Magellan Crossover and Geocaching?

[+remltr]

Anybody put their hands on the Magellan Crossover yet?

 

The info on Magellans website is very limited, only stating that you can use it for geocaching. I downloaded the pdf manual and it did not give any more info.

 

It also does not state that you can download .loc or .gpx files.

 

So I was wondering if anyone had any experience in that direction.

 

Can't seem to find it in the brick and mortars, just online.

 

Any info greatly appreciated.

[+T F T C]

Here's the link to the latest thread on the unit.

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...mp;hl=crossover

 

No Magellan that I know of can upload .gpx or .loc. You need to convert them to .gs or .upt. This is standard.

[+Artsifrtsy]

Anybody put their hands on the Magellan Crossover yet?

 

The info on Magellans website is very limited, only stating that you can use it for geocaching. I downloaded the pdf manual and it did not give any more info.

 

It also does not state that you can download .loc or .gpx files.

 

So I was wondering if anyone had any experience in that direction.

 

Can't seem to find it in the brick and mortars, just online.

 

Any info greatly appreciated.

 

I bought a Crossover last week - You can download GPX files but you have to use their converter to load them - LOC files don't work. The Magellan techs recommend making poi's "on the fly" - but if you ask enough questions they will guide you through the process of getting the files into the outdoor section. Long story short - you can load them but you have to put them into your address book before you can access them in your outdoor navigational screens. I love the compass and use the Nav much more than I thought I would. The tech told me that updates are coming that will make it simpler to use the outdoor nave screens with downloads. Also - no topo maps are available yet - the Mapsend 3-D is not compatible. The topo map installed is pretty detailed - but it does not contain a lot of poi info. The Tech said that maps should be available preloaded on SD cards withing a couple of months. I plan to find some caches this weekend and will post on my results.

[+CaneADN]

RE: You can download GPX files but you have to use their converter to load them

 

Being a real newbie to geocaching. I purchased a Magellan Crossover 2500T and I'd like to learn more about downloading files directly into the 2500T. Can you point me in the direction? What is the "converter" you mention?

 

Chris Cane

chris@cane.com

[+fear1]

I have been toying with one of these crossovers this weekend and I find it quite confusing. I also find that it will not zoom in close enough for me. My old garmin 76 gets me right on. I thought it might be nice to use the road map feature to stop me ending up on dead end streets, but I don't think one can enter your own waypoints into the road map feature on this gps. Am I wrong? Can anyone help me with this thing ?

[+fear1]

Anybody put their hands on the Magellan Crossover yet?

 

The info on Magellans website is very limited, only stating that you can use it for geocaching. I downloaded the pdf manual and it did not give any more info.

 

It also does not state that you can download .loc or .gpx files.

 

So I was wondering if anyone had any experience in that direction.

 

Can't seem to find it in the brick and mortars, just online.

 

Any info greatly appreciated.

 

I bought a Crossover last week - You can download GPX files but you have to use their converter to load them - LOC files don't work. The Magellan techs recommend making poi's "on the fly" - but if you ask enough questions they will guide you through the process of getting the files into the outdoor section. Long story short - you can load them but you have to put them into your address book before you can access them in your outdoor navigational screens. I love the compass and use the Nav much more than I thought I would. The tech told me that updates are coming that will make it simpler to use the outdoor nave screens with downloads. Also - no topo maps are available yet - the Mapsend 3-D is not compatible. The topo map installed is pretty detailed - but it does not contain a lot of poi info. The Tech said that maps should be available preloaded on SD cards withing a couple of months. I plan to find some caches this weekend and will post on my results.

 

Do find that you can zero in on a cache with the crossover. Even in the compass screen I cannot get close as I can with my garmin. I can zoom right in and watch myself circle the cache. Is there a way to do this that you know of? And do you know if one can enter wpts into the road nav map screen? Thanks for any help you can give. D.

[+Bentley121]

So I got my Crossover 2500T last week and it seems pretty cool so far. The size is nice, the pics look good in the photo viewer and the MP3's sound good. Now here is where I am having trouble. How the heck do you get your waypoints into this dadgum thing. Sure I have heard about converting the file types, but how do you upload them into the unit? Is there a utility other than the POI program provided with the unit that allows you to upload directly via USB? Or do I load it to the SD card and the place that in the unit?

 

Dieing to use this thing for geocaching so please help,

 

Andrew

[+Bentley121]

Well I'm not sure how often someone replies to their own question, but here I go.

 

Many had mentioned that in order to get waypoints into the Crossover, you simply needed to convert the files to a UPT file. But I was getting frustrated from that not working and not knowing if these files just needed to be placed in a certain folder on the card. So I had the brilliant idea of creating a waypoint in my Crossover and then exporting it. I noticed that indeed the file was a UPT, but the name and extension were all cap. So here ya go:

 

1. Place SD card in an SD reader.

2. Convert your files to UPT using GPSBabel or some other converter.

3. Rename the file so that the name and extension are all caps

4. Place the files in the root directory on the SD card

5. Insert the SD card into the Crossover and use the Import feature under OutDoors and Options.

 

There does seem to be a limit of 500 which seems kind of low.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

[+BarneyBrookers]

Well I'm not sure how often someone replies to their own question, but here I go.

 

Many had mentioned that in order to get waypoints into the Crossover, you simply needed to convert the files to a UPT file. But I was getting frustrated from that not working and not knowing if these files just needed to be placed in a certain folder on the card. So I had the brilliant idea of creating a waypoint in my Crossover and then exporting it. I noticed that indeed the file was a UPT, but the name and extension were all cap. So here ya go:

 

1. Place SD card in an SD reader.

2. Convert your files to UPT using GPSBabel or some other converter.

3. Rename the file so that the name and extension are all caps

4. Place the files in the root directory on the SD card

5. Insert the SD card into the Crossover and use the Import feature under OutDoors and Options.

 

There does seem to be a limit of 500 which seems kind of low.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Thanks Bentley - That worked perfect for me!

[+aonghais]

I bought a Crossover GPSr last week (for $350)and returned it this week! The unit often crashes and reboots. I updated the latest firmware and requested tech support, with no response. Last weekend, I tried to use it for geocaching. I ended up having to use my GPS 315 to locate caches because the crossover stops looking for the waypoint anywhere between 3 and 100 feet! Instead of displaying a proximity alarm and continuing to point at the waypoint, it just stops looking for it. I was able to convert the .loc files into .gpx files then into .upt files using 2 separate programs. Although it worked very well for auto navigation, it pretty much sucked for everything else. I placed an order for a Garmin 60CSx and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival.

[poolefamily]

Anybody put their hands on the Magellan Crossover yet?

 

The info on Magellans website is very limited, only stating that you can use it for geocaching. I downloaded the pdf manual and it did not give any more info.

 

It also does not state that you can download .loc or .gpx files.

 

So I was wondering if anyone had any experience in that direction.

 

Can't seem to find it in the brick and mortars, just online.

 

Any info greatly appreciated.

 

To use a .loc file all you have to do is click LOC waypoint file, then open with magellan geocache manager and all the info will be there except for the diff., terr. and hint, but you can enter them manually.

[+Marky]

 

There does seem to be a limit of 500 which seems kind of low.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

The only reason I'd buy one is if there wasn't an artificial limit. I like being able to generate a 9000 cache POI for my TomTom and not have to filter them in any way. I guess I've finally given up on Magellan as far as coming up with a decent geocaching handheld unit. How sad, since I was about as pro Magellan as they come.

 

--Marky

[Blue_Stone]

MY GF bought me one last week for a birthday gift. I wasnt happy at all, even before the unit arrived. Its not a GPS I would purchase myself. Too expensive, and too much emphasis on the Auto-nav function of the unit.

Seems like they took the Roadmate series, with its emphasis on automobile usage, and haphazardly threw in the outdoor function.

 

We'll be returning the Crossover in the next few days.

 

Anyway, the first time we tried to use it in an urban location, it wouldnt show the "waypoint" we entered.

So I pull over, and try to figure out the menu's and functions. Well, it kept locking up, then rebooting. Did this repeatedly, to the point I was tempted to throw it out the window.

Also, couldnt get it to power down, and it ran the battery down in just a few hours.

 

I also dont like the cheap rubber "armor"...it kept shifting around while holding it.

 

I am about as pro-Magellan as you can get, but I think the last quality Magellan products were the Meridians. The eXplorists seem OK, but they made some "upgrades" over the Meridians that I think were backward progress.

 

The menus and functions on the 2500T are DEFINATELY not as intuitive as the older Maggies.

Unfortunately, I dont like the direction magellan has taken, and as far as buying a new GPS, I think about the only thing I would consider from them is an eXplorist XL, which is too much $$$ for me.

 

I REALLY prefer not to by a Garmin, and am not happy with my Lowrance, so it looks like I will be looking at off-brand GPSRs soon.

[+XBUNCEX]

Well I'm not sure how often someone replies to their own question, but here I go.

 

Many had mentioned that in order to get waypoints into the Crossover, you simply needed to convert the files to a UPT file. But I was getting frustrated from that not working and not knowing if these files just needed to be placed in a certain folder on the card. So I had the brilliant idea of creating a waypoint in my Crossover and then exporting it. I noticed that indeed the file was a UPT, but the name and extension were all cap. So here ya go:

 

1. Place SD card in an SD reader.

2. Convert your files to UPT using GPSBabel or some other converter.

3. Rename the file so that the name and extension are all caps

4. Place the files in the root directory on the SD card

5. Insert the SD card into the Crossover and use the Import feature under OutDoors and Options.

 

There does seem to be a limit of 500 which seems kind of low.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Does anyone know if these steps also work for my eXplorist 500? I haven't been able to find a way to download waypoints onto the unit.

[+Warriorrider]

Do you have have any Mapsend maps? The newer ones will transfer to your Explorist. You can also download Mapsend Lite from Magellan's website and it will transfer POI, Geocaches, Tracks, etc to your Explorist. Mapsend Lite is a free download. Vantage Point works too but not as well in my opinion.

GSAK will do the job too.

[+JetSkier]

I have a Magellan CrossoverGPS and I don't have to make my upt file all caps. What version are you running? 2.14? Mine is running 2.36 because I purchased the map upgrade which reads the street maps from the provided SD card. Prior to this, I was running 2.14 and didn't have to make my files or waypoint names all caps.

 

JetSkier

[+xxgreeneyesxx]

I am very new to gps, well ok I have never used one. I just returned from hiking and summitting Mt. Whitney and thought how fun it would be to add this as a distraction. I purchased my first GPS and it just arrived last week. I purchased the Crossover. I tried to input the waypoints with the convertrs and gave up I think I need to go buy an SD card as suggested by someone. So after two hours of walking around the park trying to figure out where the waypoints were I realized that they were not showing accuratly. I had manually put in three waypoints and they were showing right by each other as expected however based on the map they were showing outside of the park. I think it was showing like a mile off based on the Lats and Longs and the topography. I would love to get back out there and bag my first cache.

 

Thanks to anyone that can help.

Edited September 5, 2008 by xxgreeneyesxx