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PN-40 (PN-30) and getting started!


radak9

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So I have a few questions and I figured I would start a new thread as the previous one has gone downhill :huh: and I was hoping to have a thread that some other new PN-XX users could get some info from. I tried to search titles for PN-40, PN-** but the search will not allow those searches (less than 5 chars).

 

So on to the meat of the thread - My PN-40 will be here on Thursday :D I have the premium membership (check) and the Cache Register (check check). Created my first PQ and viewed it. Think I need to tone it down a bit though, 500 is a bit much considering we have only 11 finds to our name atm. Going to start with something a bit smaller and very close to home until we get used to the unit. I have the links to the wiki's Here and Here and I dl'd the PDF manual and have glanced at it a bit.

 

So, what needs to be done with the -40 when it arrives. I'm guessing, checking firmware first (v2.6) and upgrading if necessary. What then? Loading a topo map (or is that on it from factory) that should only take about 4 hours or so :D

 

Any quick tips or tricks for making it a bit more friendly from out of the box. Any accessories that are a must right off (case etc...) Not too worried about the car kit yet, as our outings will be short and close to home to start.

 

The kids are very excited and can't wait until it gets here. Thanks for any help, and I know there is some out there, right? :rolleyes: C'mon, help a noobie out....

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First off let me say congrats on your new PN! I'm very envious of you, but I suspect within the next 10 days I'll be following in your footsteps. I really don't have any advice since I've never used a PN (yet), but I wanted to thank you for starting this thread. I've bookmarked it so when I get my PN (I'm about 99% sure I'll go with the PN-30 or 40) I can come back here to try and soak up as much info as I can from all the other folks who are much more knowledgable than I am when it comes to GPSr units. After you've had a chance to try it out I'd really like to hear your review of it. Again congrats and I hope it does everything you want it to. :rolleyes:

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Best info is here:

http://forums.delorme.com

http://delormepn40.wikispaces.com

Marvelously free of arguments :huh:

Yep, been there, some very good stuff, but the tips/tricks thread only has ~10 threads that have been posted in in the last 5 months, and only 1 in the last month. I know there is some info to be gleaned here as well, so hoping for some tricks/hints hopefully)

 

(it takes 2 to argue - please not in this thread...)

First off let me say congrats on your new PN! I'm very envious of you, but I suspect within the next 10 days I'll be following in your footsteps. I really don't have any advice since I've never used a PN (yet), but I wanted to thank you for starting this thread. I've bookmarked it so when I get my PN (I'm about 99% sure I'll go with the PN-30 or 40) I can come back here to try and soak up as much info as I can from all the other folks who are much more knowledgable than I am when it comes to GPSr units. After you've had a chance to try it out I'd really like to hear your review of it. Again congrats and I hope it does everything you want it to. :D

Thanks, I will be sure to post my findings to help others. I got the -40 because it was only $14 more than the -30, and I figured that out in the green woods, I would be able to find my orange unit a little easier if it happened to be separated form me :rolleyes: Not sure if I will get use from the altimeter - the compass maybe. I would think that maybe a ~$40+ price difference may have swayed me to the -30 though. Edited by radak9
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This comes up periodically, so I ought to write something detailed that we could put in the wiki. But for now let me say at least this.

 

I suggest focusing on the GPS and trying as best you can to leave Topo8 on a back burner. After checking the firmware version and updating if needed, I'd copy one or more of the precut detailed map files on the regional DVDs to your PN's SD card. This will get you up and running with detailed topo files on the GPS and let you start familiarizing yourself with it.

 

The send to GPS plugin is a free and easy way to get a few caches onto your new PN-x0. If you've got pocket queries available to you, the the $10 for the Cache Register is IMO a good $10 to spend. That should be all the software you need to get out and start having fun. I'd turn attention to Topo8 after you feel you've got the GPS operation under your belt.

 

Looks like the wiki could use a little geocaching on the PN primer, too. Hmm.

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Yea, some PN Wiki loving, that's what we need ;)

 

I have the pocket queries and the cache register, bought them before I got the -40. Have my first set of PQ's ready to upload to the unit already as well.

 

I wasn't sure what maps are already "pre-loaded" on the PN and what I should throw in there first. I don't plan on getting too crazy with the caches yet where I would need a topo map, just want to make sure I have the right map installed ;)

 

Thanks.

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The PN-40 comes with a basic basemap built in. The TopoUSA discs come with 1:100K vector topos of the entire continental US. Start by just loading in Eastern NY, maybe CT and NJ depending on where in the Hudson Valley you are (if you're more north, let me know - I'll be out your way next weekend!).

 

500 caches may seem overwhelming to have loaded into the device, but it's very empowering. With the full paperless capabilities the PN-40 has, you now have in your hand a database of a huge number of caches you can chase after on a whim. When I got mine, I found that I started chasing caches because it was just so easy. I didn't have to "plan" to go out & find one. Just turn it on while I'm driving to work, look at it and say "oh, there's a cache 3 blocks over. Here we go!" and that's that.

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Load your state from the pre-cut discs, and maybe any other states you frequent if any. Then, load some caches (use the send to AND PQ) and head out on the highway! Allow the PN to direct you (route) to the cache(s) you would like to try and see how you like it for the routing, plus, you'll learn quickly how to do the route switching from auto to hiking! ;) Find (or not) the cache and make your first field note, you'll learn how that works and this too will give you an idea of what to look forard to...the experience is what you need so you can quickly get that new toy figured out!

 

When you get home, upload the field notes and see how that part works too, it's not very hard to do either with Cache Register running or without!

 

As for accessories, I actually recommend the power kit, the battery pak can stay right in the unit and charges whenever you plug into the computer, outlet or car! This is useful especially if you plan any road trips since you can route to your destination and still have full battery charge to cache with! Plus, you get screen protectors with the kit (or you did, not sure if this changed or not). If you DON'T get screen protectors with the kit or if you decide not to get the power kit, screen protectors are HIGHLY suggested, Zagg is a good maker!

 

The map subscription is another expenditure I recommend, it's worth the $30! You can load aerial imagery (color, B&W and hi-res city), NOAA charts etc. While this part takes a bit to figure out, I was able to while out of work through the winter and currently have my whole state of aerial imagery loaded into my computer, I can add any of it to my PN-40 whenever I want to (like if I am going somewhere and want aerial imagery)!

 

I agree with Dakboy, the PQ of 500 is sweet! You can cache anywhere anytime simply by bringing up the nearest caches! Great for caching on a whim, or for planning out a weekend camping trip. I find having all those caches at my fingertips very helpful! Just remember to update your PQs weekly so you have all the freshest caches in queue!!

 

I'm sure there's more I'll think of, but when you do get the unit, check it out and then bring any questions here and someone will be more than happy to lend a hand!! And, your purchase means you'll have the (IMHO) best tech support in the industry since Team DeLorme OFTEN lurks in these forums waiting to give advice or explain a feature...or advise what to do in case of a problem (heaven forbid)! They are here to help as well, which is really telling of their dedication to the caching community!!

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Once you get around to wanting to add additional maps and imagery, you'll find that the 1G SD just doesn't cut it. Invest in at least a 16G card and if you don't already have it, an SDHC compatible reader to go with it. Loading maps to the card in a reader goes much faster than loading to it while it's in the PN-40.

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Look for a dark blue color DVD, PN-Series East Region Maps, in the box.

Put it in your PC's DVD drive and the embedded installer will guide you through the process of installing the region, detail maps on the PN-40 or its SD card.

 

My first attempt at creating a PQ resulted in more caches than I wanted to deal with.

I wanted to include the area around my house and my daughter's house which it the next town over.

I found it better to define two PQs, each centered about each house to eliminate a lot of those out on the fringe areas.

There is some overlap but CR recognizes the duplicate caches in the overlap region and only loads the first that it encounters.

 

So, 10 minutes to load the detail, street level, topo maps from the DVD(s) followed by 5 minutes to load caches from CR and you are good to go geocaching.

 

Or, as mentioned above, you could use the Send to GPS button/function to download a few to start.

 

What was that again about the steep learning curve?

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Thanks for the info.

 

As far as the maps (States - Eastern Region) and loading them onto the PN, that 1 dvd load will give me the detail, street level & topo maps? If so then I am thinking something off base ;) The Topo8 DVD, the one with the "steep learning curve" - that is not the one to load the maps? Is that for creating routes etc.., loading your tracks and such. Because if that is the case, this purchase got even better ;) because I thought the Topo8 was needed to enter the new maps onto the unit.

 

As far as the travel kit. How is the included lithium battery with that? Does a fully charged li give you around the same as 2 fresh alkalines? Can you use other rechargable batteries, and if so are they better/last longer? I will also get a screen protector for it, as I like to keep my screens scratch free if possible.

 

As far as PQ's - I just updated my home location to right near my house instead of the generic zip code. I also narrowed down the search zone a bit and I now have ~300 pretty close to home. I will start with those and load any others for day trips further out. I have a spare 2gb card here, and will look for deals on a SDHC card, I also have a couple of HC card readers. I use them to transfer photos from cameras (MUCH faster)

 

Are the field notes the log entries that get added to the cache page? If so, I'm guessing that you enter the full notes in the field before you save the find? I know I will find all of this with trial and error, but wouldn't hurt to have some info before heading out.

 

Thanks again to all for this info.

Ron

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As far as the maps (States - Eastern Region) and loading them onto the PN, that 1 dvd load will give me the detail, street level & topo maps? If so then I am thinking something off base ;) The Topo8 DVD, the one with the "steep learning curve" - that is not the one to load the maps? Is that for creating routes etc.., loading your tracks and such. Because if that is the case, this purchase got even better ;) because I thought the Topo8 was needed to enter the new maps onto the unit.

You shouldn't need Topo8 to install the "pre-cut" maps. And T8 isn't really that hard to use.

 

As far as the travel kit. How is the included lithium battery with that? Does a fully charged li give you around the same as 2 fresh alkalines? Can you use other rechargable batteries, and if so are they better/last longer?
Alkalines are about the worst-performing batteries for the PN-40. I've had very good experience with the Energizer Lithium "8X" batteries, though they do get expensive. The DeLorme battery pack has the bonus of charging in the device (there's a DeLorme user who's made his own battery pack that does the same). The performance of other rechargeables varies widely as their quality varies.

 

There are several threads on the DeLorme PN-40 forum about batteries.

 

Are the field notes the log entries that get added to the cache page? If so, I'm guessing that you enter the full notes in the field before you save the find? I know I will find all of this with trial and error, but wouldn't hurt to have some info before heading out.
Field Notes are for when you find (or don't find) the cache. You can enter a note in the device, then upload it, edit & post when you get home. This keeps your finds logged in order on gc.com. I usually use Field Notes just for making a note to jog my own memory later, but some people compose full logs with the on-screen keyboard.
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Are the field notes the log entries that get added to the cache page? If so, I'm guessing that you enter the full notes in the field before you save the find? I know I will find all of this with trial and error, but wouldn't hurt to have some info before heading out.
Field Notes are for when you find (or don't find) the cache. You can enter a note in the device, then upload it, edit & post when you get home. This keeps your finds logged in order on gc.com. I usually use Field Notes just for making a note to jog my own memory later, but some people compose full logs with the on-screen keyboard.

I do the quick TFTC out in the field.

 

Once back home, I'll edit the field notes to make a more complete log, then post it. This does a few things for me right off the bat:

 

1. I don't have to look up the GC code now.

2. The log is saved in the event GC does a time out in the middle of the post. It doesn't happen as frequently as in the past, but hard lessons learned about having to retype the whole thing.

3. Once uploaded, it's a quick bang out to get the post on the cache with no further editing required.

4. I can focus on getting the pictures on the page that much faster.

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I have spent the last few days reading the threads on the pn 40. I couldn't help myself and ordered one today to be delivered tomorrow. Heading out to the Colorado River this weekend from Los Angeles and I'm looking forward to playing with it all weekend long. I wanted to thank all of you for all the great advise. I will try to have all the PQ's ready for its arrival. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions and I'm glad you're all here to help. ;)

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I have spent the last few days reading the threads on the pn 40. I couldn't help myself and ordered one today to be delivered tomorrow. Heading out to the Colorado River this weekend from Los Angeles and I'm looking forward to playing with it all weekend long. I wanted to thank all of you for all the great advise. I will try to have all the PQ's ready for its arrival. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions and I'm glad you're all here to help. ;)

 

Very anxious to hear how you like it as we are also shopping for new gps. Need to make decision soon as we have a trip the week after Labor Day.

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Are the field notes the log entries that get added to the cache page? If so, I'm guessing that you enter the full notes in the field before you save the find? I know I will find all of this with trial and error, but wouldn't hurt to have some info before heading out.
Field Notes are for when you find (or don't find) the cache. You can enter a note in the device, then upload it, edit & post when you get home. This keeps your finds logged in order on gc.com. I usually use Field Notes just for making a note to jog my own memory later, but some people compose full logs with the on-screen keyboard.

I do the quick TFTC out in the field.

You know you can leave the note blank, right? I often leave it blank - it's still entered in Field Notes, still uploads just fine. Saves a few seconds & key presses. Edited by dakboy
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Are the field notes the log entries that get added to the cache page? If so, I'm guessing that you enter the full notes in the field before you save the find? I know I will find all of this with trial and error, but wouldn't hurt to have some info before heading out.
Field Notes are for when you find (or don't find) the cache. You can enter a note in the device, then upload it, edit & post when you get home. This keeps your finds logged in order on gc.com. I usually use Field Notes just for making a note to jog my own memory later, but some people compose full logs with the on-screen keyboard.

I do the quick TFTC out in the field.

You know you can leave the note blank, right? I often leave it blank - it's still entered in Field Notes, still uploads just fine. Saves a few seconds & key presses.

Yes, but it gives me a place holder between quotes for more text. F3 search for TFTC highlights it and allows me to start editing. ;) What you're not getting is I edit this text file before uploading to GC. Saves more seconds in the end eliminating more mouse clicking.

Edited by TotemLake
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As far as the maps (States - Eastern Region) and loading them onto the PN, that 1 dvd load will give me the detail, street level & topo maps? If so then I am thinking something off base ;) The Topo8 DVD, the one with the "steep learning curve" - that is not the one to load the maps? Is that for creating routes etc.., loading your tracks and such. Because if that is the case, this purchase got even better ;) because I thought the Topo8 was needed to enter the new maps onto the unit.

You shouldn't need Topo8 to install the "pre-cut" maps. And T8 isn't really that hard to use.

 

Exactly, you will not need to install the much-maligned Topo USA 8.0 on your PC to start geocaching.

Later on, when you have found some geocaches and want to create some driving routes with turn-by-turn guidance, or use its other features, you will need to install it.

 

I have the Travel Kit with the rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack and use it exclusively.

I primarily keep it charged from a ALWAYS ON 12VDC source in my Jeep (garaged nightly).

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I have the Travel Kit with the rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack and use it exclusively.

I primarily keep it charged from a ALWAYS ON 12VDC source in my Jeep (garaged nightly).

 

I do this as well, but not leave it in the Jeep! it is currently plugged into my computer and reads "Charge Completed! Gotta love not needing to buy more batteries! The power kit battery lasts around 7-8 hours of continual usage. If you are doing a lot of driving between caches, plug in and charge as you go. And of course, a spare pair of rechargeables in your pocket would ensure you not run out of power!

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I have the Travel Kit with the rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack and use it exclusively.

I primarily keep it charged from a ALWAYS ON 12VDC source in my Jeep (garaged nightly).

 

I do this as well, but not leave it in the Jeep! it is currently plugged into my computer and reads "Charge Completed! Gotta love not needing to buy more batteries! The power kit battery lasts around 7-8 hours of continual usage. If you are doing a lot of driving between caches, plug in and charge as you go. And of course, a spare pair of rechargeables in your pocket would ensure you not run out of power!

Let me rephrase that:

I primarily charge it from my Jeep.

I do not recharge it from my PC, although I could if I didn't enable the Hibernation mode.

I do not recharge the Li-Ion by removing it from the -40 placing it in the charging sled.

I do not leave it connected every night.

I may leave it connected overnight in my garage when it needs a substantial recharging.

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Amazon has the charge kit for $39, will pick it up from there in a couple of weeks. After I actually use the -40 and I am sure that I will be keeping it. Where did you get the spare battery, and does it have to have the "R" pre-fix?

 

As far as the SDHC card - will an 8GB be adequate or would a 16GB be needed more? There is a big price jump between those two sizes.

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Amazon has the charge kit for $39, will pick it up from there in a couple of weeks. After I actually use the -40 and I am sure that I will be keeping it. Where did you get the spare battery, and does it have to have the "R" pre-fix?

 

As far as the SDHC card - will an 8GB be adequate or would a 16GB be needed more? There is a big price jump between those two sizes.

I can't see that Amazon kit, so I don't know if it has the battery pack or not.

You can order the DeLorme kit from them which will have the rechargeable, or

I also have used this:

http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/del...nrsllit8gi3gna7

 

Everybody is going for the 16GB card, it is twice the cost of the 8GB so that is a push.

Once you subscribe to the $30 all you can download of the USGS 3DTQs and Color aerial photo imagery, you will want more than the 8GB.

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I can't see that Amazon kit, so I don't know if it has the battery pack or not.

You can order the DeLorme kit from them which will have the rechargeable, or

I also have used this:

http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/del...nrsllit8gi3gna7

 

Everybody is going for the 16GB card, it is twice the cost of the 8GB so that is a push.

Once you subscribe to the $30 all you can download of the USGS 3DTQs and Color aerial photo imagery, you will want more than the 8GB.

Here is the link - Free shipping
  • What's in the box?
  • A/C Wall Charger and 12-Volt DC In-Vehicle Charger Each has an eight-pin connector on one end for connecting directly to your PN-Series GPS handheld. New sturdy connection ideal for ATV, motorcycle, and in-vehicle usage
  • R. CR-V3 LI-ION Approved Battery This is the only approved Lithium-ION battery for the PN-Series.Cautionary Note: Use only a PN-Lithium-ION battery provided by DeLorme. There is a risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type.

Is this the same battery? It's 1400mAh.

http://www.eastcoastphoto.com/nav/itempage...amp;trng=fglecf

 

Found a 16GB card for $29 with free shipping:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820211300

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The kit from Amazon looks fine and includes the OEM battery pack.

 

The Eastcoastphoto battery looks interchaneable with the OEM and the Delkin.

 

To use the SDHC card externally, you will need an SDHC compatible reader, here is a combo:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820208377

 

Actually, I use these:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6858

 

The older, original card readers do not support the more recent SDHC cards.

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Yea, I have this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sandisk-MobileMate-P...r/dp/B000Q3IUV2

And it reads the 4GB and 8GB cards that I have. I will probably pick up the combo that you posted so I can have another portable reader.

 

What is the mAh on the OEM or Delkin batteries, and would the 1400 be better if it's only 1200 (sounds like a silly question, I know, but you never know what the answer may be :D )

 

OK, a few quick questions on Cache register. Only 2 now, see below :( When I run the PQ I get 2 files, 1 for the cache and a second for the waypoints. If I import the cache file first it goes fine. If I try to import the waypoint file associated with it, I get an error message (NM, I just read the error message COMPLETELY and it says you must load companion file with the master file, problem solved :D but leaving this here if anyone else has this issue)

 

The 2nd question is regarding removing caches, PQ's. I have 2 PQ's that I will be uploading to the -40. One with caches within 12 miles from my residence (348 caches) and one within 8 miles from my work place (247 caches). Is there a way to remove ALL of the caches from my work zone but leave the home ones there?

 

Lastly, what do you do with the PQ files, keep them, delete after a sync?

Edited by radak9
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Yea, I have this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sandisk-MobileMate-P...r/dp/B000Q3IUV2

And it reads the 4GB and 8GB cards that I have. I will probably pick up the combo that you posted so I can have another portable reader.

 

What is the mAh on the OEM or Delkin batteries, and would the 1400 be better if it's only 1200 (sounds like a silly question, I know, but you never know what the answer may be :D )

 

OK, a few quick questions on Cache register. Only 2 now, see below :( When I run the PQ I get 2 files, 1 for the cache and a second for the waypoints. If I import the cache file first it goes fine. If I try to import the waypoint file associated with it, I get an error message (NM, I just read the error message COMPLETELY and it says you must load companion file with the master file, problem solved :D but leaving this here if anyone else has this issue)

 

The 2nd question is regarding removing caches, PQ's. I have 2 PQ's that I will be uploading to the -40. One with caches within 12 miles from my residence (348 caches) and one within 8 miles from my work place (247 caches). Is there a way to remove ALL of the caches from my work zone but leave the home ones there?

 

Lastly, what do you do with the PQ files, keep them, delete after a sync?

I don't know anymore about the maH that is shown on the websites.

 

I don't know how, if possible, to remove only one of two or more PQs.

I just remove all by symbol from my -40 when I want to.

When a particular PQ is rerun and then reloaded later, it will overwrite the previous.

 

The PQ files/results are not stored on your PC.

CR transfers them from GC.com to your PN directly.

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I use GSAK to manage my data: I load all the PQs into my home database and this accumulates logs and caches. By filtering I can get GSAK to make a set of exactly those caches that I want. GSAK can then export that set to the same format file (gpx) which I load into the PN-40. This way I can fill my GPSr with caches in all the places where I am going to be. I just wish it could hold more that 1000 geocaches.

 

I do like the fact that geocaching.com supports loading individual caches directly into the PN-40. That comes in really handy if a new cache pops up that you want to add into the PN-40. Since you have only done a few caches, I would recommend that you just use this method for a while. Otherwise you might spend more time fiddling with all the data tricks than geocaching.

 

I didn’t buy Cache Register because Topo8 will do the loading just fine, so I saw no point in buying another bit of software to do only that. The manual on Topo was pretty clear on how to do it. Some folks gripe about the DeLorme map software interface because it is different from the typical menu bar across the top. But if you just read the instructions you will find that it well worth the effort as this is powerful software. Visualizing geocaches on a map where streets and topo are merged can be quite helpful. I bet that since you are taking your kids caching, you will end up using the Topo software to do some planning to avoid taking them into spots where you would rather not take them.

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I got it! I got it! About 3 hours ago. Do not have a toy like this delivered to your work place as it may cause you to be really nonproductive. I didnt get a bigger SD card and the 1 gb that it comes with is definitely not big enough. Heading home in a few mins. Will have more info on the set up either later tonight or tomorrow before I head out for my trip. Oh yeah, I also borrowed a 60 CSx to take on the trip. Wanted to kinda do my own comparison. WooHoo !!!!

Happy Happy JOY JOY :mad:

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I got it! I got it! About 3 hours ago. Do not have a toy like this delivered to your work place as it may cause you to be really nonproductive. I didnt get a bigger SD card and the 1 gb that it comes with is definitely not big enough. Heading home in a few mins. Will have more info on the set up either later tonight or tomorrow before I head out for my trip. Oh yeah, I also borrowed a 60 CSx to take on the trip. Wanted to kinda do my own comparison. WooHoo !!!!

Happy Happy JOY JOY :ph34r:

:mad:thumbsup.gif

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I got it! I got it! About 3 hours ago. Do not have a toy like this delivered to your work place as it may cause you to be really nonproductive.

I bought mine from Wal-Mart, shipped to the store, and picked it up on the way to work in the morning.

 

You got off easy. You probably got 3 hours of work in. I was useless that whole day.

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I got it! I got it! About 3 hours ago.... WooHoo !!!! Happy Happy JOY JOY :lol:

Gratz - we got ours at the same time :mad:

 

Here is the TL;DR version first - OMG, Love It! So happy I got this.

 

OK, here is my first day with the PN-40. Sorry for the long post, it is both a walkthrough and my first impressions. Feel free to skip with the knowledge that I am a Happy Camper!

 

So before the -40 arrived I did a little prep work. I upgraded to Premium Membership to have the abilty

to create PQ's (invaluable time saver, imo) and purchased the Cache Register App from Delorme for

seamless integration of the PQ's/Field Notes into/out of the unit (again, huge time saver). I also

looked a little at GSAK, but not enough to make use of all of its features. I used GSAK to take my 347

cache PQ and strip ~25 close caches that I wanted to start with out of the PQ and save them as a GPX

file that I used as my first set to upload into the -40. I also looked at the Wiki pages and looked at

all of the menu pages so I had some idea of what to expect when I got into the menu system. Some

thoughts so far:

  • PQ's - very easy to create. I would suggest creating a bunch of them but not checking any day boxes
    so they don't run yet. Then look at them and see what you get with the choices (use the map). I ended
    up tweaking it a bit before being happy with the results.
  • Cache Register - very easy to use and understand, as long as you have a couple of PQ's created before
    running it for the first time :ph34r: Otherwise you only see blank pages and scratch your head. Once you run
    the PQ, and see the Date/Time run, you get an email with the files - you DO NOT have to load them into
    CR via import, it will take the info directly from GC.com (if you import it also, you will have dupe
    entries)
  • GSAK - looks like a very powerful app. Will take a bit of time to figure out the filtering etc... Not
    necessary to get/use as the PQ & CR's will get the caches onto the unit. But with GSAK it is a way to
    parse out any caches from the PQ's. I haven't figured out how to see ALL of the logs, instead of the
    default 5.

UPS finally arrives :lol: I open the box like it's Christmas, and pull everything out. I unwrap the PN-40 and it is smaller than I thought it was, which is a good thing :blink: I never saw a picture of it in someones hand, or side by side with an etrex (which I have used) and I thought that it was going to be bulkier than it is. It is a little larger than an etrex and a little deeper. It fits nicely in my hand and has enough weight to it so it doesn't feel cheap, but not enough that it feels heavy. The screen is also a nice size and I love the color (etrex i used was b/w) So now I put everything back into the box that I won't be using right now, including the Topo8 (yep, it shipped with 8 not 7) DVD, and the 1GB sd card (have a 2GB, with a 16GB enroute).

 

I head to the computer with the Eastern Region Map DVD, the USB cord, 2GB SDHC, and the -40. The SD card goes into the unit behind the batteries but for a faster transfer I used a card reader to transfer data (instead of USB to PN-40). Thinking it would take awhile to get the card ready, I plopped the batteries in and started the -40 up to go through the menus a little and to get a Sat lock (had to put it outside for a little for a quicker first lock). The DVD installed quickly and recocgnized the SD card and asked me which maps I wanted to add. NY is split into 3 regions and as I live near the border of the East and South regions, I checked them both (~250mb total) and clicked transfer. Figuring I had time to play around with the -40 I picked it up, and around a minute later the transfer was done and the card was ready to go in :lol: so I had to wait to check the menus. Let me just say here that the maps that transferred in and are being used contain all of the roads that are in my area including secondary roads. It also contains topo info as well.

 

So now with my local maps on the card and the card in the unit it is time put some caches into it. I started Cache Register and then I plugged the USB onto the unit and then inserted it into the PC. Win XP Pro recognized the PN-40 and installed the drivers without any input from me. At this time the -40 popped up a screen asking if I was transferring data or maps and I clicked data, at the same time CR found the unit and read the info from it and popped up with a screen telling me there were no caches on the unit. I clicked on the arrow, then the file that had my 25 caches and clicked sync (it turns from grey to yellow) and about 20 seconds later it finished. I unplugged the -40 from the PC and scrolled to the Geocache Page (I had previously included it in the start pages that get scrolled through) and Voila, there were my 25 caches in distance order from my current location - WOOHOO!!!

 

They are listed by cache name (there is an option in CR to upload by cache ID, but not for me, ty) and contain 8 caches per screen. You can scroll down them or up and roll over to the bottom of the list if you wanted to. When you hit enter on the cache it brings you to a brief description of the cache which includes the cache type symbol, name, coords, diificulty, terrain, size and the last log status and date. It is very nicely laid out on the screen. You have 3 options from here now - Delete, View and Route. Delete - well... deletes it ;) View - shows it on the map on screen and Route - gives you an option to Drive (turn by turn on maps) or Hike (as the crow flies) Hitting the menu button on this page allows you the options of:

  • View Comment Detail - this is EVERYTHING that you see on the web page at gc.com including ALL the logs and the hint (which is at the bottom of the page so you have to actively get it)
  • View Geocache Hint - Brings the decrypted hint up in a new window
  • Log Your Geocache Find - lets you mark it as Found, DNF, Note or Maint - and then brings you to the log note page with the option of adding some premade notes like TFTC, SL etc... and also add your own notes via an on screen keyboard if you want
  • Delete Geocache - yet another way to delete it
  • Move to GPS Location - not sure when I would use this

OK, so now that I have a general feel for it, I pick a cache that is near where I am headed for dinner and click route|drive. It processes the route and hilights the roads in green, which happen to be the route I use to get there. So we drive toward it and hear a little chirp everytime a turn nears. When we get close to it we hit the menu button, scroll to route and change from drive to hike and the arrow snaps strsight to GZ. I then had to hit the in button a couple of times to zoom in to get a close view. Since it was in a mall parking lot and I had a good look around I thought I knew right where it was and sure enough, following the arrow put me within 7 feet of the light pole with the skirt :P Quick grab SL, replace. Go back to the cache page on the -40, mark it found, enter a quick preformatted TFTC and save it. It disappears from the "Not Logged" caches and goes to the "Logged" caches, which you can switch to by a quick button press or 2. I didn't have to view the logs or hint for this one, but they are only a click or 2 away if needed.

 

I will post tomorrow what you do AFTER you find the caches, this post is way too long as it is :anibad:

 

With just a little bit of playing around with each of the menus to get a quick feel for the interface, this unit is VERY easy to operate and get you to your location. It is very intuitive imo and not difficult to get started at all.

 

The etrex that I used was the basic H model, b/w screen, no computer cable (it is capable, I just didn't have it) so had to hand input each coord digit, had no cache info AT ALL (all printed) - So it is not fair to compare these 2. I had a Blackberry with me when I was using the H, and had to go to each cache page and read from there. BUT let me tell you what, now that I have used a completely paperless unit, I could not go back to one that wasn't. It is just SO much better and easier to have everything on one unit and be able to do it all from the GPSr.

 

Again, sorry for the long post, but I hope that I helped someone out that is thinking of getting a PN-XX. I was going to get the Vista HCX before I decided on this, but I am glad I didn't. I would have had to purchase Navigator maps to get auto routing, and either buy their topo maps or grab one of the free ones (both of these are included with the PN's) Either way, the Nav maps would have brought it to the same cost as the PN-XX. The Vista does not have field notes either. While the Vista may be great for some, the extra ~$100 (not counting Nav map needed for Vista) will be worth it to me in the log run, imho.

 

If there are any questions, please lmk.

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Radak9,

Can't wait to hear part 2! You're making me jealous.. I've been looking at the PN-40 from all the comments made on the forum, and every time I read something, I know that is what I want. I'm using a Garmin Quest right now, and a Palm Treo for the paperless part. Can't wait to get mine!!! :mad:

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wow, excellent post Rad!

Rad - lol... Back when AOL first started up, that was my screen name (Ron and Deb :blink: ). I had it for a number of years until some kid decided HE wanted it. I said no thanks, because at that time there were so many users that the user name were all 6-7 digits long and you ended up having to use numbers with it to get a name you liked. Well, he ended up hacking the account, posting some nasty stuff, sending racially charged messages and ended up getting me temp banned :anibad: Well after some back and forth with AOL service and managers, their answer was basically - Pick another tag, nothing we can do. Ended up going with a local dial up instead :ph34r:

 

Sorry for going off topic, just brought back memories - Typing up part2 now. No worries it will be shorter. :mad:

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Great first impressions! It definitely makes me more secure in my decision to buy a PN-40!

 

 

I am not looking to buy until October or November, but does any one know if we will be seeing a PN-50 by then??? :mad:

 

With GPS units, like just about any other electronic device, expect a string of better units to temp you for years, and years to come. I bought my first GPS unit in 1995, my Pn-40 was number 14 if memory serves me right, and my Dakota 20 was the 15th. There are still quite a few features I'd like to see in future units, so I'm sure the trend will continue for the forseable future.

 

To the New PN-40 owner, congratulations, and remember, always carry spare batteries... I'm sure you'll be so focused on the GPS for awhile that you forget to take in your surroundings. As a result, it'd be easy to get lost if the batteries died on you.

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Did you get the Dakota to replace the Pn-40? How would you compare the 2? Sorry if this is listed in a thread somewhere else.

 

Great first impressions! It definitely makes me more secure in my decision to buy a PN-40!

 

 

I am not looking to buy until October or November, but does any one know if we will be seeing a PN-50 by then??? :mad:

 

With GPS units, like just about any other electronic device, expect a string of better units to temp you for years, and years to come. I bought my first GPS unit in 1995, my Pn-40 was number 14 if memory serves me right, and my Dakota 20 was the 15th. There are still quite a few features I'd like to see in future units, so I'm sure the trend will continue for the forseable future.

 

To the New PN-40 owner, congratulations, and remember, always carry spare batteries... I'm sure you'll be so focused on the GPS for awhile that you forget to take in your surroundings. As a result, it'd be easy to get lost if the batteries died on you.

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Cash Register not allowing me into my geocaching account!!!!! I tried closing out the geoching tab. still didnt work. It claims my network is having problems but I can easily sign on to the site. HELP!!!

Have you done a reboot on the computer? I had an issue with CR where I used it to upload PQ's to the -40, then I closed it out. I then re-started it a little later and the arrow to choose which PQ did nothing. I rebooted the laptop and everything was fine. This was on an older laptop, my new PC never had any issues.
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Yes I have rebooted. twice now. the froggy keeps saying to check my network but its fine. I have no problem logging in without CR. CR just cant do it. I may try reinstalling CR but not sure if I need to delete the original I just installed first.? Is there a way to get the PQ's on to my 40 without using CR? Lunch is getting near and I need this resolved before that ( Yes .. I'm getting impatient... I wanna play!!!!)

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Yes I have rebooted. twice now. the froggy keeps saying to check my network but its fine. I have no problem logging in without CR. CR just cant do it. I may try reinstalling CR but not sure if I need to delete the original I just installed first.? Is there a way to get the PQ's on to my 40 without using CR? Lunch is getting near and I need this resolved before that ( Yes .. I'm getting impatient... I wanna play!!!!)

Cache Register doesn't work with proxy servers. If you're at work, this is most likely the problem.

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OK. If thats the case. Is there a way to get the PQs on to the 40 without using CR?

How about doing some individual GPX to -40 from gc.com? I know it's not the PQ's, but you can put 5-10 on there to go out and play :mad:

 

afaik, CR is the only way to batch load onto the PN-XX...

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No I don't think that is true. It is I believe true if you are using a Mac. If you are using Windows, there is a GSAk macro or you can load your pq into Topo and transfer it to the PN-? that way. I'm at work and don't have Topo installed so I can't walk you through it but it is possible and not really difficult.

Team Taran

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OK. If thats the case. Is there a way to get the PQs on to the 40 without using CR?

How about doing some individual GPX to -40 from gc.com? I know it's not the PQ's, but you can put 5-10 on there to go out and play :mad:

 

afaik, CR is the only way to batch load onto the PN-XX...

 

OH !! (sigh) Ok....... If I must do this for now. As much as I enjoyed caching when I first was introduced to it I never liked the process of writing of printing waypoints. So I didnt cache as much as I would've liked to. I waited long enough for a paperless unit to come out and now that its in my hands I guess I can wait a few more hours. ( this is going to make my work day seem really really long). None the less I am liking everything else about my 40. I'm just wanting instant gratification. I'm sure there's plenty out there who agree with that.

 

Thank you for all the support.....

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