Help With Magellan Sportrak Pro

[dna2k4]

Ok.. I have found a few caches so far.. but some we visited we could not find. I have a question.. how do you guys use your Sportrak to find a cache by coordinates. Do you just watch the overhead map screen.. or do you do track/goto the coordinates.. just wondering what secrets/tips you guys have to finding these caches

 

any and all information/tips using a Sportrak Pro is greatly appreciated..

 

Thanks in advance..

[+ThisWayOut]

I like using the map view until I am within about 100 feet or so. Once I am there, I will either sit for a few minutes to allow the averaging "feature" of the GPS to settle down or I will cycle the power on the unit which is actually a faster method. But you must remember to reset your GoTo to the cache. I then switch to the Road screen (Pg 36 in the manual). I like this screen because the compass window gives you an arrow showing you the direction you need to head. The distance to the cache is also shown.

 

Some of the other screens can be setup to show you how many feet in front and how many feet to the Left or Right the cache is from you. Between your movement, the strength of the signal, and correction factors all taking place at the same time, it can almost drive you nuts. So remember to move slow and be patient.

 

All the screens on the ST Pro are customizable. You can replace many of the displayed values with the fields of your choice.

 

Hope this helps some. Now, get out there and find something!

[+JohnnyVegas]

It depends on the terrain, For urban caches I use the Map screen untill I get within 100 or 200 feet, then switch to the compass screen. On trails I use the Compass screen most of the time fliping back to the map screen every few minutes.

[+Zen Cooker #1]

Once I have the coordinates entered, I use the map view to get close (a relative term). When I am within .25 miles by car or 100 yds by foot (both approximate), I switch over to the position screen (the one with the most items displayed). I watch them carefully, especially the distance to the waypoint, the bearing and the XTE (cross track error). That gets me pretty dadgum close.

[+globalgirl]

...and the XTE (cross track error). That gets me pretty dadgum close.

 

Hallelujah! I've been trying to figure out whereintheheck it shows the error rate on my new SporTrak Map and for the life of me couldn't find anything about it in the manual. I rather like the gps, and in some respects the manual is pretty good, but...

 

Throughout the manual whenever they talk about "customizing" the display/data fields they REPEATEDLY utterly gloss over it with a pat:

 

"Allows you to change the data that is displayed to 1 of 13 different data options (bearing, distance, speed, heading, VMG, CTS, ETA, ETE, XTE, turn, elevation, time or date)."

 

Well fine and dandy, 13 options sound mighty swell all right. Trouble izzz... I don't know what HALF THOSE ACRONYMNS MEAN!!!

 

I mean, I don't expect the manual to serve up an entire tome on all the nuances of navigation, but - would it kill them to at least explain what VMG, etc. stands for???

 

So Zen Cooker - is the XTE, the cross track error - is that where it shows the error factor? i.e. how far off the mark the gps might be in any given situation (i.e. cloud cover, trees, etc.)?

 

And as far as how I track. Am still very green at all this, but find that I track using the road screen while I'm driving, then mainly find the rose compass screen (as opposed to the horiz. compass screen) the easiest to use. I have the alarm set to go off when I'm within a 100 ft. of the cache (yes, yes, I mainly watch the closing distance to the wpt for that, but it's just kinda fun to hear the bell go off )

 

I also find that it often gets jumpy - looks dead on up to but a handful of feet, but then jumps around and I have to walk away, reset the course using the compass screen again (sometimes I'll walk in the opposite direction setting the course BEHIND me) and then turn around and come at it again.

 

Uh, am I making any sense at ALL???

 

As I said, I have a gazillion questions still - like...

 

When you (ThisWayOut) talk about standing still to "average", can you tell me a bit more about how that works? Cuz... I just learned that standing still is bad 'cuz then the compass stops working. So which is it? Which is better - keep moving, or stand still and let things settle down and average?

 

And finally (geesh, am clearly on a frenetic roll here!) I'm really becoming concerned about the battery usage on this thing (the Magellan SporTrak Map). At first I was using cheapo batteries and they were dying in little more than an HOUR! So I switched to good 2300 mAh rechargables but... They too seem to drain within but a few hours. Is this typical? (and of course, this - w/o using the backlight 'cuz I KNOW that's a battery blower). Good grief, at this rate, I'm gonna need a sherpa to help carry the extra batteries I need for a day's caching!

 

Sorry to blather on, but just a frustrated noobie trying to learn. Any and all help, greatly appreciated...

[Major Catastrophe]

...is the XTE, the cross track error - is that where it shows the error factor? i.e. how far off the mark the gps might be in any given situation (i.e. cloud cover, trees, etc.)?

I think you're after EPE, estimated position error.

[+BuckToothMoose]

I suggest that on all of the enabled screens, have the Distance and EPE as selected fields, at a minimum.

I also use the map until I'm within about 100 feet, then switch to the compass...

[+Smokey's Crew]

I have been looking for that same exact thing GlobalGirl! My friends all have Garmins, which has the error rating pre-programmed in. I looked through the manual for my SportTrak trying to find something similar so I can tell how far off I might be. It really bugs me when I go to a cahce and the cache is 30-50 ft away from where my GPSr says it is and i don't have a clue what the error rate is. Thanks for bringing this up! I'm going to run outside to play with this feature now!

 

Smokey

Edited August 17, 2004 by Smokey's Crew

[+Marky]

Man, I've been using my GPS for a while now and this is the first time I've heard of XTE (Cross Track Error). I wonder what that is and if it is useful info...

 

--Marky

[+Marky]

Man, I've been using my GPS for a while now and this is the first time I've heard of XTE (Cross Track Error). I wonder what that is and if it is useful info...

 

--Marky

Ah, it appears to be something having to do with nautical navigation. I guess that's why I've never heard of it before. I don't own a boat. Maybe it would be useful for some of those ***** terrain caches.

 

--Marky

[4x4van]

XTE (cross track error) is how far you are off of a straight line (as a crow flies) from your starting point to your destination. In other words, draw a straight line from your starting point (when you press GOTO) to your destination/Waypoint. Now start walking (or driving) to your destination. If you stay exactly on that straight line, your XTE will be zero, if you stray off-course, XTE tells you how far off-course you are, as well as which side of the course you strayed (Right or Left).

 

Another interesting one: CTS. This is "Course to Steer". Think of that straight line again and assume you are off-course (your XTE is not 0). "Bearing" is the compass bearing towards your destination. "Heading" is the compass direction you are currently moving in, and "CTS" is the compass direction you would need to move in in order to get back onto that straight line at a point halfway between where you are and your final destination.

 

VMG is "Velocity Made Good". It refers to your actual "closing" speed towards your destination. In other words, if you are moving at 50 mph, but you are moving at an angle of 45 degrees rather than straight towards your destination, your speed is 50mph, but your VMG is less (25mph? Not gonna do the math here )

 

EPE is "estimated position error", another name for the estimated accuracy of your stated location.

 

ETE is "Estimated Time Enroute", or how long before you reach your destination, based on the current VMG.

 

ETA, obviously "Estimated Time of Arrival", also based on your current VMG.

 

By the way, since you use your alarm to let you know when you are getting close, I thought I'd ask; which firmware is your unit using? 5.00 and above makes the backlight come on when the alarm sounds, and you must physically turn it off. That could be why your batteries are draining so fast. In the daylight, the backlight can't be seen, but you can hear a whine or buzz if you hold the unit up to your ear. I can get a full day's caching on a set of AA alkalines easily, but only if I don't use the backlight (or remember to turn it off every time an alarm sounds!)

Edited August 17, 2004 by 4x4van

[4x4van]

Couple more things; When you stand still, Magellans begin averaging automatically. Letting the unit settle for a few minutes will generally make your coordinates a bit more accurate. As for the compass screen not working unless you're moving; yes that's true, but that doesn't affect your coordinates, only the compass screen. If you are sitting still, you can use the "northfinder" feature to correct the compass rose. See the little icon of the sun and/or moon on the compass screen? Line that up with the sun (or moon) and your compass rose is now oriented correctly.

[+Zen Cooker #1]

Hola,

 

Almost everything that you are asking about is in the SporTrak Pro manual. If you go to http://www.magellangps.com/en/support/prod...sportrakpro.asp you can download the manual as a .pdf file (for Adobe Reader or Acrobat), then save it or print it. The 'reference' section is excellent, more than you probably want to know.

 

As you can see from the thread, everybody has their own style of GPS use. The best way to develop what works for you is trial and error. When I use the 'data' screen (not the position screen that I mentioned earlier) I can have all the information to get me to where I want to go. Van 4x4 described XTE perfectly above. If I'm heading toward a cache, I have the bearing (ideal track) to it, distance to it, and XTE (whether I'm left or right of the ideal track and by how much).

 

IMHO, you are doing the right thing by asking all the questions. It's what the forum is for. Go out there and see what works for you. Your GPSr is a great tool, so put it to work and develop your own way of using it. And HAVE FUN!

 

Zen Cooker #1