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alandb

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Everything posted by alandb

  1. Or maybe they want to get you hooked, then initiate a fee again.
  2. To me, this sounds like the cache index corruption problem common to many Garmin handhelds. If that is the case, it can be resolved by removing all GPX/GGZ files and booting with no GPX/GGZ files. Then shut down, reinstall the files and reboot. This will force the unit to rebuild the index. If you have your files installed on a SD card, you can accomplish this by removing the card, booting, reinstalling the card and rebooting.
  3. Are you using the Nuvi_GPX_by_CT GSAC macro? If so, it should load the icons and alerts when it launches POI Loader. There are options in the macro to select the alert and specify the alert distance. Display of the icons on the nuvi depends on the nuvi model ... some do some don't. It can also depend on the nuvi's map detail preference and zoom level. The alerts should work;
  4. According to Garmin ... How Accurate is GPS? 08/29/2007 Today's GPS receivers are extremely accurate, thanks to their parallel multi-channel design. Certain atmospheric factors and other sources of error can affect the accuracy of GPS receivers. Garmin® GPS receivers are accurate to within 15 meters (49 feet) 95% of the time. Generally, users will see accuracy within 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) under normal conditions. https://support.garm...000000000000%7D Also ... How can WAAS help me achieve better accuracy? 08/29/2007 Garmin GPS receivers with WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capability can improve accuracy to less than 3 meters (10 feet) on average. https://support.garm...000000000000%7D
  5. The best way IMO is to use GSAK with the "Nuvi_GPX_by_CT" macro and POI Loader. This gives you full detail including descriptions, hint, logs, D/T, etc.
  6. I prefer putting all my GPX files on the SD card on my Oregon 550T. Garmin devices are notorious for getting corrupt indexing where the caches or waypoints won't show. If you have your GPX files on SD card, you can repair this problem in the field with the remove - boot - reinstall - reboot method. Also, every now and then, a bad GPX file can cause the device to fail on boot, so having the GPX on SD card gives you a way to get around this problem.
  7. I have an Oregon 550T with software version 6.60 which I think is the latest version. It still has the Wherigo function.
  8. You are correct Deuce & Spark. I think the Nuvi 5xx model is the only nuvi that was a true "crossover" ... an automotive GPS with full road navigation capability that is also fully geocaching friendly. The only Garmin unit that can compare now is the Montana or Monterra ... handheld units that with the added maps and automotive cradle can serve both purposes. But with the added cost of maps and the cradle they are very expensive. So the 5xx nuvi is unique and useful in its own right. SInce you are happy with it, IMO it is worth the investment for a map upgrade.
  9. To me, the biggest drawback of OpenStreetMaps compared to Garmin's CIty navigator is the address lookup. On OSM, it gets me to the street (sometimes), but not the the specific address. Sometimes the address search gives a result that is miles away from the actual address. But if you are just navigating to favorites, POI's or geocaches with specific coordinates, the OSM works fine most of the time. I think the micro SD slot on the nuvi 500 is under the battery, so you need to remove the battery to install the card or check to see if one is already installed. I would definitely get a micro SD card and install the map there. Sometimes a corrupt map file can cause your nuvi to fail to boot. If the maps are on a card you can simply remove the card to get the nuvi operational again.
  10. Well, the NA version of the 1490LMT only came with 2 GB of internal storage (the Europe version had 4 GB), The NA maps alone are now larger than 2 GB, so you definitely need a micro SD card to hold the current map. Also, with the current NA map update, you get a very small and limited Junction View file. You can download the full coverage junction views as a separate step, but again you need the storage space on the SD card to accommodate everything. I still think an 8 or 16 GB card is sufficient, but since cards are so inexpensive these days, you might as well go for the 32 as you suggested.
  11. You don't say what model nuvi or what maps (NA only? NA and Europe?) you intend to have on your nuvi. But in general on modern nuvis, if you have maps for only one continent, an 8 GB card is all you should ever need. If you intend to have maps for both continents, an 8 GB is probably still sufficient, and a 16 GB will give more than you will need now and in the future.
  12. I inadvertently discovered the solution to our problem of the unit shutting down at the halfway point after a large upload of cache .gpx files. I think ... At least for my method of loading cache files and having this problem. I use GSAK to combine and filter a weekly collection of 5 PQs, then export out a single .gpx file of about 4500 caches to load. If you have this shutdown happen, power it up a second time, but when the bar begins progressing and Before it hangs at the halfway point, Press and Hold the power button to turn it off, interrupting the complete startup. When starting the third time it will load successfully. At least it has done this for me 3 times now. My Oregon 550T started doing this after I loaded the BirdsEye V2 .jnx files on it. I just tried Timpat's method to get it to boot up, and to my surprise, it worked. I had also found another workaround and that was to hold the upper left corner of the screen as it is booting (the system reset method). When you get the prompt to erase user data, select "No" and it will complete the boot to normal operation mode. Neither method seems to work every time ... it sometimes takes multiple tries to get it booted up. It is very annoying. I don't think the files are corrupted because once I get it booted up, all BirdsEye images and all GPX file data are there.
  13. You can use Garmin's BaseCamp program (free) with Open Street Maps. Be forewarned though ... compared to S&T there will be a significant learning curve for Basecamp and for figuring out how to get the OSM maps installed.
  14. How are you transferring the caches to the nuvi? Are you just copying the GPX file to the nuvi or are you using POI Loader? If you are using POI Loader, you will not find them in Favorites. They will be in Custom POI's
  15. I just tried the tablet/OTG cable/handheld GPS solution discussed earlier in this thread. I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 tablet with Android KitKat and an OTG cable purchased at Amazon. For my GPS, I have a Garmin Oregon 550. I have the 550 set up in Spanner mode, so when it is connected to a computer by USB you are prompted to go into mass storage or not. After reading through this thread I was curious whether I could transfer a pocket query from my Samsung tablet to the Oregon. I was successful on establishing the connection between the tablet and the Oregon on the first try. The fully charged Samsung tablet was able to power up the Oregon through the OTG cable. I selected to go into mass storage mode. I could then access both the Oregon internal storage and SD card as external USB storage devices. The only thing I need to add to the tablet to make this work is an unzip app, and I know there are several available.
  16. You can upload routes created on Mapquest (www.mapquest.com).
  17. I have run into a similar problem with my Oregon 550T. I have traced it down to the Birdseye V2 satellite imagery. If I remove the Birdseye .jnx files, it will boot up fine ... put them back in, and it powers down part way through boot up. I never had this problem with the Birdseye V1 images of the same areas. I have tried loading a few different regions of Birdseye V2 and I get the same problem, so I don't think it is tied to a specific corrupt .jnx file. I have also tried a hard reset, and it does not resolve the problem. I have found that I can get it to boot all the way up with the Birdseye files (sometimes) if I hold my thumb on the middle of the screen while it is booting. When I get it to boot with that method, all the Birdseye .jnx files are loaded and display correctly. I should report this to Garmin as a bug, but don't know if I am up to going through all the explanations and troubleshooting with them. Strange, but true.
  18. I have a Sierra, and from what I can tell, Lowrance has pretty much abandoned the Endura owners The power switch has broken on my Sierra, so to power it up, I have to momentarily connect it to USB power, then change the setting for power saving to "always on". After doing that it works perfectly until the battery goes dead. Lowrance has ignored my inquiries about repair and I don't know of any 3rd party repair businesses that will work on the Endura, so I am stuck with it the way it is. In terms of map products for the Endura, I really don't know, but like I said ... it is my impression that Lowrance has abandoned this product line.
  19. The newer versions of Garmin Express have a setting to stop it from starting at bootup or running in background. You will find the setting under the Gear icon in the top bar of the Express window. Just uncheck the boxes in the top pane of Settings.
  20. If you decide to forego the compass, Cabela's online is showing the Etrex 20 (Refurbished) for $119. That is a pretty good price.
  21. It won't fix it, but will allow you to reindex in the field. This problem is common across many Garmin handheld models. On my Oregon 550 it seems to happen after restart if I have added new waypoints for multi caches on the device itself.
  22. My 4 year old Nuvi 855 has a stuck pixel (always on). It usually does respond (turn off) using the hard rub method described by BikeBill, but will often be stuck on again the next time I power up. I should have returned it when it was new, but I guess it didn't bother me enough to go through the hassle.
  23. On my Garmin nuvi's I use the GSAK macro named Nuvi_GPX_by_CT. It works great on the nuvi, so I suspect it should work equally well on the Zumo which is quite similar to a nuvi. If your specific Zumo model is not listed, I would try picking a nuvi model that is in the same generation as the Zumo ... maybe something like the 3590. You load the GPX file into your zumo with Garmin's POI Loader program, so the caches end up as Custom POI's. The main issue you may run into is the differences in various Garmin models on the amount of detail they show for Custom POI's on the navigation screen. Some models show great detail, others show no icons at all on the navigation screen. On my nuvi models the cache icons show up very nicely at certain zoom levels. You will just have to try it and see what you get.
  24. One of my favorite cache finds involved a creative container containing a cipher wheel to decode the next stage. The container containing the cipher wheel was locked with a combination padlock. The chirp provided the combination to unlock the container and retrieve the cipher. It was a unique caching experience and was a fun one for me.
  25. No, that is what you would expect for consumer grade GPS devices. When you get that close, put the GPS away and search the old fashioned way.
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