Yellow Etrex Questions

[+krisandmel]

Hi everyone,

I got a Yellow eTrex about a month ago, but then got a Legend C when I realized I needed to be able to load street maps on it for trips.

 

The Yellow one was an open-box AS IS sale, no returns, so it seems I am stuck with it.

 

I haven't used it caching yet, as the Legend is so easy to use.

 

But since both my wife and I 'cache it seems natural for us to carry along two GPSr's.

 

On to my questions:

The interface connections on the Yellow eTrex seem very strange.

Just four gold dots. I've never seen anything like it.

 

Is it worth buying or making a connection to the computer?

 

Can I add waypoints with EasyGPS, LOC or GPX, just like on my Legend?

With no thumb-joystick it's very painful to enter coords into the Yellow one manually, and I can see it would be very easy to mis-enter something.

 

Have any of you modified the antenna and/or rigged up a re-radiating antenna to the Yellow eTrex?

 

Or is this model just kind of limited to leaving a black trail of where I was with little aid in getting me anywhere?

 

Thanks, BTW, I love this sport!!!

-Kris

[+TeamWaddy]

The interface connections on the Yellow eTrex seem very strange.

Just four gold dots. I've never seen anything like it.

Is it worth buying or making a connection to the computer?

Can I add waypoints with EasyGPS, LOC or GPX, just like on my Legend?

With no thumb-joystick it's very painful to enter coords into the Yellow one manually, and I can see it would be very easy to mis-enter something.

Have any of you modified the antenna and/or rigged up a re-radiating antenna to the Yellow eTrex?

Or is this model just kind of limited to leaving a black trail of where I was with little aid in getting me anywhere?

-Kris

 

Of all our Garmins, my favorite is old yeller.

 

The interface is a serial connection (which easily becomes USB with an adapter). Here's a link to the part from Garmin:

http://shop.garmin.com/accessory.jsp?sku=010%2D10206%2D00

 

I use GSAK to transfer waypoints: http://gsak.net/

If I'm not mistaken, the eTrex can store up to 500.

 

As for using it... it really isn't so difficult. Try downloading a manual from Garmin:

http://www.garmin.com/products/manual.jsp?...ct=010-00190-00

 

Why it's not so bad:

 

1) Batteries last almost forever

2) It's nearly indestructable (thus great for handing to the wee Waddies)

3) While the non-mapping features make it difficult to use only it to get to a cache area, once there, it often has the best range and doesn't seem as put off by large buildings, tree cover, etc. as some of our more expensive equipment.

 

Sorry, can't answer your question about retrofitting antennas. Maybe someone else can speak to that.