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Just downladed a cache straight to the PN-40. Thanks Groundspeak and Delorme!!

 

CONGRATS!! If you're anything like me, you'll be loving that purchase! Get the map subscription, the power kit and a 16g card and get ready to cache!!!

 

WOW, I too just downloaded my very first cache straight from the cache page...SWEET!!! Looks like it changed the look of the description too, nice!!! Well done GS and DeLorme!!!! :(:(:D

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Just downladed a cache straight to the PN-40. Thanks Groundspeak and Delorme!!

I think that this one is over and out.

 

They asked for advice. They were given the advice. They chose the PN-40. They appear to be very happy.

 

Now, all the DeLorme supporters, file this link away for the next time someone needs selection advice.

 

All the G supporters, refine you stories a bit more. Emphasize the positives regarding the G models instead of dwelling on the negatives, as you perceive them, of the PN-40. Apparently, the negativity doesn't sell well. :(

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Your right, I'm not a Delorme user. I'm simply a disgruntled Garmin user who understands the Oregon and the PN-40 use the same chipset and both can't see a WAAS bird to save their lives. I was simply trying to see if Delorme fixed it. If Delorme recieved new code from the Cartesio people and fixed the problem with the chipset not picking up WAAS, then a fix for Garmin Cartesio units shouldn't be far behind.

 

Look I'm not trying to stir the pot here, really. I'm not a secret agent Garmin set out to destroy all that which is Delorme.

 

Look, you Delorme guys tend to get overly defensive about problems with the PN-40 to the point of being kinda wierd. :D BOTTOM LINE: Both the Oregon and the PN-40's are advertised as WAAS capable. Neither work as advertised in that respect.

 

Any time someone speaks of potential deficiencies with the PN-40 they MUST be Garmin nazi's marching to invade the magical land of Delorme. Just calm down folks, yall are at a 10 when you need to be at a 2. :blink:

 

Wait, you're seriously not stirring the pot?

 

Maybe the fanboy reaction to DeLorme ala Mac fanboys is indicative of a truly great product coupled with amazing support? That's my thoughts on the overzealous nature of DeLorme users.

 

Oh, and from what I've been hearing, the upcoming firmware update truly addresses the WAAS issues. But, as a PN-40 user, I can vouch that the accuracy has been amazing, and when I do have a WAAS fix I see no difference, so I don't get all the hoopla about WAAS.

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Can't speak for others, but I personally am tired of seeing the DeLorme bashers take cheap shots at the PN series, especially when most of you have never even handled a PN! Bottom line, it seems to me, most bashers are trying to make themselves feel better about paying extra money for a product they aren't happy with, and are mad us DeLorme lovers are happy...IMHO!

 

Anytime a basher speaks of DeLorme, they always try to take pot shots at the unit, the owners whatever....why not just state facts and leave the silly games out of it?

 

Exhibit A

 

Dude, what on earth are you talking about? I never took a pot shot at the PN-40, I simply asked a question about WAAS. I wasn't bashing anything. "Silly Games?" WTF? Right away the gloves come off with you guys. Is there some neuro-chemical leeching out of the plastic of the PN-40? SHEESH!!! :D

 

yogazoo, you must be trolling. Your previous post before this one was clearly taking pot shots. Maybe you don't see it, but it seems pretty clear to me after reading these posts. And this post just confirms it.

 

But honestly, this is all just silly.

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My tone was misconstrued, I apologize. I really meant no harm or foul. Now let's get back to the lively discussion of GPS's and Technology.

 

As for my last statement on my previous post it's was a JOKE. Man, you guys are a tough audience.:D

 

Oops, should have read the whole thread before previously responding.

 

Moving on...

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As I live in New York Sate - I am one Happy boy -

 

(e-mail)

 

Today we are releasing over 500,000 square kilometers of new color aerial imagery DOQQs (digital orthoimagery quarter quadrangles), totaling more than 280 gigabtyes of data. This aerial imagery represents data from 4 different states, and includes:

 

•Over 90% of New York state, including most of the previously unavailable counties; acquired in 2008

•New date for Wisconsin, Kansas, and Vermont; acquired in 2008

 

In addition, our nautical charts have been updated to include the latest releases from NOAA as of January 16, 2009.

This new data can now be selected and downloaded through your NetLink tab. Samples of the new imagery can be viewed by selecting the Samples and Coverage link in the Map Library subtab of your DeLorme application.

 

Enjoy the benefits of being a DeLorme Map Library subscriber and the unrivaled choices of supplemental maps and imagery that it provides!

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Is there anyway I can check to make sure there are maps of my area without having my account yet?

 

dc

 

I think they have all of Alabama but PM me your zip code and I'll check when I get home from work tonight. When I got my PN a couple weeks ago I had no clue I couldn't get NYS maps - I was NOT HAPPY last week when I learned I couldn't - then I found out about this map release and the world is good again.

Edited by WatchDog2020
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You PN-40'ers have reliable WAAS signal yet?

 

The Cartesio baby is still pooping in it's diaper over in Garmin-Land.

 

I think PN-40 users will be very happy with the WAAS signal and accuracy when this 2.5 beta is released to public.

Excellent prediction RR! Now that FW 2.5Beta3 is out, check the user responses:

http://forums.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?t=...asc&start=0

 

Also, FW 2.5Beta3 lifts the cache description character limit to 15,000 and provides FieldNotes capability.

 

YZ: Any questions?

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You PN-40'ers have reliable WAAS signal yet?

 

The Cartesio baby is still pooping in it's diaper over in Garmin-Land.

 

I think PN-40 users will be very happy with the WAAS signal and accuracy when this 2.5 beta is released to public.

Excellent prediction RR! Now that FW 2.5Beta3 is out, check the user responses:

http://forums.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?t=...asc&start=0

Busted link.

 

Lots of people report much better WAAS results with the new firmware. My own experience indicates that it's better but still not usable -- at least not here in flyover country (St. Louis). So far, I have tried to acquire a WAAS lock 5 times over the space of about 4 hours. All tests with a clear view of the sky, unit sitting still on top of a fence post. In each case, I waited for 30 minutes or until I got a WAAS lock. In all cases, the PN-40 can see and apparently lock onto 138 almost immediately. That's a distinct improvement, since it never got a signal strength bar prior to the update. However, operation after that is spotty at best. In two cases, I waited the full 30 minutes. At best, 2 SVs intermittently showed WAAS correction. Never got a WAAS lock (W indication with the 3-D fix). In another case, I waited 30 minutes and never saw WAAS correction on any SV. In the other two cases, I got WAAS lock in between 10 and 15 minutes. In both cases, the unit corrected a single SV and, about 2 minutes later, started correcting all SVs in use and showed a WAAS lock.

 

By comparison, my Colorado acquired 51 (the Garmin equivalent of 138) immediately and was correcting all SVs in use within a couple of minutes.

 

Bottom line -- better but still pretty much useless to me. YMMV. Will experiment more tomorrow, but it's not looking good.

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You PN-40'ers have reliable WAAS signal yet?

 

The Cartesio baby is still pooping in it's diaper over in Garmin-Land.

 

I think PN-40 users will be very happy with the WAAS signal and accuracy when this 2.5 beta is released to public.

Excellent prediction RR! Now that FW 2.5Beta3 is out, check the user responses:

http://forums.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?t=...asc&start=0

Busted link.

 

Lots of people report much better WAAS results with the new firmware. My own experience indicates that it's better but still not usable -- at least not here in flyover country (St. Louis). So far, I have tried to acquire a WAAS lock 5 times over the space of about 4 hours. All tests with a clear view of the sky, unit sitting still on top of a fence post. In each case, I waited for 30 minutes or until I got a WAAS lock. In all cases, the PN-40 can see and apparently lock onto 138 almost immediately. That's a distinct improvement, since it never got a signal strength bar prior to the update. However, operation after that is spotty at best. In two cases, I waited the full 30 minutes. At best, 2 SVs intermittently showed WAAS correction. Never got a WAAS lock (W indication with the 3-D fix). In another case, I waited 30 minutes and never saw WAAS correction on any SV. In the other two cases, I got WAAS lock in between 10 and 15 minutes. In both cases, the unit corrected a single SV and, about 2 minutes later, started correcting all SVs in use and showed a WAAS lock.

 

By comparison, my Colorado acquired 51 (the Garmin equivalent of 138) immediately and was correcting all SVs in use within a couple of minutes.

 

Bottom line -- better but still pretty much useless to me. YMMV. Will experiment more tomorrow, but it's not looking good.

 

Also in the St. Louis area and looking at my PN40 and getting WAAS and 6 ft EPE.

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Is it worth it to get the Travel Power Kit, I have a La Crosse charger. What type of batteries should I use?

I think that by the time you consider the cost for a Li-Ion recharger (your LaCrosse only does AA and AAA, right?) and the battery, plus the inclusion of the very useful 2-piece cable and other miscellaneous goodies, it's a pretty good deal. I like the Li-Ion for its convenience and its better performance than NiMHs in colder temperatures.

 

A PN-40 user has started selling a Li-Ion replacement to the Delorme product...while I could get 11.5 hours on a windowsill rundown with the Delorme Li-Ion, I got 14 hours on this battery.

 

But NiMHs work pretty well. I like to use high capacity NiMHs in spring through fall if going out for a long time; the Li-Ion the rest of the time. I may just use the eBay Li-Ion now, with NiMH backup.

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Also in the St. Louis area and looking at my PN40 and getting WAAS and 6 ft EPE.

Glad to hear WAAS is working for somebody in the area. So far, I have only gotten WAAS lock twice (during systematic testing in the back yard). Over about 7 hours of field use, I see a signal strength bar for 138 some of the time -- but have never seen correction on any other SV, let alone a WAAS lock. I'm not overly concerned since the unit is more than accurate enough without WAAS. Just a minor annoyance.

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Well I am having mixed results. Everything was great I started loading caches one by one and got to about # 200 and now I can not get my computer to see the PN-40 or vice versa. Also it keeps defaulting to the opening screen and I have to take the batteries out as its frozen. Everytime I have reset it, it is fine but it will not load caches anymore. Any advice?

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A couple things to try--

 

1. Reboot the computer and the PN-40. This sometimes clears up the works.

2. Try some different USB ports. There have been some units that seem fussy about USB.

3. Check your cable to be sure that the metal contact pins in the connector that mates to the PN-40 are extended. They're spring-loaded, and occasionally one or more can get stuck in the housing.

4. As a precaution, try cleaning the the contacts on the PN-40 with a pencil eraser. It sometimes makes a difference.

5. There have been a number of people who have had problems with the connector cable. If you got the travel kit, try the 2-piece cable. Otherwise, if you've tried the other stuff to no avail, call Delorme TS to see if they can think of anything else and/or replace your cable.

 

The fact that your unit locked up suggests to me that there was a cable connection problem that interrupted the power supply. Just my thought.

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just ordered mine. can't wait to get it and start rockin the PN-40 and geocaches will the lot of you. glad to see theres plenty of willing and helpful people here, because I've never operated a GPS in my life. lol. I am sure I will be here noobin it up with 100 questions as well!

OK, you'll be in the game soon. :mad:

 

About the questions, best to post them here:

http://forums.delorme.com/viewforum.php?f=...3455bc7f42961a5

You'll have all the eyes on this forum over there, too, plus a lot more.

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Batteries were almost dead, replaced them and now everything is back to normal.

There is an issue with alkaline batteries that have low voltage levels. You might try some NiMH/LiI rechargeables or Li batteries until the problem can (hopefully) be corrected with a firmware update. If you're not using alkalines, you might call DeLorme Tech Support and they will likely swap out your unit.

Edited by Tigerz
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well its happening again on the new batteries. Maybe it is the connection.

 

The problem you are having is likely the one piece data transfer cable. If you have the 2 piece cable from the travel kit try it. If you don't have the 2 piece cable try the 1 piece on all USB ports (if desktop PC rear ports are best). Either way, Contact delorme tech support, explain you are having usb communication issues and they will send you a replacement cable.

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Hi all, a few questions. I am looking into buying the PN-40 and I see on the DeLorme site they offer a PN-40se that has 8 gig of flash memory, but it is not offered on Amazon. Is the PN-40se exclusive to DeLorme's site? Is there any big advantage to the extra flash memory? Anybody try it yet? Or is there anyway to upgrade after the fact? I also haven't seen the travel charger kit on Amazon.

 

Another question, on the PN-40, how many waypoints/geocaches can you view at one time? Is there a way to scroll/scan through ALL of the waypoints on the unit? This question is because my Garmin Summit Hc (and my Venture Hc before that) only shows the nearest 25 or so caches/waypoints, with no way to look at anything further out to see if it is even loaded on the unit.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

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Hi all, a few questions. I am looking into buying the PN-40 and I see on the DeLorme site they offer a PN-40se that has 8 gig of flash memory, but it is not offered on Amazon. Is the PN-40se exclusive to DeLorme's site? Is there any big advantage to the extra flash memory? Anybody try it yet? Or is there anyway to upgrade after the fact? I also haven't seen the travel charger kit on Amazon.

 

Another question, on the PN-40, how many waypoints/geocaches can you view at one time? Is there a way to scroll/scan through ALL of the waypoints on the unit? This question is because my Garmin Summit Hc (and my Venture Hc before that) only shows the nearest 25 or so caches/waypoints, with no way to look at anything further out to see if it is even loaded on the unit.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

I have 958 caches on my PN-40 and I can view them from start to finish. The PN-40se is exclusive to DeLorme and I'm sure you could find a use for all that extra storage (aerial imagery comes to mind), and more storage is never a bad thing even if you can use a 32g card!

 

The power kit is a must, I recommend this!!

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Is there any big advantage to the extra flash memory? Anybody try it yet? Or is there anyway to upgrade after the fact? I also haven't seen the travel charger kit on Amazon.

Several of us have the SE, and while we like it a lot, I would say that if you're looking to save some money there's not a dramatic difference from the standard.

 

The PN-20 operated much more quickly from internal memory than SD memory, so there would have been an advantage to keep as many maps as possible in internal memory. The PN-40 processor is so fast that any difference in memory access is hard to detect. With 16GB cards at $25 and 32GB cards starting to come down, you can save by keeping most of your data there.

 

One of the Delorme reps mentioned that a possible advantage to the SE was that future map offerings (e.g., inland lakes) might come on SD card, requiring removal of your usual card(s). Then the addtional internal memory might be of more benefit.

 

So I wouldn't worry too much about getting the standard instead of the SE. The travel pack is available through Delorme, too.

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Another question, on the PN-40, how many waypoints/geocaches can you view at one time? Is there a way to scroll/scan through ALL of the waypoints on the unit? This question is because my Garmin Summit Hc (and my Venture Hc before that) only shows the nearest 25 or so caches/waypoints, with no way to look at anything further out to see if it is even loaded on the unit.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hitting the Out Button scrolls the page down the list, one page at a time.

 

scroll.gif

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Another question, on the PN-40, how many waypoints/geocaches can you view at one time?

Caches are waypoints. Maximum of 1000 total on the unit at any time. With the 2.5 (still public beta) firmware, up to 15,000 characters of combined description, hints and logs. With the new firmware, paperless caching experience now compares favorably with the CO or OR. The only shortcoming remaining is the complete inability to load a PQ onto the unit. This will be remedied with the "cache register" utility which is "coming soon".

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Another question, on the PN-40, how many waypoints/geocaches can you view at one time?

Caches are waypoints. Maximum of 1000 total on the unit at any time. With the 2.5 (still public beta) firmware, up to 15,000 characters of combined description, hints and logs. With the new firmware, paperless caching experience now compares favorably with the CO or OR. The only shortcoming remaining is the complete inability to load a PQ onto the unit. This will be remedied with the "cache register" utility which is "coming soon".

 

The boldened part is not quite accurate, you CAN load PQs to the PN-40 (through the TOPO7), they just won't have the new description format that the send to GPS feature has!

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The boldened part is not quite accurate, you CAN load PQs to the PN-40 (through the TOPO7), they just won't have the new description format that the send to GPS feature has!

Agree that I was vague. Loading the PQs this way is possible, but you lose a lot of functionality. PQs loaded this way still have the 800 character limit (description plus hint plus logs), do not allow you to record field notes, do not allow you to upload your finds to gc.com automatically, do not include the cache type icons on the map. On the other hand, you can still use the improved caching screen flow on the PN-40. This includes the ability to mark the cache as logged (found, DNF, note, needs maintenance) with just a click or two (as opposed to having the change the cache icon manually). Really, I was trying to say it was good :laughing:

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Got my PN 40 this weekend. I like it so far, but I've yet to be overwhelmed. The maps are great but the reception was VERY disappointing when compared with my 60CSX.

 

There were a few glitches. Some I'm guessing are because I'm using the 2.5 beta firmware and I hope they will be ironed out eventually.

 

But one problem is dogging me right now and that is getting the GC# in the waypoint name. With Garmin units this is always the default. With the Delorme I'm getting the real cache name and I don't want that.

 

I tried using GSAK, but that doesn't work right. When I do get the GC# where I want it, the rest of the cache data is stripped out.

 

Any tips?

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Got my PN 40 this weekend. I like it so far, but I've yet to be overwhelmed. The maps are great but the reception was VERY disappointing when compared with my 60CSX.

 

There were a few glitches. Some I'm guessing are because I'm using the 2.5 beta firmware and I hope they will be ironed out eventually.

 

But one problem is dogging me right now and that is getting the GC# in the waypoint name. With Garmin units this is always the default. With the Delorme I'm getting the real cache name and I don't want that.

 

I tried using GSAK, but that doesn't work right. When I do get the GC# where I want it, the rest of the cache data is stripped out.

 

Any tips?

I'm sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the reception of the device. Perhaps you could describe your experience with some more detail. We've been conducting an accuracy and precision test on the DeLorme forum since the 2.5 firmware released and I've been pleased with the results being posted. You might check out the link to that thread and compare your own experience...

 

http://forum.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?t=17523

 

It would also be helpful if you passed along the glitches you mentioned. We are in a public beta right now so there's a good chance we could address things you're seeing. Feel free to fire me an e-mail or post on our forum... there's a public beta thread going there.

 

When we released Topo USA 7.0 we used the Cache Name as the geocache label based on the concern that the average geocacher spoke in terms of Cache Name rather than Cache ID. We have heard from many advanced geocachers since then that did not like this change. Our Cache Register widget will allow you to choose between labeling by Cache Name and Cache ID. We recognize the need to enable a switch on the device so that you can change from Name to ID and back. This has been noted on our list of improvement requests.

 

I found this thread on our forum regarding sending geocaches from GSAK that use the Cache ID as a label, you'll find many other helpful threads there that might help you with the device.

 

http://forum.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?t=1...ight=gsak+cache

 

Feel free to post any feedback on the device at the public beta thread on our forum or post information here. I know there are many that would appreciate hearing an unbiased opinion on the PN-40, the latest firmware, and the Send to GPS plug-in.

 

Thanks,

Chip Noble

Team DeLorme

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The boldened part is not quite accurate, you CAN load PQs to the PN-40 (through the TOPO7), they just won't have the new description format that the send to GPS feature has!

Agree that I was vague. Loading the PQs this way is possible, but you lose a lot of functionality. PQs loaded this way still have the 800 character limit (description plus hint plus logs), do not allow you to record field notes, do not allow you to upload your finds to gc.com automatically, do not include the cache type icons on the map. On the other hand, you can still use the improved caching screen flow on the PN-40. This includes the ability to mark the cache as logged (found, DNF, note, needs maintenance) with just a click or two (as opposed to having the change the cache icon manually). Really, I was trying to say it was good :laughing:

 

:laughing::laughing:

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But one problem is dogging me right now and that is getting the GC# in the waypoint name. With Garmin units this is always the default. With the Delorme I'm getting the real cache name and I don't want that.

 

I tried using GSAK, but that doesn't work right. When I do get the GC# where I want it, the rest of the cache data is stripped out.

Have you tried running your GSAK gpx file through the macro discussed in this GSAK thread? It may address your need, but since I haven't used it lately I have throw in the caveat that I don't know if it still does the job with any recent changes in the beta firmware. If you haven't tried it, it's worth a try.

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I'm sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the reception of the device. Perhaps you could describe your experience with some more detail. We've been conducting an accuracy and precision test on the DeLorme forum since the 2.5 firmware released and I've been pleased with the results being posted. You might check out the link to that thread and compare your own experience...

 

I was carrying the PN40 in a flapless "cargo" pocket that is on the leg of my pants (see pic). Every time I pulled it out to view it, it said "No Fix". A track of the hike shows that it had a fix for about 20 percent of a 6.6 mile hike and much of that 20 percent was when I was holding it in my hand. I carry my 60CSX in the same pocket all the time and never have seen it lose a sat lock.

 

There were some other glitches too. For instance when it lost the fix, it would not regain a lock no matter how long I held it. One bar at a time would flash, but it would sit there with no fix for 3-4 minutes never getting more than one bar. I had to shut it down and start it back up and bingo, 3D fix with all the bars. This was with a fairly clear view of the sky (trees with leaves down).

 

I also had several lockups (3 over a 4 hour hike) and had to remove the battery, replace it and restart the unit

 

I'll head over to the forum you mentioned with this info.

 

PN40 track

3290164089_f689101f33_o.jpg

 

60CSX track

3290164139_002e05fd41.jpg

Edited by briansnat
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