LFlood

Don't clear your last set of tracks until you get a clear signal. I did that a few times and had to reinitialize it.

That's what I'll do, I'll check tracklogs to see where the signal may have been lost. I'll also go somewhere I know the signal will be lost for while and look carefully at the trip odometer once the signal has been regained to see if it rapidly increases. Thanks to both of you. The feedback is very helpful.

I went on the same exact trailrun on two different days with my new Foretrex 101. I carefully reset the trip odometer before each run. The trip odometer readings were almost a full three-fourths of a mile difference for the same run! There are some places along the run where the signal gets weak or non-existant due to tree cover. I have never had such a big discrepancy in my Meridian Platinum before, because I believe that it makes a straight line calculation to the next place when the signal gets strong again. Does anyone know for certain how Garmin deals with loss of signal along a track in terms of measuring trip distance? I looked in the FAQ on their website and did not see it there. I have an e-mail in to them, but haven't even received an answer on the last e-mail.

I got it! For others that may encounter this problem... On the Foretrex, set the GPS interface setting to "Garmin" On the TOPO software, set the GPS model to Gecko 201 and the baud rate to 9600. You will need the latest version of TOPO that can be downloaded from the National Geographic TOPO website for free if you already are a registered owner of the product. Also, make sure the pin on the Garmin interface cable pushes into the Foretrex until you hear a click. I was really surprised when I tried to find the answer from Garmin that the e-mails take a week to get a reply and that the phone technical service has at least a 30 minute wait (In contrast, National Geographic got back to me in half an hour). You also have to call them on GMT time. That is an 8 hour time differential from those of us on the West Coast! So, this seems to be a really good, feature-filled, small GPS for us trail runners, but be prepared to do your homework if you are going to buy a Garmin!

Sadly, there are no FAQs specifically for this unit on the Garmin website. A check of the general FAQs yields no help either. Also, I do have the serial connection and TOPO is set up to read the serial port. I did find out that Easy GPS supports this GPS, but was unsuccessful in my first quick attempt this morning. A call to TOPO revealed that they do not support the Foretrex. The tech support person was not entirely sure but thought that there was something about the unit that made it incompatible. I will give this a bit more effort tonight...

I use TOPO to download and upload waypoints, tracks, and routes between the mapping software and my GPS. With Meriplat, this has been no problem. You cannot download map from TOPO into any GPS!

I have used NG TOPO for years and successfully with my MeriPlat for a year now, but I can't get TOPO and the Foretrex to interface properly. The Garmin website says there is a week-long wait to get some customer support. I'm glad this isn't my main unit. I have the Foretrex interface cable and the pins are all pushed in on both ends properly, but the software can't read the unit. Is anybody successfully using this combination who can give me the proper settings on both units? This thing is going back if this is not workable. Thanks!

Now that I have the neoprene and clear vinyl case that Jamie Z. suggested, I realized a simple solution for me that meets my requirement to be able to view MeriPlat without stopping as I ski (or snowshoe). This case is a part of that solution. I can easily clip the case (It has a really big clip on it!) on the top of the straps of my ski pole as they come out of the top of the pole handle. I put the lanyard around my hand in such a way to stabilize the top-heaviness of the GPS. This allows the GPS to be clipped upright near my hand on the pole. A slight turn of my hand allows me to view the screen. I have to add that I love this new case. You can push the buttons through the clear vinyl! There is no need to take the GPS out of the case in the field in order to use it. Since the unit sits upright, it will even work for units that are fussy about orientation to get accurate readings. Thanks for all of the food for thought that lead me to a great solution for my purposes. I hope this helps others also.

It's a side issue, but I trailran daily the west slope of the Sierra 6 or more miles per day all summer and was getting dead-on tracks on hiking and jeep trails handholding my MeriPlat. The GPS was in a natural position in my hand for a runner. I did not hold the antenna either straight up and down or flat and out from my body, but in a very natural hand position and swinging arm motion. Dead-on tracks. Maybe lower end units don't have this feature. I don't know, but this is a side issue.

The trial with the tune belt was less than successful on Saturday, so I tried the McDavid wrist brace on my forearm to hold MeriPlat in its MaxExpedition holster on Sunday. This worked pretty well, but it did have a tendency to turn on my arm at times, but it allowed me to rarely have to stop to look and check my position. I expect the neo and clear case to arrive on Wedneday and have a 4 day holiday weekend to try to attach this to my forearm. I may to kill two birds with one stone and use a tennis elbow brace I have to hold the case and MeriPlat on my arm. I tend to XC ski so much in winter, that I get tendonitus pretty bad. In regards to the orientation of the unit and accurate tracking, it is not a problem with the MeriPlat. I can't remember off-hand what the special technology is that allows this, but I don't need to much concern myself with how I hold the unit. It is designed to get an accurate reading regardless of orientation. I saw another interesting system where an Ipod was mounted upside down on someone's arm so that they could lift their arm slightly to see it right-side up. More experimentation to come... I also loved the pictures! Looked like a fun trip!

Wow! Thanks everyone. For this weekend, I am trying a MP3 Tune Belt from www. tunebelt.com (I found it at a Big 5 store). The neoprene on the unit covers all of the bottom, but leaves the screen free to view. I practiced at home josling my arm in the same poling motion, and the MeriPlat stays securely in the cover. I have so far not had problems viewing the LCD screen in the cold, but I haven't used the GPS yet below the upper 20's, so I have the full neoprene cover with clear window for the front that was suggested on order. I also bought a wrist support at Big 5 that I could attach the full neoprene cover to. It's by a company called McDavid. I will wrap something aroung the belt clip and the web strap to keep the GPS permanently on the strap. In regards to losing signal with the body casting a shadow and keeping the tracking function from working, this just isn't a problem. I ran anywhere from 6 to 11 miles each day during the summer with the GPS in my left hand and never had any problems having the unit track my progress, so forearm mount will not lessen your reception. Thanks again for all of the great ideas!

I have been obsessively trail-running and geocaching with my MeriPlat in a MaxExpedition walkie-talkie holster in my hand, but now the snow is flying here on the west slope of the Sierra, and I will have ski poles in my hand as I cross-country ski and snowshoe. I need a system in which I don't have to keep stopping to look at the GPS, so I was thinking of configuring a forearm/wrist mount over my gloves. So far, my best thought was to use an oversized watch band with the MaxExpedition holster, but I was wondering what others may be using or could suggest. Thanks!

I still have its same old trusty (not so) lanyard, but carry it in a walkie-talkie holster by Maxdpedtion. I don't think I still have the URL, so you will have to do a web search to find the company. They sell through their dealers. I got mine through a dealer in N. CA. They shipped it right out. Great sturdy quality, and it protects the unit, like when I scrubbed out on a trailrun. The MeriPlat hit a rock and got really dirty, but survived.

I am waiting approval on my first cache. I was wondering, what do people do for a FTF certificate? I don't have one in there, because it wasn't listed in the instructions. It seems like a nice touch, though. Thanks!

On the listing of caches in my zip area, one column says D/T. I would guess that it is about some kind of distance and time, but what kind? Thanks!

Thanks to all for the great insight. I ordered it today.

From only having loooked at product descriptions, I am leaning toward the Magellan Platinum. I live in the Sierra where elevation is a definite help in determining location. I want to mostly use it for finding new cross country ski routes and maybe some geocaching (sounds like fun). I would like to hear from those who have actually used the unit.