Nav Screens

[aexp]

I just purchased a Merridean Platinum and have a pretty high level of understanding of most functions. I also have a low level of practical experience using the unit. Of all the navigation screens offered, do you feel certain ones work better than others, and when? What info settings do you like to have displayed for most usages?

[Curious George]

It's really a matter of personal preference but I use the map screen to get me close while I'm in my car and then switch to the compass screen to zero in on the cache. On the compass screen I usually have the data fields set for diatance and bearing. I like the fact that you can turn off the other nav screens that you don't normally use, it makes for less paging back and forth.

[+briansnat]

I use the map screen if I need to find a place to park, then switch to the navigation (compass) screen for the hunt. Sometimes I'll flip back between the map (I use topo) and compass to help me pick out a route, or if I'm close, to see how close my track takes me to the cache.

[+The Leprechauns]

As others have said, if you have a GPS with maps then the map page works best in the car. I have a GPS with autorouting (Garmin V), so for some caches it makes it almost TOO easy, except when the GPS routes me to the nearest street to the cache, but which is NOT the correct approach. I note that sometimes it is great fun to ignore the autorouting and just follow the arrow on the compass screen to choose the best route to the cache. It gives me a feeling of freedom and sharpens my instinctive navigation skills. Getting to the park this way is part of the thrill of the hunt.

 

I use the compass pointer screen about 85% of the time while navigating to the cache. I'll look at the map page occasionally to stay oriented on long hikes, or if the trail veers off away from the cachem, or if there is a non-obvious fork in the trail, etc.

 

Don't forget the proper use of the satellite page. If I arrive at ground zero and the GPS keeps pointing to different areas 75 feet apart, or if I'm generally having trouble finding the cache, I immediately check to see what the satellite array looks like. "Ahhh... only four satellites and they're clustered together... no wonder I'm jumping all over the place" tells me to put the worthless GPS down and just use common sense to find the cache. "Wow! 14 foot accuracy off of 6 satellites with WAAS locked!" tells me to look harder, I am probably very close to the cache but not looking in the right spot.

[+SBPhishy]

I only ever use the:

Map screen

Sat screen

compass screen

position screen

speed screen (just for fun)

 

I pretty much always have these screens turned off:

large data

data

road

 

I use the sat screen quite often as mentioned by The Leprechauns, just to get a feeling if I should be relying on the GPS.

 

I use Direct Route, so the map screen gets used quite a bit.

Obviously, the compass screen is used for caching, and sometimes when I dont feel like autorouting

The position screen is used to check the time and date, and my epe.

The speed screen I dont really use, but I keep it on just to glance at sometimes while i'm driving.

[+Quoddy]

With my MeriColor I use the COMPASS screen with DISTANCE and EPE windows for hunting caches. Map screen (with tracks) occasionally when coming back out.

 

I use Direct Route software (mapscreen) for getting to caches, and for driving in general

Edited March 7, 2004 by Quoddy

[+Oat]

I just use the compass screen. Works good for me.