GPSMAP 62S disappearing cache problems

[+badger10]

The wife and I both have these GPS's. Today while doing some caching the caches that I loaded up, and saw on the gps, earlier disappeared. I turned the gps off/on and they came back. Each time I found a new cache, showed it as found, and then went back to select a new one they were gone again. Turn it on/off and they are back. The PC says the caches are there. I updated my gps and tried the same thing again with the same result. This happened on both our gps's. Any ideas? These caches were ones we had found earlier. I checked both the current caches and the recent finds section as well. We were taking some new cachers around with us. Garmin is closed until Tuesday and we are trying to get our friends one of the remaining coins from a geocoin challenge.

[+Timpat]

This may not be it, but a while ago I had this problem with my 62s and it was due to me getting version 1.0.1 .gpx files vs the v.1.0. I had switched back to the old 1.0 and haven't had the issue since. This is a setting option under Your Account Details/Your Preferences/GPX Version.

[+badger10]

This may not be it, but a while ago I had this problem with my 62s and it was due to me getting version 1.0.1 .gpx files vs the v.1.0. I had switched back to the old 1.0 and haven't had the issue since. This is a setting option under Your Account Details/Your Preferences/GPX Version.

No, that isn't it. We are both using 1.0. Both 62S's are having the same problem at the same time. I used mine a couple of days ago and it worked fine.

[+badger10]

I tried an experiment. I loaded two caches. One I had already found and one I had not. These were not part of the Geocoin challenge series. I did what I had done ealier and both of the caches were still there. The ones from the challenge were gone again. Can there be a problem with certain caches? I know they are setting up a new 2013 geocoin challenge but that should not cause any conflict.

[+Cacheoholic]

Have you exceeded the GPX or Geocache capacity of the GPS? How many GPX files are in the GPX folder/folders? How many Geocaches are loaded?

[+eusty]

I could be something amiss with the cache description (too long, invalid, characters etc) or a dodgy GPX file.

[+Team Periwinkle]

what firmware version are you running?

[+badger10]

Have you exceeded the GPX or Geocache capacity of the GPS? How many GPX files are in the GPX folder/folders? How many Geocaches are loaded?

The only caches on the gps are the ones I was looking for..17 caches.

[+badger10]

I could be something amiss with the cache description (too long, invalid, characters etc) or a dodgy GPX file.

These are the same caches I loaded earlier in the year. I have already found these. I am taking some friends out to get them the coin set.

[+badger10]

what firmware version are you running?

This happened with the old firmware so the first thing I did is update to the newest version and tried again. Same result. I tried loading up a couple of caches not related to the geocoin challenge both one I had found and one I have not found. These two caches stayed put while the challenge caches were gone again. I just tried it again this morning and same result.

[39_Steps]

Sounds like long filename overwrite issues in Event naming.

[+Timpat]

Sounds like long filename overwrite issues in Event naming.

Hmmm... good point. Maybe use GSAK to limit the cache name length to export out .gpx cache files and try your test again.

[+badger10]

I don't use GSAK. I have deleted the caches off the gps and loaded them again and no change. I also deleted the geocache_visits.txt in case that was the problem. Nope that wasn't it.

[+geodarts]

I don't use the 62s much any more but had recurring problems with losing caches. Sometimes specific caches would disappear. Sometimes the only thing that would be displayed was the most recent upload of a single cache or pq. I contacted garmin but was told only to make sure I was using the latest gpx version. Generally transferring the caches from or to the sd card would solve the problem since the unit would update everything. After being burned a couple of times when I assumed all of the pocket queries would be loaded, I learned to double check the unit before heading out.

[+badger10]

I don't use the 62s much any more but had recurring problems with losing caches. Sometimes specific caches would disappear. Sometimes the only thing that would be displayed was the most recent upload of a single cache or pq. I contacted garmin but was told only to make sure I was using the latest gpx version. Generally transferring the caches from or to the sd card would solve the problem since the unit would update everything. After being burned a couple of times when I assumed all of the pocket queries would be loaded, I learned to double check the unit before heading out.

Thanks for the info. I tried loading four caches. Two to the card and two to the unit. No change. This is getting frustrating!!!! The only way I can see all the caches is if I turn off/on the gps each time I look for a cache.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Sounds like long filename overwrite issues in Event naming.

Hmmm... good point. Maybe use GSAK to limit the cache name length to export out .gpx cache files and try your test again.

 

We have 2 62S units and have used GSAK for years with no problems. The reason I went to GSAK was missing caches on my downloads was causing my hides to bounce due to proximity guidelines.

[+Cacheoholic]

Just out of desperation try removing all gpx files and do a master reset.

[39_Steps]

what firmware version are you running?

This happened with the old firmware so the first thing I did is update to the newest version and tried again. Same result. I tried loading up a couple of caches not related to the geocoin challenge both one I had found and one I have not found. These two caches stayed put while the challenge caches were gone again. I just tried it again this morning and same result.

Are your problems possibly related to this Announcement at the top of the forum menu. dated December 04,2012?

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=304869&pid=5164579&st=0entry5164579

[+badger10]

what firmware version are you running?

This happened with the old firmware so the first thing I did is update to the newest version and tried again. Same result. I tried loading up a couple of caches not related to the geocoin challenge both one I had found and one I have not found. These two caches stayed put while the challenge caches were gone again. I just tried it again this morning and same result.

Are your problems possibly related to this Announcement at the top of the forum menu. dated December 04,2012?

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=304869&pid=5164579&st=0entry5164579

No, this si not related to that. The caches are from a geocoin challenge event and not the kind that were removed by the frog. I deleted the caches and loaded the last ten from the geocoin challenge. As long as I did not try to show the cache as found or go to the desription, hint, logs etc they were fine. As long as all I did was bring up the compass they were fine.. I will talk to Garmin in the next couple of days and hopefully they can figure it out. Keep in mind this happened to two gpsmap62s's and an Etrex. All on the same day! They were working fine until I tried the geocoin challenge with some friends. I went out Saturday, Sunday, and today. Same problem all three days.

[39_Steps]

Standard disclaimer: I'm not an active geocacher, nor do I have a Garmin 62S device. However I have seen rare reports of similar Event issues with a different brand of gps device. If I had the issue, I would open a copy of the PQ in gpx format in a text editor and reduce the number of characters in each event geocache name to be both unique and fit well with a 32 character waypoint name field. Then ensure that the PQ file is resaved with a gpx, not txt, extension before copying the gpx file into the 62S device.

 

Deletion of all possibly corrupt geocache files from the device would be a prerequisite.

[+badger10]

I have deleted all the gpx files numerous times and I did not use a PQ. I loaded all the caches one at a time. This has not happened to any of my gps'rs before and it happened to three different gps's at the same time. Two 62s's and an Etrex Venture HC. I do not see how the string length would matter as I have added these same caches before along with a couple of dozen that were already on my gps and it worked just like it always had..good.

[39_Steps]

I have deleted all the gpx files numerous times and I did not use a PQ. I loaded all the caches one at a time. This has not happened to any of my gps'rs before and it happened to three different gps's at the same time. Two 62s's and an Etrex Venture HC. I do not see how the string length would matter as I have added these same caches before along with a couple of dozen that were already on my gps and it worked just like it always had..good.

OK. Over and out, but it is single loading of overly long Event filename caches that is more likely to fail. Good luck.

[+badger10]

I talked to Garmin today and according to them the way I have logging my caches (for the last 2 1/2 years and 750 caches) is the wrong way. I would hit find, select the cache and use the quit button to bring up the compass. After finding the cache I would hit quit again until it went to geocache. I would hit found and repeat the process. Evidently I should be hitting the menu button and then hit found. I will try this in the next couple of days and see if it works. Thanks guys for all the advice. I just find it odd that the way I was doing it all this time was not supposed to work and that it stopped working on two different 62S's on the same day.