a little help for a newbie please..?

[TRIBE TIWAHE]

Hello

 

I am brand new to this hobby and to the whole GPS thing.

 

I just purchased a Garmin etrex venture HC as a starter unit along with the topo 2008 software.

 

Other than the limited memory, are there any pros and cons to this receiver that I should know about?

 

So far I am impressed with it, but the manual lacks a little in details, and I have a few questions.

 

First, under the settings there is a "WAAS/EGNOS" setting. I assume that I would want this "enabled", correct? However about half the time when I check it, it is on the "disabled" setting. Why does it keep reverting?

 

Second, I had marked a place on the base map while I was learning to use it. Then last night I loaded some map sets from the topo program and the mark was gone. Is this common? Does that mean that every time I change mapsets all of my waypoints/marks will be deleted?

 

thanks for any help/advice

Edited March 10, 2008 by TRIBE TIWAHE

[+admo1972]

Generally, having WAAS enabled is a good thing. I'm not sure why to reverts to disabled. Perhaps make sure to have battery saving set to off?

 

About marking a waypoint, they should stay until you delete them. When you mark a waypoint, you have three options:

1: Goto, this will save the point and direct you to the waypoint

2: View on Map: this will show you the point on a map

3: OK: This will save the point

 

Note that if you choose 2, the point is not saved as far as I know. Perhaps this is what happened?

[TRIBE TIWAHE]

You say "generally", when would having WAAS enabled not be a good thing?

 

now, if I can find this battery save setting.....

 

thanks

[+Miragee]

I think new firmware will address the WAAS Enabled/Disabled problem. It did on my Vista HCx. Go to the Garmin website to download the latest firmware.

 

After you create a Waypoint, it will stay on the unit. Perhaps you marked it, and renamed it, but didn't hit 'Okay' at the end. I've never had Waypoints disappear when changing mapsets.