Ratsneve

I too note that the tones (400t) while routing are to weak. I wish there was some volume control (bearing in mind that I know louder tones will mean shorter battery life) and I wish they would use a straight beep beep beep rather then a sort of musical tone. I'm feeling exhausted with the various problems and discussions. I wish we were making better progress with these problems.

Since someone else has mentioned something else peculiar about the barometric graph I will toss in my observation. When I have turned the unit off or on I have noted the time first and noted that it agrees with the time on the barometric plot at that instant too...BUT when I have traveled back along the plot to where I turned the unit off this time point is no longer where the linear plot line first starts but has "drifted" minutes into the linear line portion--where dynamic pressure data has acutally stopped. Likewise, after the unit has been on for a number of minutes and I returned to the end of the linear plot point where it breaks and dynamic data is once again being taken it no longer is the actual time when I turned the unit back on. If I move forward into the new dynamic pressure I can now find that time when the unit was turned back on--it no longer lies right where the linear line breaks and dynamic pressure is once again being recorded but several minutes from it. I'll mention this in my BIG email update to Garmin.

But the south pole of a magnetic compass needle will only point to magnetic north.

When the compass is off, the unit uses satellite information regardless of speed. The only requirement is that you move quickly enough to show motion. The 10 mile an hour cutoff applies only when the compass is in automatic mode. Ah, okay, I stand modified.

I have a 400t too. I think you will find as you get use to yours and the 2-axis compass that it works fine within its limitations. I strongly suspect that the 10 mph cutoff is to high. I just turned the electronic compass off and walked relatively quickly but far less then 10 mph through my house going almost true north. The compass wheel swung around relatively quickly indicating the correct direction of travel. I like using the 2-axis compass in the geocaching mode where it displays along with the map showing a cache location. I always take what it is saying with some "grain of salt". If you are maybe within several feet of where the GPSr thinks the cache is the compass isn't worth using. And sometimes with signal reflections the cache can move way off along with the compass pointing in the new direction. Just follow it a little ways and let things settle down. Invariably it will point back. If the cache has clues as to what it is hidden by use them. No point looking around trees if it says it is hidden in a crevice between two rocks. Circle around the area and see if you can get the compass to point when standing still to a common area from several different directions. At that point put the compass in your pocket and just start looking with other clues you might have. Chances are there will be a good error between where you find the cache and where the GPSr thought it was. At this point in time I feel sorrier that I bought a Garmin then that I bought a Garmin Colorado 400t. But I don't think I would be much happier with an Oregon. After all, if I say I feel comfortable using the 2-axis compass of a Colorado that's saying something. I'm sure if I was a several thousand cache geocacher set in my GPSr ways I might be quite unhappy with the Colorado and Oregon as they both stand in the middle of beta testing and would continue to use what I was using or maybe get a Garmin 60 something.

I think once you learn and understand the limitations of an electronic two axis compass in a GPS you can use it to good advantage. I know I do at least. If the GPSr compass isn't electronic then you must keep moving along at a good enough clip to get any accuracy out of the GPSs telemetry. When you stop that's it for the GPSr telling you direction. Three axis electronic compasses are inherently better but Garmin doesn't use them. Two axis electronic compasses work fine once you know them: You have to hold them level. They have to be calibrated which is very easy to do after changing batteries and if you suspect any errors. They can go wild on you. Just move in the direction they want to take you and let them settle down. They should point back toward where you were. Don't expect to just walk right up to a cache--it will probably never happen. You have to live within the errors of your GPSr and compass and the GPSr of the person who created the cache. I've gotten too close to locations and have had the pointer go wild. I move away, stand still and sweep the compass around have it settle right at a suspected tree which was where I found the cache in just a few more minutes. I don't think the compass will be your biggest battery grain. More likely backlighting and how much you use and how often you use it. If you are moving the electronic compass isn't used so there may be long periods when you could just leave it off.

Think about this... Do you need the PC MapSource interface or not? If you want to work City Navigator on the PC (or Mac?) then you will need the DVD version. _All_ map updates are out of date here and there always as soon as they are released. The mapping companies can't keep up with all the map changes going on--new streets, business name changes, business location changes...you name it. Heck, I've lived here for six years with a paved road and City Navigator 2009 shows my subdivision roads as trails. No doubt someone has a good excuse for it. To use CN on a MicroSD it must be installed in the GPS. To use other maps like the new Topo 24K U.S. series that is just coming out which is available _only_ on MicroSD you will be swaping out SD cards. BUT CN on DVD can only be installed/used on one GPS. And it is a hassle to register and activate--in fact Garmins map registration/activation is fubar as far as I'm concerned. Although Garmin has good basic technical phone support in the U.S. you _will_ wait around 30 minutes before you get someone and if they switch you to their software support you will be waiting another 30 minutes minimum. I have CN on DVD and Topo 24K U.S. on MicroSD. Although I have MapSource on the PC I only use it to install map portions I need on the GPSr (a Colorado 400t). This way I have both maps available to use by selecting them on the CO screen/page. I would not like to be switching MicroSD cards all the time so I did it this way. This won't be a concern for you if you only use CN or choose other maps that load into your GPS free memory. I would rather pay less for updates and I'm willing to waste my time getting them registered and activated with Garmin's help since this won't happen very often. If I ever have to switch CN on DVD to a new GPS I'll just curse Garmin and buy the new activation code I need. I think just about everything is doable--just not from two different directions. Good luck.

If this stealing is true for coins is it also true for TBs? What are the chances of my TB working its way around the world and back to Central Oregon? The planet doesn't seem to be a very nice place right now. Sometimes stolen so never release any you aren't willing to lose. If the traveler is pretty-shiny thing it might get stolen, but it's more likely to be muggled, destroyed along with the cache or retrieved and neglected to be replaced by some short time cacher. The nice thing about bugs is you can replaced them quite easily and most never know the difference. Coins on the other hand... I doubt I will keep trying if and when I lose this one. In fact, the further it may go on the journey the more disappointment I will feel when it disappears. Oh, well, let's just see what happens.

If this stealing is true for coins is it also true for TBs? What are the chances of my TB working its way around the world and back to Central Oregon? The planet doesn't seem to be a very nice place right now.

Should the Watchlist "instructions" be modified slightly to reflect that TBs are emailed automatically--no entry required? I just placed my first TB a couple days ago so I don't feel I'm missing any notification...unless I should have received one for the initial placement. Thanks.

I'd like to add my TB to my Watchlist but so far cannot find the link. I do see where I can add a cache site to the list and I have done that for the site that has my TB...but when I go to my TB I do not see the same option to track the TB. The Watchlist says you can add TBs. Thanks. [D#$% this board has hiccupped on me again and I still backed out wrong producing the duplicate post. Use this one to respond.]

Thanks for the help. I think I have everything cleaned up now and understand the process much better. I wish I hadn't picked up Peanut TB while dropping off my own Palauan Storyboard TB in the same process. It took re-grabbing my TB, editing two caches and two TB logs, and deleting several notes. I've also concluded that moving Peanut TB to its new very tight cache at Where It All Began wasn't a good move. The poor pink astronaut needs more room and is trying to get to China. I guess this way I got both feet wet.

Thanks... From the Wiki... *** GC9.) Can I delete Geocaches? No. You cannot delete geocaches on the Colorado. Loading a new gpx file which does not contain the geocache is the only way to remove it from the device. *** Why load a new gpx from the PC when you can delete them just as easily from the PC? *** GC10.) Can I modify a Geocache? No. You cannot modify a Geocache on the Colorado. If you are doing a multi-cache, for example, and want to enter the coordinates for the next stage you'll need to mark a waypoint. You cannot navigate to this waypoint in geocaching mode. *** Trying to place the new waypoint on the coordinates you want I found very futile...so I just created a "dummy" waypoint and then edited in the coordinates I wanted. When you GO to that waypoint it will have moved to the correct location. That was an enlightening read. My geocaching is pretty darn limited so it isn't likely any time soon I will upload fieldnotes for 1 or 2 geocaches. Just noticed though that the time stamp when the cache is logged as found is not available to note from the GPS. I will likely always be keeping some notes at the time rather then doing this 100% paperless. I hope Garmin will, for entering data, redesign the joystick on the R-n-R and use a more conventional alphanumeric page. I keep worrying that they are going to give up on the Colorado though. BTW, I've done 4 caches now using the 400t geocache feature. So far not one hiccup. I think I'm happy with the geocaching element of this GPSr. I don't charge in fast for the kill--that doesn't work for me. I take my time circling around in a 20 foot or so diameter. If the GPS goes off on a tangent I'll follow it a little ways, wait for the correction, and wander back to the general area. I think all 4 caches were in a 15 foot radius of the "spot" which I never bother trying to go right too.

Thanks BlueDeuce, I think I got it right. It looks like one has to make two log entries. The first one was where I (Found It) found the cache but couldn't drop off my TB in that log entry. The second log entry after recovering the TB from wherever it was was a Note and its format in the lower left allowed me to Drop the TB. If I recovered the TB again and then deleted all my log entries could I actually log the cache as Found and also select to Drop the TB all in one log entry? I don't think there is any real need to do it all over again now since I think everything is covered in the two entries. Thanks.

What a mess I'm in figuring this out for the first time. I just finished editing several log entries to remove reference numbers of both my TB and one that I found. The TB I found I was successful Dropping it off at the new cache. However, I haven't figured out how to do this with my TB that I left for the first time at Ground Hog Heaven (GC1CXM3)--I didn't see or I missed seeing the pulldown menu item to Drop Off and now I don't understand how this could be corrected? All it shows for the TB status is "Unknown Location". Maybe it doesn't matter as I did leave a note in the cache log and the online log? If it can be straightened out this would be a good time to figure out how to do it. Thank you. [sorry about the double-post...use this one and next time I'll try once again not to use Refresh but to use the back arrow.

I've downloaded several caches direct to the CO 400t GPSr. After finding each one I've marked them Found on the GPS. I've found no way to upload the "found" data back to Geocaching.com. I've searched around and cannot find any way to delete them from the GPS except by going into the files via my PC and deleting them directly. I log the caches found manually. Is what I've described the only way this process works at this point? There is nothing wrong with it--I just want to know if I am missing something. Thank you.

It looks like just an indentation. If it ever went on through it has been sealed off now. It feels solid enough with no give. Must be an old engineering design for something that wasn't used or was removed. There is also a tiny pin hole at the bottom of the removable cover that has been hot glued closed from the inside. Has anyone opened up the case halves to see what all the goodies inside look like?

Hmmm... There is no Backlight Timeout--true, but you can still spin the R-n-R down to no backlight. Then when you need it back you spin it back up. When turned down all the way there is no backlight level changes discernible when connecting to or from either the USB cable or a 5 V dc supply or internal battery. Noticed while on the Diagnostics page you can adjust Backlight too in percentage chunks by pressing left or right (zooming?) with the R-n-R.

I believe I've only seen one post complaining of the loss of system software after the batteries ran down. Although I can't find the post, I am also pretty sure that another, and perhaps more signficant, factor was that the problem was tangled up with the upgrade to 2.60. I rather suspect that we'd see a lot more posts if the unit was bricked every time somebody let the batteries run down. Except that this would be very rare now if there is no working function continuing to drain the batteries when the unit is turned Off. There is/was talk of seeing screen flashes when the unit is Off when barometric data was allegedly being taken? Are there any other CO functions that cause any current drain when the unit is Off?

The first thing I am going to do when this dynamic trend data when unit is Off is fixed/working is to run the unit long enough with a largely spent battery set to see what happens to the unit when power is lost when the unit has been Off. I could easily see why this system software loss, if true, would be a much more serious problem to contend with and might be why, even, that Garmin has left dynamic trending when unit is Off disabled on purpose. Michael, since you have the only dynamic trending while Off working unit would you like to try the experiment with an almost dead set of batteries? After ~8 hours of pressure trending while Off have you noticed any drop at all in battery condition? Thanks.

I'm very interested (not in the deal) if you would share the features you like most about the Colorado that the 60CSx doesn't do at all or does poorly in comparison? When do you still prefer using the 60CSx over your new Colorado and why? I know what both do but I don't know what either does _very well_ compared to the other. I'd like to think that the time and struggle getting my Colorado working properly will be worth it in the end for both geocaching and trip routing. That having a more sensitive receiver then the 60CSx will be worth it? That having better accuracy (different antenna) and the R-n-R will make a more versatile and tougher GPSr over the Oregon? That I won't miss not having certain features or mapping that the 60CSx and/or Oregon might have. That many software features will still be added. Thanks.

It all depends how easily you _hope_ to find a cache and how the cache clues are presented. It could be very challenging if you only have coordinates but don't have a road or trail right to the cache but it is possible--I've done it. You use what you have to get as close to the location as you can and then start walking--it is still good exercise isn't it? The first cache I did I didn't even know how to use the compass and it wasn't electronic. I had to keep moving in the terrain I was in. I just watched the latitude and longitude and read the physical clues to find the location/cache. Even with all the bells and whistles working and understood, all they might do is get you to the relative location quickly. You might spend hours or have to make several attempts before you actually find the location. And at that point you might not even use the GPS if your GPSr error is off or erratic or the cache location is off.

But why on Earth did the software engineers give us a data field to use with various features? And why after months of this temperature mess don't they remove the feature as a field? They already include it on the diagnostics screen where it would belong. And what on Earth is the WATER TEMP good for? It doesn't even read a temp? What a depressing mess for the varying high prices we all paid for the technology.

Establishing warranty with Garmin is going to be important I think. You have paid to help beta test a new product for Garmin which has had and still has many problems of varying sort depending on what you use the unit for and what you are familiar with. Many have already had their unit replaced at least once. I did for an erratic electronic compass and for a wandering location mark while traveling. I believe even the more mature 60csx still has some issues with it. Go to the Colorado Wiki link at the top of this forum and feast on the issues and compare features. How long has the 60csx been out for? If for over a year is Garmin still improving its software? Maybe you would have wished for the new Oregon with a touchscreen? But if Garmin continues to work off and fix all the problems and features of the Colorado you (we) might end up with great geocaching/tripping portable GPSr in a year...and be ready for the next "better" GPS introduction? This way we can continue to beta test the technology for Garmin at our expense--what a great deal they have going! We must be patient and have fun with the technology.

AND possibly related to this function (if it worked) is something really serious I read about in another thread... If the batteries runout while the unit is turned off the system software gets messed up and the unit will not turn on (properly or at all?) when new batteries are installed. Did I get my facts wrong and this situation does not exist? Otherwise, is this an issue experienced by others here or being worked on by Garmin? This of course wouldn't happen overnight with a fresh set of batteries. I'm talking about the situation where one overlooks the condition. Thanks.