Profiles on the Oregon 600

[+MaxJEF]

I have recently bought the Oregon 600, and I have to say I hate it. It seems to be overly fussy for no good reason.

Does anyone understand the purpose of the 'profiles'? There's one called "hiking" which is what I do, but if you try to set a route using waypoints in that profile the route defaults back to the nearest road - who hikes like that?

The only way I can set a route is using the "direct" profile. Ok that works, so what is the point of all the other profiles, is it simply to fool us into thinking we've bought something worthwhile?

[+MaxJEF]

All the profiles are customiseable. Hiking profile in its default state assumes you have a routeable hiking map that will route you down footpaths, trails etc. Clearly you don't so it's a map issue not an Oregon one. I use 4 profiles on my GPS, one for auto use, one for direct, one for hiking with a routeable map and one for geocaching. Experiment a bit more and you'll find profiles are very useful

 

If a GPS unit assumes I have the map, what is the point of it at all? I should have spent £300 on maps instead. I still don't get why a "hiking" profile would default to a road between waypoints.

[+Chief301]

Sussamb didn't mean paper maps but electronic maps installed on the Garmin. If you have maps of a trail system installed on the unit it will keep you on the trails if you have it set that way in that particular profile. You evidently have it set to stick to roads, which seems to be what it is doing.

 

The Oregon series is extremely customizable, so it may take you awhile to get it all set up just like you want and learn what all the profiles are for. In the meantime, check out www.openstreetmap.com for routable road and trail maps, www.gpsfiledepot.com for topographical maps. All available for free download and installation to your device. The Oregon only has a rudimentary base map with major highways and waterways and not much detail. Or, if you don't mind spending the extra money, you can buy them direct from Garmin.

[+MaxJEF]

Thanks for taking the time to post an answer.

I have the full GB mapping bundle (via micro SD) on this unit, but the fact remains that the default in this thing takes a route back to the nearest road each time.

Ridiculous, as is the fact that you can change your location icon to a beachball, bird et al.

 

I wouldn't recommend this thing to anyone.

[+MaxJEF]

The GB mapping bundle will only route along roads, not footpaths etc. As I've already posted, it's not an Oregon but a map issue ... you've simply bought the wrong map, no one really to blame but yourself

 

If you want to try a routeable map that will route along trails, footpaths etc try the free one here www.talkytoaster.co.uk

 

I've used it for years and am very happy with it.

 

Thanks, but the "wrong map" is actually the full GB mapping that came as part of the Garmin product.

The solution is sell it on to some mug on ebay............

[+Chief301]

Go ahead and sell it then. It doesn't sound like you have the patience to learn how to use it properly. Several folks have already tried to explain to you the concept of routable vs. other maps but you have already made up your mind that the device is to blame.

 

Or, you could sit down and do a little research and actually learn to work the thing like thousands of others have done.

[Michael Cook]

Note that each profile keeps the edits you make while using it. If you don't want the "hiking" profile to stick to the road when routing, do this:

 

- Make sure the "hiking" profile is active

- Choose System > Routing

- Set "Lock On Road" to "No"