Requested Magellan eXplorist GC tips and hints

[+Geo_Ducks]

Anyone here using the handheld device like mine? I have been using it for two months and haven't got hang of it. It is a bit difficult to use. I am trying to set up a waypoint for my car so I can find my way back but I haven't able to do that. Also I had trouble finding the coords of my new geocache I am hiding. Tired of search and search for it. Is there a way I can find it quickly and easy. Waypoint menu is very confusing and very difficult to use.

[+dasfossil70]

...nachdem ich mir die Beschreibung für dieses Gerät durchgelesen habe, bin leider nicht viel schlauer geworden. Könnte mir evtl. jemand sagen, wie man einen Cache auf das Gerät laden kann ?

[+Tuena]

Anyone here using the handheld device like mine? I have been using it for two months and haven't got hang of it. It is a bit difficult to use. I am trying to set up a waypoint for my car so I can find my way back but I haven't able to do that. Also I had trouble finding the coords of my new geocache I am hiding. Tired of search and search for it. Is there a way I can find it quickly and easy. Waypoint menu is very confusing and very difficult to use.

 

I own a Magellan 710 & it is a steep learning curve however I printed the manual & it has most of the answers. There is a manual for the GC on the Magellan site. If you still need help then suggest you visit the Magellan Insiders Forum via http://www.magellani...s.com/index.php & pose your questions there.

[+Geo_Ducks]

Anyone here using the handheld device like mine? I have been using it for two months and haven't got hang of it. It is a bit difficult to use. I am trying to set up a waypoint for my car so I can find my way back but I haven't able to do that. Also I had trouble finding the coords of my new geocache I am hiding. Tired of search and search for it. Is there a way I can find it quickly and easy. Waypoint menu is very confusing and very difficult to use.

 

I own a Magellan 710 & it is a steep learning curve however I printed the manual & it has most of the answers. There is a manual for the GC on the Magellan site. If you still need help then suggest you visit the Magellan Insiders Forum via http://www.magellani...s.com/index.php & pose your questions there.

 

Great, many thanks. I am going to visit there.

[+fishgeek]

The "Menu" button is the key to finding a lot of the functions on the GC. To add a waypoint, go to the list of waypoints and hit menu, "Add a New Waypoint" will be a few entries down from the top. It's a real pain when you're doing a Multi.

 

When looking at the Manual, make sure that your GPS has the same firmware. Watch the screen when the unit is turning on and it should tell you what version you have.

 

I up-graded to the newest firmware (2.15) and the GC became a completely different unit.

 

Anyone here using the handheld device like mine? I have been using it for two months and haven't got hang of it. It is a bit difficult to use. I am trying to set up a waypoint for my car so I can find my way back but I haven't able to do that. Also I had trouble finding the coords of my new geocache I am hiding. Tired of search and search for it. Is there a way I can find it quickly and easy. Waypoint menu is very confusing and very difficult to use.

[+Geo_Ducks]

The "Menu" button is the key to finding a lot of the functions on the GC. To add a waypoint, go to the list of waypoints and hit menu, "Add a New Waypoint" will be a few entries down from the top. It's a real pain when you're doing a Multi.

 

When looking at the Manual, make sure that your GPS has the same firmware. Watch the screen when the unit is turning on and it should tell you what version you have.

 

I up-graded to the newest firmware (2.15) and the GC became a completely different unit.

 

Anyone here using the handheld device like mine? I have been using it for two months and haven't got hang of it. It is a bit difficult to use. I am trying to set up a waypoint for my car so I can find my way back but I haven't able to do that. Also I had trouble finding the coords of my new geocache I am hiding. Tired of search and search for it. Is there a way I can find it quickly and easy. Waypoint menu is very confusing and very difficult to use.

 

Mine is 1.8 ver how do I upgrade the firmware?

Edited June 17, 2013 by Geo_Ducks

[+lisahokanson]

I need to know how to upgrade the firmware also.

[+redwoodkestrel]

I need to know how to upgrade the firmware also.

 

Go this webpage on the Magellan site to download the new firmware. I believe you'll need to connect your eXplorist to your computer and then run the program once its downloaded.

[+gelfling6]

I've had my GC for about 3 years now.. I'm pretty sure it originally came with the 1.6 firmware, which I immediately upgraded to 1.7. (when they released 2.13, and it bombed, I could only find a user image of 1.8 on of all places, the website for MIO.).. the new firmware (2.15) is definitely different from the 1.6/7/8 versions. I do like the more detailed basemap, but it's HUGE! (chews-up 1.2GB of the 2GB memory)but it's jumpy (a lot more than 1.6 was!) and far more battery hungry than any of the 1.x versions. (Seems to draw even heavier on the processor.) The drawback on the GC, is it's running a stripped to the bare walls version of Windows-CE, using Magellan's custom program.

 

It's accuracy has waned a little with the new firmware, too.. (I'm guessing because it's dragging the CPU down so much, the GPS chipset is losing some juice it needs.) (when a brand new set of alkaline AA's last only 5 hours, instead of 8.... I still don't trust 'lithium technology' batteries, unless they really are lithium. which means each cell would produce 3V! Not 1.5!)

 

I've had mine open to check about replacing the joy-button (I've actually worn it down to the point the plastic is showing through the rubber!) It's a nice modular design, and from seeing extra pads on the board, it looked like they had plans for making more than just the one device with the main PC board. (most noticeable,are a micro-SD socket layout & contact pads, just behind the "+" side of the cross-connection to the batteries, and two ZIF type ribbon connectors. center, and another near the (-) battery connection.)(batteries, are connected by a small Molex connection)

 

New features of the new firmware include on-the-fly waypoint recording. (press/hold the joy button for 3 seconds).. The new waypoint can be then edited (for multi's)..Drawback, is still navigating the menus for what you want to do.. a pop-up help would've been nice, but I understand, limited memory space.)

 

Some of the things which were right at the top of the menus in the 1.x firmware, are now half-way down in the 2.1x versions. the fieldnote entry is the worst! now, you have to navigate through 3-4 menus just to type a note entry of mixed characters, symbols, and numbers.

 

The smart-arrow placement, could've been a little higher.. If you run 4 fields (time to, distance, accuracy, and one more. the arrow is partially obscured by the top 2.. I know, a lot of people like the compass.. I prefer the map view.

 

It's still the same 'Your Milage May Vary' view.. It's great to some, but I still carry my Garmin eTrex Vista HCx just in case.

[+fishgeek]

I have had almost the exact same experience with my GC, except that instead of the joy stick, the power button popped out on mine. It is now held in place with duct tape. And we could start a whole new topic just on the Menus.

 

The really big problem that I have is with the Suspend mode. It looks just like the Powering Off mode. I have killed many a pair of AA's when I didn't power it off after I was done caching. Also, it goes into Suspend after a few minutes, even when hooked to an external power supply. (I plug the USB cable into a 12V-USB adapter when I'm driving between caches.)

 

Lastly, is there any chance that they will come out with a replacement for the little flap that covers the USB port?

 

I've had my GC for about 3 years now.. I'm pretty sure it originally came with the 1.6 firmware, which I immediately upgraded to 1.7. (when they released 2.13, and it bombed, I could only find a user image of 1.8 on of all places, the website for MIO.).. the new firmware (2.15) is definitely different from the 1.6/7/8 versions. I do like the more detailed basemap, but it's HUGE! (chews-up 1.2GB of the 2GB memory)but it's jumpy (a lot more than 1.6 was!) and far more battery hungry than any of the 1.x versions. (Seems to draw even heavier on the processor.) The drawback on the GC, is it's running a stripped to the bare walls version of Windows-CE, using Magellan's custom program.

 

It's accuracy has waned a little with the new firmware, too.. (I'm guessing because it's dragging the CPU down so much, the GPS chipset is losing some juice it needs.) (when a brand new set of alkaline AA's last only 5 hours, instead of 8.... I still don't trust 'lithium technology' batteries, unless they really are lithium. which means each cell would produce 3V! Not 1.5!)

 

I've had mine open to check about replacing the joy-button (I've actually worn it down to the point the plastic is showing through the rubber!) It's a nice modular design, and from seeing extra pads on the board, it looked like they had plans for making more than just the one device with the main PC board. (most noticeable,are a micro-SD socket layout & contact pads, just behind the "+" side of the cross-connection to the batteries, and two ZIF type ribbon connectors. center, and another near the (-) battery connection.)(batteries, are connected by a small Molex connection)

 

New features of the new firmware include on-the-fly waypoint recording. (press/hold the joy button for 3 seconds).. The new waypoint can be then edited (for multi's)..Drawback, is still navigating the menus for what you want to do.. a pop-up help would've been nice, but I understand, limited memory space.)

 

Some of the things which were right at the top of the menus in the 1.x firmware, are now half-way down in the 2.1x versions. the fieldnote entry is the worst! now, you have to navigate through 3-4 menus just to type a note entry of mixed characters, symbols, and numbers.

 

The smart-arrow placement, could've been a little higher.. If you run 4 fields (time to, distance, accuracy, and one more. the arrow is partially obscured by the top 2.. I know, a lot of people like the compass.. I prefer the map view.

 

It's still the same 'Your Milage May Vary' view.. It's great to some, but I still carry my Garmin eTrex Vista HCx just in case.

[+Geo_Ducks]

I've had my GC for about 3 years now.. I'm pretty sure it originally came with the 1.6 firmware, which I immediately upgraded to 1.7. (when they released 2.13, and it bombed, I could only find a user image of 1.8 on of all places, the website for MIO.).. the new firmware (2.15) is definitely different from the 1.6/7/8 versions. I do like the more detailed basemap, but it's HUGE! (chews-up 1.2GB of the 2GB memory)but it's jumpy (a lot more than 1.6 was!) and far more battery hungry than any of the 1.x versions. (Seems to draw even heavier on the processor.) The drawback on the GC, is it's running a stripped to the bare walls version of Windows-CE, using Magellan's custom program.

 

It's accuracy has waned a little with the new firmware, too.. (I'm guessing because it's dragging the CPU down so much, the GPS chipset is losing some juice it needs.) (when a brand new set of alkaline AA's last only 5 hours, instead of 8.... I still don't trust 'lithium technology' batteries, unless they really are lithium. which means each cell would produce 3V! Not 1.5!)

 

I've had mine open to check about replacing the joy-button (I've actually worn it down to the point the plastic is showing through the rubber!) It's a nice modular design, and from seeing extra pads on the board, it looked like they had plans for making more than just the one device with the main PC board. (most noticeable,are a micro-SD socket layout & contact pads, just behind the "+" side of the cross-connection to the batteries, and two ZIF type ribbon connectors. center, and another near the (-) battery connection.)(batteries, are connected by a small Molex connection)

 

New features of the new firmware include on-the-fly waypoint recording. (press/hold the joy button for 3 seconds).. The new waypoint can be then edited (for multi's)..Drawback, is still navigating the menus for what you want to do.. a pop-up help would've been nice, but I understand, limited memory space.)

 

Some of the things which were right at the top of the menus in the 1.x firmware, are now half-way down in the 2.1x versions. the fieldnote entry is the worst! now, you have to navigate through 3-4 menus just to type a note entry of mixed characters, symbols, and numbers.

 

The smart-arrow placement, could've been a little higher.. If you run 4 fields (time to, distance, accuracy, and one more. the arrow is partially obscured by the top 2.. I know, a lot of people like the compass.. I prefer the map view.

 

It's still the same 'Your Milage May Vary' view.. It's great to some, but I still carry my Garmin eTrex Vista HCx just in case.

 

Are you recommend us not to download firmware 2.15?

[+fishgeek]

2.15 fixes some things, but it causes a few new problems. The new base map is better, and it allows you to upload custom maps. The circular main menu is gone, but a lot of the old menu issues are still there. There is a bit of a learning curve with the new layout, especially since I haven't seen a manual for the new firmware. The main drawback is performance. With 2.15, the map display doesn't spin in place, it freezes, especially in tree cover.

 

IMHO, 2.15 makes the GC a better PDA, but a worse GPS.

 

I recommend that you get a few more opinions before you change something that is working. And if you decide to upgrade, make sure that you can restore your existing firmware, just in case.

 

Are you recommend us not to download firmware 2.15?