Ordered my first handheld GPS, what do I need to know?

[brieeyeball]

I used to Geocache a bit before smartphones using a laptop with a map loaded up and recently decided to get back into the hobby properly with a GPS unit.

I have a Garmin eTrex 20x on the way and was wondering if any of you fine folks had any advice for when it comes.

 

Will I need maps? Any tips and tricks before I go on my first proper geocaching trip?

Also, should I get premium membership?

[+paticpatic]

Yes, you will need maps, mine didn't come with any. I purchased map through Garmin, but I understand there are sites that have them available for free.

[+lee737]

Premium membership - yes. Unless you want to add caches to your new GPS one at a time..... PM gives you the ability to make pocket queries - files containing details of up to 1000 caches at a time, just load onto your GPS and you are set.

[+valhalla73]

the topoactive map that comes preloaded on the etrex 20x/30x isnt upto much, its very basic. you will need to get a better map that shows more detail.

[+MtnMutt-ProDuckShins]

It appears you live in Oregon...

 

Go to Switchbacks.com & from there you have many options as to Maps including NW Trails & Topo.

 

Welcome to the Game & enjoy the outdoors.

 

BTW go to NW Forum & see a Cache Machine is going to Beaverton in June.

[Pup Patrol]

I used to Geocache a bit before smartphones using a laptop with a map loaded up and recently decided to get back into the hobby properly with a GPS unit.

I have a Garmin eTrex 20x on the way and was wondering if any of you fine folks had any advice for when it comes.

 

Will I need maps? Any tips and tricks before I go on my first proper geocaching trip?

Also, should I get premium membership?

 

I think the first thing to know is that when you receive your gps, you need to turn it on, take it outside, and then leave it alone for good while to find its satellites. You can't just fire it up out of the box and have it work correctly.

 

Maps, maps, maps...the more the better. There's lots of free ones out there. Lots have been mentioned here in the forums. If you are going to wander away from city streets, they are going to be necessary.

 

I would hold off paying for PM right now. You stopped caching once already, who's to say it will hold your interest now.

 

PM is worth the money. I've been a Basic Member recently, and it's ridiculously frustrating. Bookmarks and pocket queries are so simple to use and so useful, it's painful to be without them.

 

But only you can answer whether it's worth it to you.

 

B.

[+briansnat]

You can find many free maps for Garmin units on GPSfiledepot. No need to shell out the bucks for Garmin maps.

 

A Premium membership will certainly make your GPS more useful. With the membership you can download thousands of caches at a time via pocket queries, with full descriptions, hints, etc. Without it, you can do only download a few at a time and you will just get the basics. Also consider getting GSAK. It is a powerful tool that will help you manage cache databases. You can create cache databases for different areas that you frequent, then easily load the necessary one to your unit before you leave the house. The later versions tie directly into Geocaching com and you can load many caches at a time simply by defining the area on a map. Nifty tool and worth it and free to demo. Acrtually it is always free to use, but after 30 days the "nag screens" start kicking in.

[+gabrielesani]

I bought the exact same model, you can find a lot of maps online for free. You can even expand it with a mini-SD card, so space shouldn't be a problem.

Mine came with Western Europe map preinstalled, but they were not very detailed, so I decided to install some with more layers.

Premium membership is pretty handy for many things, and now you can easily send caches information to your Garmin through Garmin Express: in this way you can go around without your smartphone and still have every information you could find on the app/website (apart from the picutures)

[+noncentric]

It appears you live in Oregon...

 

Go to Switchbacks.com & from there you have many options as to Maps including NW Trails & Topo.

+1

If you'll be caching in the PNW, then having NW Trails and Topos is essential. These maps work only on Garmins. I remember that it took me a bit of effort to figure out how to get these onto my GPSr, but I eventually figured it out after reading through the info on the site.

 

You shouldn't need to purchase any maps. There are plenty of free ones that can be found on the web. Again, I forgot exactly where/how I got other maps onto my eTrex20, but I do remember that I learned about them by searching these forums and the web.

 

Good luck!

[+BAMBOOZLE]

You can find many free maps for Garmin units on GPSfiledepot. No need to shell out the bucks for Garmin maps.

 

A Premium membership will certainly make your GPS more useful. With the membership you can download thousands of caches at a time via pocket queries, with full descriptions, hints, etc. Without it, you can do only download a few at a time and you will just get the basics. Also consider getting GSAK. It is a powerful tool that will help you manage cache databases. You can create cache databases for different areas that you frequent, then easily load the necessary one to your unit before you leave the house. The later versions tie directly into Geocaching com and you can load many caches at a time simply by defining the area on a map. Nifty tool and worth it and free to demo. Acrtually it is always free to use, but after 30 days the "nag screens" start kicking in.

 

I agree here re Premium membership and GSAK....I'm just planing a long trip with several caching stops ....between each stop PM lets you create Caches Along a Route which can be customized to show you caches within X miles on either side of your route. I also create databases of caches to hunt where I'll be stopping.

I've tried the free maps and don't care for the hassle.....I get the Garmin City Navigator on the micro SD card, pop it in and you have detail maps of the whole U.S.

[+FunnyNose]

I get the Garmin City Navigator on the micro SD card, pop it in and you have detail maps of the whole U.S.

 

Make sure you tape that SD card in there. Those SD cards can and will pop out when you change the batteries.

[+kunarion]

Make sure you tape that SD card in there. Those SD cards can and will pop out when you change the batteries.

I've never had the SD card pop out, with three models of Oregon GPSr I've owned. But it is the cheesy kind of clip, so it's easy to see how it could happen, especially if the card gets removed and reinstalled a lot. I use that City Navigator SD card of the continental US, and remove it only occasionally to swap GPSrs.

 

I also stuck some red tape at the positive (+) battery terminals. That's because on one trip, I had to change the batteries at night, had no light handy, and just plain could not see the markings.

 

 

[+kunarion]

Make sure you tape that SD card in there. Those SD cards can and will pop out when you change the batteries.

I've never had the SD card pop out, with three models of Oregon GPSr I've owned. But it is the cheesy kind of clip, so it's easy to see how it could happen, especially if the card gets removed and reinstalled a lot. I use that City Navigator SD card of the continental US, and remove it only occasionally to swap GPSrs.

 

I also stuck some red tape at the positive (+) battery terminals. That's because on one trip, I had to change the batteries at night, had no light handy, and just plain could not see the markings. In dark conditions, you may actually see a "+" and "-", but those are not really the "+" and "-" terminals, they are symbols embossed on little battery symbols.

 

[+niraD]

I also stuck some red tape at the positive (+) battery terminals.

It looks like the red tape is at the negative battery terminals. Or am I missing something?

[+kunarion]

I also stuck some red tape at the positive (+) battery terminals.

It looks like the red tape is at the negative battery terminals. Or am I missing something?

That's why I installed the tape! Look closely, it is correct. But it's confusing.

 

Um, well, you know... it's confusing to me...

 

Here's a better picture of the battery symbols. Compare that to the photo above, and I guess that illustrates the problem in certain lighting conditions. I changed batteries in the dark, hoping to hunt one more cache (using my GPSr's "flashlight"), and it was still completely dead. In the dark, the battery markings made it look opposite of the correct polarity. I decided that wasn't gonna happen again. It's probably more than the OP really wants to do, but there it is.

 

Edited June 6, 2017 by kunarion

[+FunnyNose]

I've never had the SD card pop out, with three models of Oregon GPSr I've owned.

 

I've had 2 pop out on my 62s in the field. Hence why I have it taped in now.

If you lose your pre loaded micro chip Garmin will not replace it.

 

You also need to watch when removing the batteries + side first it can pull out and break the contact.

 

Edited June 6, 2017 by FunnyNose

[+niraD]

Wow. That is exactly the opposite of what it looked like in the first photo. That's a candidate for the http://baddesigns.com/ web site.

[+kunarion]

Wow. That is exactly the opposite of what it looked like in the first photo. That's a candidate for the http://baddesigns.com/ web site.

I know, right?!

[+kunarion]

I've never had the SD card pop out, with three models of Oregon GPSr I've owned.

 

I've had 2 pop out on my 62s in the field. Hence why I have it taped in now.

If you lose your pre loaded micro chip Garmin will not replace it.

 

Yeah, that would be bad. If it happened to me while changing batteries, it could well be when I'm knee-deep in various forest plants. I'd never find it. I'll have to think that over, since I do sometimes switch to a hunting map card that shows property lines and owners (so I can test if, hypothetically, I could squeeze just one more cache into some nice park ). For now I'm going commando. You know, tape-less.

 

You also need to watch when removing the batteries + side first it can pull out and break the contact.

 

A better quality battery holder has coiled springs for the negative end, and fixed positive contacts, much less likely to break in the field. Garmin has cut a lotta corners! I suppose people wouldn't pay for higher quality...

Edited June 7, 2017 by kunarion

[+barefootjeff]

I get the Garmin City Navigator on the micro SD card, pop it in and you have detail maps of the whole U.S.

 

Make sure you tape that SD card in there. Those SD cards can and will pop out when you change the batteries.

I was on a bus going to my caching location, turned on the Garmin, dead batteries, swapped them over as we were going along, but when I got off and went to start searching, no caches showing! The SD card had popped out on the bus which by then was halfway off to the next suburb.