Fangamon

Oh brother! Yes I know this and I regret having ever asked this question. This forum is really a complete waste of time..

Interesting discussion there but simply for computability sake with regard to in-flight directions, a fractional input would be very welcome. I do notice that my Long/Lat is to 5 decimal places! Surely with all this stuff about single degree magnetic variation accuracy being quite enough.. go figure

ORLY! Giggle!

LOL, nothing has changed! That would be right for the 20th century but with usability specialists abound any issue with a product these days goes directly to poor design every time. I am reminded of an old saying "You can't polish a turd."

Basically my same experience also but with some hiccups. With so many Garmin models out there and now with paperless geocaching. Perhaps they might look towards including a paperless help menu system..

Well that's good then! My older 62 hasn't missed a beat yet my previous 2013 Etrex30 v3.4 had to go back twice for service. On the 3rd time I got it swapped out for an Etrex 20. I'm quite happy with the 20 as a backup with it's internal maps but it still goes into the backpack while the Etrex H, Suunto compass and a Hema map are on hand. Call me old fashioned but for me it's still the process that counts..

It should show the internal thermometer to an accuracy of 1°C. It's used for compensation of temperature drift of clock crystal. Why do you need to know that information? What do you gain by knowing that value? It's not like it's going to tell you the ambient air temperature because it'll be skewed by the circuit board's temperature. Do you just want to know it because you feel like it, or is there some legitimate use for it? ..legitimate use, why do you ask? Question still stands, does anyone actually know the answer about blanked out (--) temp reading on Etrex 20 service menu? .

It should show the internal thermometer to an accuracy of 1°C. It's used for compensation of temperature drift of clock crystal.

Whatever..

I should have mentioned that I use the Etrex 20 as a 3rd back up flight compass. Here is the WMM calc I use to prepare a flight plan. http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag-web/#declination I would prefer to have the option for DDD-MM-SS instead of just DDD.

Same here..

Say no more! Yes, I got that brand, model and got the 16 GB size they recommended and it works fine.

I didn't know the Etrex 30 was also called the Montana/Monterra units!

Ok, so explain why there is any need to input the magnetic variation into an Etrex 20? What does it do and what result does it give? There are these settings here.. .. why

In short, NO Garmin's firmware is just too buggy to warrant the extra expense! If their units were reliable and worked flawlessly then I would say YES YES YES but alas you would be dreaming... Don't waste your time and trying to figure out why they don't work properly, it's the firmware! Stick with the simpler ones and buy a Suunto hand compass to go with it. Saves you a lot of time and worry, trust me I know! https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?30468-etrex-30-compass-issue https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?25918-Lost-tracks-on-eTrex-30 https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?36205-Etrex-30-huge-problem-with-the-compass-(FW-3-00) https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?33266-Garmin-Etrex-30-Total-Ascent-Wrong-after-upgrading-to-firmware-2-80

I'm assuming here that the unit is just a radio receiver/decoder and that the real accuracy is determined by the satellite atomic clocks and separate externally reported measurements of the geomagnetic variation. If I need that 0.5 degree accuracy for an immediate measurement why can't I be allowed that function as the space weather reports' are at twelve decimal places not zero. I'm talking about altering that one decimal point number on a weekly basis, not annually! What are you talking about? What does declination have to do with GPS position? The accuracy of magnetic north (for a GPS with a compass) is completely dominated by the accuracy of the magnetometer. It has nothing to do with the GPS satellites. The accuracy of declination is dominated by local magnetic effects, and (once again) has nothing to do with GPS or satellites. WAIT, you have missed the point here! Declination is the angular deviation value reading of a compass needle from the true north GPS reading. http://magnetic-declination.com/what-is-magnetic-declination.php'>http://magnetic-declination.com/what-is-magnetic-declination.php Ok, then explain to me how my Etrex 20 calculates magnetic north without an internal compass then? It CAN'T, it does it by inputting a magnetic variation value and then comparing it to it's own internal GPS true north value... I'm assuming that because Etrex 20 is totally reliant on calculating the angular deviation of a compass needle from true north (Satellite reading) from an input from an external magnetometer reading, then a multi decimal point declination input would give better results! The accuracy of declination calculated on the Etrex 20 is totally dependent on the readings of an external magnetometer, then why not allow a multi decimal point input option. If magnetic variation increases by E 1' per annum then why are we limited to whole degree only inputs! ----------------------------------- Readings for Darwin Australia http://magnetic-declination.com/ Latitude: 12° 34' 33.6" S Longitude: 130° 54' 47.1" E Magnetic declination: 3° 11' EAST Declination is POSITIVE Inclination: -39° 49' Magnetic field strength: 46239.9 nT Why is something so simple, so hard with Garmin gear!

The GUI on Garmins is so awful anything will easily beat them if the noobs incorporate good usability!

All GPS's read a temperature value, even my Etrex H and Nuvi 50 has it in their service menu's! But the Trex 20 has it blanked out, why? This has nothing to do with Ant and the new TEMP option on the 30!

Etrex 20 temperature reading. Anyone know how to access it? Service menu does not even display it!

I'm assuming here that the unit is just a radio receiver/decoder and that the real accuracy is determined by the satellite atomic clocks and separate externally reported measurements of the geomagnetic variation. If I need that 0.5 degree accuracy for an immediate measurement why can't I be allowed that function as the space weather reports' are at twelve decimal places not zero. I'm talking about altering that one decimal point number on a weekly basis, not annually! I ain't rocket science fellas, it's a subroutine..

It takes about ~20 seconds for a decision to be made about hand-held equipment to be used on a flight deck! Garmin Etrex 30 was immediately swapped out for an Etrex 20 after that initial 20 seconds. For recreational geocaching I use one of these with my Etrex 20. http://www.suunto.com/Products/Compasses/Suunto-M-9/ The accuracy at rest is just as good and there is no issues with buggy firmware!

Yes you're right, Garmin has refused to 'recognise' a firmware issue! Let's think, ah yes 'of course' every other global manufacturer of 32 GB SD cards besides the one Garmin used to write it's firmware with got it wrong and Garmin is right to dismiss the user for their obvious stupidity in choosing amongst the 100's of SD card brands that brand that does not work on a Garmin!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a firmware issue. .

Here, from the horses mouth! https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?55192-etrex-30-32GB-sd-card-issue "Thank you for contacting Garmin International. I am happy to assist you with this today. I sorry to hear that the 32GB Micro SD card(s) aren't working properly in your device. The only 32GB Micro SD card we have tested to see if it will work is the SanDisk 32GB Micro SD HC card. We can't speak for every card made by every manufacturer but that is the only one we know works for sure. We usually don't advise to use a card that large though. For most people a 4GB-16GB will work for almost everything. Sorry for any problems that this may have caused. With Best Regards, David 6310 Customer Care - Outdoor Team"

Glad to hear it does as Garmin suggest using nothing larger than 32 GB. 32Gb size is not guaranteed to work and Garmin has recognised this as a firmware issue yet to be fixed!

Still, I would like to be given the choice on that option, instead I'm denied it!