Etrex 20 and geocaching

[+Happy Humphrey]

Not sure why you're using GSAK? All you need do is create a PQ and drop the unzipped gpx file into the gpx folder ... then everything works fine.

Yes, that was one of the first things I tried. All the caches are visible, but only as a list. How do you get to see the details - on the Garmin page you can see an example where you read about "Sweng Rveng" and how it's "A fun cache created by the..." etc. I see none of that. Whe I select a cache from the list it simply allows me to set it as a destination.

 

For the moment anything would do, but obviously I'd like to use GSAK so that I can filter the caches first. At the very least I'd use a GSAK extract as the GPX file.

 

Oh - and thanks for the prompt reply!

Edited March 2, 2012 by Happy Humphrey

[+Happy Humphrey]

I've just worked it out - operator error! It appears that you have to "go" to the geocache and then you can see the details. Sorry about that!

[+sussamb]

See what you're trying to do now.

 

Must confess I've not tried to view the details of a cache unless I'm navigating to it. Once you are you simply press the back button until you get to the geocache page then select what you want.

[+sussamb]

Ah, posted at the same time ... glad you've worked it out

[+riffraff9000]

Even before you "Go" to a geocache, you can get details. For instance, if I move the map pointer to a cache symbol, then click on it, it shows the option to "Go" at the bottom of the screen, but it also shows details and some logs before I click "Go."

[+EScout]

I thought I knew my way around this GPSr lark, but after an hour of frustration I have had no success with the Etrex 20 geocaching feature.

I expected to be able to see the "key information, including location, terrain, difficulty, hints and descriptions" by "Simply upload the geocaching GPX file to your unit and start hunting for caches.".

 

Garmin blurb.

 

Nope!

 

All I see is the list of geocaches (name, terrain/diff etc) but there seems no way of displaying the description or hint for any of them.

 

I've tried various different methods, including the "Send to my GPS" from the gc.com cache page, the copy of GPX file to the Garmin folder on the device (also the memory card) and direct send from GSAK 8. All have the same result of showing the basic list but no more.

 

Any ideas?

Use your Menu button and use it often.

When you are looking at a list of Geocaches, highlight one, push the cursor, and then the Menu button, then Review Point. If you have already done a "GOTO" a Geocache, push Menu, then push cursor on View Geocache.

[Wintertime]

If you load geocaches as waypoints, how much information do you see about each one?

[+K2CLH]

Thanks so much!!! By reading this forum that made me investigate the folders my PC could see aand found one called .GPX under Garmin. All I had to do is drop my pocket quiry into that folder and they were in the geocaching list.

[+Pprime (P`)]

OK, in the interests of saving my sanity, is there a setting somewhere buried on my etrex20 that can change the format of dates in the logs? I want it to be DD/MM/YYYY, but it is displaying as MM/DD/YYYY - a format I never use and find somewhat obscure, although I know Americans like it. It confuses me as everything else in my life is correct.

[+sussamb]

Don't believe so

[+ShaunEM]

I've just worked it out - operator error! It appears that you have to "go" to the geocache and then you can see the details. Sorry about that!

 

Press the menu button on the "go" screen and you can view the cache details without even beginning the "go" navigation to that cache.

 

That button on most screens will take you to options relevant to the screen you are on.

 

Ohh, and the light button on the right will first take you to the date screen, with GPS strengh and battery remaning. I literally hit this button ONCE for every cache I find.. pencil in hand.. cursing "What day is this..".

 

Shaun

[+Wilmer Wizards]

I thought I knew my way around this GPSr lark, but after an hour of frustration I have had no success with the Etrex 20 geocaching feature.

I expected to be able to see the "key information, including location, terrain, difficulty, hints and descriptions" by "Simply upload the geocaching GPX file to your unit and start hunting for caches.".

 

Garmin blurb.

 

Nope!

 

All I see is the list of geocaches (name, terrain/diff etc) but there seems no way of displaying the description or hint for any of them.

 

I've tried various different methods, including the "Send to my GPS" from the gc.com cache page, the copy of GPX file to the Garmin folder on the device (also the memory card) and direct send from GSAK 8. All have the same result of showing the basic list but no more.

 

Any ideas?

To get cache details displayed on the Etrex 20 I find I have to

1. Select the cache (joystick)

2. Menu (lower left button)

3. Review Point (joystick on menu)

I dunno, but hth

[+blksmith1]

I've just worked it out - operator error! It appears that you have to "go" to the geocache and then you can see the details. Sorry about that!

 

Press the menu button on the "go" screen and you can view the cache details without even beginning the "go" navigation to that cache.

 

That button on most screens will take you to options relevant to the screen you are on.

 

Ohh, and the light button on the right will first take you to the date screen, with GPS strengh and battery remaning. I literally hit this button ONCE for every cache I find.. pencil in hand.. cursing "What day is this..".

 

Shaun

T think from gc.com you have to be a premium member to get the info. I joined and got the description when I hit the send to gps button.

[+Fandango739]

Help!!!

I recently got a new eTrex20...and I've done something wrong. Every time I search for a cache, it shows me a national map...as if it were trying to get to the cache (tracking?) via Taiwan. ACK! How do I get it to just show the local map (like it does on my older eTrex Venture)?

 

Many thanks!

[+sussamb]

Have you allowed it to get a satellite lock so it knows where you are? Also note it only comes with a very basic Basemap, it may not compare favourably with whatever map you had loaded on your Etrex Venture?

[+Fandango739]

Have you allowed it to get a satellite lock so it knows where you are? Also note it only comes with a very basic Basemap, it may not compare favourably with whatever map you had loaded on your Etrex Venture?

 

Yes on the first one. It knows what caches are nearest to where I am at the moment. It just wants to get there via the Orient. (?!?)

 

Maps loaded to the Venture? I didn't even know you could!!! LOL! No no, just the very, very, verrrrrrry basic (no roads, no topo - just brown and blue and symbols) built-in map. It is the basemap I need...but not tracking (esp. from Taiwan).

 

Thanks!

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Help!!!

I recently got a new eTrex20...and I've done something wrong. Every time I search for a cache, it shows me a national map...as if it were trying to get to the cache (tracking?) via Taiwan. ACK! How do I get it to just show the local map (like it does on my older eTrex Venture)?

 

Many thanks!

Do you have the (full) manual? If not, download it here: http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/eTrex_10-20-30_OM_EN.pdf

 

Pay attention to page 28 AND page(s) 31/32. Your answer may well be there.

[+Fandango739]

Many thanks!

I will check it out!

[Jeffroi]

Anyone got their new Etrex 20 (or 30) to work with geocaches? Mine doesn't seem to want to play and the Garmin stuff seems to indicate you need to download geocaches from opencaching.com, I hope that isn't true!!

Garmin wants you to only get caches from them, as you have found out. What they don't tell you is that unlike previous eTrex GPSrs, the 10/20/30 series load caches differently IF you are trying to load a pocket query.

 

Plug the 20 into your computer and you'll find that it is treated like a mass storage device and that you drag the gpx file or pocket query to the GPSr.

 

I found that you had to drop them in base camp and then transfer them to the etrex

[+SearchLine]

I use GSAK to move my PQ's onto my eTrex 20. I've been doing it that way since July and have had no issues with it at all.

[+Mineral2]

I use GSAK to move my PQ's onto my eTrex 20. I've been doing it that way since July and have had no issues with it at all.

 

I use a shell script to unzip and copy the gpx files directly to the GPS (sd card) from the terminal.

[+Geo muppetz]

Thanx for the post relating to dfficultu's with this GPS unit I was thinking of getting one of these because my exploits gc is giving me the s***s with similar issues

[+Team_C4]

I thought I knew my way around this GPSr lark, but after an hour of frustration I have had no success with the Etrex 20 geocaching feature.

I expected to be able to see the "key information, including location, terrain, difficulty, hints and descriptions" by "Simply upload the geocaching GPX file to your unit and start hunting for caches.".

 

Garmin blurb.

 

Nope!

 

All I see is the list of geocaches (name, terrain/diff etc) but there seems no way of displaying the description or hint for any of them.

 

I've tried various different methods, including the "Send to my GPS" from the gc.com cache page, the copy of GPX file to the Garmin folder on the device (also the memory card) and direct send from GSAK 8. All have the same result of showing the basic list but no more.

 

Any ideas?

To get cache details displayed on the Etrex 20 I find I have to

1. Select the cache (joystick)

2. Menu (lower left button)

3. Review Point (joystick on menu)

I dunno, but hth

 

Thanks for this!!

[+Team_C4]

I use GSAK to move my PQ's onto my eTrex 20. I've been doing it that way since July and have had no issues with it at all.

 

I use a shell script to unzip and copy the gpx files directly to the GPS (sd card) from the terminal.

^^= that!

 

Just to keep my e20 up-to-date, I've scheduled my weekly downloads of tristate area into three separate GPX reports which run every Friday evening. A cron job kicks off at midnight (i'm on Linux), pulls the files, unzips, uploads it to my device, which is connected to the machine when not in use. Saturday morning I'm all set for my new endeavors!

[+crb11]

Got a problem with my Etrex 20: it started doing some funny things over the weekend and seemed to restart itself and change some settings at random. I've now got it mostly back the way I had it again, except that it claimed not to have any geocaches. I cleared out the files from the Garmin/GPX directory in case they were corrupt, but now it won't read any from a PQ file, although sending them individually seems to work. Any ideas? Thanks.

[+sussamb]

Have you just updated to 3.70? If so you may find a master reset sorts it https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7Bd10af480-1fc5-11e1-73d0-000000000000%7D

[+crb11]

Have you just updated to 3.70? If so you may find a master reset sorts it https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7Bd10af480-1fc5-11e1-73d0-000000000000%7D

 

Thanks. I tried renaming the GPX file so it was shorter and had no spaces in, and it's now recognised. (Although the same file name before had worked.) So I'll leave it for now but will do a reset if things continue to misbehave. I haven't consciously updated to 3.70 - does this happen automatically or do I have to do it manually? (And is it worth doing?)

[+sussamb]

No you need to run Express and update from there. As to whether it's worth it only you can decide, changelogs are here

 

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5553

[+jaysjunk2000]

Got a problem with my Etrex 20: it started doing some funny things over the weekend and seemed to restart itself and change some settings at random. I've now got it mostly back the way I had it again, except that it claimed not to have any geocaches. I cleared out the files from the Garmin/GPX directory in case they were corrupt, but now it won't read any from a PQ file, although sending them individually seems to work. Any ideas? Thanks.

I had gotten an etrex 20 after my father-in-law got one last year. With which I loaded every thing on... maps and geocaches with no problem. So I got my etrex 20 in the mail yesterday used base camp which prompted me to update to 3.70 (which I did) and I loaded maps and geocaches(from a pq .. gpx) onto. My maps looked weird and no geocaches. So I tried several things to no avail. Then I found this post! I did the reset and now everything appears maps and geocaches. I thought factory reset would remove them but oh well it worked! THANK YOU SO MUCH sussamb!!!!

Edited May 7, 2014 by jaysjunk2000

[+paulmc]

I've given up trying to do paperless geocaching on my eTrex 30. I'm back to printing up my caches and using regular waypoints.

[+GeoTrekker26]

I've given up trying to do paperless geocaching on my eTrex 30. I'm back to printing up my caches and using regular waypoints.

 

Why?

[+alikona123]

Help!!

I have just purchased a Garmin Etrex 20 and I cannot figure out how to send my caches from geocaching.com to it. It wants me to use opencaching.com which I have never used. Do I have to be a premium member? I don't know what to do. Can anybody help me? I have installed the communicator and the Garmin express and the usb installer. I am frustrated.

It was never this difficult with my Etrex Legend.

Alikona123 = Allison

Edited May 11, 2014 by alikona123

[+Mineral2]

being a premium member gets you extra perks, but you don't need to be one to send cache listings. You need to install the garmin communicator plugin, after which you can use the "Send to GPS" link on the cache listing to send the cache to your GPS. You'll need to use a browser that's not made by micro$oft in order for it to work correctly.

 

If you buy a premium membership, you can use pocket queries to bulk load up to 1000 caches at a time. For that, you just download a gpx file and install it like you'd save a file on a thumb drive.

[+alikona123]

being a premium member gets you extra perks, but you don't need to be one to send cache listings. You need to install the garmin communicator plugin, after which you can use the "Send to GPS" link on the cache listing to send the cache to your GPS. You'll need to use a browser that's not made by micro$oft in order for it to work correctly.

 

If you buy a premium membership, you can use pocket queries to bulk load up to 1000 caches at a time. For that, you just download a gpx file and install it like you'd save a file on a thumb drive.

Thank you for the quick reply. But what is another browser that is not made by micro$oft? As you can probably tell I am not a computer person but I do love geocaching.

I have tried to send cords to my new Gps and it sends me to the garmin communicator page which tells me that I already have this installed and my device is showing. But on the geocaching website it says that the plugin is not detected. This also happens when I try press the LOC waypoint file.

Im getting two different answers to the same problem.

Edited May 11, 2014 by alikona123

[+MartyBartfast]

Before trying another browser you could try changing the compatibility settings in Internet Explorer as described here http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=321137&st=0&p=5374287&hl=compatibility%20setting&fromsearch=1entry5374287

 

If you want to try another browser (and I would if I were you) try either:

 

Google Crome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346?hl=en-GB

 

or

 

Firefox: http://www.getfirefox.com

[+Mineral2]

Microsoft has decided that rather than support web standards, they would try to create their own. As a result, many scripts and add-ons aren't always compatible. Additionally, of the three major browsers, IE always ranks last in speed, performance, and security.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I switched to Firefox a couple of years ago.....what a difference, I love it.

It's easy and fast to do, just takes a couple of minutes.

[+alikona123]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! Switching to firefox worked and now I am out the door and back on the trail!!

Thank you!!

Alikona123

[+Croesgadwr]

A bit of info please...

I took a break from Geocaching a couple of years ago, but now I seem to be getting the urge to get back into it.

I've got an Etrex 20 (had it since Jan 2012), its not had much use during the past couple of years. I recall when I first got it that there were frequent software updates to remedy a number of problems. My question is this - what issue of software is available for the E20 at the moment (mine is running 3.30). Finally, have ALL the s/w problems been resolved, or are there new ones that I'm likely to encounter!

Thanks in anticipation...

[+sussamb]

I'm running the latest, which is 3.70 ... never seen any issues with it, rock solid.

[+Croesgadwr]

Thanks for the prompt reply sussamb, I'll get it updated asap...

 

Now running 3.70, thanks again sussamb.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Croesgadwr

[Fangamon]

My Etrex 20 works very well at home in the draw and it never goes wrong there.

 

My Etrex H works equally well in the field and never needs an update, ever!

 

[+sussamb]

Well rather than let it fester in a drawer mail it to me ... best GPS I've owned and I've had quite a few, including one of the older Etrexs.

Edited May 28, 2014 by sussamb

[Fangamon]

... best GPS I've owned and I've had quite a few,

 

Why would you need more than one Etrex 20?

 

[+sussamb]

... meant quite a few GPS ... not quite a few Etrex 20s ... though happy to take yours as a spare

[Fangamon]

Ah OK...

 

...Etrex 20 works ok for BlueChart and mainly occupies the backup box on the boat, but that's it.

 

Here's the real deal:

 

 

 

 

 

 

~

Edited May 29, 2014 by Odourless

[+GrapeNutsTburg]

Here's a question... how do I get my Found caches back into geocaching.com???? It's all well and good to mark it as Found on the eTrex20, but how do I avoid then having to get online and mark each found cache again?

[insig]

Field Notes

[+GrapeNutsTburg]

Field Notes

 

Ah, there it is! Thanks so much.