Geocaches no longer appearing in Oregon 450

[+thecaswellfamily]

Okay, I have a shiney new toy. It is a beautiful Oregon 450 that I dearly love. I played with it all weekend. This morning I deleted the GPX files from the weekend and replaced them with my new PQ (saved to my desktop, unzipped, then copied to the GPX folder on my GPS). But when I power the unit on and go to GEOCACHE it says that none are found. When I plug the USB back in and check the GPX folder the files are in there. What am I doing wrong?

 

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, then I am there! I hope I am just doing something really stupid that is easy to fix.

[+mty55]

I've had that happen a several times on my Oregon 300 very random when it happens. Sometimes none come up others times one of the three queries I load don't. I usually just go back into the GPX files on the unit delete them then reload them back in the GPX folder. If you using a windows based computer make sure your using the safely remove hardware feature and wait for it to say "hardware can safely be removed". Disconnect the USB cord then fire up the Oregon. Let it go through its bootup process when its done check for your caches they should be there.

 

Another possibility. One of the guys I cache with once in a while magages to drag and drop the GPX files into a folder other than the GPX folder. Make sure they're in the GPX folder not just in the Garmin main folder.

 

Good Luck

Edited January 10, 2011 by mty55

[+thecaswellfamily]

I've had that happen a several times on my Oregon 300 very random when it happens. Sometimes none come up others times one of the three queries I load don't. I usually just go back into the GPX files on the unit delete them then reload them back in the GPX folder. If you using a windows based computer make sure your using the safely remove hardware feature and wait for it to say "hardware can safely be removed". Disconnect the USB cord then fire up the Oregon. Let it go through its bootup process when its done check for your caches they should be there.

 

Thank you, at least I know I'm not alone now. I have tried deleting them and redownloading them repeatedly... I think maybe I need to just walk away for a little bit. *deep breath* I am using Windows 7, and I have been waiting for that "hardare can be safely removed message". *sigh* This is just frusterating.

[+jimbolaya64]

I have an Oregon 450 and a PQ GPX file works fine. I'm not sure about the 300 though. A couple of thoughts. A PQ produces a waypoint gpx file and a geocache gpx file. Are you using the geocache gpx file? And, I don't know if it matters. But I use gpx version 1.0. This is selectable under your account detail preferences. And finally, I have upgraded to the latest firmware from the Garmin website. Good luck.

 

Jim

[+thecaswellfamily]

I have an Oregon 450 and a PQ GPX file works fine. I'm not sure about the 300 though. A couple of thoughts. A PQ produces a waypoint gpx file and a geocache gpx file. Are you using the geocache gpx file? And, I don't know if it matters. But I use gpx version 1.0. This is selectable under your account detail preferences. And finally, I have upgraded to the latest firmware from the Garmin website. Good luck.

 

Jim

 

Thank you. First thing when taking it out of the box I installed a Zagg Invisible Sheild, second thing was getting the latest firmware. I download both the geocache gpx files and the waypoint ones... and the waypoints were fine it was just the geocaches that weren't showing up. Anyhow... I walked away, cried a little, took some deep breaths and then tried again. It works now. I have no idea what was up, but thank you both for trying to help.

[+Gushoneybun]

This is an ongoing issue with the Oregon and the Colorado. If you scan this forum there are several similar threads. There seems to be no logic to it and it is intermittent. Sometimes it loads all the caches, other times only some and on other occasions none even though it loads the waypoints from the same file:blink: .

 

The best way I have found is when loading GPX files is to connect to your PC, delete the existing GPX files that you do not need, unplug it restart the unit then turn off and connect to the PC and load the new files in. Even this is not perfect and may result in any of the above issues reoccuring. Loading smaller GPX files does seem to make it happen less often but not always.

 

Please complain to Garmin about it and who knows one day they may sort it, but it has been an issue for well over a year now.

[+thecaswellfamily]

This is an ongoing issue with the Oregon and the Colorado. If you scan this forum there are several similar threads. There seems to be no logic to it and it is intermittent. Sometimes it loads all the caches, other times only some and on other occasions none even though it loads the waypoints from the same file:blink: .

 

The best way I have found is when loading GPX files is to connect to your PC, delete the existing GPX files that you do not need, unplug it restart the unit then turn off and connect to the PC and load the new files in. Even this is not perfect and may result in any of the above issues reoccuring. Loading smaller GPX files does seem to make it happen less often but not always.

 

Please complain to Garmin about it and who knows one day they may sort it, but it has been an issue for well over a year now.

 

Oooooh, good point. I just sent the Garmin support team an e-mail (not that I expect to hear back anytime soon). I appreciate hearing all of the little tricks that others are using to try and avoid this. I have to say, other than this weird fluke, I am really LOVING this unit. It is so much easier than the eTrex Legend HCx and pocket PC combo I was using before. I honestly thought I must doing something wrong and just couldn't figure out what! Well, now that I did get it to function, I'd better get out there and get caching, huh?

[+New Jersey TJ]

Are the caches in the loaded PQ's close to you, or far away? You won't see caches that are farther than some distance (50 mi?). Try clicking on the Alpha button at the bottom of the empty cache list display and search by name for a cache.

Edited January 11, 2011 by New Jersey TJ

[+thecaswellfamily]

Are the caches in the loaded PQ's close to you, or far away? You won't see caches that are farther than some distance (50 mi?). Try clicking on the Alpha button at the bottom of the empty cache list display and search by name for a cache.

 

These caches are all within 10 miles of my house. The whole incident was somewhat troubling, but it is working now and BOY do I love this unit. I can't wait to see what Garmin has to say about it (if anything), LOL!

[+aintnorock]

Wow! where was this thread when I bought my 450? Sure glad I found it, I was about to go insane, too.

 

Major reason I wanted this was for the paperless - I was tired of printing out reams of paper every time I wanted to go caching. So, first time I load a couple of caches, go to the GPSr and look for them, and they're NOT THERE! What? I loaded them again. STILL not there. Then I started looking here at the forum and came across this thread. Went back to my unit, deleted all the waypoints, and sure enough, the caches showed up. Next ran a pocket query and downloaded 50 of them with no problem. Sure hope this problem doesn't rear it's ugly head again.

 

Other than that. I LOVE this unit. It's my 2nd - I had an older eTrex Legend which I loved also, but man should I have bought this one sooner.

[+thecaswellfamily]

The best way I have found is when loading GPX files is to connect to your PC, delete the existing GPX files that you do not need, unplug it restart the unit then turn off and connect to the PC and load the new files in. Even this is not perfect and may result in any of the above issues reoccuring. Loading smaller GPX files does seem to make it happen less often but not always.

 

This is basically the same thing that Garmin suggested when I e-mailed their support team. I will say that so far (only 1 week) this has not happened again. I am also being extra sure to "remove external devices" in Windows before I disconnect that USB cable.