Triton 400 geocaching. UGH. Help!

[+Eternal_City_Team]

I bought the 400 about a year ago, but just started geocaching with a friend. After reading posts all over the place I now see how inferior this model is, but don't want to spend another $150-200 for another unit just yet. (Mainly because my first 3 (and only) geocaching adventures have been FRUSTRATING and NOT FUN - but it might be my ineptness, not the GPS - not sure yet - but I found nothing). I follow the screen with the compass on it, but have to toggle to another screen to tell me how far away I am...but in MILES, not feet. So when it says 0.0 miles, I can still be just <0.1 mile away! Absurd! My friend has an eTrex and it leads her right to them. One feature on hers is that it 'counts down the feet' on the same screen as the compass to let her know how far away she is while she's walking.

Am I doing something wrong? is there an easier way? Can anyone give

me a hint on how to use this a little more accurately? or should I just hang it up? lol Thank You!

 

oh, AND I read about WAAS - can I enable that on this unit and if so, how? Thx again

Edited May 10, 2010 by tinalynn

[+Deadelm]

You've been reading posts all over the place but missed reading the user manual here: http://www.magellangps.com/assets/manuals/..._UserManual.pdf

 

There are selectable fields on different screens. You can have a "distance to end" field on the compass screen that will show you the distance down to "0" ft. I use this same field from the map screen.

 

This product is not inferior, just not the same as the other one, just as that one is not the same as the other one and so on.....

[+Eternal_City_Team]

You've been reading posts all over the place but missed reading the user manual here: http://www.magellangps.com/assets/manuals/..._UserManual.pdf

 

There are selectable fields on different screens. You can have a "distance to end" field on the compass screen that will show you the distance down to "0" ft. I use this same field from the map screen.

 

This product is not inferior, just not the same as the other one, just as that one is not the same as the other one and so on.....

[+SkellyCA]

I have a Triton 400 too and It works great for caching. It's also paperless, you you can get the cache info from the cache page. You need to be a Premium member for that. The Screens are customizable so you can get iportant info right on the map screen including distance to the cache in feet.

 

Here's some starting info...

 

Download Vantage Point from here.

 

More to come...in my next post

[+SkellyCA]

Make sure you have the right Datum and Coordinate systems.

 

Changing Map Datum

 

1. Press Menu->view->Settings->Navagation

2. Where it says Map Datum(second one Down), make sure WGS84 is selected.

 

Changing coordinate systems

 

Here you go...

 

1. Menu->View->Settings->Navagation

 

2. Highlight Lat/Long Press Select(You may need to press it twice) It should say...Accuracy

 

3. Change that to Deg/Min.MMM

 

Transferring caches to the Triton

 

You have to use Magellan's VantagePoint software.

 

You need to be a premium member to download gpx files. If you are not a premium member, follow the same procedure using the .loc files, except for the use of pocket queries; and you will not get the info listed at the bottom, only the location of the caches..

 

You can use either step 2a, 2b or 2c to get the caches from the website in VP.

 

1. On the page of a cache, click GPX eXchange File(or LOC Waypoint File) and save it to your hard drive; I organized mine into different folders, basically by city(I usually name them the same as on the website; make sure that the file name ends in .gpx or .loc(accordingly))

 

2. Choose option a, b or c.

a. Upload the .gpx/.loc file into Vantage point; from Vantage Point software, click the Import Icon, 3rd from the left; then select the file from your hard drive. You can only do one file at a time, pain in the butt.

 

b. To import multiple gpx/loc files at once, open the folder that contains the gpx/loc files and open VP. Select the files(hold down CTRL and click the ones you want); then drag them into VP

 

c. Create a Pocket Query; unzip zip it; then import in into VP.

 

3. Transfer the file to GPSr. Connect your unit the the computer via usb. Then Click the Transfer From PC to My GPS icon where it says Snyc. Then a window will popup and to can select waypoints or geocaches; I uncheck both boxes. Then click the plus sign next to geocaches; then chech the boxes next to all the caches you want to transfer; it'll do how many ever you select. Then click OK and let it do it's thing.

 

What you will get on your Triton(if using .gpx files) is…

 

1. Name

2. Short Description

3. Long Description

4. Cache Type

5. Coordinates

6. Hint

6. Short Description

7. Long Description

 

Customizing the Screen

 

The Map screen can show two or four fields at the bottom.

To select between two and four fields

 

Press Menu

View

Profiles

Under Edit Ptofile

Select Geocaching

Press the right and Left arrows until you come to Map

Scroll down to Map Data Fields

Select 2 or 4(I like just 2)

 

Customizing the fields…

 

Press Select

Select Customize Fields

Highlight the field you want to customize

Press Select

Select the field you want(I like Distance to End & Bearing

Press select

Repeat for other fields

[+Eternal_City_Team]

Oh my, thank you so much. My first problem, I realized, was that I did not have the most recent version of vantage point downloaded (duh).

 

I will definitely do this and try it all again this weekend. I so appreciate the time you took to explain all this to me.

 

Thanks again!

[+btl-a4]

Make sure you upgrade the firmware on the 400 as well. The newest firmware on the tritons make them pretty decent. You will be able to upload new firmware through vantage point. Don't give up on the unit, they are not the best, but with the new firmware they are usable and accurate.

[vagabond]

Be sure to clear your memory before starting the firmware download, click on menu, scroll to view, click on it, scroll to settings, click on it, scroll to memory click on it, scroll to clear memory click on it, that clears the memory and your ready to load the latest firmware.

 

THIS IS IMPORTANT some users have turned their tritons into bricks because they didn't clear the memory

Edited May 11, 2010 by vagabond

[+Eternal_City_Team]

oooh, good advice. Thanks to you all !

[+hdarpini]

Don't give up on the unit, they are not the best, but with the new firmware they are usable and accurate.

 

I agree, don't give up on the Triton. I've had my Triton 2000 for a week now and I'm glad I didn't listen to some of the gripes I've read about the Triton line. As someone mentioned earlier, just because it doesn't do something like this model or that model doesn't make it any worse, just different. And as they also (diplomatically) implied, RTFM. And tinker with it while you do, get to know it and what it can do. Go through the steps everyone has given you here. Getting there is half the fun. And get back out there and try to find those same geocaches you couldn't find earlier.

 

Of course I've had a few issues with mine starting out but nothing that I couldn't resolve (and what GPS doesn't have issues from time to time?). And maybe I would have liked a Garmin Oregon 450 better (the other model I was considering). I hope one day to try one out; the comparison would be interesting. But for now, I'm happy with the Triton.

[+Eternal_City_Team]

Thanks for the confidence...I'll def. stick with it.

 

....now if it would just warm up a little outside...lol

Edited May 12, 2010 by tinalynn

[NJGeoKing]

If your not a Premium member, can you still do paperless? And if I dont wanna do the paperless thing, can I just enter the coords manually and it will tell me which way to go and how far away I am? I also just got the 400, but dont really like the paperless thing.

[+SkellyCA]

If your not a Premium member, can you still do paperless? And if I dont wanna do the paperless thing, can I just enter the coords manually and it will tell me which way to go and how far away I am? I also just got the 400, but dont really like the paperless thing.

 

You don't like the paperless thing? Having the description and hint right in your hand?

 

In order to go paperless, you need to be able to download gpx files. You can only do that if you are a premium member.

 

However, you don't need to enter the coordinates manually, you can download the loc files without being a premium member. I think all the info you get with that is the name and coordinates of the cache.

 

But if you really want to enter them manually, you can do that too.

Edited May 14, 2010 by SkellyCA

[NJGeoKing]

I can not for the life of me figure out how to change the miles to feet. I did everything you guys said to do. Even read the manual, cant figure it out. It wont even let me scroll left and right sometimes! I tried to do the Customize your screen thing and I cant get to my map icon. It wont let me go past Display. And Once I'm on Display, it wont let me go left or right. I have to hit esc to get out. UGH this is so frustrating!

Edited May 16, 2010 by NJGeoKing

[+SkellyCA]

I can not for the life of me figure out how to change the miles to feet. I did everything you guys said to do. Even read the manual, cant figure it out. It wont even let me scroll left and right sometimes! I tried to do the Customize your screen thing and I cant get to my map icon. It wont let me go past Display. And Once I'm on Display, it wont let me go left or right. I have to hit esc to get out. UGH this is so frustrating!

 

Make sure your firmware is up to date. 1.78

 

I believe the unit uses miles until you get closer that 1 mile. Just in case, do this...

 

From the map screen

Press Select

Scroll Down and select Set Units

Change Distance to Miles/Feet

 

Also...

 

From the Map Screen...

 

Press Select

Scroll down and select Map Options

Then use the up arrow then left and right to highlight the icons at the top to change those options as well

[NJGeoKing]

Okay I figured everything out. Thank you so much. One more thing tho. Why cant you just use the "Send to GPS" button instead of the "LOC Waypoint File" button?

[+SkellyCA]

Okay I figured everything out. Thank you so much. One more thing tho. Why cant you just use the "Send to GPS" button instead of the "LOC Waypoint File" button?

 

Because you're not a premium member

[NJGeoKing]

Okay I figured everything out. Thank you so much. One more thing tho. Why cant you just use the "Send to GPS" button instead of the "LOC Waypoint File" button?

 

Because you're not a premium member

 

Thats true, I'm not a premium member, but the "Send to GPS" button still works!!!!

 

Just to let everyone know, I got my first Triton 400 about 2 weeks ago and everytime I turned it off and turned it back on, it would freeze on the shutdown screen. I would have to take the batteries out to get it to unfreeze. I took that one back and got another one. That one seemed to work just fine until today when I was out geocaching and an error message came up on the screen saying, "Internal Error.....Your Triton has experienced an unexpected error and has to shut down." It shuts down and when I try to restart it, the error message just pops up and it shuts down again. These GPS's are pieces of TRASH. I will call the company and ask them to send me a "from the factory" replacement. I will give this GPS a 3rd and LAST chance.

 

Anyone thats looking to but a Magellan, save up another paycheck or two and get a decent piece of electronic.

[+buster71]

They're not the best but they do the job. My Triton 200 has been pin point accurate, and the ease of use has been great compared to the 60csx and PN-40 I had. Those 2, especially the Delorme, have steep learning curves.

 

I just upgraded to a Dakota 20 this week, but I'll keep my Triton since it's really not worth anything to sell. But I'd have no qualms giving it to a friend to use because it's been very reliable, accurate, and fun to use. Remember, these things are dirt cheap, and they're great for what they are.

[+Eternal_City_Team]

I'm getting the error message all over the place too! That problem just started - and there's no particular time it happens, one time I'll press a button and get it and the next time I won't. I'm way past the timeframe to get a new one. (rats) - but when it works I like it....It's so tempermental and sooooooo frustrating. Does anyone know how to fix this error? "Internal Error.....Your Triton has experienced an unexpected error and has to shut down."