Garmin eTrex 10 Issues

[Outback in Idaho]

  Used the Garmin eTrex 10 all last year with BaseCamp. Was getting ready to go camping today, though been arguing with the computer. BaseCamp loads fine. Plug the eTrex 10 into the USB port and the eTrex's display lights up, but there's no Win7 noise when plugging the unit in.

  Needless to say Garmin Express nor BaseCamp will recognize the eTrex all a sudden. Don't know if I have another one of them odd ball USB connector cables laying around but going to look.

  The one spot I wanted to camp at is on BaseCamp and trying to load it into the eTrex 10. /grr

  Have tried both the Mass Storage & Garmin on the USB Mode. Getting disgusted and am running begind.

[Outback in Idaho]

  Found another one of them odd ball USB connectors, still no notification from Win7 that it's being recognized. /sigh

[Outback in Idaho]

  Eureka! Unsure which USB Mode it was in but the eTrex 10 said something about Mass Mode with a countdown, so switched on yes, and the USB port symbol came on the screen. Now Garmin Express found it. /boggled

  Let's hope the new update won't bug my GPS out even more. I'd like to get going soon. /hyper dance emoticon

[Grant Lamontagne]

I pretty much gave up on handheld GPS units and let my phone or tablet do all of that now.  I like the handheld units, but I'm just not interested in carrying yet another set of batteries for yet another device when I'm out in the woods.

Def

[Outback in Idaho]

  At the time, last year, I did not have a data plan on a phone. Had GPS on the Droid X but I never gave it much thought of tracking on the phone. Then too, one about needed data plan to get the GPS to work on them blasted phones.

  Got a Garmin eTrex10 hoping it could do more than it can't. Plotted a lot of way points on it, and had all the data from last year on it, and morel mushroom hunting locations. I don't plan on hunting mushrooms this trip, don't really care for them either.

  Since I didn't use the GPS tracker since last fall I stopped the drivers from enabling in Win7. Did enable them again, rebooted, but the device was being ornery. Switching cables seems to do the trick. good thing, cause I only had the 2.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Once you download the maps the GPS receiver in your phone just updates your location without needing data, doesn't it?

Def

[dks]

 

[Fortytwo]

Once you download the maps the GPS receiver in your phone just updates your location without needing data, doesn't it?

Def

I believe so, but it's only fairly recently that downloading maps beforehand made its way from experimental to user, at least on Google maps.

[hiraethus]

I pretty much gave up on handheld GPS units and let my phone or tablet do all of that now.  I like the handheld units, but I'm just not interested in carrying yet another set of batteries for yet another device when I'm out in the woods.

Def

My GPS (Garmin etrex 30) lasts for 30 hours on one set of rechargeable AA batteries and uses the same batteries as my torch and backup bike lights, so I'm already carrying spares for those anyway.  As a bonus, it doesn't rely on phone signal for accuracy, has a complete set of routable maps for the whole of Europe, a set of 1:50000 maps for the whole of the UK and is completely waterproof.

[Top-Gear-24]

I pretty much gave up on handheld GPS units and let my phone or tablet do all of that now.  I like the handheld units, but I'm just not interested in carrying yet another set of batteries for yet another device when I'm out in the woods.

Def

My GPS (Garmin etrex 30) lasts for 30 hours on one set of rechargeable AA batteries and uses the same batteries as my torch and backup bike lights, so I'm already carrying spares for those anyway.  As a bonus, it doesn't rely on phone signal for accuracy, has a complete set of routable maps for the whole of Europe, a set of 1:50000 maps for the whole of the UK and is completely waterproof.

Well said  .

I feel the same about my Garmin Map60CSX, the smartphone is a nice extra to have with me on a hike (or mountainbike ride), but the biggest problem I have with it is the poor battery life, especially when you're using the gimmicks on it ...

So I have more faith in my "real" gps unit, which is shock- and waterproof, with a battery that last for ages and if needed can easily be replaced in the field (and I also try to pick led lights that use the same, AA batteries).

But since I'm an old fashioned type of guy, I also take a "real" paper topo map and a "real" compass with me  .

[Outback in Idaho]

  Entered the N44° 32.930' W116° 59.337' coordinates from BaseCamp and put into Google Maps. Entered the starting point. Left panel slides out and give an option to send to phone.
 
  When I use the smartphone it downloaded terrain maps up until I lost connection. Later on when I went to see what the rest of the area was like the phone's imagery was all blurred out, trail marker & names were erased, and local spot vanished.

  Problem with the eTrex 10 is the memory is pathetic, has no external SD card slot, and there's like no storage to amount to a hill of beans. For $75 is was cool. backtracking is iffy since satellites differ by 30 feet at times & time of day.
  I should of gotten a better one but wanted to see how useful a GPS was. The better units also cost a lot more $$$.