gelfling6

One thing I would suggest, is getting EasyGPS as a starter. Other things to make sure of: Proper driver for the GPS unit (since this is the eTrex H, we're talking a driver for the USB <--> RS-232c, see another thread I just replied to, for Win-7/Vista drivers for older Prolific chipset cables, (Topic thread 281807)) EasyGPS has the GPS set as eTrex, and to the COM## port for the cable Download the GPX file to your computer, then use EasyGPS to load it.. then try sending the data to the GPS that way. I too have found the Garmin Communicator has stopped working all together. If you're using Mozilla Firefox, they seem to have become Javascript Paranoid lately. A lot of Flash plug-ins that posed no threat before, are totally forbidden now.

Don't laugh until you've tried it.. I point everyone to this whenever they run into a problem with incompatible Prolific USB<-->RS-232c drivers.. http://www.parallax.com/tabid/530/Default.aspx This installs drivers for both the more recent FTDI USB<->RS-232 driver, as well as a Windows-Vista/7 driver for the Prolific version. (even though it was intended for Parallax's old adapter cable for their micro-controller line.) I've used it on 3 laptops, one had 32-Bit VISTA, and the last 2, 64-bit Win-7. Everyone seems to be going to the FTDI chip, because of some quirk with the Prolific chip. (still unclear why. Cheaper to make?) This driver has worked with ALL adapter cables I have, (I/O Gear, Belkin, Dynex (Best-Buy), Innovation-First,) which use the Prolific chip. The FTDI chip made it's presence known when the Arduino controller board made its debut as a USB device, but the ATMEL MCU chip still needed conversion from USB to Serial data. Sometimes, being a geek has its rewards.

I used to use the GSAK macro for the Nuvi myself, and noticed a new quirk.... POILoader will not process the sound file.. Why? the sound file from the macro, is still in .WAV format, which the latest POI loader will not process.. it has to be in .MP3 format. (I already converted the file, using the software I use to convert my CD's to .MP3, for use on my MP3 Player, and placed it in the appropriate folder. (and deleted the .WAV file) It still has its quirks, but it will work. I did, however, change the sound.. the metallic bell *DING* was getting annoying, so I changed it to the 'Whammy' sound Windows uses for when it syncs with a pocket-PC via IR.)

... or the simple way to navigate the menus of other or older magellan GPSr's. I too, find the hard to navigate menus of the GC a bit of an annoyance. submenu after submenu after submenu to get to something you used to simply go to one menu, press another key and you were there. They should give a 5/5 terr/diff rating to locating functions on some of these devices!

One side note, and it's kind of ironic.. A sarcastic version, If you're wondering why the Explorist-GC is so slow, You need only look at the side of the battery compartment, inside.. Yep.. Windows-CE. there you have it. The Explorist-GC is basically running a 'pocket-PC' version of Windows, and for those who've used Windows, it tends to hang-up when it gets called too heavily upon. (what some used to refer to as the memory lag. On older PC's, it used to even cause the machine to access the floppy drive, even if there wasn't a disk in the drive, yet, some found it would actually clear faster if just a empty (formatted) disk was there to read.) For those who haven't caught another thread on here.. If you think the GC is water-proof, Guess again!

You're not alone. As a stumbling point, Magellan units have always been terrible on backlighting, and because of such, are battery hungry. I had the same problem with a Explorist 500NA. unless you kept activating the backlighting, you couldn't see the screen, and every time you did, the battery life would drop drastically. Te small font on the most magellans is also a bother. I'm 48, and my close vision has been going downhill, requiring a set of reading glasses to just be able to read the GPS. (which, makes it clumsy walking a trail, needing to pull on the glasses, read the GPS, take the glasses off, to be able to see the trail again.)

I'm surprised Nude Cacher hasn't chimed in on this thread. (ducks, runs, Grins!)

I've done a few caches sans-GPS, mainly because I've known the area. Other times, I'll use the car GPS to get me in as close as possible, then hike off on the trail, knowing where to look. I think I've logged 5 urban & semi-urban caches, and 2 in-woods this way. It's possible, just a little impractical if you're trying to find a cache that is well off the path. Remember, most of our GPSr's are accurate within 8-30 feet, so even the google-maps pointed will be off by that much, since the location was logged with a handheld. And, sometimes, even the encrypted hints will have nothing to do with the location.

As a few geocachers here in Connecticut will tell you, the Bomb Squad will come running anyways. we're still a "Unknown Item" in their books. [a] it's out of the ordinary , It has something to do with the military, so it's dangerous , [c] We need to justify the purchase of the million-dollar bomb disposal robot other than leave it gathering cob-webs in storage. Though, A lot of people just put the box as-is, clear out in the middle of the woods, and as long as it's well off the beaten paths (20-30 feet), will leave it alone. Stephen (gelfling6)

Well, from one Explorist-GC owner to the other new owners, Welcome! The Pocket Queries are pretty awsome, especially when you can pack up to 1000 in a group. One suggestion, to find a LARGE group, is pick ANY cache from your area, then click on the Geocaching Maps link on the left side, 1/2 way down the page. Then, Zoom-Out a few times, til you see a LOT of caches around the map. I still haven't figured how to do it with the new maps, But on the new map page, in the upper-right, there is a link to jump back to the Older version maps. (on Google). then, begin zooming out again. Once the count grows to beyond 500, It'll stop showing them. But, Don't panic! You can zoom out one more time, again, still no caches will show (too many!) but you'll notice on the right side, there is a [Create Pocket Query] link. Simple steps.. click the day for the query to run (usually Today's day of the week.) below it, I usually tag the [Run Once and Delete], and in the number of caches (default is 500), delete the 5 and put 10 (changing it to 1000) Now, scroll all the way down almost to the bottom, Don't change anything else in between! click on [submit Query]. It'll go to a page, showing the query submitted, time, etc.. Note, it'll say [not run] on the far-right. Wait a few minutes (go grab a soda or cup of coffee from the kitchen.), then refresh the page. Now, it'll have a run date & time where it said not run.. and a red line through the [New Query] name. This means the query was run, then deleted. Don't Panic! Note the tabs above, the Queries Run now has a [1]. click on that tab. it'll list the queries available for Download. Simply click on it, and download the .ZIP file. (handle-able by GSAK as-is, or PK/7-Zip to expand the file.) You can submit up to 5 queries per day. (yes, up to 5000 caches capable. Enough to pack the GC full!) Now, if you're on a shoestring budget, you simply do the following.... Unzip the file (usually a numeric name, with .zip ) it'll have two files, the caches, and the waypoints (child locations included with the cache, parking, trail-head, etc.) with .gpx extensions. Connect the Explorist to your computer, when it asks, select [Connect To PC], and press the center button. After a few seconds, the explorist will connect to your computer like a flash drive. access the drive now created (named Compass). You'll notice a bunch of file folders.. the two we're concerned with are [geocaches] and [waypoints]. Simply access the Geocaches folder, and copy the non-Waypoint .GPX file to it. back out to the main folder of Compass, and access the Waypoints folder, and copy the Waypoint .gpx to this folder. Close the [Compass] folder, and safely disconnect Compass (simplest, go to the Computer folder (on a PC) right-click the Compass drive, and select [Eject] ) when it's done disconnect the Explorist from the computer, and wait a few minutes. this gives the Explorist a chance to check the validity of the newly added files. (kinda like Windows forcing a CHKDSK), then.. the main menu will pop-up, with the Geocaches item expanded at the bottom. Click the center button, and there they are! Back on the main menu, push the button left til it expands the Flag (Waypoints) and click it, will show the child waypoints of the caches. . Now, the moment of truth, take the Explorist outside, and Go find those caches!

I usually push one side of the cover in 1st.. the side towards the back of the device.. This way, it seats in correctly.. Though, I've already ripped the end tab off.. It's just not made solid.. I imagine the reset button hole (right next to the USB port) is also not waterproof. I'm also pretty sure the speaer ports (the 3 holes through the back cover, and to the upper-left of the battery compartment) are either. the beeps from mine are clear as day, so that leads me to believe they're straight through the case, with no seal what so ever. I've always had a lanyard on mine since the day I got it. Worse that's happened, is dropping it on the pavement, but it survived, save for a few scratches to the rubber, but never dropped it in any water (yet, and not that I'm planning on it.) The face could use a little Rain-X lie application to shed water, instead of beading up on the display.

As I mentioned in another forum post, If you lose signal to the cellular provier, or worse, run out of minutes (or, your provider decides to throttle back on your access.) a handheld GPS will usually (with the exception of the eTrex classic, and the H ) will always have a map stored in the device. Which is why I use my NuVI for navigation on the road, my Cell phone to keep in contact, and my handheld GPS (a Magellan Explorist-GC) for geocaching.

I've done similar, and gotten files from gpsfiledepot, and openstreetmaps.. I have a multi-layer map sitting in my NuVI and my Legend-HCx, which has the topo 2008, abycus-USA 2.1 (patch added to 2.0) and several trail maps, layered with the mapsend software that came with topo-2008. It has several trail maps included as a transparent layer, to mark-out trails that have already been mapped, and their proximity to caches. Makes for better trail following, than getting whacked by branches bushwhacking my way to the cache. (though, the occasional bushwhack is still called for.. Hey, Fun is Fun! ) What's more fun, is it's cross-compatible to the NuVI 1300, where I can overlay it to the US-Map.

It's the long way, but I imagine I'd have to do the same with my GC (which is, essentially, the same model class.) I'm also finding, with my GC, Some things I can force to the data, some things, seem to be save in an internal RAM, and completely ignore the content of the flash-RAM accessed when you connect the device to a computer.

The GC may be good for geocaching, but it's terrible for directions. If you're looking for a GPS that can do both, there are some car GPS's that'll also do pedestrian mode, but the accuracy, and battery life are pretty low. Somewhere in the forum, someone asked if their Smart-Phone has spoiled them, my answer is YES! Once your contract or minutes (if you didn't get the unlimited minutes) run out, You're sunk! the app requires link access to obtain maps, which aren't stored in the device (unlike most hand-held dedicated GPS's, short of the old eTrex Classic.).. Forget to pay your bill, and *BLINK!* nothing.. Which is why my cell phone is used just for communications, My NuVI is for driving, and my Explorist-GC is for geocaching!

might I suggest a simple program, like Easy-GPS, which runs on your PC, which allows you to transfer to the GPS. (either GPX or LOC file format.) As other's have said, the device is not a smart-phone type device, but a dedicated GPS receiver with a display to show where/how far/direction. Drawback with Easy-GPS, is no maps on it itself. Just a bank white screen, with the waypoints (caches, parking, etc.) which will allow you to pick/choose which caches to send. Then, it's as easy as sending them to the device. I used to tinker with it myself, before going all-out, premium membership here on GC.COM, then registering GSAK (Geocaching Swiss-Army Knife), which handles the GPX files like a database program. Hope this helps! Stephen (gelfling6)

I'm also wondering about the USB-Serial cable.. 1st of all, what version of Windows are you running? Windows Vista, and up (and I imagine the 64-Bit version of XP) do not use the standard 32-bit Prolific chip driver. You'll have to search for the 64-bit driver. I ran into this when I tried feeding my old serial equipment (Robots, GPS's, other devices) to Vista (and later Win-7) .. Ironic, there is a universal driver set-up for the parallax Basic Stamp MCU, which uses standard serial (yes, even their USB version of the B-O-E has a prolific chip on it.) I've had this driver work with the following: Dynex USB - RS-232C (sold by Best Buy) VEX Robotics USB to Serial cable (sold with VEX Robotics System Programming kit) IO-Gear USB to RS-232C (was wold by Office Max, Office Depot, Circuit City) Staples USB to RS-232C adaptor Belkin USB to RS-232C cable (model F5U409v1) look-up support at www.parallax.com , and find the driver install there.

If you're talking about the compass jumping all over the place, Sorry to say, that's normal. Since the GC doesn't have an internal compass, it's reacting to the slight movement and re-computing of the coordinates, so the arrow will jump all over, because it has not electronic compass to lock in on magnetic north. I recently upgraded my firmware as well, and was hoping it would be corrected, but.... no such luck. I am noticing, a lag between commands, and sometimes it'll stop for a few seconds, then jump to where I am. Yet again, a problem with the unit itself.. god-forgive us.. A version of Windows-CE runs the core of the unit. (which explains a lot!)

I had someone similar to KBLAST's story, where I hid one on the crossing control box of a long since gone railroad, where the railbed has been turned into a walking trail. The trail passed a set of houses close by on a nearby road. Naturally, once I got the coordinates straightened out (1st time, it got posted a mile too far north, 2nd time it got posted 13 miles too far south!) the house nearest the site, had a dog, and sure enough the people were expecting it to be on the fence towards the house. (can you see where this is going?) Obviously, the dog was seeing people scouring the fence, and barking up a storm. Naturally, the home owner got curious to what was going on. and went to check it out. At least 1 cacher explained what they were looking for. The home owner wanted some more info, so I dropped by, with one of the GC.COM pamphlets. up until 3 weeks later, the home owner new what was going on, whenever the dog began flipping out. then, I went to check on the cache, and someone had muggled it out of existence. (site still there, cache, GONE!) It was based on a container someone else had on a loop trail a few miles away, a clipped-down ziplock bag, covered in duct-tape, with two magnets, stuck to the back-outside of the control box.

Sorry to say, Anything made by Sterilite (usually found at WalMart, Target, etc..) get my vote for bad choice. The plastic seems over-heated and not cold-weather friendly. I've found, and sorry to say, tagged for maintenance required, many a sterilite box The ones with the roll-over locks on the lids, are the worse! the lock tabs are hinged by holes through the lid, making it leak.. I've also found many cracked and broken just by weathering. It's usually a harder plastic than most, which makes for the brittle breakage. I wish there was still a local dealer for Lock-n-Lock, Walmart seems to have given them up for Sterilite, Not sure who makes the ones Ocean-State Job-Lot gets theirs from, but the recent blue-sealed ones, I'm finding are pretty brittle too. (and if I'm not mistaken, The Official containers sold in the GC store, are clones of the green-sealed version, which are a lot more flexible plastic.) I just finished making a simple robot with one of the blue-sealed containers, and the main part has a lot of cracks where I tried cutting holes for motors, so I'd avoid those. Stephen (gelfling6)

not entirely sure.. It might be better to merge the query files with a program like EasyGPS, or bring them into a standard database program like GSAK, before sending them to the GPS if you're worried. Less hassle. I've had multiple query files on my GC before, but both sets were far apart so I never saw if they repeated, or not. I think the delay between putting new data on the GC, and it finally starting-up is more of a file check before going further. (to prevent corrupt files from crashing the GPSr.) Worse case, just download the same GPX file twice for just one cache, and put both .gpx files into the Geocaches directory of the device, and see what happens.. It shouldn't hurt it at all. Just remember, the GC is limited to a total of 5000. I usually keep this under 4000, because it takes forever to process the new data.

I'd take a even wilder stab, at the point that it is not waterproof.. the cover for the USB socket itself, is fairly loose, and if you happen to not fit it back exactly, you're leaving the USB socket wide open, which is a fairly good route for water to enter into the device. I imagine the beeper holes through the case back and the case itself may not be entirely sealed to prevent water entry either.

I've been reading the thread(backwards) and have to say this is my favorite by far. got to love the humor value. Being a firefighter, all I can think of, is........... Only You...

I'd like to know too! I've seen the Dakota-20 at or over $300 still. (reference: Cabela's Bargain Cave ) And that's at pricing for discontinued items. There's also the Magellan Explorist-GC, which lists for $170 and down, as a basic all-in-one paperless GPSr for caching. Mind you, navigating the menus on it are a bit confusing, though. (I still haven't figured how to do most of the functions. I keep a PDF copy of the manual on my laptop to look-up what I haven't already figured out.) The newer versions of eTrex, like the eTrex 20 (Not the Dakota, Cabela's reference page) is right at $199.. (I still say the newer Garmins look like Magellan Explorist knock-offs!) Stephen (gelfling6)

I run the combo: GSAK, DeLorme Street Atlas USA, and an old Pocket-PC (Compaq iPaq 3970), and one of several GPSr's It's a bit kluged, but.... GSAK for the database handing Street Atlas for placing the cache locations onto a map I used to have an older version that worked with it, but the newer versions seem to forget the old hardware, I had an old version of Street Atlas that worked with the iPaq, I also had a Bluetooth GPS that would talk to it, so it worked as a portable map. Alas, all I use it for now, is field notes. (recorded audio or typed on the screen.) So-far, I've reduced it to the iPaq and a Magellan Explorist-GC, because of the joy-button typing of a field note kinda takes too long, so I'll leave a partial on the GC, then record or type a note on the iPaq, with the cache code as a tag. When I get home, I'll upload the field note file from the GC, then edit each log entry with the text file off the iPaq, from a SD memory card. Stephen (gelfling6)