+MossStar Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hi Can anyone help me to set up my Gamin Oregon for caching in the uk ie. Should I set the gps for magnetic north or true north, compass to auto or off, and position format to British grid or us Grid etc. Thanks Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Lat/Long HDDD° MM.MMM Datum as WGS84 Mag/True North, doesn't matter. (Only if you need to do a Bearing, eg 130 degrees Mag North) Worth a read >> http://www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk/resources/gps.html#coords Quote Link to comment
+MossStar Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Lat/Long HDDD° MM.MMM Datum as WGS84 Mag/True North, doesn't matter. (Only if you need to do a Bearing, eg 130 degrees Mag North) Worth a read >> http://www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk/resources/gps.html#coords --------------------- many thanks for your info. I have read so much round this issue that I confused myself. Quote Link to comment
+FollowMeChaps Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Personally I found that I didn't need to tweak anything from the default settings to geocache. You'll have plenty of fun tweakng once you get used to what it can do. Have you discovered the Oregon Wiki, plenty of info here, also the dedicated forum? Enjoy! PS: I'd also thoroughly recommend TalkyToasters great maps, they are free, plus the free OS maps via Mobile Atlas Creator (use the Multimap UK OS Map as your map source). Quote Link to comment
+Graculus Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Which model Oregon do you have? If it's a 't' model it already has the Garmin European maps pre-installed which are very similar to the free OpenStreeMaps from Talky Toaster. You can run both but you'll find the OSM maps have more detail for paths and tracks and contour lines. Chris Graculus Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk Geocaching.com Knowledge Books Quote Link to comment
+MossStar Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Personally I found that I didn't need to tweak anything from the default settings to geocache. You'll have plenty of fun tweakng once you get used to what it can do. Have you discovered the Oregon Wiki, plenty of info here, also the dedicated forum? Enjoy! PS: I'd also thoroughly recommend TalkyToasters great maps, they are free, plus the free OS maps via Mobile Atlas Creator (use the Multimap UK OS Map as your map source). ----------- Thanks for replying and I shall look up Oregon Wiki. I'm ok with the ,maps but not to sure of the setting up the compass. Ie when caching do I set my Oregon550 compass to Auto or Off in the Heading menu. Quote Link to comment
+MossStar Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Which model Oregon do you have? If it's a 't' model it already has the Garmin European maps pre-installed which are very similar to the free OpenStreeMaps from Talky Toaster. You can run both but you'll find the OSM maps have more detail for paths and tracks and contour lines. Chris Graculus Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk Geocaching.com Knowledge Books ------------- Thanks for the reply. I am using a Gamin Oregon 550 with gamins discovery maps. Its the compass settings I am having difficulty with. Too many conflicting views on the Internet that even contradict the Oregon manual. When caching should the compass setting within the Heading setup be Auto or Off. Is the GPS compass more accurate than the electronic compass.? Once again many thanks Quote Link to comment
+Graculus Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 The built in electronic compass works like a 'hand held' compass. It always points correctly even when you stop. You can hold the GPS at any angle (flat, vertically or at an angle) and the compass will still work. The GPS compass means it uses the GPS satellite signal to work so when you stop moving so does the compass needle, it freezes. The electronic one is best (you've paid for it so use it!!) so set it to Auto. This means above fast walking speed the GPS compass works and below that (when you are cache hunting) the electronic one works. You will need to periodically calibrate the compass. Just follow the strange turning motions on the screen as instructed. True north is what I set mine too. You should also set the pointer to Bearing and not Course. The compass arrow then points directly to the cache or waypoint you are navigating to. Just follow the arrow. But not literally... don't go walking over cliffs. If you want to see how it all works, mark your house as a waypoint then take a walk about half a mile away and then navigate back to the house waypoint. You can watch how the compass works and if you set the compass data fields to Distance to Destination you'll get a countdown of the distance to go. All this and more explained on my resource website, link under my signature. Chris Graculus Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk Geocaching.com Knowledge Books Quote Link to comment
+MossStar Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 The built in electronic compass works like a 'hand held' compass. It always points correctly even when you stop. You can hold the GPS at any angle (flat, vertically or at an angle) and the compass will still work. The GPS compass means it uses the GPS satellite signal to work so when you stop moving so does the compass needle, it freezes. The electronic one is best (you've paid for it so use it!!) so set it to Auto. This means above fast walking speed the GPS compass works and below that (when you are cache hunting) the electronic one works. You will need to periodically calibrate the compass. Just follow the strange turning motions on the screen as instructed. True north is what I set mine too. You should also set the pointer to Bearing and not Course. The compass arrow then points directly to the cache or waypoint you are navigating to. Just follow the arrow. But not literally... don't go walking over cliffs. If you want to see how it all works, mark your house as a waypoint then take a walk about half a mile away and then navigate back to the house waypoint. You can watch how the compass works and if you set the compass data fields to Distance to Destination you'll get a countdown of the distance to go. All this and more explained on my resource website, link under my signature. Chris Graculus Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk Geocaching.com Knowledge Books Quote Link to comment
+MossStar Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 The built in electronic compass works like a 'hand held' compass. It always points correctly even when you stop. You can hold the GPS at any angle (flat, vertically or at an angle) and the compass will still work. The GPS compass means it uses the GPS satellite signal to work so when you stop moving so does the compass needle, it freezes. The electronic one is best (you've paid for it so use it!!) so set it to Auto. This means above fast walking speed the GPS compass works and below that (when you are cache hunting) the electronic one works. You will need to periodically calibrate the compass. Just follow the strange turning motions on the screen as instructed. True north is what I set mine too. You should also set the pointer to Bearing and not Course. The compass arrow then points directly to the cache or waypoint you are navigating to. Just follow the arrow. But not literally... don't go walking over cliffs. If you want to see how it all works, mark your house as a waypoint then take a walk about half a mile away and then navigate back to the house waypoint. You can watch how the compass works and if you set the compass data fields to Distance to Destination you'll get a countdown of the distance to go. All this and more explained on my resource website, link under my signature. Chris Graculus Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk Geocaching.com Knowledge Books ------------- That was a good piece of information many thanks. I have now setup my GPS and shall try it out some time next week. Thanks for your time. Maurice Moss8945 Quote Link to comment
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