Need help with a Garmin eTrex

[+bargewell3]

Hi...we're new to geocaching, and have a used Garmin eTrex, the older yellow one. It works great, and we have the data cable. Can upload coords one at a time, but know there is a way to upload a group of them at once. Also looking for ways to print out descriptions, etc. in a list or table besides doing the "print screen" option. I don't believe there is a way to download that data to this older GPS, but would think we can save to our puter. Other problem we've run into is that when we download coords, it saves by the "GC" number, but cuts off the last letter/number, so if there are ones that are close in name, the latter one will cancel out and replace the earlier. Anyone familiar with these?

[+Chrysalides]

Can upload coords one at a time, but know there is a way to upload a group of them at once.

 

Also looking for ways to print out descriptions, etc. in a list or table besides doing the "print screen" option. I don't believe there is a way to download that data to this older GPS, but would think we can save to our puter.

 

Other problem we've run into is that when we download coords, it saves by the "GC" number, but cuts off the last letter/number, so if there are ones that are close in name, the latter one will cancel out and replace the earlier. Anyone familiar with these?

Yikes, plenty of questions!

 

First, need to know if you're running Windows or Mac. I'm not familiar with geocaching software on the Mac, so I'll answer for Windows.

 

You can download 20 geocaches at a time as LOC files, or up to 500 at a time as pocket queries. Pocket queries are queries that you submit, it runs, and the result emailed to you, and it contains everything in it. You can't use most of it on the eTrex, unfortunately.

 

To print, click on "No logs", "5 logs", or "10 logs" just below the blue box with the coordinates.

 

To save the page, I would suggest printing to a PDF page, then saving that. You can install a PDF printer driver free (e.g. PDF Creator at http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/ )

 

How many characters does the old eTrex reserve for the name? Sounds like there is just 6. One way to get around that is to use GSAK. Import the GPX into GSAK, then have it export to your Garmin after stripping off "GC". You might be able to use other software to do it, but since I use GSAK for just about everything, I've never tried myself.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Chrysalides

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Yup, older Garmins use a shorter title field. You could, if you want after downloading, correct those individually by stripping off the GC prefix so that you could manually enter the final digit(s). A little tedious, but not at all difficult when preparing for a day's caching. Remember to [save] after that alteration.

 

To do that, scroll up to the name [Enter] then re-enter the name w/o GC prefix by scrolling up or down to change the character. Scroll sideways to the next and repeat, and so on down the line. Remember to [save] when finished.

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

 

As far as printing the pages, I know quite a few cachers that still do it that way. It actually does have a couple of advantages (if you consider it that). It provides you with cache specific note pads to jot down info for later online logging -- doing a 10/20 or more caches and trying to remember what you did where can become a job w/o notes. Next, carrying those papers on a regular clipboard, along with your GPSr can actually make you look "official" to muggles during your searches. This is a fairly good form of "stealth" technique.

 

Wasting paper, sure, but you can save those pages, reverse them into the printer, and print your next series on the backside. Recycling, of sorts. Just remember to draw a big X across the "done cache page".

 

The entire page with hint can be printed (on one page) pre-sizing from File>print preview>scale. Be sure to opt for 1 page in the "print range" window. [This is using PC, not Mac.]

[+Sehmket]

 

As far as printing the pages, I know quite a few cachers that still do it that way. It actually does have a couple of advantages (if you consider it that). It provides you with cache specific note pads to jot down info for later online logging -- doing a 10/20 or more caches and trying to remember what you did where can become a job w/o notes. Next, carrying those papers on a regular clipboard, along with your GPSr can actually make you look "official" to muggles during your searches. This is a fairly good form of "stealth" technique.

 

Wasting paper, sure, but you can save those pages, reverse them into the printer, and print your next series on the backside. Recycling, of sorts. Just remember to draw a big X across the "done cache page".

 

The entire page with hint can be printed (on one page) pre-sizing from File>print preview>scale. Be sure to opt for 1 page in the "print range" window. [This is using PC, not Mac.]

 

I print out cache descriptions, but I modify them to take up MUCH less paper. I copy them into Word, change the format to three columns, and only copy the info I need (usually the title, difficulty/terrain, cache info that actually refers to the cache, and the undecoded hint (I can decode it on site if I want it)). I then clear the formatting, and then fiddle with my font size, column width and margins to get me down to the fewest number of pages in a still-legible format. It's a little extra work, but if you're familiar with formatting in Word (or whatever your fav program is), it's much easier to carry around and saves a whole lot of paper.

[+coggins]

Hi...we're new to geocaching, and have a used Garmin eTrex, the older yellow one. It works great, and we have the data cable. Can upload coords one at a time, but know there is a way to upload a group of them at once. Also looking for ways to print out descriptions, etc. in a list or table besides doing the "print screen" option. I don't believe there is a way to download that data to this older GPS, but would think we can save to our puter. Other problem we've run into is that when we download coords, it saves by the "GC" number, but cuts off the last letter/number, so if there are ones that are close in name, the latter one will cancel out and replace the earlier. Anyone familiar with these?

Geocaches used to have fewer digits when the eTrex came out. Thing is, it easy to use GSAK with a drop2 to ditch the GC from the front of the cache number. Google GSAK, the instructions are on their forum. Next, it you have an iPod, you can send the cache info to it as notes and be old school paperless. This is how paperless was defined before it grew into units that hold the information. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't paperless, let them show you the paper. Now maps are another thing, you should always have a hardcopy of a map as GPSr units only die at the least opportune moment.

[Keigh]

I'm going to hop in here! This is my first post so to begin with, Hi! I'm Kelli but you can call me K.

 

I did a search for "muggles" in this forum and found this page, which answers so many questions that I hadn't even known I needed to ask...

 

I also have the Old skizzy Yellow Garmin eTrex... Bought it practically new from a guy on craigslist. I do not, unfortunately, have a data cable. I'm pretty ok with entering coords manually, at least for a while.

 

What got me to speak up tho, is your idea, coggins, of putting cache info as a note on an ipod. I was thinking that exact same thing jsut a few moments before I read it here! I have a Nano, but I think it would still work.

 

Any other tips for us using the basic-est of the basic?

 

Thanks!

 

~K~

[Keigh]

ooh ooh i thought of my other question! My Garmin Etrex did not come with a data cable Where can I get one of those suckers? I looked online a bit and they seemed really high, and it looks like i need one with a male plug for my lappy, but all i saw were female.

[+Mosaic55]

ooh ooh i thought of my other question! My Garmin Etrex did not come with a data cable Where can I get one of those suckers? I looked online a bit and they seemed really high, and it looks like i need one with a male plug for my lappy, but all i saw were female.

 

The cables are available on ebay. There are two types, one with a serial connection, get that if you have a computer with a serial port. If your PC only has a USB port, there's also Garmin to USB cable that comes with a USB/serial driver. (I have no fist hand knowledge of how difficult it is to get the USB driver to work).

[+nvgirls]

Hi...we're new to geocaching, and have a used Garmin eTrex, the older yellow one. It works great, and we have the data cable. Can upload coords one at a time, but know there is a way to upload a group of them at once. Also looking for ways to print out descriptions, etc. in a list or table besides doing the "print screen" option. I don't believe there is a way to download that data to this older GPS, but would think we can save to our puter. Other problem we've run into is that when we download coords, it saves by the "GC" number, but cuts off the last letter/number, so if there are ones that are close in name, the latter one will cancel out and replace the earlier. Anyone familiar with these?

Geocaches used to have fewer digits when the eTrex came out. Thing is, it easy to use GSAK with a drop2 to ditch the GC from the front of the cache number. Google GSAK, the instructions are on their forum. Next, it you have an iPod, you can send the cache info to it as notes and be old school paperless. This is how paperless was defined before it grew into units that hold the information. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't paperless, let them show you the paper. Now maps are another thing, you should always have a hardcopy of a map as GPSr units only die at the least opportune moment.

 

I love the ipod idea....how do i do that?! I'm new to all this too but would loveto have all the info without having to print stuff out

[+RkyMtnHootOwl]

Hi Kathi and Keigh, I am relatively new to GCing, only a couple of months. I found my first GCs before becoming a premium member, and only downloaded the LOC files off of GC.com. This works, but you do take more time loading the coordinates by hand! To load pocket queries I became a member, and to support a good cause! Now I have thousands of GC, loaded, and what I have found is that I am constanly editing and sorting which ones are loaded. This would be impossible if handloading individually. This way as I drive around town, I can always find one nearby to hunt down in some spare moments, and I don't have to worry about loading them in, or co-ordinating them between my various GPSr's. You can use the cables for loading the LOC files, but you don't get all the hints loaded that way, so what I would do then, is copy the GC data, to an EXCEL file which would maintain the cell structure, and allow you to print about 25 GC to a page, if you spread out the cells to show the maximum data!

 

My first handheld GPSr was an Etrex Vista, and then more recently I picked up a Nuvi350, and Etrex H. Both Etrex use the same serial connector, and I have configured both to work off of the USB port on my desktop, and laptop, with no problem. I did have to pick up a Belkin USB to Serial connector, but running XP, it automatically recognized the Belkin adapter, and added the serial port to the hardware list. This was done before I plugged in the Garmin at all.

 

The main thing about serial, is that you cannot plug it in directly with the computer running, so I plug in the Garmin connector to the GPS first, then into the Belkin, and then last plug the usb in once it was previously configured, which can be done "hot". If you had the Garmin hooked up directly to a serial port on the computer, then normally you would have to restart the computer for the computer to recognize the Etrex.

Then I turn the Garmin on, and presto the computer sees the Garmin when I run the Mapsourse or other utility software. It will ask what serial port the Garmin is on, so you have to ID by looking at the hardware list to see what port is being used for the new serial port. In my case, com port 5, since my desktop does have a serial port, and was already using Com 1 & 2. My laptop has USB only, so I figured I would set them both up so that it is the same which ever one I hook up to, and avoid the problem of restarting the computer by not using the built in serial port. I found the Belkin and Garmin connector at a local thrift store, for less than $10.00 total, though I may have been lucky

 

At first, I printed up all the info on each GC, but it was not long before I was carrying a stack of paper with me in the car, and trying to keep it straight, was a problem. I could carry my laptop in the car with me when I go GCing, and save paper, since I am never too far from the car. That way I could read the hints and logs of the various Geocaches. However I recently did load GSAK, Nuvi macro, and the Poi loader in order to load my Nuvi with the data. You could do the same with an Ipod, Nano, or other memory device like smart phones. I have more recently found a number of GC carrying only the Etrex H, and the Nuvi, which is so much easier.

 

I picked up the Etrex H off of CraigsList, for $25.00, and the Nuvi for $40.00, the Vista for $50.00, and the cables, for less than $150.00 total, which is not bad for all the fun I am having. Oh, I forgot batteries, but I am going to try rechargables, which I hope to keep the price down overall! Otherwise, I may have to check into Ever Ready stock! RkyMtnHootOwl

[+bearhugger1972]

I have a Garmin Venture HC and data cable. When i send a cache to my gpsr i also copy and paste the GC number, title, clue and any other information i think is relevant into a word processor (i have Word, Wordpad, notepad and openoffice writer). I have a 10 cache hike planned for Saturday and all 10 caches info is on 1 and a bit sides of A4. Just need to turn the sheet over when printing.

And as for usb cables, try Amazon. The usb drivers are easy to find and download online. Garmin Usb driver download