GPS Problems

judgemint · 07-24-2006, 05:23 PM

I just got a garmin etrex vista cx. I am a complete novice I am having trouble getting started the manual doesn't realy show what to do as far as doing things such as parking your truck going in the woods and finding your way back. I understand how to start a waypoint at the beginning by pushing in the thumbstick and pushing it in at your destination or other points of interest, But I don't understand what to do to go find it. Do I use the compass page?? I understand if I hit go to it just shows a straight line to the waypoint flag. Ther is a video from garmin on this unit Does anyone know if this is anygood?? If someone could show me step by step on how to start I could probably get the other things going Thanx

Roseaukaine · 07-27-2006, 08:16 PM

First -- read the maual from front to back. If you are a novice at gps, then you sure picked a good one......it will take some time and playing around to get used to it, but once you do you will not regret it. Again.......great little unit-----take your time. If you can operate a modern cell phone that GPS is nothing to use, you just have to understand how to tell it what you want it to do.

MikeVT · 08-02-2006, 01:43 PM

I bought a Garmin Etrex Legend and the instructional video. Video helped out some, but the best way to learn how to use it is to just mess around with it. Like Roseaukaine said, ifyou can navigate your way around a cell phone, a GPS won't be any trouble.

LeeinVa1 · 08-10-2006, 12:29 AM

the first thing you do when you get out of your vehicle is MARK the spot. when you hit mark, you will see the number of the waypoint,you can either leave it that way or change it to truck, car, etc. then save it. now if you want to go back to that once you are in the woods, hit GOTO and it will bring up a list of waypoints, find the one for the vehicle, and hit either goto or ok. then bring up the compass page, compass will show you the direction to your vehicle, and if you have your gps setup right, it will show you the distance and time of arrival. what you need to do is find a large field with nothing around to block your view. park your vehicle, mark it on the gps then walk away from it aways. then hit goto and follow the above steps and see if the compass does not point at your truck. this will build confidence in using the unit. best of luck to you and enjoy

MinnFinn · 08-18-2006, 11:42 PM

LeeinVA1 gave the quick steps of one way to follow the GPS back to your original waypoint. The manual will help step you through the specifics of which buttons to push, when. It does take some practice BEFORE you need it for real!

Another way to find your way back is to follow the"trail"it shows you followed on the way out and retrace the trail. You'll need to practice zooming in and zooming out some to get the best view of following the trail.
I've also set the waypoint and straight line trail between (for boundary property lines) and followed the trail it shows. It'll keep you within 10-20 feet either side of the trail as long as you keep somewhat of an overhead to the sky open. It needs to keep communications with the GPS satellites ongoing. Depending on how many satellites it picks up and which positions in the sky, the accuracy can change as you go, but you'll stay within sight of the actual virtual trail most of the time. Only if you run into unnavigateable obsticales might you need to go around and temporarily leave a pre-set trail.
Have fun. Always bring a compass as a backup, in case the thing stops working for you or you aren't sure. It's a good way to verify even with a GPS.

Halfmast · 09-16-2006, 09:40 PM

Sit down and read the book. Read it again! Garmin has real good instructions. Don't go to the woods and try to learn how to use it! Learn what each page of the GPS functions shows you and how to use them. That is a fine little unit. Not Bi-focal friendly. Mainly for young eyes. Again, read the book until you understand the unit. If you should buy the instructional video tape watch it several times until you have each function down. If you are going to be using it in the woods you should consider getting Garmin Map Source Topo USA. Again you will have to do some reading on how to use it...but it is well worth it. Don't solely rely on using the GPS. You should know how to navigate with a map and compass! And last but not least, always carry spare batteries with you.