Magellan Explorist 500

[+brad4man]

I have loaded the pocket file onto my computer and drop and dragged it to my Magellan Explorist 500. Presently I can see the file is there when I look from my computer but when I unplug and look at the Explorist it says that it is empty..

 

Any idea what I am doing wrong? I even downloaded vantagepoint and tried it. same results...

 

thanks

 

brad

[+monahmat]

I began caching with an Explorist 500 and I loved it! There is a bit of confusion though when you first start using it.

 

The issue is that there are two locations that you can save the file to on the explorist - one is local memory and the other is the SD Card. You likely have the file loaded on the SD Card and are browsing the local storage on the explorist (or vice versa). When you are on the Explorist and go in to select the file you need to keep climbing the file structure to the root directory. It's a little tricky but if you play with it you should get it. Once you get to the top directory on the Explorist 500 you will see 2 options, one for local storage and one for SD Card. Choose whichever one you weren't previously in.

 

I know those aren't the clearest directions but hopefully it gets the point across. If you are still having issues please let me know and I'll charge up my unit and try and get you a more detailed walk through.

 

Good luck!

[+Woodstramp]

Brad,

 

Monahmat is right about the Explorist file structure. Kind of tricky, but nice once you get used to it. I've owned a few Explorists and liked them all.

 

Sounds to me like you've transferred a ".gpx" file to somewher in the 500's memory, but the problem is that they can't recognize a .gpx file. Either that or the correctyly converted file was sent to the wrong folder. It has to go in one of the "geocache" folders (internal memory or SD).

 

I always used EasyGPS for my Explorists. Here's an old tutorial I saved from an old thread. Hope it helps..

 

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

 

210,400 Explorist---downloading PQ using EasyGPS.

 

EasyGPS is free and besides, with an Explorist, GSAK is kind of overkill because the Explorists can't load descriptions for paperless.

 

First, you need EasyGPS, a GC.com PQ (with less than 200 caches on it because of the 400's limit per cache file) saved to Desktop.

 

Right Click the saved PQ .zip file....select Open With, then EasyGPS. WHen you see the individual caches in the E-GPS screen the hints all need to be decrypted. Left click one cache, it highlights....left click EDIT at the top left of the E-GPS screen....select Select All...now left click Geocache (next to Edit at top) ....select Decrypt Hint...they all decrypt.

 

They are ready to send to the unit. 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 (unzipped PQ)file and save it there. 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.

[+hukilaulau]

Good advice in above posts. I've used a 500 as my main gps for at least 4 years now. I remember well the frustration of learning how to use it. If you still don't have it figured out, keep posting here! We'll get you there!

First really basic question... Do you have an SD card in the gps?

Also... no way is GSAK "overkill!" It is perhaps the most useful tool in the box.

And this... there are SEVERAL different ways to get the cache info onto your gps. Keep trying. one of them will suddenly work for you!

[+brad4man]

Got it Thanks to you all!!

[Modigger]

Gonna to dredge up this conversation again. I have an explorist 400. I used this to geocache before but for the life of me I cannot get it to load any points anymore. I have downloaded .loc files to the gps internal unit. I completely removed the sd card just to be sure what I was looking at. When the gps is connected to the pc they are all there, but when I go into the directory, they are not. I remember having problems like this before, but I just cant remember how to work the darn thing (I just got it working again, after losing the cable for it for a few years). Now I want to go geocaching again, but can't get anything to work.

PS. I seem to be to dumb to follow the post that Woodstramp put up there. So talk slow. Thanks