NEED HELP with my #()&$!) Explorist

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:33 am

Ok

I just got a Explorist 210

Im running windows Vista

I see the files downloadable from geocaching.com are LOC files, but I see that the GPS itself saves marked coords as UPT files

I tried using GPSbabel, which seems to be the proper program (or is it??????) for soing something like this (converting)

But I can get it to work, and I do not even know if im using the the correct program correctly

Its getting me $&^@$ pissed, I just want to cache dammit! Im not a fircking computer programmer!

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:13 pm

I'm not sure about .loc's but I know with my explorist 400 that I can convert .gpx files into the .upt's via GSAK and also through Mapsend on Magellans site. Hope this helps!

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:43 pm

Good luck with your Explorist. I had one when they first came out and I could never get it to load, from a PQ.

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:39 pm

OK, lets start. First, as others have said, the EASY way to do this is to use GSAK. Just load your files into GSAK, use the GPS Setup to select an Explorist 210. Then use GPS | Send to GPS. It is that easy.

If you don't want to use GSAK for some reason (can't afford $25, like doing things the hard way, masochistic tendencies, morally opposed to commerce with Australia, or whatever), you CAN do this with GPS Babel.

1. Connect your GPS to your computer using the USB port. It will assign it a drive letter. Within this drive is a directory called Geocaches

2. Start GPSBabelGUI-2.

3. Select the input file type as Geocaching.com .loc

4. Enter the path and file name of your loc file.

5. Select the output file type to be Magellan Explorist Geocaching (.gs)

6. Enter the path and filename where you want the file to go. This is the tricky part. Lets say the drive for the GPS is E:. The path will be E:/geocaches/filename.gs. (Substitute whatever name you want for filename).

7. Make sure the waypoints checkbox is marked.

8. Hit Lets go. The waypoints will be transferred.

Or, you could just buy GSAK and save yourself a ton of effort.

One thing you should be aware of. LOC files have virtually no information, just the GC Code, Name, Placed by, owner code, and the coordinates. No description, no hints, no additional waypoints, not even the state. If you want the full information, you need to get a GPX file, which is available to premium members.

Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:21 pm

Well, the thing is up on Craigslist right now, and I am advertising it for hunters, instead of geocachers!

Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:13 am

I LOVE my eXplorist 210...start the snickering

I really do, and anyone who gives me grief about it, i just stay, "it has found me 1300 caches...and I have ACTUALLY found the same caches (or more) as your fancy $500 Garmin has...BURN!!!"

haha...please no haters! Laughing

Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:14 pm

QuickV4 wrote:

Ok

I just got a Explorist 210

Im running windows Vista

If I'm not mistaken Magellan doesn't support the explorist models on windows vista. I did see a few years back a geocacher modified the Windows XP driver & got them working in vista, but I'm not sure where you could find any of this info anymore.