duncanhoyle

I use Bluetooth GPS Provider (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.mobilej.btgps&hl=en). Also use it with other gps apps and BT receiver. NB - if you're using it on a Samsung handset you may need to switch on the phone's internal gps before running it or you may get the phone rebooting. This was an issue on my previous phone (Galaxy Appollo) but not my current Galaxy S Advance

S/he seems to be talking about that the direction arrow is missing, this has not very much to do with the eTrex 30's erratic magnetic compass. But yeah I also suspect it's a 20/30, a sporadically disappearing direction arrow seems perfectly consistent with the other fine and dandy features in its firmware, not that I've seen it happen though Oh by the way, Duncanhoyle: do you re-select the cache after the unit has rebooted? If not this is probably just a variation of the "Forgets destination after power cycle" bug (not fixed yet in 2.80 and I've reported it in this forum, has its own thread). I'm a he, and it's an Etrex 30. If I'm on the map screen then the pointer is missing and so is the compass on the Geocaching dashboard. If I'm on the compass screen it's the main pointer on the compass and also the small compass on the Geocaching dashboard. I don't think mine has ever forgotten it's destination on power cycling, or if it has I can't remember it doing so. Duncan

Whilst out today I had my usual issues and on one occasion the unit froze when trying to load a cache, requiring me to remove a battery to reset. When the unit restarted the direction arrow on the compass and on the dashboard were missing. I've had this happen before and it is usually fixed the first time I restart the unit. Today I had to restart the Extrex 5 times before the direction arrows were displayed. Does anyone know what's happening with this?

How can Garmin market the compass as a usuable feature with this type of problem. Some users don't report it being this bad and some users report it as being fine. The first 30 I had was sent back because of a fault with the sound and it also had compass issues.

Me. See my post 3 or 4 above this one. My compass issues are when stood still and when moving.

If you have a smartphone is it possible to pair it with the watch to get gps coordinates? Could use the inbuilt gps or maybe one connected by bluetooth to the phone (like I already use as it's more accurate than the phone and saves on phone battery usage)

For me the compass is pretty unreliable. Fortunately I now usually notice when it needs recalibrating. This can sometimes be twice within 5 minutes and up to 5 times within an hour. I'm not sure if I've ever had a trip where I've not needed to recalibrate.

I use a LooxN560 with MemoryMap installed and I used it successfully as my main caching device for about a year. I then bought an Android phone with built in GPS and use that as well. Last year I bought an Etrex30 but I still use the Loox for looking at maps and navigating around larger areas. I export csv and html files from GSAK and just copy them onto the SD card which I use in the Loox. To do this you just need a card reader so it shouldn't matter which version of windows you use. (I originally bought a LooxN500 but bricked it attempting a firmware update. I did manage to use it before hand and the 560 is better as it has a faster processor, higher resolution, Wifi and Bluetooth. Bluetooth is useful if you ever want to connect to an external GPS receiver).

Yep. I've so far found 4 that use it within 20 miles of my house. It's fun the first time you see it but after 2 I couldn't be bothered with it - it's possible to open it by using a very narrow blade.

My Etrex 30 has had compass problems since I got it last year. It regularly needs calibrating and yesterday I had to do to over 4 times. On one walk in Feb this year I was probably into double figures for recalibrating over a 10 mile walk. One strange thing I noticed yesterday was that it took me accurately to one cache with the compass working correctly but when I marked it as found and chose the next closest the compass was pointing 180 degrees off and the triangle indicating gps orientation was also wrong. Recalibrating fixed it. I have the latest firmware and it's been doing this for as long as I've had it. The previous Extrex30 I had (which had to be replaced because of a fault with the sound) also had this issue. I'm considering replacing it with a 62s

Have fun - we did them in May and loved the series. I don't think any of them are merit 5 difficulty as we found them all fairly easily (perhaps we were lucky, and there were 3 of us). I think some of them had been replaced with temporary containers as well. It was a little strange that the 2 new ones weren't 5* terrain whilst all the old ones are. It'll be easier if you go at high tide as we struggled to reach one (me at 185cm tall and standing in a canoe).

There is a setting which will automatic archive the track on a daily basis. Thanks, I'll give it a go

Not a bug as such, but I've been wondering if it's possible to get the 30 to ask on startup if you want to reset the current track. The reason is that I've got a bad memory and often find myself well into a walk before I remember that I didn't reset the track.

I tried out my 30 with the 2.80 firmware at the weekend. It performed pretty much as badly as it always has - on one 5 mile section of walk I needed to recalibrate the compass 5 times. It froze once whilst trying to load hints - I had to remove a battery to switch it off. When I switched on it remembered the cache and was able to load the hint. I found 25+ over the day so performance wasn't too bad when the annoyances weren't happening. Luckily I now recognise when the compass has frozen so notice it fairly quickly and can take action. I'll be sending it back after this weekend.

I'll send you a PM, as I am not sure if we are allowed to post direct links to the gcd file. Got it thanks. Didn't have time to test today as the first time I switched on with a new gpx file it got half way then froze. When I eventually restarted it the caches I was planning to find didn't appear in the search results so I came home. On trying again when I got home the caches now appear. Maybe tomorrow...

I got the option to update the firmware from inside Basecamp (after I'd been prompted to install a Bascamp update). However, from past experience I'd prefer to download the new firmare and install it by copying to the sd card. That way if things go wrong I can just restart with the card removed. Anyone have a link to the firmware so I can install manually?

I am in no way defending Garmin - the eTrex 20/30 should not have been released to production with its current software. However, comparing a smartphone with a replacable battery GPS is not really fair. The reason is that the replacable battery makes for a variable magnetic field depending on the batteries, so all you can require is that the compass works well after calibration when a new set of batteries have been inserted... unfortunately, mine doesn't! (But I haven't checked whether or not the batteries physically rotate in the unit during an outing). In other regards I'm in the same camp as you - my smartphone (Xperia X10 mini.. needed calibrating ONCE and has since worked). A good point, but it doesn't explain why mine needed calibrating over 5 times in one 10 miles walk. I wasn't in an area with magnetic rocks and I had no other metal objects or batteries near it. Multiple recalibrations is by no means a rare event for me, without removing the batteries.

I've had terrible performance from the compass since the day I got my Etrex 30 and through all the firmware updates. I regularly need to recalibrate the compass during a walk and last weekend I needed to do it twice within 2 miles. This also happened on the first unit I had that needed returning due to a sound problem. I'll be returning this one when I get a chance. I know everyone says that electronic compasses are generally not great but the one in my phone has worked without problem for 2 years now. I'm not even sure there's a way to recalibrate it.

There's a NE geocaching group on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/munkeh/ There's a lot of banter goes on and sometimes people even talk about caching! A couple of events where you can meet up with some of the locals... There's a monthly event at a pub http://coord.info/GC3KHPZ Venue varies as a different cacher organises it each month Two in Morpeth http://coord.info/GC3KE1Q and http://coord.info/GC3KRTB

At some point I want to do the Munich to Venice multi (http://coord.info/GC1FPN1) across the Alps. Total distance 560km/350miles with 28 stages through 3 countries 24 logged finds since 2008

I just queried something with a local reviewer about a cache that had the container at the stated coordinates but you had to solve a physical puzzle or some other task once you got there. The response said that there was a lot of discussion amongst the global reviewer community at the moment about the difference between unknown/multi/traditional caches. He said that... if the cache is at the published coordinates but involves some sort of puzzle element to open it then it's a traditional with the Field Puzzle Attribute. If a puzzle has to be solved in order to derive the location of the cahe then it's an Unkown. This matches what's happening with caches round here that have recently been published.

It's not easy but well done for even bothering - I'm sure many people don't bother. First step is probably to look at Magic Map using this link. There's a bt of help on that page as well. Also, try the GAGB forum where there's a list of existing landowner agreements. If an owner can't be identified then you could ask someone living close by the land. You could also try contacting existing cache owners in the area. And try asking of the UK forum here

Hello from England. I thought I'd give you a perspective from over here. This morning when I filled up the car standard unleaded petrol/gas was £1.38 per litre. I think that equates to about $8.30 per US gallon. Yes, you read that right! Diesel was about £1.44 per litre I think. Most of that price is (I think) made up of tax and we'll be seeing another tax increase later this year. There's already been chaos this year caused by fuel tanker drivers striking for a day or 2. I think they're planning to strike again soon. Yes, it does make me consider caching trips carefully but didn't stop me recently completing a run of 100 days:-) Most of the time I try to plan complete days to maximise my fuel usage rather than just heading out for the odd cache. Forgot to say - I drive a Prius so my consumption is about 57mpg, which makes me a lot better off than many in less effecient vehicles

I played my first Wherigo in Edinburgh recently. First attempt was on a pda but I quickly gave in and started again playing on my Android phone using WhereYouGo. The experience was much more enjoyable. You could choose to navigate with various maps of the area with the zones overlayed over the top. I used both standard Google maps and satellite view. This is a feature of the app and not the cartridge.

I've had issues with the compass in my Etrex 30 pretty much since I bought it in September. For a detailed description of what I usually encounter have a look at this previous post which includes a video. It happens most times I go out and I've lost all faith in it. On one occasion I was using it to navigate (not for caches) and I needed to calibrate the compass several times over a 10 mile walk. This is the 2nd unit I've had (first was replaced due to faulty sound) and they've both had this problem, no matter what firmware I was using. I've contacted Garmin who said that they'd replace it and I'll probably do this in a couple of weeks after my next trip where I can't be without it.