Thread for Colorado tips and hints.

[+themeecer]

Ok .. I love my Colorado. Yes, it has some drawbacks that for the most part I believe will be fixed. My problem is, there is a lot of power with this unit and I am barely scratching the surface. I come here daily looking for tips on how to properly use my Colorado. It is difficult to skim through all the negative posts to find what I am looking for, so I am creating this thread. I am taking it one step further, for every tip I post I am going to use the frog smiley to make it stand out in this thread.

 

 

Place a change profile shortcut on everyone of your profile's shortcut pages. (Shortcuts>Setup>Shortcuts>Add Page>then choose "profile change")

 

Turn your compass off when searching for a geocache when the arrow is eratic. (Shortcuts>Setup>Heading>Compass (choose off))

 

Absolutely get a screen protector to protect your investment. You can buy them for around $10.

 

In order to use your Colorado to do the driving portions of your geocache you must purchase City Navigator NT 2008. (Yes this one has me annoyed, but I will save that for another thread)

 

The Sun and Moon function is a lot more useful than I thought (It shows the sunrise and sunset times as well as the moon rises). It allowed me to estimate if I had enough time to fit in one more cache that evening and not get stuck out in the dark like I did with my first Colorado run. (Shortcuts>Others>Sun and Moon)

 

 

I know some of these have been rehashed on other threads, but it is nice to compile these all into one place.

Edited May 9, 2008 by themeecer

[+XopherN71]

First, a correction: Get 2009 not 2008 and you don't 'have to' it's just a lot nicer

 

Hold right button for 2 seconds to take a screen shot.

Edited May 9, 2008 by XopherN71

[+nicolo]

...

Place a change profile shortcut on everyone of your profile's shortcut pages.

 

Turn your compass off when searching for a geocache when the arrow is eratic.

 

Absolutely get a screen protector to protect your investment. You can buy them for around $10.

 

In order to use your Colorado to do the driving portions of your geocache you must purchase City Navigator NT 2008. (Yes this one has me annoyed, but I will save that for another thread)

 

The Sun and Moon function is a lot more useful than I thought (It shows the sunrise and sunset times as well as the moon rises). It allowed me to estimate if I had enough time to fit in one more cache that evening and not get stuck out in the dark like I did with my first Colorado run.

...

In addition to your tips above, you may want to also indicate HOW ( where appropriate ) to do what you are suggesting.

[+yukionna]

I'm using an unlocked version of City Navigator version 6 from my Streetpilot and it seems to work ok. Version 6 is the last version that Garmin is allowing you to unlock and share the maps across multiple GPS's that you own. Once you upgrade to a version > version 6, then you must purchase a separate set of maps for each GPS you own.

 

I would be curious to know what I'm missing out on by using City Nav 6 instead of 2008 or 2009.

[+Cacheoholic]

If you are talking about City Navigator North America, version 7 and 8 still have 2 unlocks. I didn’t think there was such a thing as City Navigator North America v.6. I thought they were called City Select North America. I think version 7 was the first City Navigator North America.

[+yukionna]

If you are talking about City Navigator North America, version 7 and 8 still have 2 unlocks. I didn’t think there was such a thing as City Navigator North America v.6. I thought they were called City Select North America. I think version 7 was the first City Navigator North America.

 

No, my version 6 is called City Navigator North America.

 

With regards to the two unlocks, my source for the info about 2 unlocks is from Garmin support. Perhaps I misunderstood what he said. But he did tell me definitely that if I upgraded to the most current version of the City Nav s/w, then I would only have one unlock.

[+Red90]

Regardless of the year, when you upgrade, you can only upgrade the unit that was unlocked first. Second unit unlocks are not allowed upgrades.

[+Driver Carries Cache]

First, a correction: Get 2009 not 2008 and you don't 'have to' it's just a lot nicer

 

Aren't the products labeled with 2008 and 2009 updates? The complete product is called "City Navigator® North America NT" (at least that's what Garmin calls it on their website).

 

DCC

Edited May 14, 2008 by Driver Carries Cache

[+myotis]

I've found the shaded relief makes the map much harder to see. So when I am using CN (with or without transparent custom topo maps, I turn off the shaded relief unless I need it. Almost always I can tell what is up and down without it.

 

To turn it off, you just turn off the topo usa maps.

[+forman]

Place a change profile shortcut on everyone of your profile's shortcut pages. (Shortcuts>Setup>Shortcuts>Add Page>then choose "profile change")

 

Why do I need this? I tried to do it but can not figure out why I need it. A little more thought here.

 

Hope that's not one of those stupid questions for the day.

[+XopherN71]

Quick and easy profile changes. If you have the need, it's a nice tip.

[+CacheARRRS]

Quick and easy profile changes. If you have the need, it's a nice tip.

 

yep. I change from auto to geocaching mode quite often, and that shortcut does help. Now when the 2.6 software comes out and make the maps CHANGE when you change profiles..... I'll be in gravy boat heaven.

[robertlipe]

Adding the profile change does make it less annoying, so thanx for the tip.

 

Garmin: why do we HAVE to change profiles twice for each cache, anyway? If I pick a geocache from the map screen in automotive mode, honor automotive mode and don't make me force a recalculate. Also, in geocaching mode, give us driving directions until the last turn then "compass mode" after that.

 

But let me counter my whining with a tip. If you want to be able to actually get the caribiner clip thing on and off the unit, pinch the webbing so that the welded/stitched point doesn't cause a clearance problem against the case. (If the distance were a quarter inch longer or shorter, it'd be a non-problem.)

 

...so much for not whining, eh? :-)

[+Red90]

Garmin: why do we HAVE to change profiles twice for each cache, anyway? If I pick a geocache from the map screen in automotive mode, honor automotive mode and don't make me force a recalculate. Also, in geocaching mode, give us driving directions until the last turn then "compass mode" after that.

 

But let me counter my whining with a tip. If you want to be able to actually get the caribiner clip thing on and off the unit, pinch the webbing so that the welded/stitched point doesn't cause a clearance problem against the case. (If the distance were a quarter inch longer or shorter, it'd be a non-problem.)

 

You don't need to switch profiles. Map view for auto-routing, then geocaching view for off road, all ion the same profile.

 

I've never had a problems getting the clip on and off.

[+g-o-cashers]

Here's another tip to make the carabiner clip easier to remove.

 

GO$Rs

[+Marky]

But let me counter my whining with a tip. If you want to be able to actually get the caribiner clip thing on and off the unit, pinch the webbing so that the welded/stitched point doesn't cause a clearance problem against the case. (If the distance were a quarter inch longer or shorter, it'd be a non-problem.)

 

There was a tip buried somewhere in one of the forum threads that I did. Basically, you remove the webbing strap completely, turn it inside out, and replace it. When done correctly, the seam is completely out of the way, making taking the clip on and off relatively painless.

 

--Marky

[robertlipe]

Heh. I tell a dozen people a day to read the various, FAQs, too. That tip does indeed make the clip less annoying. Thanx. Will follow up on Red90's tip in another thread.