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New Garmin Oregon 600 Series


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I stand corrected. Can anyone comment on the advantages to this new format? Any advantages in speed, content, size? If the new Oregon's can use GPX why worry about GGZ?

 

The reason I say that Garmin hasn't "implemented" it yet is because, the last time I tried a few days ago, Opencaching only offers a GPX. I meant that the GGZ files don't seem to be available anywhere. Maybe someone could shed light.

You need to go back and check that O site, it now offers it.

 

It does seem to be a somewhat useless format. The only site that currently offers it does not have anything worth while downloading. It will be a while before the other smaller sites will offer it, if they ever do. I'm guessing the largest and most worthwhile site will probably not offer the option for a long time, if ever. So other than the obvious tweaking the tail of the dragon I see no reason for it. Unless, of course, they are trying to beat Geomate jr. at their own game. Wonder how long before Garmin offers them preloaded with all the caches from their site?

 

From the discussions on the GSAK site it seems to be bunch of .gpx files that are zipped up and an .xml index file. Just the shear number of caches that can be handled. The Garmin site boasts 4 million caches. Unless your doing a serious power trail probably a 1,000 or 2 would be enough.

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I don't think Garmin has implemented the GCZ format yet. Until they do GPX works just fine.

 

I don't think Garmin has implemented the GCZ format yet. Until they do GPX works just fine.

There is a link on the squirrel's site to down load the entire site as a .ggz. I'm guessing it has been implemented. Groundspeak's turn now. Clyde is currently putting it into GSAK, basically by reverse engineering the format. There are users working with him on it.

 

We have very few squirrel caches round our way - but I wonder if anyone can try to download them all and see just how many they have worldwide??

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We have very few squirrel caches round our way - but I wonder if anyone can try to download them all and see just how many they have worldwide??

 

I'm getting my oregon delivered today, I'll give it at try

 

ok, not really working for me. I click Download all to device and 1 second later it says done, but nothing moves over..weird

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OK I stand corrected, it did work, probably was still downloading after it said it was done.

 

The process created a new file "OX-Geocaches2013-4-6-19-6-34.ggz" in the ggz folder. It is 28 MB in size.

 

Index.xml file has 702.000 lines. Each cache takes about 15 lines. So that tells me there are about 46,800 caches total ?

 

 

btw is there a setting to keep Oregon on after I unplug the USB cable ?

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Question - On 60csx when I send multiple maps over from mapsource I can chose which one to display on the GPS.

 

In Oregon 600 it looks like all the maps from Mapsource show up as 1 map so I can't enable/disable them individually. Is that correct behavior ?

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The Gps will charge the battery pack, but it has a button in the battery compartment, if you tape the rechargeable batteries together they might charge.

Depressing the button worked for me with eneloop XX 2400mAh NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries :)

 

Does anyone know what is the difference between the "NiNH" and the "NiNH Precharged" battery type setting? I am using eneloop NiNH batteries...

Edited by The North Star
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Can anyone provide a brief intro to geocaching? I looked at opencaching.com which appears to be Garmin's website, but there are no caches near me. Where should I go to find caches and how simple is it to select an area on a map (or city) and just have it download all the cache data?

 

Thanks!

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Does anyone know what is the difference between the "NiNH" and the "NiNH Precharged" battery type setting? I am using eneloop NiNH batteries...

Precharged and LSD Low Self Discharge NiMH are synonymous terms. Prior to Sanyo inventing the Eneloop LSD NiMH battery, all NiMH batteries had to be charged prior to use. LSD NiMH batteries are often sold as Precharged NiMH batteries, meaning you can use them straight from the retail package.

 

Classic NiMH batteries (like the Maha Powerex) would go flat in a year, whereas a LSD NiMH would only lose ~10% of its charge in a year.

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Can anyone provide a brief intro to geocaching? I looked at opencaching.com which appears to be Garmin's website, but there are no caches near me. Where should I go to find caches and how simple is it to select an area on a map (or city) and just have it download all the cache data?

 

Thanks!

 

You had to get a account at Geocaching.com to post here and that is where they all are.

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Does anyone know what is the difference between the "NiNH" and the "NiNH Precharged" battery type setting? I am using eneloop NiNH batteries...

Precharged and LSD Low Self Discharge NiMH are synonymous terms. Prior to Sanyo inventing the Eneloop LSD NiMH battery, all NiMH batteries had to be charged prior to use. LSD NiMH batteries are often sold as Precharged NiMH batteries, meaning you can use them straight from the retail package.

 

Classic NiMH batteries (like the Maha Powerex) would go flat in a year, whereas a LSD NiMH would only lose ~10% of its charge in a year.

Thanks for the explanation. Based on this I should select NiMH Pre-Charged for eneloop (since they are LSD NiMH). I still wonder how this battery type setting (NiMH or Pre-Charged NiMH) effects the operation. It seems like just a single NiMH setting would be sufficient.

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Does anyone know what is the difference between the "NiNH" and the "NiNH Precharged" battery type setting? I am using eneloop NiNH batteries...
Precharged and LSD Low Self Discharge NiMH are synonymous terms. Prior to Sanyo inventing the Eneloop LSD NiMH battery, all NiMH batteries had to be charged prior to use. LSD NiMH batteries are often sold as Precharged NiMH batteries, meaning you can use them straight from the retail package.Classic NiMH batteries (like the Maha Powerex) would go flat in a year, whereas a LSD NiMH would only lose ~10% of its charge in a year.
Thanks for the explanation. Based on this I should select NiMH Pre-Charged for eneloop (since they are LSD NiMH). I still wonder how this battery type setting (NiMH or Pre-Charged NiMH) effects the operation. It seems like just a single NiMH setting would be sufficient.

 

They have different voltage curves as they discharge.

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So with the added FIT features has anyone seen if this works with ANT+ Agent or Garmin Connect to automatically/easily upload tracks with heart rate/temp/cadence included? Has anyone then been able to use garminsync to get the info into Strava? If this device can do that without having to manually browse for gpx files, then it is a game changer for me.

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OK I stand corrected, it did work, probably was still downloading after it said it was done.

 

The process created a new file "OX-Geocaches2013-4-6-19-6-34.ggz" in the ggz folder. It is 28 MB in size.

 

Index.xml file has 702.000 lines. Each cache takes about 15 lines. So that tells me there are about 46,800 caches total ?

 

 

btw is there a setting to keep Oregon on after I unplug the USB cable ?

 

Thanks,

 

So the lack of caches in the UK would seem to be mirrored across the world... wonder why they were so keen to state that the new Oregon 600 could download 4 million caches and imply that their site held that many??

 

Chris

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Can anyone provide a brief intro to geocaching? I looked at opencaching.com which appears to be Garmin's website, but there are no caches near me. Where should I go to find caches and how simple is it to select an area on a map (or city) and just have it download all the cache data?

 

Thanks!

 

Go to the 'Learn' tab on the www.Groundspeak.com home page, or to here: http://www.geocaching.com/guide/

 

Chris

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btw is there a setting to keep Oregon on after I unplug the USB cable ?

 

My - much older - Oregon 400t also turns off when you unplug it from a computer (perhaps to reset the connection mode?) When you then turn it back on, there is a delay before it shows the home page while it seems to be processing the new geocaching file. I would expect the new 600s to have to go through the same steps before they can display the geocaches, and so need to turn off when you unplug the USB cable.

 

Chris

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So with the added FIT features has anyone seen if this works with ANT+ Agent or Garmin Connect to automatically/easily upload tracks with heart rate/temp/cadence included? Has anyone then been able to use garminsync to get the info into Strava? If this device can do that without having to manually browse for gpx files, then it is a game changer for me.

 

Setup -> Tracks lets you choose to output GPX files, FIT files, or both.

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On my Oregon 600t I bought the City Navigator® Southeast Asia NT map for a trip I'm taking. When I try to load it on the Oregon with Garmin Connect, it says not enough space (great, the 600t only has 300MB of internal space). I inserted a MicroSD card that has a lot of BirdsEye images on it and although it now has enough space, it gives a warning that a file with the same name already exists and I will be overwriting it. I'm assuming it is talking about the built in 100k topo, but that is certainly not on my MicroSD. How can proceed with screwing something up? :unsure:

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On my Oregon 600t I bought the City Navigator® Southeast Asia NT map for a trip I'm taking. When I try to load it on the Oregon with Garmin Connect, it says not enough space (great, the 600t only has 300MB of internal space). I inserted a MicroSD card that has a lot of BirdsEye images on it and although it now has enough space, it gives a warning that a file with the same name already exists and I will be overwriting it. I'm assuming it is talking about the built in 100k topo, but that is certainly not on my MicroSD. How can proceed with screwing something up? :unsure:

 

Are you able to get install the map in mapsource ? Export it to a local hard drive as gmapsupp.img. Then rename it to something like asiant.img and manually copy to the SD card /Garmin folder

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It's fascinating reading all about this. I'll be (hopefully) getting a 650t for my birthday . . . which was a month and a half ago. :lostsignal: When might these be arriving and be available for purchase. It looks like some are shipping . . . but it's not clear to me. Any ideas here?

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On my Oregon 600t I bought the City Navigator® Southeast Asia NT map for a trip I'm taking. When I try to load it on the Oregon with Garmin Connect, it says not enough space (great, the 600t only has 300MB of internal space). I inserted a MicroSD card that has a lot of BirdsEye images on it and although it now has enough space, it gives a warning that a file with the same name already exists and I will be overwriting it. I'm assuming it is talking about the built in 100k topo, but that is certainly not on my MicroSD. How can proceed with screwing something up? :unsure:

 

Are you able to get install the map in mapsource ? Export it to a local hard drive as gmapsupp.img. Then rename it to something like asiant.img and manually copy to the SD card /Garmin folder

 

I tried it on my PC and it worked just using Garmin Connect on their website. On the Mac it continued to give the error. On the PC it allowed it to install right onto the SD card. It installed a .gma file, a .unl file, and SoutheastAsia_v2012_20.img.

 

Thanks, I was having a mini-heart attack!!

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So with the added FIT features has anyone seen if this works with ANT+ Agent or Garmin Connect to automatically/easily upload tracks with heart rate/temp/cadence included? Has anyone then been able to use garminsync to get the info into Strava? If this device can do that without having to manually browse for gpx files, then it is a game changer for me.

 

Setup -> Tracks lets you choose to output GPX files, FIT files, or both.

 

I saw that, but in the past there were issues getting the files into garmin connect from Oregon devices without manually selecting the gpx files. Also curious if garmin sync is working with strava.

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L L Bean and Garmin have done it again. I originally ordered a 650T back in January. Since then the shipping date has changed many times. It changed once again today from this weekend to the 23rd of May. At this rate I should have in my hands by Christmas.... the ? is which year. <_<

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L L Bean and Garmin have done it again. I originally ordered a 650T back in January. Since then the shipping date has changed many times. It changed once again today from this weekend to the 23rd of May. At this rate I should have in my hands by Christmas.... the ? is which year. dry.gif

 

I feel your pain but I think it's nothing to do with L L Bean...they can't ship what they don't have in stock.

 

I want a 650 but, like you, I may be waiting till Xmas.

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L L Bean and Garmin have done it again. I originally ordered a 650T back in January. Since then the shipping date has changed many times. It changed once again today from this weekend to the 23rd of May. At this rate I should have in my hands by Christmas.... the ? is which year. dry.gif

 

I feel your pain but I think it's nothing to do with L L Bean...they can't ship what they don't have in stock.

 

I want a 650 but, like you, I may be waiting till Xmas.

I have a 650 on order from GPSCity (the American site). Yesterday, they moved back the date they expect it to arrive from May 19 to May 28. I think the vendors are as much victims of these delays as are us consumers.

 

--Larry

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L L Bean and Garmin have done it again. I originally ordered a 650T back in January. Since then the shipping date has changed many times. It changed once again today from this weekend to the 23rd of May. At this rate I should have in my hands by Christmas.... the ? is which year. dry.gif

 

I feel your pain but I think it's nothing to do with L L Bean...they can't ship what they don't have in stock.

 

I want a 650 but, like you, I may be waiting till Xmas.

I have a 650 on order from GPSCity (the American site). Yesterday, they moved back the date they expect it to arrive from May 19 to May 28. I think the vendors are as much victims of these delays as are us consumers.

 

--Larry

 

First I had a 650t on order with Amazon since mid-March, then bailed on it on the 3rd as GPSCity claimed they'd have it by the 5th, then they moved it. I'm ordering from the one place I know has had the darn thing, REI. Should have gone there in the first place. Getting the 600. Cross fingers I'll have it before GeoWoodstock.

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Cincinnati REI store has 600s in stock (no numbers but it's listed). Also, REI doesn't have "online only" for the 600 and 600t as the only way to order one.

 

True dat, but their online Find In Store doesn't list many with it.

I may not hold out for the Oregon 650 either. I'm curious, what are the advantages of the Oregon 650 over the Montana 650 that I'm considering purchasing in lieu of? Aside from form factor, camera megapixels and GLONASS, what sets apart the Oregon 650 from the Montana 650?

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Cincinnati REI store has 600s in stock (no numbers but it's listed). Also, REI doesn't have "online only" for the 600 and 600t as the only way to order one.

 

True dat, but their online Find In Store doesn't list many with it.

I may not hold out for the Oregon 650 either. I'm curious, what are the advantages of the Oregon 650 over the Montana 650 that I'm considering purchasing in lieu of? Aside from form factor, camera megapixels and GLONASS, what sets apart the Oregon 650 from the Montana 650?

 

You covered all the pluses the minus would be the small Oregon screen. I am assuming they will come out with a new Montana that has the Oregon features in the future. The larger screen puts more icons on it.

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I may not hold out for the Oregon 650 either. I'm curious, what are the advantages of the Oregon 650 over the Montana 650 that I'm considering purchasing in lieu of? Aside from form factor, camera megapixels and GLONASS, what sets apart the Oregon 650 from the Montana 650?

The form factor (weight and size) was the reason I chose Oregon (600) over Montana. I think it comes down to deciding if you want a 3" or 4" screen and if you are OK with the weight and size difference that comes with the larger screen. The Montana requires an additional AA battery.

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Does anyone know how many custom .img maps can I can on my oregon 600 ?

 

Also, will getting a class 10 microsd card speed up map drawing ? Especially at high zoom levels

 

I expect you can have up to the readable capacity of SD memory stocked with .img files. My Oregon 450 has several states, but I only have enabled the one I'm currently in (o:

Edited by DragonsWest
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After waiting for the last few months on GPScity backorder list just to keep having the time pushed back, I saw my local REI (Reading,MA) had the 600 & 650 available in store. Ran right over and picked up the 600. Loving the 600 over my 450...loads super quick with very many maps (have OSM for NA, the 24k NE & West topos, North America City Nav, and some KMZ files) and well over 20,000 caches. Even got to use the new GSAK beta to try the new GGZ format and works amazingly well. Very impressed so far!

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After waiting for the last few months on GPScity backorder list just to keep having the time pushed back, I saw my local REI (Reading,MA) had the 600 & 650 available in store. Ran right over and picked up the 600. Loving the 600 over my 450...loads super quick with very many maps (have OSM for NA, the 24k NE & West topos, North America City Nav, and some KMZ files) and well over 20,000 caches. Even got to use the new GSAK beta to try the new GGZ format and works amazingly well. Very impressed so far!

 

650?!? Sure it was an Oregon?

 

I noticed the second wave of 600s have hit REI stores across the US. A few days ago only 3 showed 600 in stock, now there are pages of stores with the 600 in. Got shipping confirmation this morning mine is on the way to the REI near work. :)

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I'll be watching my local REI's. I hope one comes in at a store in the Houston, TX area before I leave for Geowoodstock on 5/22. Currently the closest available at an REI is 680mi. I may just be keeping my full cache list for the trip, ~10K caches, on my phone and just put a subset of caches we intend to target on my Oregon 400t.

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After waiting for the last few months on GPScity backorder list just to keep having the time pushed back, I saw my local REI (Reading,MA) had the 600 & 650 available in store. Ran right over and picked up the 600. Loving the 600 over my 450...loads super quick with very many maps (have OSM for NA, the 24k NE & West topos, North America City Nav, and some KMZ files) and well over 20,000 caches. Even got to use the new GSAK beta to try the new GGZ format and works amazingly well. Very impressed so far!

 

I'll be downloading the new Beta tonight, that way if I get a hold of a 600 before heading to Geowoodstock I'll have a .ggz ready to go.

 

Now only if I can figure out how to easily filter GSAK databases into 6K chunks for performing refreshes efficiently. I think I'm going to go search the macro's again. I wish GS would just put a 42K limit per week instead of 6K per day, that way I can efficiently do the updates to my data bases.

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Does anyone know how many custom .img maps can I can on my oregon 600 ?

 

Also, will getting a class 10 microsd card speed up map drawing ? Especially at high zoom levels

 

The SD card's class is something that lets you know the minimum write speed. When you are displaying maps, you are reading from the SD card, not writing to it. The only place that you'll notice a difference when having a higher class of SD card in an outdoor handheld is the speed up when loading IMG files onto the SD card from your computer. Writing out photos to the SD card might be faster, too.

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Does anyone know how many custom .img maps can I can on my oregon 600 ?

 

Also, will getting a class 10 microsd card speed up map drawing ? Especially at high zoom levels

 

The SD card's class is something that lets you know the minimum write speed. When you are displaying maps, you are reading from the SD card, not writing to it. The only place that you'll notice a difference when having a higher class of SD card in an outdoor handheld is the speed up when loading IMG files onto the SD card from your computer. Writing out photos to the SD card might be faster, too.

 

Problem is that the SD card interface on the Oregon 600 is still very slooooow. A class 10 card won't help at all with writing out photos or copying maps (while the card is in the Oregon).

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Pedestrian Routing with the Oregon 600

 

I like to walk on the streets, and hike on the trails, in the area within which I live.

 

I have never been satisfied with the pedestrian street routing performance, or lack thereof, of the Garmin Montana 650, Garmin Oregon 300, Garmin Colorado 300, Garmin 60Cx, Garmin 60C... ad infinitum.

 

I purchased the Oregon 600, and have taken it out on a few street treks. In each instance I used the routing interface, instructing the Oregon to route me to a destination, usually a waypoint.

 

The results have been very gratifying. The Oregon 600 quickly provides instructions even at a slow speed (3.4 mph). In addition, in many instances I did not follow the Oregon's routing directions. The Oregon quickly recalculated the route based on where I was in relation to the destination.

 

I set the Oregon to provide routing directions as a pedestrian (Setup-> Routing-> Activity-> Pedestrian Walking)

 

Finally!

Edited by Barrikady
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I'll be watching my local REI's. I hope one comes in at a store in the Houston, TX area before I leave for Geowoodstock on 5/22. Currently the closest available at an REI is 680mi. I may just be keeping my full cache list for the trip, ~10K caches, on my phone and just put a subset of caches we intend to target on my Oregon 400t.

 

A few days ago I ordered a 600, to be delivered to my nearest REI - received email this morning it's on the way there :) You may wish to go this route. Should have one before GW :)

Edited by DragonsWest
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