GDSKWats

So I had the same problem. Garmin Oregon 550 worked fine at home and then when I was out, it started up like normal and then faded to black as it was loading maps, etc. Tried new batteries. Still faded out on startup. Took out the memory card. Still faded out on startup. Tried to reboot by holding down top left corner on startup. "Erase all Data?" screen came up but Yes/No buttons were unresponsive and it still faded out on startup. Tried to hook it up to USB > computer. It just went into startup mode and still faded out on startup. Finally, when the GPS was off, I pressed down on the top left corner of the screen and then turned to GPS on and kept pressing down on the power button. I held both buttons down for close to a minute. It started working and has been fine ever since.

That works! Thanks!!!!! Must have been the new phone defaulted to USA.

Is there any way to change to distance from British to Metric? I've been using metres for 8 years and going by feet and miles is messing me up. Here in Canada, we've been metric since the 1970's. I'm all for trying new things, but I'd pay to have the old app back. There needs to be options and ways to disable some of the unwanted features. Thanks

OK, deleted all gpx files off both GPS and memory card. Checked memory card > OK. All folders correct. Like I said, I've been successfully doing this procedure for quite a while. Reloaded both queries. One of them (500 mixed caches-multis mysteries, earth, etc.) loaded on the card fine and is there on the GPS Map. The other (1000 traditional) is not there although I've done exactly the same for both. I'm confused!

I loaded a couple of pocket queries on to my Oregon 200. So when I got out there, there were no caches on the GPS. Came home and checked the gpx folder on the Garmins memory card. The files are there. Used Easy GPS to confirm that the queries were the caches I asked for. All seemed fine. Have been doing it like this for quite a while successfully. The only difference is that the queries were new. Is there some way to mess up your garmin so that it doesn't recognize what's on the card? Thanks

Use better maps. It has Garmin Topo Canada. I'm thinking that should be OK? I'm driving in downtown St. Catharines ON. King Street (that I'm on) and Church St. run parallel. The path is pretty much right between the two. Caching that afternoon, my Blackberry is giving me fairly accurate compass readings. For example, when it says the cache is 150 m away, the Garmin may say 325 m away, then changes erratically from time to time as well. It's not like that 15 m difference we were seeing as we were driving is consistently reflected when caching. Then it may suddenly start giving fairly accurate readings as well. If I just had the Garmin, caching would be very difficult and frustrating. How do I check the datum? (I'm sorry, I don't even know what that means)

I'm relatively new with this GPS, and GPS's in general. I use the Oregon 200 (which up til now has been quite good) and usually have a Blackberry with Geocache Navigator going as well. We're driving through town the other day and I notice that the Oregon is showing our path is about 15 metres parallel to the road. My friend who has an older Garmon 60Csx(?) says I may need to recalibrate the GPS but we couldn't figure out if that was possible. Also the distance to cache on approach was way different than the Blackberry and way off the mark much of the time. How do I rectify this problem?? Thanks

It finally worked. I think when I was entering in my home city, I must have been hitting enter, rather than clicking the search button. 3 months of frustration for that? I feel like someone on the Amazing Race who didn't read the clue properly. Luckily it was a non-elimination leg! Thanks!

click on "your profile" on the main page. On the right, under "search options" click on "Update home location" From there you should see a YELLOW (I thought it was green) stick man standing on a green circle. Drag him to your home, then click save changes on the bottom of the map. I can do the "Your profile", but under "Search Options", it says "You have not set a home location. Add them now.. Clicking on that just takes me to the "Manage Location" page which won't save changes. There's no 'yellow stick man' or 'green circle'. Please help me solve this frustrating problem. My Groundspeak newsletter is just the generic one and there's nothing local in it. I'm missing out on things happening around here (St. Catharines, ON) Thanks!!

I'm still pretty confused. Everything I try is not working. Which map did you use? When I go in my profile, and go to Manage Location, it shows a map of Palo Alto CA under Home Location. I can change it to my location but when I hit 'Save Changes" it just goes back to Palo Alto I'm not seeing any little green man or 'update location' button. What page are you on and how did you get there? ??? Help please.

Every time I attempt to enter in my home location on Geocaching.com, it resets to Palo Altp, CA. This also effect my Groundspeak e-mail newsletter. How do I successfully reset my location? Thanks.

Currently using a Blackberry with Geocache Navigator (because thats what I'm used to and I can find updated logs, etc much easier) and going to the Oregon 200 when I get in close to a cache. I'm sure I need more time to figure out the 200 but I'm a bit frustrated as I can't get maps to display properly if at all (Topo Canada is installed on the microSD). I usually get a white screen with a couple red dots on it and everything I do to try and change it doesn't help. I find the thing a pain to use with the touchscreen offering limited choices. I'm considering taking the Oregon back (costco-$279) and picking up the GPSMAP 60CSX (costco-$219). How do the two compare? I know the 60CSX has an electronic compass but does that matter? Is it easier to use? Is the display better on the 60CSX? (the sunlight issue wasn't too bad on the 200 but the Blackberry was smaller but easier to read). Any and all advice would be appreciated. Thanks

I've recently purchased an Oregon 200 ($279 w/ TOPO Canada) and have found that it isn't a whole lot better than the Blackberry 8330 w/ Geocache Navigator that I was using previously. I'm still frustrated with inconsistent GZ readings, hopping around showing 0 metres then bouncing around to 6 or 8 metres (that's 20 to 25 feet). I see the REI deal with the Oregon 450 ($249 US) and I'm wondering if I should return the 200 and pick up the 450. Will the electronic compass make a significant difference when I get in close? What to do, what to do...? Thanks

Bingo! Geocaching would be the primary use with car routing used only once in a while.

So after becoming frustrated with my Blackberry 8330 (with Geocache Navigator) due to accuracy issues, I finally went ahead and took advantage of what seems like a pretty good deal at Costco (Oregon 200 with TOPO Canada maps for $279). I knew I'd have to do a bit of a sales job on my wife (she thinks GPS's are about $100) but she'd been caching with us and experienced the frustration of compass fluctuation so aside from her initial sticker shock, it went pretty well. So today she says why don't you take that one back (it's still in the box) and get a more expensive one (not a misprint), since that one is just for geocaching. Why don't you get one that we can use in the car as well, and does all that "turn right here" and calculates your arrival time, etc. So my question is: Is there a GPS that does double duty, as in works as a car navigation GPS and a decent paperless geocaching GPS? Or is there some app or add-on that I can use with the Oregon 200 that will serve the purpose(s). Please let me know your opinions on this matter. Thanks!!!

Thanks for the advice. Doies anyone else have any thoughts on the Oregon 200 (w/ topo map) vs. 76CSx. Also does anyone out there use a Blackberry (w/ GeoCache Nav...) for caching. It seems to do everything I need it to, but I'm still just getting into it. Thanks!!

So I'm very new to the GecCaching (like still in the first week) but the kids and I are having a blast and this is something we'll be able to do as a family for years. Currently I'm using a Blackberry 8330 with GeoCache Navigator software (still on the trail period). It works great although sometimes the GPS on the BB work work. Also the BB would not work in the USA (I'm a Canadian living in St. Catharines, ON, and it woouldn't work in Niagara Falls, NY) because of some internet access issues possibly? Anyways, I'm mulling over some options and trying to read up on GPS's. Option #1 - keep using the BB. We've had success despite its limitations. Option #2 - Garmin Oregon 200 with TOPO Canada Software for $279.00 (Costco). Option #3 - Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx for $269.00 (Costco). Trying to sort through all the features and what's lacking on each is way beyond my current understanding level. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also if there is additional expenses once I buy a new one, please let me know. Thanks. http://www.costco.ca/Common/Search.aspx?wh...〈=en-CA