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I'm missing a step.


xiaojie

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I am brand new. Got my etrex gps 2 days ago. When I read the "Guide to Finding a Cache", I don't see where "plugging in the coordinates" part comes in. Don't know how to do that either. I need "Geocaching for Dummies" or something. I haven't found this to be as simple as it is advertised to be. Any advise?

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RTFM.

 

You need to read the manual that came with the etrex. Not only will that tell you how to enter in waypoints but all kinds of other neet things that you can do with the GPS.

 

So the steps for Geocaching with a GPS should be:

 

1) Read The F* Manual to determine how to enter in coordinates.

2) Enter the coordinates into the GPS reciever

3) Drive, walk, bike, run, crawl, sail, paddle, whatever, to the spot where you can search for the cache.

4) Follow the gps (or not) to the spot where the cache should be located.

5) Search for the cache - many people find that using the Force really helps, in other words - if you see a really good hidding spot, pretty close to where your GPS says the cache should be located - chances are, that's where it is.

 

NOTE: Never ever search for a cache without doing the following: make a goto for the location of your transportation, and BRING A COMPASS with you.

 

But to enter in coordinates - usually you have to create a goto and then update the coordinates to the ones you want to use.

 

Laurie

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I do not have a Garmin unit so I cannot elaborate, but it cannot be much more difficult than my Magellan. From the "Mark" menu/button, you should be able to move your cursor to the coordinates/location (should be highlighted), then . Move the cursor changing to the new coordinates that you desire. You should also read up, then load EasyGPS from this web site. It will do most (if not all) of the work establishing specific waypoints and/or coordinates. icon_smile.gif

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I never have gotten what the compas does for you while caching since by the time my GPS goes wacko I'm closer than the GPS is accurate and it's time to look for the cache.

 

But to answer the question your GPS will have a means of marking a waypoint. So that's what you do. Mark a waypoint then edit that waypoint so it has the coordinates of your geocache. You can also edit the name of the waypoint to be whatever makes the most sence to you. I leave them the same as I get them from geocaching.com.

 

Alternatly you can use a cable connected to your computer and use a program like Easygps (freeware) to download the waypoint directly to your GPS. In the long run this is much easier.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

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quote:
Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

I never have gotten what the compas does for you while caching since by the time my GPS goes wacko I'm closer than the GPS is accurate and it's time to look for the cache.


 

Actually the compass is for when the batteries die in your GPS and you need to get out of where you are.

 

Laurie

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quote:
Originally posted by laurie:

Actually the compass is for when the batteries die in your GPS and you need to get out of where you are.

 

Laurie


The compass can't tell you where you are, but it can tell you which direction your going/not going as the case may be.

Its very helpful when caching under heavy cover or other areas where getting a strong constant signal can be a problem. If you know what heading you were suppose to be on you can continue following it while your GPSr tries to get another lock.

 

As for the "plugging in the coordinates" question. You need to creat a waypoint in your GPS so you can use the GOTO function. It will tell you which way to the cache and how far, and probly a lot of other things a well. How Caching In describes creating a waypoint sounds about right. With most Garmins you can just hold the "enter" button down and the "mark point" screen will come up, then you just edit the name and exact Lat/Lon.

But you really should read the manual icon_biggrin.gif. If you dont have the manual just go to the Garmin website and look it up, you could even print off it off last time I checked icon_biggrin.gif

 

waypoint_link.gif22008_1700.gif37_gp_logo88x31.jpg

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quote:
Originally posted by xiaojie:

I am brand new. Got my etrex gps 2 days ago. When I read the "Guide to Finding a Cache", I don't see where "plugging in the coordinates" part comes in. Don't know how to do that either. I need "Geocaching for Dummies" or something. I haven't found this to be as simple as it is advertised to be. Any advise?


 

Two ways to enter a coordinance. Fist way is to enter directly into the GPS reciever by going to your map page on the unit and then holding down the toggle switch for a few seconds, your current coordinance will be entered. You then change that coodinance to the coodinance you want to go to by hand using your toggle switch and the alpha numeric table in the unit. Second way is: to download the coordinance (waypoints) into software such as Garmin Mapsource or easyGPS or ExpertGPS from the web page and then upload those coodinance (waypoints) directly into the GPS reciever. You must have a data cable to do this. Most units come with a data cable. Hope this helps. Before you do any of this READ THE MANUAL. Good luck, it's really easy. icon_wink.gif

 

15777_2200.gif

 

[This message was edited by BrownMule on December 27, 2002 at 06:29 PM.]

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Ok this is the second RTFM.... the person comes for help and is new. Is that a way to respond? Being helpful and friendly is part of the sport and I wouldn't appreciate an answer like that if I was new and wouldn't now. People come for help not to be told RTFM. To get the same point across all you need to say is did you reference your manual? Come on be a little nicer!

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When we first started, no matter how many times I read the manual, I wasn't understanding that coordinates and waypoints were the same. I also, couldn't figure out the goto thing. We found most of ours by making the coords match. (not the easiest way when ours had two decimal places)

MartinP, I believe, finally showed me how to use the goto. I had read how, but still wasn't "getting it".

If I saw "RTFM" as a reply I probably would not be back.

 

ntga_button.gif

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xiaojie,

 

don't let it get you down, little sister! i finally figured it out for my sportrak, but it wasn't as easy as i thought it should be. i thought it would be a simple thing like "GoTo" and "Enter Coordinates For Desired Destination" and away i would go. creating a bogus waypoint and then changing the coordinates seems a roundabout way of doing things to me, but then, i am gadget-ly challenged--always have been, always will be! as for the manual, again, not as simple as i thought it could be. no "How To Enter A Waypoint For A Desired Destination." i had to read the "Creating a GoTo" section, which told me how to create a route from my current position to any waypoint i had saved in my system. hmmm. creating a waypoint: turn on the machine and press the waypoint button to get coordinates for your current position. but, if i'm trying to get there, how do i get the coords saved in the system in the first place? hmmm. after creating a waypoint, you can edit/change any of the data stored for that waypoint. AH! i can change the coords of any bogus waypoint i create to be that of my destination! how clever! how.....cumbersome! and the manual assumes you can make the logical leaps of how to do it instead of spelling it out on one page. still, i think it'll work and i'm on my way to try it. good luck!

 

"What country, friends, is this?" (Twelfth Night I.2)

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The Garmin manual is an example of "clear only if known". Don't let it get you down. I have been working with GPS receivers since there was only 20 min. of coverage on any given day and I am still finding out something new on these commercial receivers!

 

By the way, welcome to the sport. Not all of the participants are grouchy, virtually all of the geocachers I have met are friendly and quite helpful.

 

Keep on caching.

 

Hiemdahl

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quote:
Originally posted by Team Golden:

What gives?

Ok this is the second RTFM.... the person comes for help and is new. Is that a way to respond?


Yes Golden, I think it is. The manual was written to explain how to use the a given unit.

If you read the manual and still don't understand then fine, come ask and maybe someone elase can explain it in a different way. But don't skip the reading and come bombard the forums with your questions!icon_mad.gif

RTFM is the correct response, Its not the most polite way of saying iticon_rolleyes.gif, but it is the right thing to say.

 

waypoint_link.gif22008_1700.gif37_gp_logo88x31.jpg

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Welch, I'm not getting into a snit back and forth but as others state this type of response is a turn off of our sport and shows the rudeness of people. I hope you aren't the hypocrite and do as you and others suggest. It's my guess that you have read every manual for everything you bought before you asked one question on help. I doubt it. I'm a manager for a tech support group and we get tons of calls from people asking for help. Some have read the manuals and others haven't. In either case they are human and are asking questions. It isn't like they asked where the on/off button is.

 

Lastly no where in the first post did it state they didn't read the manual so people like you jump on them for something they may have already done. That's right you or the other two didn't give them a chance.

 

The rudeness of people still amazes me.

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quote:
Originally posted by Team Golden:

Welch, I'm not getting into a snit back and forth but as others state this type of response is a turn off of our sport and shows the rudeness of people.


Yes, some people are rude, and some people are geocachers, so I'm sure that there are a few people that fall under both. And I would guess some of those people have found the way to the forums. While were talking about rude, let me say I find it rude when someone posts a thread without having done what I see as "their part". I'm not talking about xiaojie, just those people in general.

 

quote:
I hope you aren't the hypocrite and do as you and others suggest. It's my guess that you have read every manual for everything you bought before you asked one question on help. I doubt it.
Of course not! Whenever I get a new toy I try to make it work, then force it to work, and then when it breaks I read the manual and ask the ever popular "Why?" icon_biggrin.gif

 

quote:
I'm a manager for a tech support group and we get tons of calls from people asking for help. Some have read the manuals and others haven't. In either case they are human and are asking questions. It isn't like they asked where the on/off button is.
Your right, xiaojie

probly knows where the power button is. But they dont seem to know anything about "plugging in the coordinates". Which is what they were asking about, Not, how do I edit with EasyGPS? Not, How do I get to Mark Waypoint page on XX unit?, Not, what datum do I need to use to upload to my GPS.

 

But how to "plug in coordinates", thats a very open question, It would be nice it if they would have tried it and asked about a certain sticking point. I could understand them asking about the whole process if there was not any other way that they could have found out.

 

quote:
Lastly no where in the first post did it state they didn't read the manual so people like you jump on them for something they may have already done. That's right you or the other two didn't give them a chance.

By the same, no where in the first post do they say they have icon_smile.gif, I would like to assume they have, but can't.

Looking at the posts Laurie says they should RTM, Caching In says to "read up", Renegade Knight just gives a reply, Laurie again, then myself saying RTM, then Brown Mule and Cape Cod Cacher both say RTM. Thats 5 of the first 6 people to reply saying Read the Manual. Guess I'm not the only one to "jump on them".

As for giving them a chance, If i didn't want to "give them a chance", why did i reply at all?

Why didn't I just send a email to them saying "You don't understand a GPS, You Suck, Go home!" Oh wait, I DID want them to go Geocaching, maybe they will enjoy it, and keep geocaching like myself and how many others?

 

waypoint_link.gif22008_1700.gif37_gp_logo88x31.jpg

 

[This message was edited by welch on December 28, 2002 at 02:58 PM.]

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Unbelievable.

 

No matter how you read this thread, there have indeed been some rude responses. Hasn't anyone here heard that there is no such thing as a bad question, only bad answers?

 

I also have a Garmin product and their manuals are a bit less than clear about entering coordinates. Asking for assistance is certainly not inappropriate.

 

Lighten up people. It's only a game. If you're going to get snitty with people, then don't answer at all -- leave answering to those with more patience and understanding.

 

Happy holidays to all (especially xiaojie and those who have responded in a pleasant manner).

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Thanks to all for your help. I'll have to humbly admit that I have been reading the manual. Some pages multiple times. It just didn't seem to explain enough for me. All of the advertising I read about etrex's kept saying how easy they are to operate. I just couldn't get it. My dog is very happy with my having trouble though...a lot more walks (and longer ones) for her, while I tried the read-the-manual-and-actually-do-it routine. Thanks to the kind souls who gave me tips and term explanations. I've printed out all your responses and will give it another whirl. And to the nice person who knew what xiaojie meant, I used to be a linguist in the military.

Thanks so much!

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quote:
Originally posted by xiaojie:

Thanks to all for your help. I'll have to humbly admit that I have been reading the manual. Some pages multiple times. It just didn't seem to explain enough for me. All of the advertising I read about etrex's kept saying how easy they are to operate. I just couldn't get it. My dog is very happy with my having trouble though...a lot more walks (and longer ones) for her, while I tried the read-the-manual-and-actually-do-it routine. Thanks to the kind souls who gave me tips and term explanations. I've printed out all your responses and will give it another whirl. And to the nice person who knew what xiaojie meant, I used to be a linguist in the military.

Thanks so much!


 

Sorry the RTFM comment really comes from the concept of "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." anyway...

 

I read the Garmin manual and on page 14 of the basic etrex manual it does have a detailed description of how to enter a waypoint. For some reason all GPS units I have used/played with work this same way - and I find it a bit counter intutive. Basically you are looking for a waypoint entry screen, but you have to create a waypoint to get there, then edit it.

 

Here are the steps as I understand them:

 

1) Press the PAGE button to page over to the MENU page. (Each click of the page button will change the view - keep doing this until the MENU screen shows)

2) Once the MENU screen is displayed, use the UP/DOWN buttons to move the cursor to the MARK item. The UP/DOWN buttons are on the side of the GPS and have and UP arrown and a DOWN arrow on them.

3) You will now have to update the Waypoint name and Lat/Lon (I can see where this is confusing - the manual is a bit obtuse) using the UP/DOWN buttons highlight the Waypoint name and press ENTER (button just below the UP/DOWN buttons). Using the UP/DOWN buttons change the waypoint name - use the enter key to assign each letter.

4) Do the same thing for the Lat/Lon field...

 

Good luck!

 

Laurie

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xiao jie,

 

i used my GPSr for the first time today and successfully located three caches. hen kuai le!

it really does work! i suggest that for your first time you set your system's alarm so that it will go off when you get close. the default for the alarm was OFF on my unit. it just makes that first time a little bit easier.

 

"What country, friends, is this?" (Twelfth Night I.2)

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quote:
You should also read up, then load EasyGPS from this web site. It will do most (if not all) of the work establishing specific waypoints and/or coordinates.

 

I think any 10 year old would know that I was referring to EasyGps, and NOT the GPSr manual as implied. Also, there is a HUGE difference between RTM and RTFM.

 

xiaojie, hang in there. I have only a month on your registration. From these forums it did not take me very long to figure out who I would help out of say, quicksand, from those who I would watch go under while kicking back enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. icon_wink.gif

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quote:
I need "Geocaching for Dummies" or something. I haven't found this to be as simple as it is advertised to be. Any advise?

 

When in danger, when in doubt

Run in circles, scream and shout

 

Or better yet, just keep asking until you find someone who is really willing and able to explain and/or demonstrate.

 

I am no help for the etrex because I am still trying to translate the Mallegan manual, which like most of these things seems to assume you already know a lot (like how to get into the menus and use the up and down and sideways buttons) and in general is written for teen-age techno-nerds who won't even read it because they already know how to do all of it by instinct.

 

But perservere, experiment, keep walking the dog and you will eventually figure it out, probably sooner than those of us who have reached medicare age. It can be done. In spite of my senior citizen status, in the past year or so I have figured out how to operate a mobile phone, a DVD player, a high end digital camera and a GPS unit.

So hang in there.

 

Neva P., who still thinks all these gadgets operate by magic icon_wink.gif

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I went to work part-time at a marine store after Thanksgiving to pay for Xmas. I've learned every new GPS, handheld and fixed that has come out since spring of '98. Took me 24 hours on the clock, I had other stuff to do as well. The store sold over 100 handhelds for Xmas. Now I'm getting people that say they don't work, it's broken and too many other questions. 90% of the time I can open the manual and show them what to do... GPS are navigation tools, not game-boys. The manuals are very dry, written by technical writers, but the info is there.

 

My advice stands, Read The icon_wink.gif Manual! a few times. Without other distractions. Soon you'll be able to use it better than your TV's remote control!

 

What scares me is this summer when the weekend warriors decide to try their unit out for the first time in the fog... With 5 year old charts. icon_eek.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by Sleddog:

(what do you call those pictures anyway


 

Heh. There is indeed. They are called avatars, and the faq is at the top of this very forum. It can be a bit tricky to get your own to work, but follow the directions and be patient. It will work.

 

Ron/yumitori

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I just gat my etrex vista for Christmas. I purposely had my hubby buy me one just like my brother had so I would have my own private tech support. He helped me a little (ok-a lot) but the best way for me to learn is play with the GPSr, go out and walk around. Find some 1/1 caches to look for and go for it. Then come back and RTM again. After awhile it begins to click. I have been reading a lot of the boards, too, to help me figure out how to navigate to the cache. I couldn't find one the first time out. Today I found 4--all easy--but hey I found them just the same.

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