey Willie (not sure if you wanted me to use your real name, so I didn't), Sort of off topic here... Make sure you save your track data and submit it to the NW Trails project. http://www.switchbacks.com/maps/upload/ Hope you have a nice trip. You're going to have an awesome time. I think a grand loop would be from Fairbanks to Delta Jct, down to Paxton, over to Cantwell, then back up to Fairbanks. I'm jealous. Whatever you do, be safe. Sam

I'd be curious re: right out of the box autorouting...

OK , so I read about the first 50 or so posts, and maybe the last 20... I just don't have the time to read the whole ~240 posts. Has this place been found? Are there Lat and Lon numbers available? What about NWTrails? Or shall I not worry about it because there might be ghosts there? Or maybe the boogie man?

If you connect you unit to the USB cable and look into the \\garmin\gpx folder that is where all the caches that you loaded went to. Just delete them, then reboot the thing and they'll be gone. As for the multi caches, you probably just have to create a waypoint on the fly... You might want to check out Scott's site. It's a great resource for the Oregon. http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/message/list/home Read this as well: http://www.markwell.us/geofaq.htm That will keep you busy... Have fun. Sam

Congratulations! Now you have lots more to learn. Pocket Queries, GSAK, Profiles, Rechargeable batteries etc... Have fun. Oh, and get a screen protector. And of course City Nav for driving... Then there's the maps at gpsfiledepot.com...................

The Topo map is just a file named gmapprom.img that is 2,767,168KB (2.7GBytes). When you hook your unit to the PC via the USB, you'll see the file in \\Computer\Garmin Oregon (X:)\Garmin folder. The file isn't "locked" or anything like that. If you knew anyone that has an Oregon, you could copy their file. Have them burn it to a DVD or something. Maybe ask the people at REI if you can bring your laptop into the store and copy the file from one of their display units. There's no guarantee Gramin can fix the file remotely. If you have to send the unit back to Garmin it'll be gone for several week minimum. Good Luck.

McClellan Butte for July HOTM... just throwing it out there.

You can also go here and download individual cache .gpx files that include descriptions, hints, logs, etc... https://my.garmin.com/geocaching/geoSearch.htm It's time consuming and tedious to load individual caches. Plus you'll quickly run up against the 200 .gpx file limit. With a premium membership you can download Pocket Queries with up to 500 caches in each .gpx file.

For all things Oregon: http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/ Look on the left sidebar for the Compass info... Oh, you might consider upgrading to SW V2.98 as well. Congrats on the purchase, you're going to love it. Sam I found 2.98 but can't run it on a Mac. Is there a way around this?? Download the Oregon_WebUpdater__298.gcd file from here: http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/file/vi...pdater__298.gcd Rename the file to: gupdate.gcd then copy it to your /garmin directory on your Oregon. Reboot and it will load the 2.98 SW Look here: http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Versions#toc10 Specifically at the GCD Based Upgrades section for more information. sam

For all things Oregon: http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/ Look on the left sidebar for the Compass info... Oh, you might consider upgrading to SW V2.98 as well. Congrats on the purchase, you're going to love it. Sam

That makes sense. Any scheme where we could have more information (caches, gpx files etc...) the better. How do they get 5000 on the 550/550T? The 2000caches/200gpx files seems like like a artificially imposed limit. Maybe they knew they were going to offer 5000 on the next model...

Couldn't you load, say, 5 different SD cards with your one legal copy of City Nav (a locked map), then each of the 5 different cards with a unique collections or gpx files, and swap at will (into the same GPSr of course, that the map is locked to) depending on what gpx you want to see?

The South Climb Trail is now on NW Trails V1.40. Thanks Jon and mvkazit. That should be nice to have along.

Since the Colorado and the Oregon are somewhat similar (and this works on the Oregon), give this a try: >Setup >Heading >Dispaly Select Directional Letters instead of Numeric Degrees Then go to the map page and change the Pointer Field to display the Heading instead of the Pointer. Here's a great resource for the Colorado: http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com/

Try this: http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Miscellaneous#toc1

I'm one of the 200 as well. Seeing the caches in GE was awesome. Anyone that compares requesting a PQ, waiting for it to arrive via email, then dragging it into GE... vs. being able to pan around the earth endlessly, having access to the cache icons, then left clicking, then clicking "view cache details" to bring up the web page... they must be out of touch... I mean really, are you kidding me? Several ideas have been offered. One that seems to have the most promise was only allow the cache queries to the server if you are below a certain zoom level... I'm sure there were others. If it's a bandwidth issue, optimize... the randomization of the caches probably took the most processing (and what was that for anyway if you don't do in in google maps?) Bottom line is: it's a useful tool to way more than the 200 PAYING CUSTOMERS that you state. If it's not working well, fix it, don't abandon it.

My 2cents: I bought a Sony 4 unit NiHM AA/AAA battery charger as well as their batteries. They've been fine. I get ~16 hours out of them on the OR 400T (15sec time out and batt sav enabled). The charger itself has the swing out AC prongs, so it sits right on the wall when charging batteries. The prongs retract for storage or tranportation which is nice. The charger also has a built in timer (7 hours with LED indicator) for optimal battery charging/longevity. As for battery shelf life in the Oregon, it's not going to be good. Even when the unit is "off" it's not really "off". The CPU goes into a reduced instruction set low power mode, the display and receivers are off as well. I imagine it would only last a week or so... Good Luck