Garmin E-trex Legend.. How To Track?

[+KrazyTrollz]

Hi! Just got my Garmin e-Trex Legend and am having difficulty figuring out how to tell how to track where I'm supposed to be going on it. I went out for the first time w/a friend and her GPS had a man walking and a line going in the direction you were to go in...and a fish that showed the direction where the cache was. When you got there, it said 'arriving destination', told you the accuracy feet and we then went hunting.

 

I figured this one would work somewhat similar and bought it b/c someone else I know does this all the time and loves the unit. I've read the owners manual over and over and over.... and then took it out the other evening, thinking that I'd go find a cache.....but altho it had a nifty map showing where the cache was.... it never gave me that 'line' to tell me what direction to go in. Using the compass on the unit and watching what the countdowns were.... it told me I was within 6 feet and about 20 seconds...... but w/the light failing, I had to head back to my car. I"m embarassed to say that my first solo attempt was unsuccessful....but the thing is.... I am missing something on this unit and can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

[+briansnat]

Are you using the navigation (compass) screen? If you click on FIND then BY NAME, then key in the waypoint name, then hit GO TO you should have an arrow that directs you to the cache. You want it set for bearing pointer, not course pointer.

[+tls11823]

Did you create a waypoint for the cache? If not, that should be step one. It's not real intuitive, but there are plenty of threads explaining how to do this on the Legend. (Hint: hold down the control stick for a few seconds and it will become clear.)

 

Once you have a waypoint entered, press the bottom button on the left side and click on Waypoints. This will get you a list of the waypoints that are stored. Pick the one that corresponds to the cache location and click on it.

 

At the bottom of the screen you'll see GOTO highlighted. Click on that and you'll see the arrow that points to the cache.

 

That should get you started. You may find yourself also using the map screen once you're navigating to the cache. Or you may switch back and forth. After you've done it a few times you'll figure out the best style for you and you'll be doing it without thinking.

[+KrazyTrollz]

Hi! I was trying to use the Map screen... but when that didn't seem to be doing anything.... I went to the compass screen. That does say at the bottom (bearing). But I thought you could use the map screen too. I"m just really confused b/c the one my friend had seems really easy... it's way basic, w/no other things on it, but even w/all the reading, I'm lost and feel quite silly that I can't figure it out. There has got to be a way to track the cache from the map screen, right?

[+briansnat]

Hi! I was trying to use the Map screen... but when that didn't seem to be doing anything.... I went to the compass screen. That does say at the bottom (bearing). But I thought you could use the map screen too. I"m just really confused b/c the one my friend had seems really easy... it's way basic, w/no other things on it, but even w/all the reading, I'm lost and feel quite silly that I can't figure it out. There has got to be a way to track the cache from the map screen, right?

You can find a cache with either. If you've created a waypoint all you have to do is hit GO TO. If you are on the map screen it will show your position as a triangle and have a line pointing to the cache. If you are on the navigation screen there will be an arrow pointing to the cache.

 

With the Legend you will need to be moving at a crisp pace to get an accurate reading.

[+KrazyTrollz]

Did you create a waypoint for the cache?

 

Once you have a waypoint entered, press the bottom button on the left side and click on Waypoints. This will get you a list of the waypoints that are stored. Pick the one that corresponds to the cache location and click on it.

 

At the bottom of the screen you'll see GOTO highlighted. Click on that and you'll see the arrow that points to the cache.

 

That should get you started. You may find yourself also using the map screen once you're navigating to the cache. Or you may switch back and forth. After you've done it a few times you'll figure out the best style for you and you'll be doing it without thinking.

YUP...... I have waypoints stored and ready to go once I'm ready to go searching. It's just that somehow I've misread the unit and missed the mark yesterday! I guess I'm just not sure what the 'map screen' is supposed to be showing me.... since the first unit I ever tried out had the line pointing in the direction you were supposed to go.... so I thought maybe I didn't program something right... plus I kept waiting for the line to show up to show me which direction to go in. I know I was w/in 6 feet of where I should be..... but ran out of sunlight and was really not sure what the 'map screen' was telling me!

 

Sorry guys.... i must sound totally clueless! I did read thru a lot of the posts but didn't see any on this topic for this model...so I had to post here!

 

Sonya

[+KrazyTrollz]

You can find a cache with either. If you've created a waypoint all you have to do is hit GO TO. If you are on the map screen it will show your position as a triangle and have a line pointing to the cache. If you are on the navigation screen there will be an arrow pointing to the cache.

 

With the Legend you will need to be moving at a crisp pace to get an accurate reading.

I saw the triangle, but the line never showed up!!! That is what I kept looking for...thinking it would show up on the map screen. At least now I know I'm not gong crazy-- from the manual it showed a line-- and I figured it would have one like the other one I tried out. I will have to put a different waypoint in and try it and see what happens..... is there a setting that maybe I messed up?

 

OMG.... this alone is setting my mynd somewhat at ease.... I kept thinking that maybe I was doing something wrong!!!!

 

Thank you!

[+Riddlers]

It sounds like you need to download your waypoints for the caches and then it should point to where you want to go. Mine works fine whether I am driving or walking and I can walk very slowly and the arrow still works. There is no fish or anything but the arrow works good for me. Usually within six feet you can put your unit down and find it without the arrow.

Edited May 6, 2005 by Riddlers

[+Buda2832]

I saw the triangle, but the line never showed up!!!

 

if t's anything like a Garmin Rino, the line won't show up till you are in navigation mode to that point. go into your way point list find the point, select it and hit the goto button, the line should show up on the map if you cycle to it(map)

 

if you have a pan map function, you may beable to use that also. by panning the map to the point hit the enter/selct button and select goto button from the screen.

 

hope thios helps

[Neo_Geo]

I saw the triangle, but the line never showed up!!!

 

It sounds like the user is navigating properly and SHOULD see the line in question.

 

(it told me I was within 6 feet and about 20 seconds)

 

I THINK there might be a setting somewhere in the map setup page (or somewhere) as to whether or not show a line between you and the destination. I know I saw it in a manual somewhere for some model - don't know if it's on a Legend or what.

 

If it does have such a setting, then it is probably why there's no line. I don't have a Legend, so I can't test this theory.

Edited May 6, 2005 by Neo_Geo

[+SilverMarc]

I saw the triangle, but the line never showed up!!!  That is what I kept looking for...thinking it would show up on the map screen.  At least now I know I'm not gong crazy-- from the manual it showed a line--  and I figured it would have one like the other one I tried out.  I will have to put a different waypoint in and try it and see what happens..... is there a setting that maybe I messed up? 

 

OMG.... this alone is setting my mynd somewhat at ease.... I kept thinking that maybe I was doing something wrong!!!!

 

Thank you!

When I first tried out my eTrex Legend, I walked right outside and created a new waypoint for the location where I was standing.

 

Then I took a little walk down the block, and used the Go To for that location. Knowing where I was actually supposed to be going, combined with what the Garmin was telling me, helped me to figure out how to read the compass screen and the map screen.

 

--Marc

May 6, 2005 @ 1:42 AM

N40° 46.565' W073° 58.756'

[+KrazyTrollz]

It sounds like the user is navigating properly and SHOULD see the line in question.

 

I THINK there might be a setting somewhere in the map setup page (or somewhere) as to whether or not show a line between you and the destination. I know I saw it in a manual somewhere for some model - don't know if it's on a Legend or what.

 

If it does have such a setting, then it is probably why there's no line. I don't have a Legend, so I can't test this theory.

I thought that the line should show up after hitting the 'goto' function.

I checked the settings in 'map set up' and it says --goto line: bearing

 

I haven't really changed anything on it.... I thought I had seen the line the first time I put in a waypoint, but then never saw it again!

 

This am, I saved the waypoint when I got here to work... and as I was getting out of the car, it said 'arriving destination'.... so it seems to be reading most things correctly.

 

At this point, I'm stumped... because it should be doing everything you all are saying it should. I want to thank you all for your help and insight. I'll have to continue to mess w/it I guess and see what happens!

 

Have a great Friday!

~S

[+theprospectors]

You've received lots of good pointers here but I'll add a quick thought too. I'm new to geocaching but have been a sailor for many years using Loran and older GPS units on sailing vessels. I bought the Legend this winter and it was my first unit with mapping. After doing a few caches I realized that I found it much easier to use the map screen if I put in in "Head Up" mode rather than "North UP".

 

I'm not sure why this is, since I believe I have a pretty good sense of direction. But I was much better able to orient myself to the cache if the GPSr map was "aiming" the way I was walking with the bearing line pointed in the same direction if I was going the right way. (?Hope that makes sense?)

 

Just a thought.

 

Yours aye

[Neo_Geo]

I checked the settings in 'map set up' and it says --goto line: bearing

 

That sounds like what I was thinking of...

What are the other options for that setting?

[+KrazyTrollz]

  I'm new to geocaching but have been a sailor for many years using Loran and older GPS units on sailing vessels.  I bought the Legend this winter and it was my first unit with mapping.  After doing a few caches I realized that I found it much easier to use the map screen if I put in in "Head Up" mode rather than "North UP".

 

I'm not sure why this is, since I believe I have a pretty good sense of direction.  But I was much better able to orient myself to the cache if the GPSr map was "aiming" the way I was walking with the bearing line pointed in the same direction if I was going the right way.  (?Hope that makes sense?)

 

YESSssss that makes LOTS of sense.......and I did change the setting on my unit (to heads up) and lo and behold..... 'The Line' appeared !!!!!!

 

I took it w/me tonite in the car.......I had already put in a waypoint of a nature center I was going to.... so decided to see if it would track it while I was driving... and it did! Where we parked was not close enough to get the 'arriving destination' message at the bottom......but the map changed throughout the drive and the line moved depending on what road I hit.

 

Sooooo guys...... after all this awesome information-- I have learned a LOT... and I think my problem is finally solved! I just hope I get a chance this weekend to go hunt for something. If not, will do so one day after work.... just to try it out and see how I do now that it's behaving like it should be! Tell ya what.... this one is much harder to figure out compared to my friends as hers didn't have anything on it except a line to where to go and where the destination was. But... I think all of this is sinking in and hopefully next time I post, it'll be a success story!

 

Thank you everyone for being so helpful and not laughing at me when I said I went out and came back empty handed (grin). I can't wait to try this again now!!!

 

Have a great weekend all!

Sonya