Maps

[+Need me glasses]

I have a Dakota 10 GPS and have added EasyGPS, I created a PQ for my local area and now want to send to GPS but I wondered if you HAVE to add any maps or if the ones already on the GPS are ok to make a start with? the reason I ask is when I view my PQ it has a mapped view of all the geocaches but they appear to be on a blank background.

[+Bear and Ragged]

You don't have to add maps, but they can make life (caching!) easier.

Especially if caches are near rivers, you don't want to be on one side, with the cache on the other.

 

The basemaps on most units only have big towns and cities, and major roads, so really aren't the best, if you're out in the wilds...

 

But. Nothing wrong with a good old fashioned paper map!

 

Notice you're in the UK...

Take a look at TalkyToaster's maps > http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=216453.

 

Based on OpenStreet Maps, suitable for most Garmin, and FREE.

Saves a few pounds, if you LIKE maps it gives you a chance to save the pennies to buy them, or carry on with TT's maps. They are updated regularly.

 

Feel free to join your fellow UK and Ireland cachers here

Edited July 29, 2012 by Bear and Ragged

[+Need me glasses]

Thanks, I just had a look at Talkytoaster maps and they look good but as I am so rubbish at tech stuff and it says you have to download Torrent or something then the maps, this is all getting too much for me! I stupidly thought that I would take my gps out of the box and off I would go looking for caches, that was several days and many hours of stress ago and I am still stuck at home!!!

[Pup Patrol]

Thanks, I just had a look at Talkytoaster maps and they look good but as I am so rubbish at tech stuff and it says you have to download Torrent or something then the maps, this is all getting too much for me! I stupidly thought that I would take my gps out of the box and off I would go looking for caches, that was several days and many hours of stress ago and I am still stuck at home!!!

 

We've been caching for a few years now, and never downloaded any extra maps.

 

We use the maps on the cache page. We don't do any "city" caching. 99.9% of the caches we hunt are out in the boonies, and we've never suffered from not having extra maps on the gps.

 

The only extraneous thing we've downloaded is GPSBabel, to transfer the gpx files to the computer.

 

Take the gps and start it up. Go to "nearest caches" and go. Read the cache pages for hints, descriptions, etc. to help, or print out a notepad file of that information.

 

Don't make this more difficult or complicated than it really is. You need to get out there, and get familiar with your gps. Finding the caches will be secondary to learning how to get along with your gps at this stage.

 

Start by looking for "small" or larger cache containers, and caches rated 1.0/1.0.

 

Good luck and have fun.

 

 

B.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Pup Patrol

[+StarBrand]

No need for EasyGPS or any other software to transfer caches to that unit. Just unzip the GPX files and place them on the unit in the garmin\gpx folder. Unhook and go caching.

 

I like some of the free maps from gpsfiledepot.com - although no map is "required" for caching. Any map you can get is certainly helpful.

[+Need me glasses]

Thank you all for the helpful advise, I think I was making it more complicated than I needed to. I am out there now and doing great, loving it!