eTrex 20 Looking at "Found" Caches

[+GrnXnham]

Just got an eTrex 20. This is my 7th Garmin GPSr. I love some of the new features like "Profiles" but some of the very basic functions that I have on my older GPSr's are now needlessly complex or not even there.

 

I have always deleted caches from my GPSr after I find them. I find this easier for me so that I know what I have left to look for. Can't do that with the eTrex 20. Not sure who at Garmin thought it was a bad idea that people should be able to delete a geocache from their unit. I know I can delete it with a computer but I don't have one in the field with me.

 

No problem. I'll start marking the caches as "FOUND" each time I find one and that will change their icons to the open chest look. Then I planned to delete them later when I attach to a computer.

 

Yesterday I cached for the 1st time with the eTrex 20 and I had just marked a cache as "found" when another cacher asked me to read the cache description again. No problem, right--simply bring up the cache info again? Except that now I can't use the "WHERE TO" function by holding in the menu key in order to look for the found cache. A "found cache" doesn't appear in the list of caches. Nor does it appear in the list of waypoints. When I looked at the list of recently found items, I found 13 of the 20 caches that I had found that day but it did not include the cache I had just found. Finally, I went to the map page and dragged the cursor around until I was near the correct icon on the map and pushed on the thumb stick to select it and I was able to bring up the cache info again. Wow! That was difficult for what should be such a simple task.

 

Maybe I'm missing something here? Is the only way to look at info on a "found" cache to drag the cursor around on the map page until I find it?

 

I'd like to send Garmin some suggestions for changes with future firmware for the unit but I'm not sure which route to send Garmin these things. They have an email for repairs or general questions but I haven't found an email address to send them info specifically for bug fixes or suggestions for making the unit easier to use. Has anyone found the best way to contact Garmin for these things?

Edited January 10, 2012 by GrnXnham

[+mpilchfamily]

Like any GPSr that supports paperless caching the unit isn't able to delete individual caches since it doesn't have a way of managing the .gpx file the caches are in. Maybe later down the road they will start putting in faster hardware to allow for manipulation of the .gpx files within the unit but for now its cost prohibitive. Also its not really necessary since marking the cache found takes it out of your way. Like wise if a cache has been found why would one need to pull it up again. At least thats the viewpoint of the programmers. Sure there are exceptions like you outlined or maybe you make it as found by accident.

 

I do agree that there is a glitch in the firmware that a cache marked found isn't listed in the recently found listing. Both my eTrex Legend and Dakota 10 have had a problem with not showing all the recently found caches in the recently found menu.

 

On the bright side Garmin has great customer support. So sending an email to either repairs or general questions will either give you a response telling you the correct address to send the complaint/recommendation to or tell you the issue is being looked at.

[+EScout]

After you mark a cache as found, go to the list of active caches and push the menu button. Then click "Show Found." Press the cursor button on the found cache you want. Then push the Menu button. Then push the cursor button on "Review Point" and it will give you the cache details.

 

The key with this rig is to push the Menu often to find the layers. You want a challenge? Try to find the "TrackBack" feature.......

[+GrnXnham]

After you mark a cache as found, go to the list of active caches and push the menu button. Then click "Show Found." Press the cursor button on the found cache you want. Then push the Menu button. Then push the cursor button on "Review Point" and it will give you the cache details.

 

The key with this rig is to push the Menu often to find the layers. You want a challenge? Try to find the "TrackBack" feature.......

 

Thank you EScout! Your response was helpful. Your method of looking up a found cache is at least a little quicker than my method. I knew there had to be an easier way to do that but there was nothing in the manual about it.

[+ngrrfan]

You can also go to the calendar and access the found cache there.