lvsKatz Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Read newspaper article Mar.15, did GPS research all day 3-16 and reading your boards, too. (THANKS ALL - terrific site, well done, 3 cheers!) Bought Garmin eTrex Venture Mar.17 (Ebay, $145.00 brand new...). Also I know where my first cache is, but I was waiting for the GPS...(so close to my house it's scary, I even know which tree it's in, I think!! >^,^< ) Anyway, the GPS arrived yesterday, Mar.20 (WOW a Great eBay seller) and I have two questions about North, as referred to in the manual. Page 14, Satellite Page - "Selecting Track-Up or North-Up" skyview orientation...what does this mean??? Page 47, Reference/Setup - "Heading Displays, North Reference" I understand User entry, but what do True, Magnetic & Grid North mean? Which one should I use???? OK, that's 3 questions, and yes, I am totally hooked already. Thanks all for your time, and happy hunting!! >^,^< Quote Link to comment
+welch Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 quote:Originally posted by lvsKatz: Read newspaper article Mar.15, did GPS research all day 3-16 and reading your boards, too. (THANKS ALL - terrific site, well done, 3 cheers!) Bought Garmin eTrex Venture Mar.17 (Ebay, $145.00 brand new...). Also I know where my first cache is, but I was waiting for the GPS...(so close to my house it's scary, I even know which tree it's in, I think!! >^,^< ) Anyway, the GPS arrived yesterday, Mar.20 (WOW a Great eBay seller) and I have two questions about North, as referred to in the manual. Page 14, Satellite Page - "Selecting Track-Up or North-Up" skyview orientation...what does this mean??? Page 47, Reference/Setup - "Heading Displays, North Reference" I understand User entry, but what do True, Magnetic & Grid North mean? Which one should I use???? OK, that's 3 questions, and yes, I am totally hooked already. Thanks all for your time, and happy hunting!! >^,^< i dont have a venture and dont have the the first two options you have questions about, and the 3rd one doesnt matter, are you sure your not making simple things complicated? Quote Link to comment
lvsKatz Posted March 21, 2002 Author Share Posted March 21, 2002 More than likely, you're right!! Just wanted to understand the unit before I go on a longer search. Thanks for your input! >^,^< the Katz >^,^< Quote Link to comment
+TheGertridgeExplorers Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Welcome to Geocaching! I too have a Venture and I will try to answer your questions. Track up or North up refers to how you want the satellite screen displayed. Do you want North to be at the top, or do you want the direction you are headed(your 'track') to be at the top? True North is the direction from where you are standing to the North Pole (also called Astronomic or Geographic North). You can approximate the direction by finding the North Star at night. Magnetic North is what compasses point to. It changes from year to year. Grid north is a calculated North - "straight up"(usually) on maps. It depends on your map projection (most in North America are UTM). I usually use North up setting and True North reference, but I haven't had to find any caches that required following a certain bearing. If a cache clue gave a reference to a grid (UTM) bearing, set your display to grid north. If it gives you a True bearing, use the True North reference. If they give you a magnetic bearing - use a compass . Hope this helps. I try to "eschew obfuscation"! - Donna G. Quote Link to comment
lvsKatz Posted March 21, 2002 Author Share Posted March 21, 2002 Thanks so much Donna - i understand. >^,^< Quote Link to comment
+LarsThorwald Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 I've got a Vista - basically the same unit - and haven't yet run into a situation where it made any difference at all whether I was set to Track-up or North. Just my two cents. I just set the co-ord's and head out! Welcome to the sport. Charlie "One should never begin a journey by heading in the wrong direction." Quote Link to comment
MajBach Posted March 22, 2002 Share Posted March 22, 2002 quote:Originally posted by lvsKatz: Read newspaper article Mar.15, did GPS research all day 3-16 and reading your boards, too. (THANKS ALL - terrific site, well done, 3 cheers!) Bought Garmin eTrex Venture Mar.17 (Ebay, $145.00 brand new...). Also I know where my first cache is, but I was waiting for the GPS...(so close to my house it's scary, I even know which tree it's in, I think!! >^,^< ) Anyway, the GPS arrived yesterday, Mar.20 (WOW a Great eBay seller) and I have two questions about North, as referred to in the manual. Page 14, Satellite Page - "Selecting Track-Up or North-Up" skyview orientation...what does this mean??? Page 47, Reference/Setup - "Heading Displays, North Reference" I understand User entry, but what do True, Magnetic & Grid North mean? Which one should I use???? OK, that's 3 questions, and yes, I am totally hooked already. Thanks all for your time, and happy hunting!! >^,^< Katz, if you're anything like me, you have to know what each function does and try and find a way to use it. I don;t believe in the 'keep it simple, stupid' philosophy - for better or worse. You're probably trying to know everything about the GPS in an instant - read the manual over time. To answer yuor question, North up will show you a map with north pointing up and your movement relative to that. The only thing that rotates as you turn is your position icon. It really doen't matter what direction you are facing as you hold the GPS. I use this for large scale maps - like when I'm driving. Track up shows your movement forward with whatever is on your left being on the left of the screen and so on.'Up' on the GPS screen is in front of you, always. Your position icon remains fixed like this and the map rotates around you as you turn. I use thin on scales of 3 miles or less - when I'm a homing in on something or following a track or route and I need precision. The reference to True and magnetic north is a little less important (for me anyway) unless you are using the GPS in conjuction with a map. You do understand than for most parts on the planet, true and magnetic north are two different directions. Magnetic north is where a compass points. True north is towards Santa's home - underneath the north star. You will really only need to make the distinction for when you are following the bearing your GPS indicates to a specified waypoint.In other words, if you want to head on a bearing of 90degress, you must first determine whether that is a perpendicular angle from where a compass would point to north or from where the north star would be shining. Hope that helps but chances are, sensing your enthusiasm, you've probably already researched your own questions. Good luck and welcome! MajBach You can't have everything. where would you put it? Quote Link to comment
+RangerRick Posted March 22, 2002 Share Posted March 22, 2002 As stated above, North UP shows the north up to the top of your screen and Track Up shows the way you are going to the top of your gps screen. I have a Garmin V but the follow two statements may also be true on your unit. 1)If North UP shows on your menu screen, then you are in the Track Up mode. 2) When you are in the Track UP mode, an arrow pointing to the north will be displayed in the top left portion of your screen. If my info does not apply to your gps unit, I'm sure someone will correct me. Have fun Quote Link to comment
+RangerRick Posted March 22, 2002 Share Posted March 22, 2002 I forgot to mention this on the above post, I always use Track Up while searching for caches. It makes it much easier to see which direction you are going in relationship to the target. Quote Link to comment
+unclerojelio Posted March 22, 2002 Share Posted March 22, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Ranger Rick: I forgot to mention this on the above post, I always use Track Up while searching for caches. It makes it much easier to see which direction you are going in relationship to the target. Sometimes it seem to me that in Track Up mode the screen updates are a lot slower than with North Up. Try them both to see which one suits you. ... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, ... unclerojelio www.arlut.utexas.edu/~banks/geocache.html Quote Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted March 22, 2002 Share Posted March 22, 2002 The advantage to setting Track-Up on the satellite screen, is that it will give you both a rough idea of the direction you're traveling in, and your current coordinates, all on one screen. It's usually easier to set your GPS to read magnetic north, rather than true north. If your GPS tells you the cache is 70' away, at a bearing of 138°, just dial in 138° on your compass, and you're good to go. Quote Link to comment
lvsKatz Posted March 22, 2002 Author Share Posted March 22, 2002 O thank you all so much for the warm welcome & much-needed advice - Charlie, I was born in So. Pasadena. What a trip, I particularly like your quote. MajBach, TY so much for all your help, I have saved your info in file. You are right, I am doing my best to learn everything in a week - going to find that tree tomorrow...LOL Yes I have been doing lots of research, and have learned more about 'North' than I ever thought I'd know. Ranger Rick, unclrojelio & Prime Suspect - I will weigh-in on the Track vs. North debate at a later date - taking it all in, though - thanks for the info.... T-Storm here in So. Oregon - gotta go..... the Katz >^,^< [TYTYALLVM) the Katz >^,^< Quote Link to comment
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