Help Navigating

[+BAAD4Jesus]

My family and me are new to this game. a few days ago I got my GPS. I studied it and am still a little confused. The unit is a Garmin eTrex Legend.

 

OK first I started by hiding something in my back yard,and marked it as a way point, then gave the GPS to my 10 year old and we started in the front yard. I used the Navigate page to point to the cache however it seemed to point in off course.and there seemed to be no indicator that we where close to the object.

 

what am I doing wrong, should I be useing another page to point to the cache, is there an indicator that I am not turning on? how do you know when you are close to the object?

when we can graduate from the back yard find we will go for the big stuff.

 

thank you for your help.

[+Night Stalker]

i am not sure which page is you are referring to, but the page I use when looking for the cache is the compass page. Before you can use this page though you need to press the find button (not sure if that is what it is called on your gps.) then select the waypoint you want to go to. If you don't don this then when you are walking the compass actually will act like a compass instead of pointing to the waypoint.

[+BAAD4Jesus]

Ok

I think I know what my problem is ( at least as it pertains to this ). I do not have a clear enough understanding of the data fields on the Navigation screen.

 

when tracking a waypoint which screen do most of you use?

 

thanks for your time.

 

I am the B in the BAAD.

 

[+Olar]

I use the compass screen almost exclusively with the data fields set to read bearing, heading, distance to cache and EPE. I will toggle to the map screen whenever I want to reference my location vs cache location especially for details like what side of the river do I need to be on.

 

Cheers, Olar

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

I generally use the compass page, although I've also customized the trip computer page to show the pointer, distance to destination, and GPS Accuracy so I can use it as well.

If I can't locate the cache after walking in I'll back off a good ways and walk past the cache on different sides, watching to see when I'm straight out from it, then triangulate it's position from there, that works pretty well for me.

[+Beffums]

First, be aware that the Etrex Legend, as well as several other Garmin GPSrs, do NOT have an electronic compass but rather relies on the unit being in motion to derrive direction from the GPS satellites. Essentially, it averages several way points continuously to determine the direction your moving. More simply, try to walk in straight lines to navigate with your GPSr. Don't blindy chase the arrow on the navigation screen or you'll likely just take a path reminiscent of the flight of the bumble bee.

 

Second, check your setting for the navigation screen by scrolling to the navigation screen and pushing to the left one time on the joystick and pushing in. The second option should read "Course Pointer" not "Bearing Pointer". If you have the set wrong, the GPSr will indicate your long term course, not the bearing to the waypoint you're going to. Make sure when you're looking for a cache that the "Navigation Options" reads "Course Pointer". Unless you change this setting, it should remain set for what you need.

 

I hope this helps and hasn't been too confusing.

[+Team Neos]

I used an eTrex Legend for my first 300 caches. Along with what Beffums suggested...

 

Just out of curiousity --after you marked the waypoint, did you select the waypoint and choose "Go to"? (Oh please, please please don't get upset with me and think that I am insulting your intelligence!)

 

I would use the compass page ("navigation") while driving in the car to the cache, and then switched to the map page ("map") when we got to the area. I always used the zoom feature all the way in to 20 foot overzoom when on the map page.

 

If you have marked a waypoint (and named it, if you like) and "selected" it, and you have it set for "track up" there should be a line from where you are to the waypoint. The triangle will point the direction you are facing, and you navigate to the waypoint by following the line.

 

To select a waypoint:

find

waypoints

choose "nearest" or "by name"

scroll to the marked waypoint

select the waypoint by clicking on it while it is highlighted

click on "go to"

 

Word of advice---One particular waypoint reading can be off by 30 feet. To get a better reading take 6 or 8 readings of the spot and average them together --and then see if you can find that spot! We do this when we hide a cache and never have complaints about our coords.

Edited February 4, 2006 by Team Neos

[+Robespierre]

First -YES, remember to keep in motion. Once you stop, you'll need a few feet to get it working again.

 

Second - The compass page has the arrow and the basic NESW directions, as well as speed and distance. When you're on a trail YOU STAY ON THE TRAIL UNTIL the needle switches a hard ninety degrees, and you'll have a good direction and distance. To try to angle to the cache is much harder, and can be confusing. Same with the road.

 

I never use the page which marks my progress with a trail toward the cache, and I seldom use maps once I leave home.

[+BAAD4Jesus]

 

To everyone I say thank you.

 

all your advice has truly been helpful.

 

now I have a very clear idea of what I am doing

 

my two girls ( ages 7 and 10 ) as well as my wife

and I will now be going on a grand adventure.

 

thanks again

 

B

 

I used an eTrex Legend for my first 300 caches. Along with what Beffums suggested...

 

Just out of curiousity --after you marked the waypoint, did you select the waypoint and choose "Go to"? (Oh please, please please don't get upset with me and think that I am insulting your intelligence!)

 

I would use the compass page ("navigation") while driving in the car to the cache, and then switched to the map page ("map") when we got to the area. I always used the zoom feature all the way in to 20 foot overzoom when on the map page.

 

If you have marked a waypoint (and named it, if you like) and "selected" it, and you have it set for "track up" there should be a line from where you are to the waypoint. The triangle will point the direction you are facing, and you navigate to the waypoint by following the line.

 

To select a waypoint:

find

waypoints

choose "nearest" or "by name"

scroll to the marked waypoint

select the waypoint by clicking on it while it is highlighted

click on "go to"

 

Word of advice---One particular waypoint reading can be off by 30 feet. To get a better reading take 6 or 8 readings of the spot and average them together --and then see if you can find that spot! We do this when we hide a cache and never have complaints about our coords.

 

No offense taken . thank you for your help