Geocaching Mode on Garmins

January 3, 2008

I've noticed that several of the Garmins have a Geocaching Mode. Is it worth the extra money for that feature? I'm in the market for a unit and a couple I've seen seem to fit my requirements but don't have that feature. I am getting into geocaching, should that be a deal breaker?

Also, what exactly does the "automatic turn by turn directions" feature do? Does it simply give you directions from one place to another?

Thanks,

Gary

2.1k · January 3, 2008

I've noticed that several of the Garmins have a Geocaching Mode. Is it worth the extra money for that feature? I'm in the market for a unit and a couple I've seen seem to fit my requirements but don't have that feature. I am getting into geocaching, should that be a deal breaker?

Also, what exactly does the "automatic turn by turn directions" feature do? Does it simply give you directions from one place to another?

Thanks,

Gary

1. Simply lets you assign a certain symbol for an unfound geocache, and when you navigate off road to it, gives you a "found' button that will automagically chnage the symbol to a user-defined "found" symbol. By default these are an open chest and a closed treasure chest respectively. It will also record the time and date you found the cache. It will then pop up a screen asking do you want to navigate the next cache, and bring up the waypoint details.

Worth extra money? It's kind of useful, can give a nice simple tally in the field of when and what caches you found. It loses it's usefulness when you get into setting up custom symbols on your GPS unit, say, different icons for micros or regular sized caches as you can only define one symbol to be an unfound Geocache at a time.

2. Yes, but if you go off route it will automatically re-route you and provide you with new directions.

January 3, 2008

I've noticed that several of the Garmins have a Geocaching Mode. Is it worth the extra money for that feature? I'm in the market for a unit and a couple I've seen seem to fit my requirements but don't have that feature. I am getting into geocaching, should that be a deal breaker?

Also, what exactly does the "automatic turn by turn directions" feature do? Does it simply give you directions from one place to another?

Thanks,

Gary

Well, my older Garmin Vista doesn't have geocaching mode, so I can't comment so much on that. Automatic turn by turn directions will give you driving prompts, similar to in-car gps systems. You do need to purchase, separately, the City Navigator maps to use this feature.

11.3k · January 3, 2008

I've noticed that several of the Garmins have a Geocaching Mode. Is it worth the extra money for that feature? I'm in the market for a unit and a couple I've seen seem to fit my requirements but don't have that feature. I am getting into geocaching, should that be a deal breaker?

Also, what exactly does the "automatic turn by turn directions" feature do? Does it simply give you directions from one place to another?

Thanks,

Gary

The reason the GPS units with a "Geocaching Mode" are worth the extra money is because those are the newer units with better technology.

Getting a GPS unit that can utilize the information provided by the City Navigator maps is a good idea, if you ever travel to an unfamiliar area, large metropolitan area, or plan on taking any trips. I upgraded from a monochrome Garmin Vista to a Vista C a couple of years ago when I saw how useful the auto-routing feature was.

The GPS units you want to look at are the Legend HCx or Vista HCx. If you have more money to spend, look at the Garmin 60Cx or CSx, or 76Cx or CSx. If you don't have that much money, check eBay for the discontinued Legend C or Vista C. Those have the Geocaching Feature and will auto-route you, but they don't have the new "High Sensitivty" receiver.

January 3, 2008

Thanks for the replies.

Sounds like the geocache feature would be nice and the auto-routing a must have. I didn't think the Vista C had the auto-routing feature.

2.1k · January 3, 2008

I didn't think the Vista C had the auto-routing feature.

It does.

Edited January 3, 2008 by Maingray

January 3, 2008

Thanks for the replies.

Sounds like the geocache feature would be nice and the auto-routing a must have. I didn't think the Vista C had the auto-routing feature.

I tried the Geocaching feature on my Vista Cx & didn't like it too much... Maybe I was using it wrong, but once I load a bunch of cache locations into the unit from a pocket query, the resulting cache icons would literally FLOOD the screen with cache locations (depending on zoom level of course) and I couldn't figure out a way of turning the cache icons on/off, so they'd always be in your face even if you weren't out geocaching

Now I'm fiddling around with loading cache locations as POI's instead, using the Garmin POI loader. That seems a nicer solution.

And, a big YES to auto-routing! Once you've tried it you wouldn't DREAM of buying another GPSr without that awesome ability.

January 3, 2008

I was wondering. I've been using my legend for a while now to geocache. I always leave the lock on roads turned on. Would I be better to turn off lock on roads when geocaching?

January 3, 2008

I was wondering. I've been using my legend for a while now to geocache. I always leave the lock on roads turned on. Would I be better to turn off lock on roads when geocaching?

I leave "lock on road" on.

When I get close to a cache I "recalculate" and select "off road" at the prompt. Then I usually go to the compass screen.

January 3, 2008

I was thinking of the Vista not Vista C.

I did some research on the Vista C and liked what I saw. I found one on eBay this afternoon and ended up winning the auction. I got it for $110. Hopefully I did good!

It's used, but supposedly in excellent shape. It is missing the USB cable, but I'm sure I've got one laying around (unless the connector is proprietary), and the waypoint manager software. Can the software be downloaded somewhere?

January 3, 2008

I was thinking of the Vista not Vista C.

I did some research on the Vista C and liked what I saw. I found one on eBay this afternoon and ended up winning the auction. I got it for $110. Hopefully I did good!

It's used, but supposedly in excellent shape. It is missing the USB cable, but I'm sure I've got one laying around (unless the connector is proprietary), and the waypoint manager software. Can the software be downloaded somewhere?

22k · January 3, 2008

Thanks for the replies.

Sounds like the geocache feature would be nice and the auto-routing a must have. I didn't think the Vista C had the auto-routing feature.

Love the auto-routing gps, I do however use a different gps on the trail.

The thing I don't like about the geocache mode is that when it offers the next cache to search for the gps simply selected the next nearest, as the crow flies. Not necessarily the best choice in terms of the least ground covered when hitting several in a row.

Either way, the mode is jut one one option to use as you see fit. I agree with Miragee, if the unit has the option it's a good sign when considering a caching gps.

11.3k · January 3, 2008

I was thinking of the Vista not Vista C.

I did some research on the Vista C and liked what I saw. I found one on eBay this afternoon and ended up winning the auction. I got it for $110. Hopefully I did good!

It's used, but supposedly in excellent shape. It is missing the USB cable, but I'm sure I've got one laying around (unless the connector is proprietary), and the waypoint manager software. Can the software be downloaded somewhere?

You got a very good deal. I stilll have my trusty Vista C I used for more than two years until I got the Vista HCx. As to the software, since you are a Premium Member and can get Pocket Queries, you might find GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) to be the most useful software for filtering, slicing, and dicing the PQ data. From GSAK you can send the waypoints to your GPSr and Export the data in the correct format for your PDA, if you have one.

Prior to getting your Vista C, download the USB drivers from the Garmin site. Once those are installed on your computer, data transfer should go smoothly.

January 4, 2008

You got a very good deal. I stilll have my trusty Vista C I used for more than two years until I got the Vista HCx. As to the software, since you are a Premium Member and can get Pocket Queries, you might find GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) to be the most useful software for filtering, slicing, and dicing the PQ data. From GSAK you can send the waypoints to your GPSr and Export the data in the correct format for your PDA, if you have one.

Prior to getting your Vista C, download the USB drivers from the Garmin site. Once those are installed on your computer, data transfer should go smoothly.

Thank you for the software suggestions. I can't wait for it to get here!!

January 4, 2008

You can get the date and time of a found cache? How do you find out that info? That would be useful to know.

January 4, 2008

I got a 60 csx for Christmas and can't even figure out how to make it log my finds. I've had it in "off road" mode, and it doesn't automatically log a find. I've tried "menu" with no luck. Can someone walk me thru the steps to have my unit log a find?

January 4, 2008

I got a 60 csx for Christmas and can't even figure out how to make it log my finds. I've had it in "off road" mode, and it doesn't automatically log a find. I've tried "menu" with no luck. Can someone walk me thru the steps to have my unit log a find?

11.3k · January 4, 2008

I got a 60 csx for Christmas and can't even figure out how to make it log my finds. I've had it in "off road" mode, and it doesn't automatically log a find. I've tried "menu" with no luck. Can someone walk me thru the steps to have my unit log a find?

How are you sending the waypoints to the GPSr? Are you using EasyGPS or GSAK? Or, are you entering them by hand? When you get the Geocache Waypoints on the GPS unit, do they have the Geocache Treasure Chest icon? If that is the icon you have chosen for Geocaches on your GPSr and your cache waypoints have that icon, then the Compass Page has a "Found" option at the bottom of the screen. After you have found the cache, click that button. The "Next Nearest" cache will be the next choice. That "Next Nearest" is not always the most convenient to get to, so check your map screen before choosing that one to navigate towards.

January 4, 2008

I got a 60 csx for Christmas and can't even figure out how to make it log my finds. I've had it in "off road" mode, and it doesn't automatically log a find. I've tried "menu" with no luck. Can someone walk me thru the steps to have my unit log a find?

Automatically log find? You have to get to a computer and go to Geocaching.com ,log in and post that you found it. It doesnt log the find on the website for you. If thats what your talking about.

January 5, 2008

I just downloaded GSAK. Figured I'd play with it while I wait for my Vista to get here.

January 5, 2008

You can get the date and time of a found cache? How do you find out that info? That would be useful to know.

I just got my 60CSx and I have seen my found cache logs in the calendar screen.

January 7, 2008

Haven't checked the calender screen yet. I'll try that next. Today i tried resetting data fields on the compass screen. No option for logging a found cache.

January 7, 2008

Haven't checked the calender screen yet. I'll try that next. Today i tried resetting data fields on the compass screen. No option for logging a found cache.

The 60CSX will record your cache finds, but not log them for you. To have the GPSr record your finds use the Find-Geocache-GoTo. after you goTo the cache use the compass page and follow the red arrow to the cache. Once you locate the cache at the bottom of the screen is a Found button, highlite that and press OK..that will change the icon to an open treasure chest and date/timestamp the find. You need to go to the geocaching.com page and record and log your find.

Hope that helps.

January 7, 2008

After the first time I took our new Vista HCx out I found the calendar/log thing & it was way kewl. When I clicked on a day on the calendar, it showed a list of caches that I had gone after. The ones that I found had open treasure chests & the ones I had searched for but not found had closed treasure chests. Every time we have gone out since then, only the ones that we have found show up. I like having the DNF's listed almost as much as the finds. What gives?

January 7, 2008

Haven't checked the calender screen yet. I'll try that next. Today i tried resetting data fields on the compass screen. No option for logging a found cache.

The 60CSX will record your cache finds, but not log them for you. To have the GPSr record your finds use the Find-Geocache-GoTo. after you goTo the cache use the compass page and follow the red arrow to the cache. Once you locate the cache at the bottom of the screen is a Found button, highlite that and press OK..that will change the icon to an open treasure chest and date/timestamp the find. You need to go to the geocaching.com page and record and log your find.

Hope that helps.

I have(got for Christmas) a GPS 60CSx and have found a few cashes and have not seen an option at the bottom of the compass screen to mark (open the treasure chest) when I reach ground zero.

I use "Find-Geocache-GoTo" and have not seen the option you talk about.

January 7, 2008

Jeffster,

Have you set the unit up to use the Geocache feature yet? I believe that you have to set the unit up first to use the geocache mode. Your manual should help you with this. I just turned my 60CSX on and checked the instructions that I wrote earlier and yup....thats out you do it. There should be 3 buttons at the bottom of the compass screen, Found-Delete-Map. Highlighting the Found button will show the icon of an open chest and date stamp the find,,,as noted earlier it will also display it as a found on that date in the calendar.

I'm sure your manual will walk you through this process.

January 7, 2008

Jeffster,

Have you set the unit up to use the Geocache feature yet? I believe that you have to set the unit up first to use the geocache mode. Your manual should help you with this. I just turned my 60CSX on and checked the instructions that I wrote earlier and yup....thats out you do it. There should be 3 buttons at the bottom of the compass screen, Found-Delete-Map. Highlighting the Found button will show the icon of an open chest and date stamp the find,,,as noted earlier it will also display it as a found on that date in the calendar.

I'm sure your manual will walk you through this process.

Thanks I will take a look at the manual.

I guess its a guy thing not to look at the instruction first

2.3k · January 7, 2008

The new Colorado has a more advanced geocaching mode than the previous models. You can see some screenshots from it here.

January 7, 2008

It will also record the time and date you found the cache.

that will change the icon to an open treasure chest and date/timestamp the find.

On my GPS 60CSx, I can only see the date, not the time? It would be really nice, if the time was saved too, where do you see that?

January 8, 2008

If you tap the enter key on a Found cache it should take you to the page that has 3 buttons at the bottom Delete-Map-GoTo....above those buttons on the screen is the Notes field. I have recently configured GSAK to populate my Notes field with the Hint from the cache page, but I believe that is where the date time stamp would show.

January 8, 2008

Received my Vista C today! Can't wait to get out and give it a try!

January 8, 2008

If you tap the enter key on a Found cache it should take you to the page that has 3 buttons at the bottom Delete-Map-GoTo....above those buttons on the screen is the Notes field. I have recently configured GSAK to populate my Notes field with the Hint from the cache page, but I believe that is where the date time stamp would show.

Hmm... I'm pretty sure, that a time stamp is being written (in the notes field), when marking a new waypoint - but now when changing a geocaching from not found to found.

It's in the calendar you can see, which caches you've find which days - but I can't see any time stamp there either.

January 8, 2008

If you tap the enter key on a Found cache it should take you to the page that has 3 buttons at the bottom Delete-Map-GoTo....above those buttons on the screen is the Notes field. I have recently configured GSAK to populate my Notes field with the Hint from the cache page, but I believe that is where the date time stamp would show.

Hmm... I'm pretty sure, that a time stamp is being written (in the notes field), when marking a new waypoint - but now when changing a geocaching from not found to found.

It's in the calendar you can see, which caches you've find which days - but I can't see any time stamp there either.

Laxxe....looks like your right,,,I can't find it anywhere either now. I went to the manual and couldn't find that it time stamps the find either....my apologies....I could have sworn that I saw a timestamp.....sorry.

Geocaching Mode on Garmins

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