New GPS - help getting started

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:43 pm

Okay, I returned the geomate jr and got Garmin Dakota 20 instead. Anyone in the Waukesha area that could show me had best to set it up?? I have a Sunday School lesson to prepare before I can sit down and figure it out myself. With the nice weather, I am really anxious to get out there and try it out.

STEMmom Very Happy

WGA Friend Joined: 2009-12-07 Posts: 51

Good choice on the GPS!

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:57 pm

We recently got the Dakota 20 too and are struggling with it (our first GPS). If you come up with any newbie tips, we'd love to hear them! So far we are mostly just using the waypoints function, but can't seem to find it helpful until we get right to the GZ with our smart phones, then drill in to the actual cache with the Dakota. The built in maps seem to be useless, but not sure what maps to load.

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:19 pm

The Dakota 20 only comes with the Basemap, which pretty much only has interstate highways and similar roads. You can either buy maps from Garmin (either the TOPO maps or the City Navigator maps), or find free maps online. I don't use a Garmin anymore, so I don't have the link for the free maps, but I'm sure someone can provide it to you.

Also, you should be loading your GPX files directly into the unit, so that you can see the geocache info on your GPS.

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:17 pm

http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Here is a link to routeable Garmin Maps

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 8:31 am

When I purchased my Garmin Dakota, it came with a DVD titlw TOPO U.S. 100K. It does allow me to load more detailed maps on the GPS. I am still learning a lot about the GPS device.

STEMmom

WGA Friend Joined: 2009-12-07 Posts: 51

I just bought the same GPS and I am learning how to use it. If you need any advice let me know.

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 7:08 pm

All you can give me.

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 7:37 pm

Here is a Oregon Wiki, the dakota and oregons are similar

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/home

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 8:50 pm

I found the WIKI info very helpful when we switched to our Oregon. FAQs answer most of my questions and the helpful people here answered the more specific questions.
Jeff

WGA Friend Joined: 2009-12-07 Posts: 51

One thing I don't like with this unit is that any cache loaded from GSAK can't be edited on the device. That's frustrating when solving puzzles cause I used to just go in and edit the coords in my GPS, now I have to edit them in GSAK first or forget it.

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:25 pm

spd2662 wrote:

One thing I don't like with this unit is that any cache loaded from GSAK can't be edited on the device. That's frustrating when solving puzzles cause I used to just go in and edit the coords in my GPS, now I have to edit them in GSAK first or forget it.

If it is just one cache, you can go into the geocache menu, scroll down to "Enter Next Stage". It will hold those coords as next stage until you change another set of coords. This is also useful for doing multis.

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:18 pm

froggerz wrote:

spd2662 wrote:

One thing I don't like with this unit is that any cache loaded from GSAK can't be edited on the device. That's frustrating when solving puzzles cause I used to just go in and edit the coords in my GPS, now I have to edit them in GSAK first or forget it.

If it is just one cache, you can go into the geocache menu, scroll down to "Enter Next Stage". It will hold those coords as next stage until you change another set of coords. This is also useful for doing multis.

Or, just mark a new waypoint and edit it to the new coordinates.

WGA Friend Joined: 2009-12-07 Posts: 51

froggerz wrote:

spd2662 wrote:

One thing I don't like with this unit is that any cache loaded from GSAK can't be edited on the device. That's frustrating when solving puzzles cause I used to just go in and edit the coords in my GPS, now I have to edit them in GSAK first or forget it.

If it is just one cache, you can go into the geocache menu, scroll down to "Enter Next Stage". It will hold those coords as next stage until you change another set of coords. This is also useful for doing multis.

That's a slick solution, thanks. I didn't see that option in the menu. I'm getting used to the new GPS in the field, but I wish it would show distance when you are heading toward a cache. My friend uses an app and it shows the distance so he can speed up when we get close to get some extra time looking before I catch up Laughing

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:10 pm

To see the distance just tap the screen when the map is up. You may have to tap it more than once depending on where you left off.