eTrex H - entering co-ords

[carlos_dfc]

Hi

Looking to get a GPS, but don't have much money.

I've found somewhere local where I can pick up a Garmin eTrex H (I've seen them mentioned favourably on these forums) - and have looked at a PDF of the manual - but now I am baffled

 

Is there a way to manually enter the co-ords of a cache/waypoint/etc, so I can 'GOTO' it?

If so, I can't find how to do it, in the PDF manual. From what I can see, it only tells how to set your current location as a waypoint.

Surely it must be possible to enter co-ords before you go out?

Or do you send the cache co-ords to the unit from computer?

 

Am I just being a bit dim?

 

I have no experience of GPS units whatsoever.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Edited November 11, 2008 by carlos_dfc

[+PDOP's]

It's a little counter intuitive but basically you create a waypoint at your present location then edit the coordinates.

[+Chrysalides]

To create a waypoint on my Venture HC (I'd imagine the eTrex H is similar) without using the computer, I press and hold down to the joystick for a second or so to create a waypoint where I am, then using the joystick move the highlight area to the coordinates, press the joystick down, then use the numeric pad that pops out to edit the coordinates.

 

I looked at the eTrex H and the eTrex Venture HC a short time ago. For a difference of US$20 I chose to get the Venture HC, not for the mapping (rudimentary, pretty useless without additional maps) and color (pretty, but not important for geocaching - useful for maps though) but for the USB interface. Not sure how much the difference is for you, but you may want to consider the Venture HC for the USB interface, for when you eventually want to connect it to a computer.

[carlos_dfc]

Thanks guys (gals??)

 

I did consider the possibility of editing waypoints - just thought that there would have been a way to simply enter a new waypoint.

Making a WP, then editing it is no big deal though

 

Not sure how much the difference is for you, but you may want to consider the Venture HC for the USB interface, for when you eventually want to connect it to a computer.

Unfortunately, here in Rip-off UK, the price difference between an eTrex H, and a Venture HC, is in the region of £40 (about $60 US)

 

In my current financial situation, I can live wth manually editing, if I'm saving $60

Edited November 11, 2008 by carlos_dfc

[+GrnXnham]

I'd 2nd the Venture HC over the eTrex H. I just got my Venture HC for $115 Shipped. That is about $30 more than the eTrex H but the USB port on the back of the Venture allows you to hook up to just about any computer and download waypoints. Many newer computers don't even have the serial port that you need to hook up to the eTrex H.

 

Besides the much more useful USB port of the Venture, the contrast of a color screen is a lot easier on the eyes than the grayscale screens. I have 2 eTrex Legends with the grayscale screens and I find them hard to look at after looking at the color screen of the Venture HC.

 

If you can possibly afford it, spend another $30 on a color and a USB port. You won't regret it.

[+Chrysalides]

Unfortunately, here in Rip-off UK, the price difference between an eTrex H, and a Venture HC, is in the region of £40 (about $60 US)

 

In my current financial situation, I can live wth manually editing, if I'm saving $60

Ouch, that's a significant price difference. You could, you know, visit the U.S., pick up a GPSr, then go geocaching, and help stimulate the economy a little on this side of the pond

 

Edit : Forgot to mention that you can still use the RS-232 interface on the eTrex H to connect to your computer, provided you have one of Garmin's proprietary cables (not sure if they come with the unit). If your computer does not have a RS-232 port, you will need a USB to RS-232 adapter. Or get one of the Garmin serial cables with USB converter built in (I saw some on UK websites for around £20 - google for Garmin eTrex serial USB).

Edited November 12, 2008 by Chrysalides

[+julianh]

Forgot to mention that you can still use the RS-232 interface on the eTrex H to connect to your computer, provided you have one of Garmin's proprietary cables (not sure if they come with the unit). If your computer does not have a RS-232 port, you will need a USB to RS-232 adaptor. Or get one of the Garmin serial cables with USB converter built in (I saw some on UK websites for around £20 - google for Garmin eTrex serial USB).

The eTrex H does NOT come with the cable - you will need to budget extra for this if you want to be able to download waypoints and tracks etc. Also as Chrysalides says, note that it is a serial cable, not USB, so you may also need a USB-to-Serial adaptor if your computer doesn't have an old-fashioned serial port.

[+RGS]

The eTrex H does NOT come with the cable - you will need to budget extra for this if you want to be able to download waypoints and tracks etc. Also as Chrysalides says, note that it is a serial cable, not USB, so you may also need a USB-to-Serial adaptor if your computer doesn't have an old-fashioned serial port.

So that being said, the price difference (in US $) of the serial cable and the adaptor is about $30-$40, so it's like getting the color GPS for nothing.

 

Rich

[carlos_dfc]

Quick update...

 

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Really had to keep my spending down as much as possible, so went for the eTrex H after all.

 

It does enough for my purposes - Bought it yesterday, and seemed pretty accurate on the 6-cache spree I went on today.

 

Fascinating watching the 'track' screen while walking round - and I have already figured out that my car's speedometer is reading about 7 or 8% high

 

Manually entering the co-ords is no big deal - in fact, last night I was in 'New-Toy' mode, and entered 70+ of the nearest caches to my home - should keep me busy a while

Edited November 13, 2008 by carlos_dfc