Help with new Oregon 400t

[+zmancartfan]

I've been reading the forums for a while, and I finally broke down and got an Oregon 400t this week so that the family can take our geocaching fun to the next level. So far, I'm still figuring this thing out, as this is the first hand-held that I've ever had.

 

I figured out how to run the pocket queries (after some trial and error), and I've successfully loaded 500 into the unit. I think I have the basics figured out. But there are a couple of things that I can't quite seem to get right.

 

First, when the unit powers up in my back yard, it shows my location about 900 feet incorrectly. It shows me as being on the next street up to the north when viewing the map. Of course this then correlates into an incorrect route to the nearest cache in terms of total distance. This actually concerns me quite a bit, as I'm not sure how this is going to play out when I finally try to take this thing on our first hunt with it. Should I be concerned? Is there a way to reset the location? I can live with 10 to 20 feet or so of inaccuracy at the cache site, but 900 is a little worrisome. Is it likely that the inaccuracy is going to be the same at the target destination?

 

Second, I understand that by selecting the Automotive profile that the unit should route me on the roads toward the geocache location. Even though the roads show up quite well in the map, the unit beeps and tells me that there are no routable roads in the area. My Nuvi works just fine all through the neighborhood, so it's not like I live in the boonies (wish I did. ). Is it because I'm choosing a cache that's in the woods and not in the middle of the road? When I select a coordinate with the Nuvi, it will route me as close to the cache as possible, and then I can hoof it from there. Does the Oregon not do the same thing? And I was hoping to use the Oregon for caching exclusively, and not have to enter in individual location information into the Nuvi just to drive close and then switch to the Oregon.

 

I really want to take this thing out and give it a whirl, but with small children in tow, I want to make sure that we're gonna actually have a chance to log a successful attempt when we get there.

 

Thanks for any help!!

[+g-o-cashers]

The Oregon 400t comes with maps called Topo 2008 which is known to have errors in road placement of several hundred feet. If you are comparing your position to road data you'll find these errors are common. However, if you are comparing your location to a geocache location you should be able to get within 30' or so. It wasn't clear from your comments if the problem was because of the map issues in Topo2008 or something else. When you have a new unit it is a good idea to let it sit outside for about 20 minutes with a clear view of the sky to build some internal databases that help the GPS with determining its location.

 

Autorouting (routing to a destination via roads) is not supported out of the box using the preinstalled Oregon maps. You'll need to buy City Navigator NA NT 2009 maps (assuming you are in North America) in order for this functionality to work.

 

GO$Rs

Edited October 4, 2008 by g-o-cashers

[+zmancartfan]

Thanks for the help! I was able to use it to get within 3 feet of a cache this afternoon, so you're dead on about the Topo maps being off. But using the cache mode was a breeze. And I can see now that the base maps don't really have an effect on finding the cache.

 

I guess I could go off on a philosophical debate about the problems with a base map being several hundred feet off, but I won't really go there. Other than to say that if I was hiking somewhere, I could imagine that being that far off could be the difference between life and death. Isn't that what these things are supposedly for?

 

Another question- when I bought a Nuvi 680 last year, I qualified for a free map upgrade last fall. Is there any way to use that disc (I believe it was an upgrade version, but I can't find it at the moment) to put the City Navigator NT maps on the Oregon? Will I need another license to do so? Alternatively, if I wanted to revert back to the preinstalled maps on the Nuvi, could I use that disc or license to put the maps on the Oregon?

 

Thanks again for the help!

[sanramonhunter]

Another question- when I bought a Nuvi 680 last year, I qualified for a free map upgrade last fall. Is there any way to use that disc (I believe it was an upgrade version, but I can't find it at the moment) to put the City Navigator NT maps on the Oregon? Will I need another license to do so? Alternatively, if I wanted to revert back to the preinstalled maps on the Nuvi, could I use that disc or license to put the maps on the Oregon?

Once you unlock the maps to a unit that's the end of the road for that unlock code. The unlock code gets locked to the unit you unlock it to and that's it. You'll need to get another copy on City Navigator for the Oregon. My friend has a Nuvi and the colorado 400t. We just punch in the coordinates on the nuvi then use the handheld once it gets us close.

[+g-o-cashers]

The accuracy of data other than roads on the topos is pretty good.

 

GO$Rs

[+zmancartfan]

Thanks, everybody. All-in-all, I'm really enjoying the Oregon. It made quick work of a cache this morning just due to the time and place aspect of having the paperless info with us. We had a couple of extra minutes, there was one across the street, and next thing you know there's another smiley in our collection.

 

I don't get to spend enough time with my kids, but geocaching has been one we are all truly getting into. I know it was expensive, but there's no replacement for the value of time with the family. So far, I think I'm pretty glad I went with the Oregon -- again, primarily because of the paperless factor.