eXplorist 500 LE

[elicialynne15]

I am trying to set up this new gps and I have no idea I have tried everything and it's just not working. I cannot upload to the gps using the usb from the geocache.com web site or anywhere. The eXplorist 500 LE If any one can help that would be great .

Thank you,

Lynne

[+Knight2000]

You cannot load geocaches from the geocaching site directly onto your unit.

 

You can download the .loc file from the geocache pages and put them into your unit via EasyGPS. This will only give you the geocache coordinates.

 

There are ways to put many more in your unit too.

[elicialynne15]

Hi thank you ! I just tried that also and for some reason it wont even save in another folder for me to transfer it. any other suggestions? does it have anything to do with windows vista being installed on my computer? Any one ???

Thank You

[elicialynne15]

Should I be taking this back and getting something different? ?????

[+Knight2000]

That unit is adequate. You just need to learn how to use it. Save the .loc file on your computer somewhere. Then you need to convert it to the form your unit can read. Convert it via EasyGPS or many other pieces of software. (GSAK works great.) Then you need to transfer the new file to your unit via USB or SD card.

[+monahmat]

I remember one of my problems when I first started with the Explorist 500. The Explorist 500 has two places to store .loc files. They can be saved to the internal memory or they can be saved to sd card. I kept transferring files to my unit and then get very annoyed that I could not find them on the unit. Turns out I was transferring the files to the internal memory but then looking for them on the SD card. The file system of the Explorist can be a little bit confusing/clunky at first. If you know file structure speak, on the explorist you need to go up the tree to the route directory. At that point you can choose between internal memory and SD Card.

 

I may not be saying this clearly but hope you get what I am driving at. If you need help feel free to message me. I still have my Explorist 500 but haven't used it in a while. If need be I can charge it up and walk you through.

[+Woodstramp]

Should I be taking this back and getting something different? ?????

 

Elicia,

 

If you have the Mapsend topo software and intend to use it to load custom maps to your Explorist and you have Windows7 then that may not be a bad idea. Installing and running Mapsend was a toughy with older versions of Window that it DID work with. Right now I'm still having trouble getting maps to my Explorists using Windows7.

 

If you have no intentions of using custom maps and are happy with just the basemap to navigate to caches then it is a decent unit for geocaching. Especially if you can only load .loc files.

 

Here's a tutorial I made to load .loc files using the free EasyGPS software. (Note that things have changed since I wrote it. Like you can't get hints anymore with a basic membership.)

 

---------------

 

Log in at Geocaching.com. Enter your ZIP. WHen a page loads with closest caches click the boxes on that page of the caches you'd like to find or click "Check All" button. A Windows "download" box appears. Save the geocaching.loc file to desktop (if it doesn't automatically). Go to desktop and right click that new saved file. Select "Open WIth" then select EasyGPS...when it opens you see the twenty or so caches you got from the page.

 

----Note: you can also string together up to 10 of the pages giving you the maximum of 200 caches to load in on one larger file by cutting a pasting from different files that are saved on Desktop, but try a single page with it's 20 caches at first. ----

 

The first time you want to send them to the Explorist using EasyGPS you have to click Edit>Preferences>Add GPS>select Magellan>Explorist(model #) so that EasyGPS can set the file correctly so that the unit can read the files you're sending it. After that first time you can just click Send. WHen you click Send a "Send to GPS" box appears....make sure Geocaches box has a green check and your "Magellan Explorist (your model #) is in the box below.....OK it. A "Save AS" box appears.

 

At this time connect the unit to the USB..power it up...select "File Transfer"....(Note: on a 210 you will only have the option to see Internal Memory...On 400's an above you can save in the IM or SD.)

 

At the top of the Save AS box look in the 'Save In' box and find whatever drive your unit shows up in once in File Transfer. (Mine shows up on drive E as a Removable Disk) Double click "Removable DisK' then double click "Geocaches" file. This is where you will save the EasyGPS cache files. Name the new file and save it. Go to the GPS and push the joystick, select Power Only, then disconnect the unit. Now to see if the files made it push Menu, Points of Interest, Geocache Pts, Nearest To>Position and you should be able to see them.

[+The Stainless Steel Rat]

so I think Ive done it, Thanks for the help.