Jump to content

eTrex 30x Says it has No Geocaches on It


Recommended Posts

I just put a PQ on my Garmin eTrex 30x. When I booted it up it said it had no geocaches on it. I plugged it back into my computer to check and in the GPX Directory on the GPS it still had the PQ listed there. Anyone know how to fix this? Can I do a reset somehow? I've only had this unit for 7 months.

Link to comment

I just put a PQ on my Garmin eTrex 30x. When I booted it up it said it had no geocaches on it. I plugged it back into my computer to check and in the GPX Directory on the GPS it still had the PQ listed there. Anyone know how to fix this? Can I do a reset somehow? I've only had this unit for 7 months.

 

No idea if the Etrex behaves like an Oregon but are the caches >150Km from where you are? Do you have filters set?

Link to comment

This has happened to me once with my 30X. It turned out to be a corrupt GPX file, assuming you have a pocket query. I went back and dragged and dropped a new pocket query to the GPX folder in the GPSr and it was good to go. Your problem may be a couple of other things as well:

 

1. If you load up a query with geocaches located far away (over 100 miles?) I don't think the GPSr will list them. This happened with my Oregon 600, but I don't know if it applies to the 30X as well.

 

2. It could be how you transfer the PQ. I know I have had problems when I used MapSource or GSAK to do the tranfer, so now I just use the direct transfer method.

 

I'm sure you'll get a lot of other suggestions soon. Good luck!

Link to comment

This has happened to me once with my 30X. It turned out to be a corrupt GPX file, assuming you have a pocket query. I went back and dragged and dropped a new pocket query to the GPX folder in the GPSr and it was good to go. Your problem may be a couple of other things as well:

 

1. If you load up a query with geocaches located far away (over 100 miles?) I don't think the GPSr will list them. This happened with my Oregon 600, but I don't know if it applies to the 30X as well.

 

2. It could be how you transfer the PQ. I know I have had problems when I used MapSource or GSAK to do the tranfer, so now I just use the direct transfer method.

 

I'm sure you'll get a lot of other suggestions soon. Good luck!

 

It is working now. But originally it was a PQ with between 300-400 caches (so it wasn't over the limit) and the specific PQ was caches less than 30 miles from home (which is where I am). Originally I was just copy and pasting the GPX file from the PQ zip folder directly into the folder on the GPS. But it's working now. Idk what changed

Link to comment

Did you reload a new copy of the GPX onto your GPS to get it working?

 

I have had this happen to me twice with my 30x. Both times it occurred when the unit was shut off during the initial loading phase at startup. The first time it happened was my fault, I thought it had locked up, so I pulled the batteries, but the second time the batteries died during startup. It's fine if you have a computer readily available to reload a GPX file, but if you're in the woods on a hike, that probably isn't an option. I wish there was a way to force a reload of everything in the GPX folder, but as far as I could tell, there isn't. I should have looked closer to see if the GPX files were actually corrupt. If that is what is happening it probably wouldn't make much of a difference.

Link to comment

.... I wish there was a way to force a reload of everything in the GPX folder, but as far as I could tell, there isn't.

 

There is, actually. All it takes is an investment in an inexpensive micro SD memory card. And you always store your GPX files (and add-on maps) on the card, not in the internal memory. To force a reload, you do the following:

 

Power off and remove the memory card.

Power on and boot up the GPS.

Power off and re-insert the memory card.

Power on again.

 

While I don't know if the 30X has this known issue of sometimes not recognizing the GPX files on it, my eTrex 30 did this every once in a while. Highly annoying to get to my destination and turn on the GPS and it says No Caches. The trick above always worked for me.

 

You can do this from your computer by deleting everything in the GPX folder, booting up the GPS and then powering off again. Then reload the GPX files and boot up again. Obviously, you can't do this when you're in the field and not near a computer.

Link to comment

You've discovered why nearly everyone here will boot up and check for content before leaving home on a caching run! This symptom has appeared sporadically on various Garmin units for years now. One thing most learned early on -- do NOT just yank the cord after transferring files TO the unit. Be sure to do a proper USB logical disconnect of the device using the OS before disconnecting. Pulling the plug before a logical disconnect / dismount is an easy way to get into this particular ditch.

Link to comment

My GPS makes me have to be within a certain distance from the waypoint in order for it to be in the list. I don't know how to download pqs so I just enter them manually.

If you create a PQ and have it run at least once a week it will be emailed to you as an attachment and you can download it from that email and put it on your GPS.

 

Maybe this link will be helpful: http://support.Groundspeak.com//index.php?pg=kb.page&id=118

Edited by Sherminator18
Link to comment

You've discovered why nearly everyone here will boot up and check for content before leaving home on a caching run! This symptom has appeared sporadically on various Garmin units for years now. One thing most learned early on -- do NOT just yank the cord after transferring files TO the unit. Be sure to do a proper USB logical disconnect of the device using the OS before disconnecting. Pulling the plug before a logical disconnect / dismount is an easy way to get into this particular ditch.

 

I've never "safely removed" my Oregon 600 or Colorado 300 before that. I load the GPS with GSAK and don't disconnect right away as I'm doing other stuff most of the time. But yes, checking that caches are loaded is something you'd better do before you get to a cache location

 

My GPS makes me have to be within a certain distance from the waypoint in order for it to be in the list. I don't know how to download pqs so I just enter them manually.

 

Recent Garmins show caches closer than (I think) 150 Km but you can "search near..." or scroll on the map if you want to see them when you're further away.

 

If you create a PQ and have it run at least once a week it will be emailed to you as an attachment and you can download it from that email and put it on your GPS.

 

You couldn't be more wrong.

The days PQ's were emailed are long gone. You just get an email your PQ is ready for download.

Link to comment

You've discovered why nearly everyone here will boot up and check for content before leaving home on a caching run! This symptom has appeared sporadically on various Garmin units for years now. One thing most learned early on -- do NOT just yank the cord after transferring files TO the unit. Be sure to do a proper USB logical disconnect of the device using the OS before disconnecting. Pulling the plug before a logical disconnect / dismount is an easy way to get into this particular ditch.

 

I've never "safely removed" my Oregon 600 or Colorado 300 before that. I load the GPS with GSAK and don't disconnect right away as I'm doing other stuff most of the time. But yes, checking that caches are loaded is something you'd better do before you get to a cache location

 

My GPS makes me have to be within a certain distance from the waypoint in order for it to be in the list. I don't know how to download pqs so I just enter them manually.

 

Recent Garmins show caches closer than (I think) 150 Km but you can "search near..." or scroll on the map if you want to see them when you're further away.

 

If you create a PQ and have it run at least once a week it will be emailed to you as an attachment and you can download it from that email and put it on your GPS.

 

You couldn't be more wrong.

The days PQ's were emailed are long gone. You just get an email your PQ is ready for download.

My apologies it's not an attachment. But I click directly in the email and it downloads. Or you can download then from the Pocket Queries Rwady for Download section of the PQ part of the website.

Link to comment

You've discovered why nearly everyone here will boot up and check for content before leaving home on a caching run! This symptom has appeared sporadically on various Garmin units for years now. One thing most learned early on -- do NOT just yank the cord after transferring files TO the unit. Be sure to do a proper USB logical disconnect of the device using the OS before disconnecting. Pulling the plug before a logical disconnect / dismount is an easy way to get into this particular ditch.

I use GSAK as well, and if I just pulled the plug, my 450s have several times either stalled at the 1/2 way point on the progress bar when loading (indicating a file corruption problem) or come up with no caches if I forgot to disconnect them correctly. It's been a long time since I've allowed that to happen!
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...