Really Confused Newbie w/Meridian

[+Road2Ruin]

I told the kids I was buying my own Mothers' Day present this year and we were taking up a new family hobby! Last week the Man in Brown handed me my Meridian Platinum and I have been happily reading the guides and the CD-ROM manual (with the microscopic type!). Also, I've hit the online GPS primers offered on various websites.

 

But I am still confused! I am probably missing something really obvious or maybe I am overwhelmed with all this technology. What I need is "Geo-caching For Dummies" with a step-by-step how-to-use-your-GPS-for-this-purpose guide---you know...."first you do this, then you do that..., etc."

 

Meridian Users--- Do I start by entering the cache waypoint (provided by the cache hider) in the Mark screen (from the 2-second goto)? If so, what next? Will the "location" be automatically entered by the unit when I hit "save"? Will it turn up in "routes" or do I have to somehow get it there?

 

I could use a bit of hand-holding to get me started.

 

~*Mary*~

 

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrble warning."

-Catherine Aird-

[+Markwell]

Not sure about the specifics of the Meridian (I'm sure someone will chime in who is), but on almost all of the GPS units I've seen, you enter the waypoint with the coordinates given by the cache hider.

 

Then you find the "Goto" feature and you will either get an overlying map of the area with data on the bearing and distance of the cache, or a pseudo-compass that says you're going east (or whatever) and the waypoint is SW 9.01 miles.

 

Markwell

My Geocaching Page

[+phantom4099]

1. Press and hold the GOTO button for 2 seconds.

 

2. the "mark" screen should come up. It has icon, name,location, elevation, message,save, and route.

 

3. Go to location screen, hit enter. change the cord to the caches cords.

 

4. hit enter again, you can change the name, icon, and add a message in a similar fasion.

 

5. when done go down to save and hit enter.

 

6. To active a GOTO press the "GOTO" button once (less than 2 seconds). Go to the user section and find the name that you called the waypoint. and just press enter.

 

The "route" option on the "mark" page just allows you to save the waypoint as part of a route. But in my opinion there is a lot easier way of making a route, but thats another post.

 

Wyatt W.

 

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.

[the federation]

hi,

i too am a newbie with a meridan, just keep trying don't get discouraged. using easy gps helps with downloads then use goto as describedin previous post. have fun the meridian is pretty accurate . usally within 10 ft.

the federation

boldly going where others have gone before

[NoLuckAmongUs]

EasyGPS is a great program to help you download waypoints into your gps. I use it quite a bit with my Meridian Plat. Also, you are right for inputting waypoints manually, hold down Goto for 2 seconds, enter in all of the information (coords, cache name, icon if you want, etc...) and hit save. If you go to the map screen, it should be on there (you may have to move the cursor to it or zoom out if it is far away). Then when you are ready to find the cache, hit GOTO, highlight User (since you are the one who put in the coordinates) and then on the bottom of the screen you see Find By. You can choose alphabetical, near position, or near city (since most of the cache's I've found so far have just been a few miles away, I use near position). The next screen will be a list of waypoints that are available. Find the name of the waypoint you created for the cache, and hit enter. Now on the map screen there will be a straight line from your current position al the way to the waypoint of the cache. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you even more!!

 

Wes

[+Road2Ruin]

Thanks to everyone who offered help and encouragement! We found five caches this weekend and we are gradually expanding our ability to use this thing and our confidence in not screwing it up. Thanks again for helping us to get started!

 

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrble warning."

-Catherine Aird-