Loading caches on the etrex 20

[+TheJonesDuo]

OK, so I've been looking through all these forums and I'm going a bit cross eyed so I figured I'd just ask. I just bought a new garmin extrex 20 to replace my damaged Magellan 310 GC. What I want to know is can I add a cache to the etrex by clicking the "send to GPS" button as I did with the GC. I attempted to do this last night and when I checked the unit I could not find where the caches were saved or if they're even there.I've read most people say use the PQ and I may try that later but what I want to do is add specific, single caches. I like being able to find a cache on a list that i find interesting and click send to GPS and know that its there. Is that possible with the extrex or do I have to do it another way?

[+crb11]

That method works fine for me. You need the appropriate plug-in, but I assume you already have it from what you say. Caches appear in a folder GARMIN\GPX on the device, one file per cache with the file name being the cache ID. (PQ files should also go in this folder.) But you should be able to see the caches on the device by navigating to the Geocaches button which lists them in order of distance from where you are.

[+TheJonesDuo]

When I check the geocaches folder on the device it says "no caches found". I downloaded the plug in and everything exactly as I have for the Magellan, when I click send to GPS it tells me its complete but when I check the GPS they are nowhere to be found...

[+GeoTrekker26]

When I check the geocaches folder on the device it says "no caches found". I downloaded the plug in and everything exactly as I have for the Magellan, when I click send to GPS it tells me its complete but when I check the GPS they are nowhere to be found...

 

What operating system and browser are you using? I believe people have problems using the Garmin plugin with Win 8.1. Are you sending the file from the cache page?

[+TheJonesDuo]

I'm not that advanced. I think I still have windows vista, Lol. Yes I'm wanting to send the file from the cache page like I did with the GC, it has the setup and plugin for it but they're not in the GPS when I check it.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

While you may wish to "target" a single cache, there is nothing wrong with downloading PQ data to your device -- simply make sure that your target cache is included in that data. The added benefit to this methodology is that you have "back-up" caches to go after should the opportunity (or need) arise. Load one and that is all you have, load a bunch and you have opened the door of opportunity.

 

Some seem to forget that a PQ can load UP to 1,000 caches in a single shot. Nothing dictates that you must load 1,000.

We routinely download queries that contain <100 caches -- our unit can hold innumerable (named) queries while Garmin units seemingly won't function that way. I could be wrong on that point, but from what I read in the forums, that is what it seems as. Loading smaller queries allows us to target specific areas while traveling, etc, rather than loading huge queries whereupon we have no hope or intent of trying to find 1,000+ caches in an outing. If I (we) cannot find a "target" cache, all is not lost for that outing.

 

One advantage to loading PQ data is that you drag and drop the files to the specified folder. There is no guessing as to whether a "communicator" program did what you asked it to do. Now, I admit to NEVER using the "Send to GPS" function... part of that stems from the fact that it seems counter-intuitive (to me) to load a cache here, another one there, one from over this way and one from that way... but that is just me. I can load from 1 up to 1,000 in a single drag 'n drop maneuver. I can do so from a map PQ, a route PQ, cache-selective PQ or a parameter-selective PQ. The muss and fuss of performing multiple singular "Send to GPS" loadings is nearly as bulky as hand-entering coordinates.

 

Certainly, there is a learning curve associated with queries. Once you clear that hurdle though, you will be amazed at why you ever balked at learning them sooner. The possibilities of using Pocket Queries are nearly endless.

[+TheJonesDuo]

I'll definitely be playing with the PQ when I get home, I was just trying to figure out this problem first. The reason I use the send to GPS function is that I make several trips to Germany and back each year and I usually like to take a hand full of TBs with me, so I look for caches with a lot of TBs that want to see the world or have similar missions. I pick which caches I want and avoid bogging down my memory with all the micros and nanos that I usually avoid.

[+GeoTrekker26]

I'll definitely be playing with the PQ when I get home, I was just trying to figure out this problem first. The reason I use the send to GPS function is that I make several trips to Germany and back each year and I usually like to take a hand full of TBs with me, so I look for caches with a lot of TBs that want to see the world or have similar missions. I pick which caches I want and avoid bogging down my memory with all the micros and nanos that I usually avoid.

 

Did you load any .loc files in the GPS? If you did, then you need to remove all .loc and .gpx files from the GPS and start fresh.

 

You tell us you have looked in the "geocache folder." I'm not sure how you are using the term. Hook the GPS up to your computer and browse the X:\Garmin\GPX folder, where X is the actual drive letter your computer is using. What do you see in there? Are there GPX files with GC number for the file name? How about LOC files with a GC number for a name? Again if you see .loc files delete everything and start over with only GPX files.

 

If you don't see a GPX file, go to a cache page and click on the "GPX file" button which will save the file to your computer. Now drag and drop that file from your computer to the X:\Garmin\GPX folder on the GPS. You should be able to turn on the GPS and have it display that cache.

[+TheJonesDuo]

Alright I'll give that a shot when I get home, thanks for all the help, I'll let y'all know if it works.

[+GeoTrekker26]

I'll definitely be playing with the PQ when I get home, I was just trying to figure out this problem first. The reason I use the send to GPS function is that I make several trips to Germany and back each year and I usually like to take a hand full of TBs with me, so I look for caches with a lot of TBs that want to see the world or have similar missions. I pick which caches I want and avoid bogging down my memory with all the micros and nanos that I usually avoid.

 

You won't bog down the memory of the e20. It can hold 5000 caches. You might run out of GPX file space as there is a limit on the number of files the unit can hold, I think it is in the 200 -500 range.

 

I suggest you search as you are now, and when you find a cache you want to include for you trip to Germany, add it to a bookmark list. When you have finished your selection process use the bookmark list to create a pocket query.

 

Lastly, I strongly urge you to get a micro SD card and store you caches on it especially if you going on a trip. It is not unusual for the e20 and e30 to choke on a cache or otherwise hang. If you have put your caches into internal memory you are stuck until you can hook the GPS up to a computer and remove the caches and start over. If you are using the SD card it is a simple matter to remove the card, reboot without the card to clear the memory, then reinsert the card and continue caching. I would consider this a must on a trip.

 

But concern yourself with these items after you have mastered loading a cache to the GPS!

[+TheJonesDuo]

Does it matter if the card is SD or SDHC? I bought one when I bought the GPS but haven't opened it cause I noticed it was SDHC and the garmin site just says don't use more than a 32g SD card, nothing on the HC...

[+whh0]

How far away from your present location are the caches you are loading? If it is too far away (don't know the exact distance) but it won't show up on the GPS. I use Garmins Base Camp software to check the caches are loaded onto the GPS.

 

When you uploaded the caches did it say they had successfully been saved? Windows gives me no end of issues, version 8 doesn't seem to work and it may be that vista is too old to support it. Try with another web browser, google chrome seems to work quite well.

[+GeoTrekker26]

How far away from your present location are the caches you are loading? If it is too far away (don't know the exact distance) but it won't show up on the GPS. I use Garmins Base Camp software to check the caches are loaded onto the GPS.

 

 

This myth keeps getting repeated. I loaded caches that were several thousand miles away onto my e20 and viewed them with no problem. Perhaps it was true on the old Garmin units but is not true on the e20 and e30.

 

The suggestion to use Base Camp is a good one. I haven't found a need for it but I know many cachers find it very valuable. Free to download and use from Garmin.

[+TheJonesDuo]

Ok so I've given up on the whole pick one and using the "send to gps" function, it's obviously not going to work for me, maybe I'll give it another go later. As of now I've been able to create a PQ that should meet all my immediate needs. Thanks for all the help!

[+JohnCNA]

TheJonesDuo, I have had an occasional bug annoy me on my eTrex 30, so it might be affecting you. Every once in a while, my eTrex 30 will come up with "no caches found" on it's display. A power cycle of the device usually clears this. But on very rare occasions I have had to power down, remove the SD card, power up again, wait, power down, reinsert the SD card and power up again. That somehow forces the eTrex to reindex all it's files and it suddenly sees my GPX files and caches again. The maddening thing is that I have my extra downloaded maps on the SD card and it always sees them, so I know it's actually reading the SD card all along. But it just stops reading the GPX files, both on it's internal memory as well as on the SD card. Perhaps this is what is happening to you.

[+TheJonesDuo]

Yea so I just figured out that if I do the "send to GPS" and then select the memory card in the GPS instead of the unit itself it adds the cache that I want. Not sure why that worked and the other one didn't but who cares, it worked! I've been up all night almost adding new topo maps and uploading PQ's, now I'm ready to hit the trail and find some caches that I want to find without weeding through all the nano's. Thanks for all the replies, ya'll have been a lot of help.

[+GeoTrekker26]

Yea so I just figured out that if I do the "send to GPS" and then select the memory card in the GPS instead of the unit itself it adds the cache that I want. Not sure why that worked and the other one didn't but who cares, it worked! I've been up all night almost adding new topo maps and uploading PQ's, now I'm ready to hit the trail and find some caches that I want to find without weeding through all the nano's. Thanks for all the replies, ya'll have been a lot of help.

 

Congrats on getting it to do what you needed! Are you using the SDHC card?

[+TheJonesDuo]

yea it works, I got a 16gb card in there so I shouldn't use it up anytime soon. I don't think they make the regular mini SD anymore, we went to three stores and they all only had the sdhc.

[+GeoTrekker26]

yea it works, I got a 16gb card in there so I shouldn't use it up anytime soon. I don't think they make the regular mini SD anymore, we went to three stores and they all only had the sdhc.

 

Thanks for the info, it's good to know!

[+Adventure.AS]

...

 

Lastly, I strongly urge you to get a micro SD card and store you caches on it especially if you going on a trip. It is not unusual for the e20 and e30 to choke on a cache or otherwise hang. If you have put your caches into internal memory you are stuck until you can hook the GPS up to a computer and remove the caches and start over. If you are using the SD card it is a simple matter to remove the card, reboot without the card to clear the memory, then reinsert the card and continue caching. I would consider this a must on a trip.

 

 

Do you create a GPX folder on the SD card to place the PQ into?

[+TheJonesDuo]

Nope, just clicked on it that's where it went.Checked the GPS Geo cache folder and there it was.