EScout
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Posts posted by EScout
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After you mark a cache as found, go to the list of active caches and push the menu button. Then click "Show Found." Press the cursor button on the found cache you want. Then push the Menu button. Then push the cursor button on "Review Point" and it will give you the cache details.
The key with this rig is to push the Menu often to find the layers. You want a challenge? Try to find the "TrackBack" feature.......
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Even after reducing the track points down, he needs to split his 2,000 miles into the maximum 500 mile segments. ("Routes need to be under 500 miles and less than 500 points.")
Since 500 miles is a long segment, and may result in missing caches in the PQ (PQ limit of 500 is only 1 per mile in a 500 mile track), I recommend a more refined approach of tracing the parts of the track that will actually be useful.
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I was hoping that there was some way to do this with gpsbabel directly, but I couldn't really figure out a way.
I'm not sure how many points are in the file, but the trail is actually a little over 2000 miles (and probably averages a couple points per mile), so no matter what I have to break it down.
MapSource or EasyGPS aren't really options since I'm not running Windows.
I was going to recommend using GPS Visualizer. This on-line utility has a file conversion feature where you can have the track points reduced. However, after seeing what you have and want to accomplish (and the cache along a route limits of 500 miles and 500 track points) I would recommend the following:
Drag your KML file into Google Earth and you will see it. Use the Add > Path feature to create a new KML track for those portions of the trail you actually want to use. Just click points following the trail. You do not have to follow it exactly, because when you set up the PQ, you decide the distance on each side of the track to include caches, like a half mile or so. You can create multiple tracks,name them, and save them (right click on the Path name on the left side, then save-as.) Then use these to create your cache along a route PQs.
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The firmware you are asking about is a good improvement and adds nice features and is worth doing. However, make sure your serial number starts with 118 or 0118. If it is another number do not install 2.57. I understand that 2.03 is on serial number 118 units, so you should be OK. See the Yahoo Magellan eXplorist site for the files and firmware upgrade instructions for more details, especially the file "firmware.doc." (If your GPSr serial number starts with 133/0133 then use firmware 2.71)
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I own three GPS'rs with Digital triaxeial compasses and I have never found a need for the compass function. IMO it is a marketing tool for GPS companies. Now keep in mind the directional arrow and the compass are not the same. I think I hve found 2 or 3 caches that were puzzles that rerquired a compass to find the cache, but I use a base plate compass, easier to use and not batteries required.
For those of you that are into Ham Radio, it is like buying a hand held radio with 40 functions when you only need about 4. It is just marketing.
I agree.
The build in electronic function uses battery life, and you have to calibrate it or worry that it is not calibrated, and trust that the calibration is accurate, and you cannot sight with it like a regular compass. I always configure my GPSrs "compass" screen to show distance and direction to the waypoint/cache. When hiking and come to a fork, or terrain decision, look at the direction and set my compass and sight it, and make decision forward. Stopping and siting the compass takes a few seconds and gives time to consider next move. Plus, when in an unfamiliar area, you are taking out your real compass regularly and noting direction and taking bearings to landmarks.....
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My understanding is that you cannot charge batteries inside of the GC. If you use rechargeable batteries, you need to charge them in a charger before installing them in the GC. You can use the mini USB cable as a power source to run the GC, even without batteries installed. You can plug the USB cable into any USB socket in a USB power source, like a computer, AC wall wart, or car power (cig lighter socket.) All of these convert and provide 5V DC to the USB socket.
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Download the free program from Magellan: Vantage Point.
On the top menu bar, click on the Geocaching.com logo (four color square.) You will see several choices drop down. Choose: "Publish New Geocaches from my GPS."
The latest Vantage Point includes topo maps to see your waypoints, geocaches, routes and tracks. You can import and export these in several of the major file formats. You can get your PQs, and load the caches to your GC, including the cache images that some caches have.
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Have you tried using the Vantage Point program from Magellan?
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I do not believe that there is a "project a waypoint" feature with the v 2.6 FW.
There are two things you can try if you are in the field with your PN-40.
Go to the map page and scroll to a point, 528 feet (0.10 mile) and 280 degrees, then push the pin button on the bottom, and save the waypoint, then route/navigate to it.
The other is to set a waypoint where you are, route/navigate to it, and then travel toward 280 degrees. Look at your distance when it gets to 528 feet, and your bearing when it gets to 100 degrees (reciprocal bearing of 280+180-360=100)
Things to consider: know if you are using true or magnetic north reference (according to the cache instructions.) The bearing in the GPSr is in round degress, no fractions. These methods will get you close, but not as close as an actual calculated projecting of a waypoint. You can also use a map program or Google Earth to get the coordinates of the bearing and direction.
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Go to the icon of Tools (crossed tools) and press the center button. Use the center button as a cursor and highlight "Settings", and push center button. Highlight "GPS" and push. On the GPS box, if it says Off, push to show On. The Next box is "Set GPS Position" Push that and choose: Point on Map. Choose a point near you and push center button. Take outside and let it sit for a while. It will beep when position is acquired.
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Go to the Waypoint Manager and choose a waypoint. Then push Menu, and choose "Project Waypoint.". Before you do the projection, go to setup and choose magnetic or true, mils or degrees. You enter the bearing first, then the distance. You can then save this as new waypoint, name it, and goto it. So you need to convert your current position to a waypoint before you project from it. Or, save any POI to a waypoint if you want to project from it..
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Regarding the etrex 20, I agree that it is an excellent choice. I own one and would recommend one. However, I believe that the user support for Delorme is equal or better. Their GPSrs are full featured, and they have an excellent forum for support. Based on some recent topics here on problems receiving support for Garmin o-rings and parts, I believe Delorme support is better. I have owned a Delorme PN-30 for 2 years. When I had a problem with the cable, I got someone on the phone immediately and they sent me two for free.
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Google Earth does a good job of this. After you pull out your track log of the trip, (in GPX format, or convert it after) drop it into GE. You will see it listed on the left side of the GE screen. Right click on the name and choose profile.
Also, you should try GPS visualizer. It gives you some options to colorize your graph, save it in file format, etc. GPS Visualizer. It can add or correct elevation date in your tracks based on some map databases.
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Well I have done some Geocaching and loking to get into it more. So I have been looking at a few GPS handhelds. The Three that I waslooking at was the Magellan eXplorist CG, Magellan eXplorist 310 or the Garmin eTrex 20. I was just wondering what everyone thought on here to witch one most people liked.
Get the 310 over the GC. It has more features. You can find it for $140 and it includes street maps for the USA. The free Vantage Point software is an easy and good full featured geocaching program for someone new to GPS and geocaching.
The Etrex 20 is also an excellent choice. As mentioned, you can get good free mapping. Garmin provides the Base Camp software to manage things. It has been for sale in the range of $151 to $180.
Also consider the Delorme PN-30 or 40. These are also full featured paper-less GPSrs like the above. They come with full street/topo maps and a map/management program. Probably now in the $135 to 175 range. If you can go to $240, consider the new PN-60.
All of the above have paper-less geocaching. The Magellan has the best screen and the most geocache details, the etrex 20 has the GPS+Glonass receiver and best battery life, the PNs have the best maps included, and good button layout.
Determine your price range and try to get your hands on them. (There are some other different features that are preferences for more experienced users such as file formats, storage, track logging.)
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For an application like for GPS rings, I would not recommend any type of grease because it will attract dirt. This can hurt the ring and ability to keep out water. If you use anything, including silicone spray in a can, wipe excess off.
Use grease on o-rings that are in plumbing fixtures or on devices that are tightened down permanently.
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There is some mis-information and missing info in this topic about the Magellan Software: Vantage Point. Its free and I highly recommend it. It now has satellite maps. You can back up your waypoints, geocaches, route and tracks. It is easy to transfer these to a new Magellan unit. You can also export all of these in GPX or KML files. And you can import these from files in a number of different formats. It will check your GPSr for latest firmware and update if needed.
It connects to this site to show you all of your PQs and the date they were generated. You can then download them to the program. You can then apply a filter if you want for things like distance, difficulty, type, etc. You can then send to your GPSr, and it will give you the caches and the child waypoints. It also gives you the images that are on some cache listings. When you log your finds in the field, Vantage Point will take you through the process to upload your logs(field notes). If you created a new cache with your GPSr, it will recognize this and take you to the site to publish the cache.
It has some other neat features such as taking your track log and viewing on map, editing, convert to route, playing the track at various speeds.
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With REI, you join once for life. I joined in the mid 1970s for about $5. I buy certain things there, and have not bought any of my GPSrs there. When they have sales, there can be some great values, like the backpack I bought 2 years ago. I have three sets of Trekking poles from them. Several years ago, I brought in a set of trekking poles where the locks had worn out (after about 700 miles hiking on them.) I asked to buy the locks that would fit them, and the guy went in the back and installed new ones while I waited, for free.
As I am writing this, I see the previous post by Wrastro, and my experience is similar to his with the sales, and the quality of REI branded stuff.
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Go to this site, choose your state, county, and GPS sites. That way you will find the super accurate benchmarks that you can actually stand over. I avoid the CORS, airport, government facilities locations because you will not get close to them. Choose one with a designation listed as a number,as they are usually regular benchmarks in a public location.
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Yes, this happened to me. I believe that I disconnected the etrex, turned it on and off, plugged into USB and started Web Updater again and it worked. Try this and reboot computer if needed.
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If you use the Magellan Vantage Point software (free), it will access this site and show you a list of your PQs. You then choose which ones you want and download them. Another mouse click will send them to your GC. So, you do not have to have the PQ emailed to you. You will also get the waypoints that some caches have. Also, some caches have images and this is a good way to get all of the cache images.
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For $150 or less: The Magellan Explorist GC interfaces well with this site, has full cache info (paperless), and has street maps of USA installed. It is very basic with navigational features, so you can go to the higher end unit, the 310, on sale for $140, but it does not have detailed maps, pay extra for them. The Delorme PN-30 and PN-40 work well with this site and have full cache into, and come with maps. The Etrex 20 has been found for $151 on sale recently. Also full featured. No maps but plenty of free maps available.
You do not need an electronic compass. I purposely choose units without it. This is because you have to always calibrate it, it uses battery power,it is not accurate and you cannot sight with it as you can a regular compass (which you should have if you are hiking, biking, etc.)
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I do not know why it does this. For example, I have 300 caches loaded. In the upper right, it shows 1/60 and 300 under that. As you scroll down, every 5 caches, it goes to a new number on top: 2/60 over 300, 3/60 over 300 and so on. All the caches show, and you can scroll through them all. If you push Zoom-, it will take you to the bottom, #300, in my case.
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I created a folder named Garmin on the microSD and put the file from OSM there and it worked. I wanted to use the SD card as a prevention/easy-fix, in case the file was corrupted. The other advantage is that copying the file to the SD while it is in your computer is much faster than the transfer to the internal memory of the Etrex.
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Perhaps there should be another topic for the Etrex 20. I just got one last week and put it through some tests. One was to check the track logging, on a 3 mile course where I have recorded many track logs over the years, taken with 6 other hand held GPSrs. The track log on Google Earth looks decent, better than some (GPS and Glonass and WAAS.) I like the way it saves and accesses the track logs in GPX format.
I also took it to one of the NGS super-accurate benchmarks. This is in a very open location, and I have also tested many of my other GPSrs there. With 10 GPS, and 8 Glonass visible and received, I tried combinations with both, only GPS, and WAAS on and off. There was no observable difference between them. Standing over a point near the benchmark, where I calculated the rounded coordinates, it was showing 4 to 7 feet away. The "accuracy" was showing 7 to 10 feet.
I went to a geocache in a heavily treed area that is a challenge. It settled decently and took me right to it.
I also checked the reported elevation in some open spots. It was very accurate compared to another GPS I carried which had a TOPO. Also, the benchmark. It was was often 5 to 10 feet within the other sources, always within 25 feet. This is very good and comparable to some other GPSrs that work well.
The above is after updating the firmware from 2.20 to 2.40. I can recommend this unit as a good value (I paid US$151 total delivered to my house, Cyber Monday deal.)
eTrex Legend "click stick" won't move right
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
Start moving the "click stick" in all directions, in circles, clockwise, and then counter. Push it in several times then start moving it in circles again. Take a minute to do this before turning it on. That will get my old Legend working again. It always has. I do not use it much, so it sits and I have to do this after a few months of non-use. I just tried it and it would only move in two directions, and then after moving it around, it moves in all directions. Not a guaranteed fix, but worth a try.