LifeOnEdge!

A couple things here, as well as my response to almost all above. Prime time? Does that mean like 7:00 or 11:00? The unit is certainly worth whatever money you shell out for it. I would rather see you buy the unit from REI and get a no-quible guaranty on it. You don't like how it feels in your hand? They'll take it back (so I am lead to believe.) There are too many reports on here of units acting funky, but I personally believe that 60% of those reports are operator error and general misunderstanding about GPS functionality. www.gpsnow.com (not a plug) has the units and has a reasonable price on it. If its defective (really defective), you will be able to get a replacement. Not sure how they work that since I've never had that problem. If you're waiting for walmart.com to offer one that everyone can afford ... I would rather see you support other vendors for that unit. Now if you want to buy a GPSmap 60CSx from them, knock yer socks off! Battery life is still a minor issue. There are others who will kick and scream at that statement. I do know that Garmin is still working on battery issues, but the meter does now function correctly. If you don't get your AA batteries free and you've not experienced NiMH rechargeables, you really need to stop throwing money away by buying alkalines. IMVHO I would personally like to see better ways of getting back to the compass screen from the cache description, cache logs, and cache hint ... and visa versa. That may not have been brought up (I'm done reading the "lets trash the Colorado" threads. But that is an issue that I will be bringing up with Garmin myself. My dog would like to see a laser pointer attached to the Colorado. Other than that, she loves the unit.

A real pain, I know! Especially on multi's when you're entering them in the field (literally). I have gotten into the habit of manually entered points get a - (minus sign) in front of them and then when I do a search I switch to "by name" and they're at the top of the sort list because if they're not the closest then you have to scroll to find the name you just entered (as well as remember the name you just entered). (At least on the 60CSX that I use) a quick way to find the waypoint that you just entered is to use the Recent Finds option. You'll find the new waypoint at the top of the list and you can immediately use the Goto option. Find - Find is the shortcut for recent caches. Am I the only person out there haven't discovered this? Two quick presses of the FIND button brings up recent waypoints, including waypoints just created.

Carignan, have you called Garmin and talked to them about this? I am guessing that you probably need this: Garmin Customer Support - 800.800.1020 Ask them about the current time display and when this is valid. My GPS (Colorado 400t) purchased on January 23, 2008 with the 2.40 version software has never had a clock problem. I don't see that this is universally either hardware or software issues. You either have a defective unit OR you're expectations are based on misinformation. As I demonstrated, my GPSmap 60 CSx, when tested with the faulty test suggested in this thread, it too appears to have a "clock problem." It does not. It functions perfectly. You are having a problem with your unit, but have you called Garmin? Have you returned it? Have you tested other units at your local distributors? You have three positions to take here and you're choosing to do C) sit and wonder. I'll leave you with a poem and give you bonus points if you know (not look up) who wrote it: I wonder why. I wonder why. I wonder why. I wonder. I wonder why I wonder why. I wonder why I wonder. - Pat

Dude, you're NOT READING what I write. See all my posts. I didn't say that the GPS doesn't have clock features. By its VERY NATURE the unit has to know exactly what time it is to function. What I said was: The unit is not a clock. It is not. Did you buy yourself a $600 clock that has GPS features? No. You bought a GPS unit. You're being SILLY. If your unit doesn't work properly, TAKE IT BACK. But then don't try to tell me that every single GPS in the world that functions like this isn't working. This just isn't how the GPS functions. USER ERROR!

Okay. Here's a follow-up on your "clock issues." I'm sitting here shaking my head about all this and decided to try the little power-on test myself, just to see what the unit does. (I realize this isn't a valid test, but want to do it anyway.) I reach down and instead of seeing the Colorado 400t, I see my GPSmap 60 CSx. I power on with the antenna tightly covered by my hand: 6:59:52 pm 24-SEP-05 There we have it! My fully-functioning, tried and true GPS unit that I've had for 2 years now HAS AN INTERNAL CLOCK PROBLEM!!! Drama ... Drumbroll ensues (intentional typo there for effect!) Guys, as I have said and as you already know from understanding how a GPS unit works, there is no problem here. This is how a GPS works. Display of current time on start-up may be incorrect until an adequate satellite lock is achieved. Oh. I almost forgot! Current time displayed by the unit: 12:03:48 21-FEB-08

I had the same problem when I got my 300 in January. It was almost impossible to slide the back off the device. That was easily resolved by getting some silicon grease and lightly putting the grease on both the case and removable back where they both touched. In addition, I put some silicon grease on the o-rings that protect for water intrusion. It's all good. Silicon greese on the O-rings I can see, but not on the case. Do you WANT the case to slide off easily? I DO NOT. That's part of the argument about the waterproof nature of this design. If that back doesn't seat properly, the seals will also not seat properly. If the case is too prone to movement it could back away from the unit and unseat the seals. I won't be putting grease on the case to make my cover more easily removed.

This post alone backs up what I was getting at: Your supposed clock issues really aren't issues. Its the unit displaying the time BEFORE it updates the time ... and again "Who cares?" This is like saying that the second horse to cross the finish line actually won because you happened to write down its time first. What matters here is the functionality of the unit itself, not what it happens to read at the exact moment of power-up. For you guys with issues: What does the unit display for the current time on other screens? I display the current time on a couple different screeen so I know what time it is while I'm searching for/found a cache. If this time is correct while you are using the unit, and it will be if you have a satellite lock, there is no issue. If, on the other hand, your unit fails repeatedly to achieve a satellite lock, you definitely have a problem. An incorrect current time is one symptom of this very problem. - Pat

I'm a little confused by all this. Here's why: Your GPS unit functions by communicating with multiple satellites and in doing so KNOWS the exact time. If your unit properly fuctions with the alarm feature and properly displays the time after a satellite lock has been established, everything is in order. You guys repeatedly ask what time shows at startup, and I feel this is not a valid question. Here's why: Let's say (and we know this) that there are two groups of Colorado users: Those whose clock reads current time on startup and those whose clock does not read current time on startup. Let's say that there are also two groups of Colorado users: Those whose units start up in 19 seconds (I'm in this group) and those whose units start up in 17.5 seconds (no data here -- just illustrating a point.) At 18.8 seconds these units establish their first read of satellite data and reset their clocks with the correct time. REMEMBER that our GPS units are always seeking the proper time +/- some very small time increment. So, the units that haven't yet comfirmed the time are starting up sooner than those that have, and functioning better than other units (which incidentally read the correct time.) Another possibility is that this displayed time is one of the last things the GPS unit changes on power-up. In a similar way, some units may be powering up faster than others and displaying a non-updated display time (having nothing to do with the time the unit thinks it is.) The whole point: Unless your alarm isn't functioning properly (this is the only relative time feature of this unit), what matters is what time the unit displays AFTER a satellite lock has been established, and not before. Your unit is not a clock, but ironically, its entire purpose for being forms around knowing the EXACT time. Since this is critical for the GPS to function at all, much less accurately, the unit knows and will indicate if this basic function/need is not met. Back to what Marky has said numerous times before: If the unit fails the alarm test, take the unit back. I will add: If after a satellite lock the unit fails to either function at all or fails to display the appropriate time, take the unit back.

It should be configurable (or retain the orientation that you have set). I would not want it to default to track up - I always cache North Up and use Track Up only for driving... so preferences differ... This is one of the profile definable attributes. You select which one you want: Setup > Map > Orientation > North Up / Track Up / Automotive Mode

Two comments on this one: I was actually immediately notified of the revision. I just happened to be on the phone with Garmin when my support person was handed a note, telling him that the revision was available on the web page. It was so recent that I had trouble finding it. Customer Support and I walked through their web page together. It appeared in house while it didn't appear for me. I assume they have an internal server that saw this change before the server that takes the page out to the Internet. I don't see what you want. You have access to the Internet and their web site like we all do. You have WebUpdater that you can run and see if there is a new revision (which now works, by the way.) You are also aware of the revision, are you not? You just mentioned it. I posted the revision as soon as I found it was available (on the appropriate page -- which few of you seemingly read.) Not sure what else is reasonable. I could call you if you wish, after I become aware of it. As for the mint on your pillow ... I am pretty sure that Garmin will stick to a two week schedule from here out (and not indefinitely). Mark March 4 on your calendar and check here about 4:00 pm Central Time. - Pat

Loggin the cache as "Did not find" will mark the cache as found on the Colorado If you look at the map, the symbol will change to an "open treasure chest"... Well, they used the "open treasure chest" to indicate that you were there, so don't try to go there again. They didn't have another appropriate icon to use for DNF. I agree, not the best thing, but completely functional for my use. --Marky I agree whole-heartedly and would like to add: When you select "Did not find" for a given cache MARKS the cache as UNFOUND, not found. This is not easily checked, but should indicate this condition upon logging online. I know. I know. That's not what you meant, but since we are discussing fixes and existing problems, this is not a problem. There may be some tweaks needed, but this isn't a error. Agreed? - Pat

Agreed! This would be a good usability update. Have either one of you contacted Garmin and stated your preferences about this? Just curious. I have Garmin Customer Support in my contacts on my cell phone. Maybe I'm "different."

I can only attempt to read your mind here, but I think you are saying that your pressure chart would look like this: ___________________________________________ That will not be the case if your clock is not working. It will be flat, but it will be a Vertically flat line, not horizontal. I'd be interested in having you look and report back what you are seeing. - Pat

I have a single red bar right now, after being continuously on for 12+ hours. The backlight will NOT come on. I'm not sure what would happen with a single green bar . . . already passed that point. I had my backlight limiting turned on, but had a drained set of batteries. I put those back into the unit, turned it on, saw the half red bar for the battery level, turned off my backlight limiting and I am not able to get any backlighting when I crank it up. It looks like the new feature does not work. I will say, however that these batteries were just on the brink of of complete drain. The unit powered down while I was typing my response above. So there may still be a limit where lighting is turned off. ____________________________________ Yesterday afternoon, I spoke with Bob in Garmin Customer Support who told me that there were still battery issues that they were working on. He also told me that he had just been passed a note indicating that yesterday's release was ready. Which came first I do not know, but feel that they are still tweaking both things. He also urged me to use the Contact Us feature and make suggests for things that I felt needed to be added or corrected.

I could be way off base with this one, but I don't think that you've allowed your unit to initially bake. If the almanac was complete and current, satellite acquistion would be much more efficient than this. While searching for satellites, did you think of choosing a new location? Once this is done, locking on is considerably easier. Not doing it on a new unit that has been sitting off, in a box, could cause acquisition to fail. This seems to be what's going on here.

I think they did a LOT of work in those 4 weeks (it really wasn't one month) and they should consider themselves doing a job well done. Thank you so much!

Rebate? After THIS UPDATE they could raise the price $75 and no one would flinch! LMAO (Garmin, I expect my cut!)

Make sure ... when you do ... you only pull out the thing that has a roller wheel on it. Nasty! So THIS is what's been going on with your units. Which REI did you get your units from?

OT: have you tried any of the picture to tracklog mapping utilities out there? They work amazingly well even if your camera clock and GPS clock are out of sync. I meant to suggest a feature like that to Jeremy for the site, where you could just upload a batch of photos and it would attach them to the nearest cache log. --Marky I have not and was not aware of such things. A similar idea: What about cache associated waypoints, available on the cache page itself, that downloads not only the waypoint, but their related pictures onto your GPS and are available in the field? Think about that. Pulling up a cache to find and then having the ability to go to and view pictures taken at these nearby points or points along a route. Since victorymike is logging, think about what Mike could do during one of his caching days of taking pictures along the two-track/trail, at the cache, and back. Or following someone else's trek and adding to that information. I think we're onto something.

Mike, this will get you what you need: http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3891 Also, I was happy to see that both you and your mother had a great time this summer in the U.P. I *just* missed you this year. - Pat

First you said: Then you said the following: I hate to be critical, but I wasn't able to download my file without the updater. When your unit "can only be updated through webupdater," that sounds like a "need" to me! First WebUpdater didn't appear to work. Now it seems to work very well. I think we can start the clocks and keep Garmin true to their promise of releasing updates every two weeks. I wonder what jewels will be forthcoming on March 4?

You should live here in Central Texas! I even created a cache that pokes fun at Copy & Paste cache logs, for that very reason. My control has become lax of late, but I was demanding that the finder post a copy and paste of the original log found on this cache (that was the FTF prize, by the way) along with any comments of their own. I really wish I now had the GPS link to my digital camera so I could know with certainty which cache I was at when I snapped a picture.

If you would look at the appropriate thread regarding the updates, as well as my post above (actually -- no, I deleted that), you will find the appropriate link. Also, you have have use Web Updater to get the download, so you might as well let it take you there. And yes, it IS on their website. The information is new and not all the servers have updated. Do what I wrote above and you will get the update. - Pat

All American people thinks that there are only one country in the world. This site is for all, not only US This has NOTHING to do with any of that. I was commenting on your ability to express yourself in English. I didn't assume that you were new. I was making a crack. Similar to what I might have typed, had I thought you would have understood: Would you like to buy a vowel?

oops! sorry. I see my mistake.