Garmin etrex30

[+Mrs_Clark_Kent]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I need help. My Garmin etrex 30 won't show downloaded caches - it did use to but now it doesn't. So my question(s) are

which browser should I be using, does someone have a dummies step-by-step guide and is there an alternative way to download. I really appreciate the help - and yes I do need the help without any 'tech speak' just simple and easy.

The one click wonder button does not work!!

Thanks

MCK

[+Mineral2]

I'm not sure what the problem is? The eTrex 30 doesn't have a browser on it, so... no browser?

Here's the bare minimum that you need to install a geocache on a modern Garmin gps that supports mass storage mode:

1. Connect the GPS to your computer with the USB cable. It will mount as a drive.
2. Find a geocache on the website that you want to visit. Download the GPX file.
3. Save it it into the [drive letter]:\Garmin\GPX folder ( where [drive letter] is the drive letter assigned to your GPS device)
4. Repeat for other geocaches.
5. Disconnect and go geocaching.

While you're connected, it's a good idea to delete any old GPX files that contain geocaches since the eTrex has a limit of reading 2000 gpx files.

If you prefer to load lots of geocaches at once, you can use Pocket Queries. Or you can create bookmark lists and send them to your GPS with the "Send to Garmin" feature that utilizes Garmin Express. Make sure your Garmin Express is up to date. You can also send single geocaches via this method as well.

I am, of course, assuming that you are a Windows user. If you are a Mac user, the steps are the same, but drives aren't assined letters. They just get a volume name and the default for a Garmin GPS is "Garmin"   -->    /Garmin/Garmin/GPX as opposed to E:\Garmin\GPX

Edited July 15, 2019 by Mineral2

[+Mrs_Clark_Kent]

Thanks for the reply.

When I mentioned browsers it was because previously my Garmin was not supported or it may have been the action was not supported! I wondered if the browser didn't support my garmin.

I did as your steps suggested but it didn't work - they appear in the folder when I look on the computer but not when I look on my gps.

Your excellent instructions confirmed I was doing it right but I'm not getting the caches on my garmin. 

 

Update - they do show up in the map icon of my Garmin but not the geocache one, which means no cache info - for some reason.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Mrs_Clark_Kent

[+Mineral2]

The communicator plugin is no longer supported by any modern browser and you put yourself and your computer at risk using an outdated browser and operating system just to make it work. Besides, the powers at HQ have taken that function away to discourage this kind of risk-taking.

If they show up on the map, but not in the list of geocaches, it means that you probably have a filter enabled that is hiding the geocaches. Select "Show All" from your list of filters and see if they show up in the list.

[+Mrs_Clark_Kent]

Hi

I found that they are downloading as way points - any ideas how to change this?

BTW it was the comm plugin that was the issue I use to have.

 

[+Mineral2]

Walk me through how you are downloading them.

[+Mrs_Clark_Kent]

Sorry for bullet points and short statements but

cable in comp then Garmin

chrome - open geo site map.

click geocache and left hand panel opens,

1. click send to Garmin, allow Garmin express, download window appears click download.

eject Garmin to check - nothing appears in my Garmin icon for geocaches

plug back in, look at base camp (in 'show all' it's there!) not in geocache section!

2. way , download GPX and it goes to my way points with no cache info.

I've never had 'no results found' on my gps before.

[+Mineral2]

In theory, both of those methods should work. The second way, you are downloading the file to the GPX folder, correct?

I had a look at the GPX files created by Garmin Express and by the direct download and they aren't identical. The direct download includes a header that specifies that it is an xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<gpx xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:Groundspeak="Groundspeak" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" version="1.0" creator="Groundspeak, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.Groundspeak.com" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0/gpx.xsd http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1 http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1/cache.xsd" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0">
  <name>Cache Listing Generated from Geocaching.com</name>
  <desc>This is an individual cache generated from Geocaching.com</desc>
  <email>contact@geocaching.com</email>
  <url>http://www.geocaching.com</url> 
  ...

Whereas the file created by Garmin Express does not:

<gpx xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:Groundspeak="Groundspeak" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" version="1.0" creator="Groundspeak, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.Groundspeak.com" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0/gpx.xsd http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1 http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1/cache.xsd" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0">
  <name>Cache Listing Generated from Geocaching.com</name>
  <desc>This is an individual cache generated from Geocaching.com</desc>
  <email>contact@geocaching.com</email>
  <url>http://www.geocaching.com</url>
  ...

I don't know if this makes a difference. As far as I can tell, there are no other differences between the files, or anything that would make them show up as a waypoint rather than a geocache.

[+Mrs_Clark_Kent]

Thanks for trying to help. I needed to upload for a school trip tomorrow! I will do my best to cope with them as way points and look at it all again at the weekend. I will also have a search of previous posts, didn't have time tonight, and see if anything clicks.

MCK

[+Mineral2]

If the caches are far away (over 100 miles) they won't show on the list, but will on the map.