Guest GGJohn Posted December 29, 2000 Share Posted December 29, 2000 I thought that I would start this thread for tips on using the Etrex. Here's my first tip. You don't need a mapping program to get coordinates for streets and the like, just use the MapBlast website to get your coordinates. This site automatically generates the coordinates for any point. Here's what you do. 1. Go to http://mapblast.com 2. Click on the "Advanced" button next to the "Get Map" link. 3. Enter the Lat/Long of your destination and click "Get Map" 4. To get waypoints for your route, click the radio button that says "both" below the map in the "click to move" section. 5. Click where you want to place your waypoint. Mapblast then redraws your map with the marker centered where you clicked. Your new waypoint's coordinates are printed above the map. 6. Repeat step 5 for each additional waypoint. You can also use their yellow pages to find the Lat/Long for any business that you want to visit. Do your search and have Mapblast draw the map. Your coordinates are above the map. I successfully used this to find both my hotel and a restaraunt during a recent visit to Santa Fe. Note: Mapblast uses NAD83 for U.S. and Canadian locations and WGS84 for the rest of the world so you may need to reset the datum when you input these points. Quote Link to comment
Guest topografix Posted January 7, 2001 Share Posted January 7, 2001 You can also use the MapBlast site to create routes that can be downloaded into your eTrex (or other Garmin or Magellan GPS). Programs like PanTerra Professional Edition (http://www.topografix.com) can read the HTML generated by MapBlast and load the route directly into your GPS. Makes it really easy to plan road trips! Quote Link to comment
+Newenglandah Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 I ran across this old post thought it might help some us newer Cachers with etrex.. Anyone have new sites to add to the list? See you in the woods! Natureboy1376 Quote Link to comment
+WindChill Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 There was another thread recently (that I didnt bother to go find) that had instructions for getting to the eTrex diagnostics screen. Among other info on the screen is the internal temperature of the unit. This info is used to compensate for crystal drift as the unit warms up. I have no idea how much heat the unit generates to know how far the reading is above the outside temp. To get the diagnostic screen, hold the click-stick in while turning the unit on. Quote Link to comment
+Newenglandah Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 reseting etrex when it dies See you in the woods! Natureboy1376 Quote Link to comment
+Markwell Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 Unfortunately, I do believe that due to contractual legal problems, Mapblast has removed ALL coordiante references from its site. I know it doesn't display coordinates any more, but I never really knew enough about the route to know if it still shows coords or not. Markwell Chicago Geocaching Quote Link to comment
+Poindexter Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 www.mapsonus.com will give lat/lon Quote Link to comment
+Volwrath Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 My tip would be to spend a little money and buy street atlas 2003 if you want to create routes with ease. It works well with my legend. It creates routes, waypoints, will display tracks, waypoints etc. Very cool to see all the geocaches on the screen! I use it in conjunction with g7towin (freeware) as well as easygps. I use easygps to upload the caches to my unit, g7towin to dload them from my unit, and then save them into .sa8 format which I then import into street atlas. When I had a 3.5 hour drive home in the snow that usually takes 20 mins from downtown nashville, I dumped the track log into SA just to see where the heck I drove. Quote Link to comment
+DBleess Posted January 31, 2003 Share Posted January 31, 2003 I second the SA3 recommendation. I use it with both a laptop on the road and at home with my desktop PC. Combined with my Garmin48 it is excellent software for vehicle navigation. www.delorme.com Quote Link to comment
+Newenglandah Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Ok I just got my legend and I took the book out to read first, but I still have a question?? The first time turning my etrex on , is there any kind of set up I need to do? or IS it ready to go? I know with my older model there was a first time set up involved where you had to be in a large open area to do? Cache Now, shovel the snow later!!! See You In the Woods!!! Natureboy1376 Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 There's no initial setup required, but it will likely take a little bit to locate itself and get a lock. Quote Link to comment
+Chichikov Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 The first time I turned on my etrex it took 25 minutes to get a lock. It thought it was in Taiwan at first. --------------- Where am I going? I don't quite know. What does it matter where people go? Down to the wood where the blue-bells grow Anywhere, anywhere. I don't know. -A.A. Milne Quote Link to comment
+Brian - Team A.I. Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 In all reality, there isn't any configuring that's 'necessary', but repositioning where it thinks it is helps acquire sats just a little quicker. Brian Team A.I. Quote Link to comment
*SunBug* Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 bump, any new ones? *SunBug* Quote Link to comment
Inspector Cache Posted August 3, 2003 Share Posted August 3, 2003 MapBlast is now owned by Microsoft, so I don't know if all the bells and whistles from before will continue. I would like to know the lat/long's for my destinations but not sure what way to go yet. I have another question about the eTrex. I have the Legend. It Defaults to WAAS off and North Positioning is to "True". Should I be using WAAS to better pin point my locations? Should I be using "True" or "Magnetic" north? What do others use? Quote Link to comment
+Brian - Team A.I. Posted August 3, 2003 Share Posted August 3, 2003 quote:Originally posted by *SunBug*:bump, any new ones? *SunBug* Yeah. Don't hold it upside down. Brian Team A.I. Quote Link to comment
+RJFerret Posted August 3, 2003 Share Posted August 3, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Inspector Cache:It Defaults to WAAS off and North Positioning is to "True". Should I be using WAAS to better pin point my locations? Should I be using "True" or "Magnetic" north? What do others use? I've read that most people never pick up the two WAAS sats so expending more battery life on it is pointless, nevermind the fact that caches weren't placed with WAAS! (Entirely negating it's value...) I use Magnetic north as I compare to a compass when I spin around or it doesn't know which way I'm not going (basic yellow w/o electronic compass). The only time I'd imagine you'd want True north would be if you were working with a map and can't handle magnetic declination... (IE, not for Geocaching...) If you CAN pick up the WAAS sats where you are (you need a really clear view to horizon supposedly), please do turn it on when placing caches! Hope this helps, Randy Quote Link to comment
Mushtang Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 I have a Garmin eTrex Vista, and found a really neat feature by accident. From the main menu you can click on a page at the top, next to the X, to fill in personal information, and this will replace the lawyer page when you turn the unit on. On my unit I decided only to input my email address and cell phone (you can enter any information in the fields, not just what the field names suggest). Hopefully the information won't be necessary, but I'll be happy I did it if I get a phone call someday from someone that found my GPS after I'd misplaced it. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "A noble spirit embiggins the smallest man." - Jebediah Springfield ---------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment
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