New GPS – help getting started – Wisconsin Geocaching Association

This topic has 20 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by spd2662.

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02/04/2012 at 7:43 pm #1732865
STEMmom
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 😀
02/04/2012 at 8:34 pm #1956339
spd2662
Good choice on the GPS!
02/16/2012 at 2:57 am #1956340
Chznschnapps
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.
02/16/2012 at 3:19 am #1956341
Team Deejay
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.
02/16/2012 at 5:17 am #1956342
Barry Butrymowicz
http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Here is a link to routeable Garmin Maps
02/16/2012 at 2:31 pm #1956343
STEMmom
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
02/16/2012 at 9:58 pm #1956344
spd2662
I just bought the same GPS and I am learning how to use it. If you need any advice let me know.
02/17/2012 at 1:08 am #1956345
STEMmom
All you can give me.
02/17/2012 at 1:37 am #1956346
Barry Butrymowicz
Here is a Oregon Wiki, the dakota and oregons are similar

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/home
02/17/2012 at 2:50 am #1956347
froggerz
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
02/18/2012 at 4:00 pm #1956348
spd2662
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.
02/18/2012 at 8:25 pm #1956349
froggerz
@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.
02/19/2012 at 4:18 am #1956350
Team Deejay
@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.
02/19/2012 at 5:01 pm #1956351
spd2662
@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 😆
02/19/2012 at 7:10 pm #1956352
STEMmom
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.
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