jacques0

Thanks for the reply, Itchyweed (and where did THAT handle originate?). Sounds like you've had a similar experience. Have a good evening. J.

For what it's worth, my eXplorist 200 began, two days ago, displaying two W icons (for WAAS stations), both in the SW (California-ish?) part of the satellite screen. The two W's were pretty much overlapping. Out of curiosity, I did a hard (complete) reset. At first, the W appeared in the SE (where it likely was when the unit was manufactured). Then, after a couple hours in the open, while I was inside at work, the W switched back to the W coast, and was joined by its nearly-superimposed secondary W. Has any other Magellan user experienced similar displays the past couple of days? Performance-wise, things are working fine. I typically get anywhere from 9-13 satellites locked, w/ 7'-16' accuracy here in N Minnesota. I'm just curious as to others' recent experience.

I have an eXplorist 200. Here are a couple experiences I have had: 1: Several months ago, when the WAAS sat. was being moved from the east coast to the west coast, I did a complete reset (after noticing that the W (for the WAAS station) had moved to the west coast. Initially, after the reset, the W was back in its original position on the east coast. After a while, the W suddenly shifted over to the west coast. 2. Lately, with all the discussion about the new WAAS sat, I did the same thing, with identical results. 3. My conclusion: The resets did the obvious, putting back into memory the state of affairs when the unit was manufactured (i.e., with the nearest WAAS station on the east coast [by the way, I'm in n. Minnesota]). The unit then recognized that "Hey! The WAAS station has moved" and voila! the W shifted accordingly. I expect the same to happen again once the new WAAS bird goes online for real, after all the testing. I expect that the gpsr will do what it it supposed to do, and look for satellites---finding the optimum configuration. Having said that, I may---in a couple weeks---do a complete reset again if nothing happens after the new bird goes live. If the W remains on the west coast, then I guess that's the strongest signal and the one I should be using.

I use the Brunton 54LU, which is a baseplate compass that provides direct sighting, with accuracy of +/- 1/2 degree. It's very easy to use, has a longer baseplate than most baseplate compasses, has UTM scales. I also use the UTM grids supplied by MapTools. Using the compass and UTM grids, together with topo maps and especially in combination with the GPS (set to UTM, of course) provides a quick, accurate way of mapping in the field. http://www.brunton.com/product.php?id=101 http://www.maptools.com

I also have a 200. Yes, any POI's you have entered will show up in the map area you are viewing. As hukilaulau pointed out, simply zoom in a bit to focus on the one you're dealing with at the moment. In practice, I gradually zoom in as I approach a cache. If you're still seeing several caches at the 250 or 100 ft. level, then you should feel happy, as you can hit several in a close area!

I use the Rayovac 15 minute rechargeables (IC3) and I think they're great. I use my gps a lot and I get 14-16 hours between charges. I also use them in my electric toothbrush and I use the AAAs in a microcassette recorder. Yes, they get anywhere from warm to very warm while charging, but they are designed for that. They allegedly can be recharged 500 times (they used to say 1000 times; hmmmm....I'll have to give them a call tomorrow). I'm not counting, but I've certainly recharged mine a lot and they still work great. The AAs are rated (depending upon where you read it) at 2000-2200 maH; not sure about the AAAs. Here is a link to Rayovac's FAQ page.

I'm not sure if this will solve your specific problem, but you should certainly look at the following link from Magellan's website, which addresses possible faulty Mapsend CDs shipped with some units. Also, download and read the pdf file about using Mapsend with Explorists. That link is on the same page. Good luck. http://www.magellangps.com/en/support/prod...ndtopo3dusa.asp

Podge: From your current location press the Mark button. Now, use the joystick to move to the part of the screen that has the coordinates. Now, you can again use the joystick to change the coordinates to the ones given on the Geocaching page. When you've entered the N coord's press down on the joystick to move to the West coord's. When you've finished editing the coords to match the ones for the geocache, then move down to Save and click it (but FIRST, either note the name of this poi (by default POI001) or else give it a name of your choosing). Now, you can press the GOTO button and choose the POI that you have just edited. You will now be on your way to the cache. Sound confusing? It's not really, but the following link will take you to a downloadable PDF file of the complete manual, which will answer all your questions. Have fun! http://www.magellangps.com/assets/manuals/...st100Manual.pdf

I guess my question is answered (thanks RobertLipe) so I'll close the topic. Thanks to all the respondents.

Well, Robert...Score two points for you. Yes I do, indeed, have an explorist 200 (my goodness, you keep good records. or else you've dug back through my post history). And yes, a reset-all restored my gps time to the internet-atomic clock time and..........at the same time (coincidentally or otherwise) moved the WAAS station from the west coast to the east coast (I had been attributing that to the movement of one of the sat's). It's interesting that despite the above, I've been able to zero in on caches. I'll be curious to see whether the reset changes that. Thanks for the insight.

I normally get 8-12 satellites locked, with a 7-13 foot accuracy, always with WAAS. Sometimes 13 satellites. As far as the radio stations, I agree to a point, except that advertisers insist on their spots being aired at precise times. When I repeatedly get the exact time reported by many stations I can't help but conclude that there are some standards involved. I should mention, too, that the atomic-clock-corrected time on the computer matches the time on the car clock/radio, while the gpsr time trails by 4 minutes. Not that all this matters that much, since my gps gives me great locating/positioning info. I can walk right up to geocaches. This time thing just intrigues me, that's all.

I have long regarded my gps to be an accurate source of exact time, since that is what the entire system is based upon. In fact, somewhere along the way I ran across a website that said having a gps with you is sort of like carrying an atomic clock. At the same time (no pun intended) I have always kept my car's clock synchronized to broadcasters' announcements of time, thinking that they are probably tied to atomic clocks. In fact, any station I listen to announces a time that corresponds exactly to the time on the my car's clock/radio. I have a small utililty on my computer by which I can log on to a time server (e.g., Boulder) and synch. my computer's clock with an atomic clock. [by this time you're probably thinking I'm very anal about time. No...that's not the case. I just play with software] Finally, when taping shows on my vcr, I use the above-mentioned time synchs. Now....back to the subject at hand. The time shown on my gpsr is 4 minutes (+/- 8 seconds) behind the time shown on the car radio and on the atomic-clock-corrected computer. And so, the question: has anyone else noticed this, and does anyone have any explanation? (p.s. For the record, for the last 25 years I haven't even worn a watch!)

OK, I'll throw my hat into the ring: An eXplorist 200. eom

Are you using a cyclometer on your bike (speedometer, etc.?). If so, I wonder if there is an electrical field being generated by the rotating sensor (usually a magnet mounted on a spoke, and/or a circular magnet near the hub) on the bike wheel. It may be interesting to remove the sensor temporarily and try again.

How much do I owe you for saying that? I think $147.38 should just about cover it. I accept PayPal.

You raise a good point. In this day and age of relying upon technology, we sometimes forget the essentials. If you're heading out into an unfamiliar area, in a situation that makes you wonder about taking multiple GPSRs, then you need to learn about maps and compasses, because I would not want to risk my survival upon a device that depends upon batteries, exposure to the sky, or the whims of an agency that may decide to limit my exposure to a satellite system. Rule #1 about going into unfamilar terrain: Have a map of the area, a compass, and know how to use them. GPS is a powerful tool, but it should be considered as a backup or, at most, an equal partner to other navigation techniques.

"Computer Glitch" is usually someone's way of saying that they made a mistake in data entry. Yes, occasionally computers STB (I am not going to explain that) but, more often than not, someone just makes makes a mistake. Customer service often involves giving the customer more than they expected, in order to resolve a potentially negative situation. You were on the receiving end here, and it's because Magellan wanted to keep you happy. Consider yourself a happy recipient of a "Birthday Present".

phsxc...I don't have an opinion about your gps choices, but I DO have an opinion about your original post: What an excellent, well-written and well-formatted post! It's a pleasure to see a request for info made in such an intelligent, researched fashion. Good luck with the decision-making for your purchase. I'm sure all the good folk who contribute to these boards will help you along the way.

Well, no and yes. I have an eXplorist 200 (USD $149.00) and I have found many caches without further expense (other than gasoline and burger/beer in the nearest bar). I think it's pretty cheap entertainment, actually, and you're correct that it's a rush to find them.

We've had opposite experiences, I guess. I can walk about with my explorist in my shirt pocket (i.e., upright and with my body blocking an entire hemisphere) and I maintain lock and have no problems. Granted, once I take it out of my pocket, I quickly attain greater signal strength from the sat's that had been behind me, but there is no break in my track. I had a Mag. Sportrak Pro (quad) for awhile and never had as good a performance as from my explorist. I returned the STP. I still think that the newer patch/receiver combos are every bit as good as (perhaps even better) than the quads, and certainly not a deal-breaker as far as choosing between units. I realize, however, that this debate has raged on without agreement for a long time, and I don't plan to drag it on too long here. Perhaps others can weigh in with their experiences.

Sorry, I couldn't disagree more. The whole "keeping faced up" thing is way too misunderstood. A gpsr with a patch antenna can be held at a comfortable viewing angle, and there is absolutely no need to hold it in an uncomfortable horizontal position. Look at any discussion threads here about the eXplorists (patch antenna) and you will find that the receiver is equally (perhaps more) important than the type of antenna. The current generation of patch/receiver combos are among the best out there.

Regarding the Aerial Data Packets, and the USGS topo quads which they contain, bear in mind that these are purchased as separate downloads from the DeLorme site. It's true, however, that $50 worth of them come included with Topo USA 5.0 (i.e., you can download up to $50 worth from DL before you need to provide some means of paying for any more).

talasyn...How long is your gps on before you begin to calculate the position of your cache? Sometimes it takes up to to 20 minutes (or longer, if atmospheric conditions, or your location, are hindering the fix) for WAAS to "kick in". Try turning on the gps and allow it to find the satellites for awhile before you head off to your cache location. Also, where are you located? I've noticed that it has taken longer for me to acquire WAAS timing corrections in the winter than in the summer (I live in N. Minnesota), and perhaps the location of the WAAS satellites relative to my location has changed from Summer (although, as I write, this, I'm wondering if this is valid, because I think they're in geostationary orbits. I would welcome any correction from anyone reading this). I do, however, typically get 9-11 satellites fixed when I'm out in the open. Good luck.

I think I saw somewhere that the PDF manual is on the CD that came with your eXplorist 210. If not, you can get the full PDF version here: http://www.magellangps.com/assets/manuals/...st%20210_US.pdf

My ex200 has done that a couple times over the past two years. Each time it has been solved to by doing a "hard reset", i.e., Menu>Preferences>Clear Memory>All. Then, restart and let it re-initialize from a factory-fresh state. It will probably be fine after that (don't forget to back up any important data first [i.e., copy down your POIs]. Here are the step-by-step instructions copied directly from the pdf version of the users manual: Clearing All Track Logs, User-Entered POIs and Routes 1. Press MENU. 2. Use the Arrow joystick to highlight Preferences. 3. Press ENTER. 4. Use the Arrow joystick to highlight Clear Memory. 5. Press ENTER. 6. Use the Arrow joystick to highlight All. 7. Confirm. Use the Arrow joystick to highlight Yes to confirm or No to cancel. 8. Press ENTER. 9. The eXplorist will automatically shut off.