Noob with a Delorme PN-40

[+RandomH3ro]

so, i bought a refurb PN-40. and it didnt come with a user manual, but it came with evetything else. so i got 3 quick questions to ask if someone can help me out here.

 

i currently have a 16Gb SDcard installed, can i load waypoints onto the SD card and if so.... how? there is only a 1000waypoint limit on the device. can i make it readwaypoints off of the SDcard?

 

also, if i click a geocache and then route to it, if i decide i dont want to go, how do i quit the route? i cant figure it out, other than powering down for now.

 

thanks in advance for helpng me out. i really should try and find the manual for download.

Edited February 19, 2011 by RandomH3ro

[+embra]

I can help out with the manual; check here.

 

Yes, you can have multiple waypoint/geocache files on the SD card (and internal memory, too, if you want). You will need either the 2.7 or 2.8 firmware for that...what are you showing as installed right now? (If I remember right you get to that information with Menu/Setting/About.)

 

To discontinue a route, I think you need to hit Menu/Route Options/Stop Navigating. You can also power off and back on.

 

(My uncertainty with directions is due to the fact that I don't have my PN-40 anymore, and I have to rely on memory.)

[+RandomH3ro]

im on 2.6

 

i checked the delorme site and 2.7 looks like it does the SDcard waypoints.

 

Added ability to work with GPX files on an SD card. Point layers can be sent to the PN-40, with or without an associated form, using XMap 7’s “Send to PN-Series Device” option. This places the layer, saved to a GPX file, on the SD card. When a GPX file is opened, its contents are transferred to the PN-40’s internal memory. Data can be edited and new points can be created. These changes can then be saved back to the SD card for merging into the originating layer in XMap 7.

 

but it also says this...

 

Note: This firmware is intended to update the PN-Series GPS to use XMap Forms, it is not intended as a general consumer release for non XMap users.

[+TotemLake]

Correct, 2.7 was originally for XMap form users. Intrepid geocachers figured out 2.7 works just fine for Geocaching. It requires the use of the SD card, and it will make it impossible to save waypoints if you want to use a third party SD card such as Navionics. I forget if GSAK will wash the caches correctly for you, but if not, you'll need the Topo software so you can have the correct symbols in the waypoint file.

[+Team CowboyPapa]

so, i bought a refurb PN-40. and it didnt come with a user manual, but it came with evetything else.

Is part of everything else a DVD with the Topo USA 8.0 or Topo North America 9.0 mapping software?

 

As mentioned above both FW 2.7 and 2.8 will support saving geocaches on the SDHC card in numbers greater than 1,000.

[+embra]

Maybe a relevant question is which version of Topo you have...Topo8 or Topo9? If 9, you may as well upgrade to the 2.8. But if you have an older version (I'm suspecting you do, because Topo9 would have offered you the firmware upgrade when you Sync), then there are reasons to stay with the 2.7 (although some do go on to the 2.8 anyway).

[+Pax42]

If Topo 9 came with the PN-40, install it and run synch. Synch will automatically check your version and initiate the update process to 2.8.

 

Edit: Embra beat me to the punch.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Pax42

[+RandomH3ro]

yea, it came with 9.0.

 

hasnt asked me to update anything at all. ima try that right now.

[+RandomH3ro]

okay, what am i doing wrong. i plug in my delorme, open the software, click the sync button and it tells me there is a update, i click update now...... then nothing.

 

do i need to have the device on a certain way? when i power on the device while plugged into usb it gives me the what type of connection do you want?

 

i click on data exchange and it goes to the sateelite and aqquires a fix. if i click map transfer topo 9.0 doesnt seem to recognize it.

Edited February 20, 2011 by RandomH3ro

[+Pax42]

After Topo tells you there is an update and you click to update the device, a certain amount of time will pass and you'll be given instructions to put the device in firwmware transfer mode. Menu>Device setup> Connect to Computer>Firmware Transfer.

[+RandomH3ro]

After Topo tells you there is an update and you click to update the device, a certain amount of time will pass and you'll be given instructions to put the device in firwmware transfer mode. Menu>Device setup> Connect to Computer>Firmware Transfer.

yea, unfortunatly topo9 didnt give me that at all. but i was able to download the standalone update and am doing that right now. the standalone told me about the firmware transfer.

[+RandomH3ro]

okay, now that the update is done, how do i add geocaches to the pn-40? should i use the topo9? or GSAK like i did before? either way, how do i get it to recognize the caches on the SDcard and do i have to change a setting to see more than 1k?

[+RandomH3ro]

okay, i think i got it figured out. i used topo9 to add a .gpx file. actually, once i added my login details it found the PQs i had on here already and i checked them and it added them to the device/sdcard.

 

i think im going to enjoy this.

[+a2n]

I use the Cache Register widget that Delorme makes available for a free download now..... It's really easy to use. CR communicates directly with geocaching.com to sync your PQs, all the notes and logs etc onto your PN series GPSr. Very cool.

Here is a link to that: http://support.delorme.com/questions.php?questionid=114

Edited February 20, 2011 by a2n

[+embra]

You probably ought to try both CacheRegister 2.0 and TopoNA9 to see which you prefer for your cache data management (but don't use them *both*; both programs get confused if they are trying to sync your cache data when the other program has placed cache files on the device. It's best to delete cache files from the device before switching from loading caches in one program to loading them from the other.) I *think* that people who use GSAK usually run them through T9 so they can have T9 upload field notes...but not using GSAK at the moment, I'm not sure of that.

 

My preference is to manage caches through CacheRegister because, well, it does it well and it does it quickly. OTOH I still like to load caches into T9 (but not sync them) so I can see them displayed on the map and plan cache runs. Lots of people prefer to do it all in T9.

 

On the Map Files tab in T9, you can set up the program to automatically download and new pocket queries that T9 locates (it sounds like you found that out already).

[+RandomH3ro]

i like the cacheregister because its lite on my hdd, my old laptop crashed and i havent replaced it and im using an old laptop with a 20Gb hdd so it goes quick.

 

anyway thanks for all the help people. im still having an issue, but i think i know what it is. i imported a pq from cacheregister and when i loaded it i got a message that read 'cache import excedded the maximum import limit, 1000 waypoints were added" or something along those lines.

 

im assuming that the device can only load 1k caches from each pq? but i can have multiple pqs on the card itself. am i correct in thinking this?

 

also, how do i delete a pq from the device while using cache register? i have an old test pq i made that i would like to delete from the sd card. but whenever i plug in the device cacheregister opens up and wont allow me to see it as F: in explorer.

 

FINAL question: i just discovered this, but i have this huge nasty green line on my map page that i guess is the "route i have travelled" with the device? i dunno but it looks real ugly and clutters the map near my house. how do i get rid of this and/or what is it called?

found out this is the TRACK option.

Edited February 21, 2011 by RandomH3ro

[+a2n]

When you connect your PN to the computer: On the PN, find the menu that says Connct to Computer then choose to show the SD card. That will place the icon for the SD card on your desktop and you can open that to delete what you want to. Your PQs will probably be in your Waypoints folder. With the new 2.8 firmware, it allows you to add and delete to the card itself, either in your device or in a card reader.